In celebration of the 85th anniversary of the first comic book appearance of Batman, the new project, curated by former DC Comics President Jennette Kahn, presents a dozen of the greatest Batman comics of all time, including a replica copy of ‘Batman #1.’
The Folio Society, independent publisher of beautifully illustrated hardback books, is celebrating the 85th anniversary of the first comic book appearance of DC’s Dark Knight Detective with the release of “DC: Batman,” in collaboration with DC. Created by Bob Kane with Bill Finger, Batman first appeared in 1939’s “Detective Comics #27” and has since stood as a symbol of determination, courage and justice to generations of fans. The Dark Knight is one of the most iconic fictional characters in the world, and is a self-made superhero notable not for his superpowers, but for his intelligence, determination, and tech savvy.
This collectible compilation includes 12 seminal comics by a host of iconic writers and artists, including Finger, Kane, Jerry Robinson, Denny O'Neil, Neal Adams, Marshall Rogers, Frank Miller, Dave Mazzucchelli, Alan Moore, Brian Bolland and Kelley Jones, selected and introduced by former DC President, Publisher, and Editor-in-Chief of DC, Jennette Kahn.
Along with the 320-page one-of-a-kind deluxe book, DC: Batman also comes with a stand-alone replica copy of “Batman” #1. Scanned in its entirety from an original 1940 copy, the replica copy includes the original back-up strips and vintage ads, and introduces The Joker and The Cat, who would come to be known as Catwoman.
“Created towards the end of the Great Depression by artist Bob Kane with writer Bill Finger, Batman is an icon as familiar as James Bond or Tarzan, one who has evolved to reflect the changing attitudes of the twentieth century,” said Folio Society Head of Editorial, James Rose. “The stories selected for ‘DC: Batman’ reveal how the character and his billionaire alter-ego Bruce Wayne gradually evolved from the dutiful crimefighter of the 1940s to a man possessed, as crazy as the criminals he puts away. The Caped Crusader faces a rogue’s gallery steeped in gothic horror, from the Weimar cinema-inspired The Joker to the Jekyll/Hyde figure of Two-Face and the Moriarty-like Ra's al Ghul.”
“Trauma is a through-line in the Batman mythology,” writes Jenette Kahn in her introduction. “It has made psychopaths of Batman’s foes and brought him to the edge of madness himself. Batman’s battle is not just against criminals and crime. He fears the day he’ll look into a mirror and see, not Bruce Wayne’s face, but The Joker’s.” Kahn, the first woman at the helm of the legendary comic book publisher, helped transform comics into a sophisticated art form during her 27-year tenure from 1976 to 2002.
“’The Dark Knight Returns’ by Frank Miller, ‘Batman: Year One,’ by Miller and Dave Mazzucchelli, and the terrifying classic ‘The Killing Joke’ by Alan Moore and Brian Bolland are widely regarded as among the greatest comic books ever created,” said Folio Society Publishing Director, Tom Walker. “These stories changed the graphic medium forever with their combination of cinematic storytelling, shocking violence and literary depth and serve as centerpiece texts for ‘DC: Batman.’”
"DC: Batman" includes:
Facsimile: Batman #1 (Spring 1940)
- Writer: Bill Finger
- Cover artists: Bob Kane, Jerry Robinson
- Artists: Bob Kane, Sheldon Moldoff
- Editor: Whitney Ellsworth
The Bat-Man
Detective Comics #27 (May 1939)
- Writer: Bill Finger
- Artist: Bob Kane
- Editor: Vincent Sullivan
Robin—the Boy Wonder
Detective Comics #38 (April 1940)
- Writer: Bill Finger
- Artists: Bob Kane, Jerry Robinson
- Editor: Whitney Ellsworth
The Crimes of Two-Face!
Detective Comics #66 (August 1942)
- Writer: Bill Finger
- Artists: Jerry Robinson, George Roussos
- Letterers: Ira Schnapp
- Editor: Whitney Ellsworth
Batman and Green Arrow: The Senator’s Been Shot!
The Brave and the Bold #85 (September 1969)
- Writer: Bob Haney
- Cover artist: Neal Adams
- Penciler: Neal Adams
- Inker: Dick Giordano
- Letterer: Ben Oda
- Editor: Murray Boltinoff
Daughter of the Demon
Batman #232 (June 1971)
- Writer: Dennis O'Neil
- Cover artist: Neal Adams
- Penciler: Neal Adams
- Inker: Dick Giordano
- Letterer: John Costanza
- Editor: Julius Schwartz
The Dead Yet Live
Detective Comics #471 (August 1977)
- Writer: Steve Englehart
- Cover artists: Marshall Rogers, Terry Austin, Tatjana Wood, Gaspar Saladino
- Penciler: Marshall Rogers
- Inker: Terry Austin
- Colorists: Marshall Rogers
- Letterer: John Workman
- Editors: Julius Schwartz, E. Nelson Bridwell
The Dark Knight Returns
Batman: The Dark Knight Returns #1 (June 1986)
- Writer: Frank Miller
- Cover artists: Frank Miller, Lynn Varley
- Penciler: Frank Miller
- Inker: Klaus Janson
- Colorist: Lynn Varley
- Letterer: John Costanza
- Editors: Dick Giordano, Dennis O'Neil
Batman: Year One—Chapter One: Who I Am—How I Come to Be
Batman #404 (February 1987)
- Writer: Frank Miller
- Artist: Dave Mazzucchelli
- Colorist: Richmond Lewis
- Letterer: Todd Klein
- Editor: Dennis O'Neil
Batman: The Killing Joke (July 1988)
- Writer: Alan Moore
- Cover artists: Brian Bolland, Richard Bruning
- Artist: Brian Bolland
- Colorist: John Higgins
- Letterer: Richard Starkings
- Editors: Dennis O'Neil, Dan Raspler
The Last Arkham (Part One)
Batman: Shadow of the Bat #1 (June 1992)
- Writer: Alan Grant
- Cover artist: Brian Stelfreeze
- Penciler: Norm Breyfogle
- Inker: Norm Breyfogle
- Colorist: Adrienne Roy
- Letterer: Todd Klein
- Editors: Scott Peterson, Dennis O'Neil
Knightfall Part 1: Crossed Eyes and Dotty Teas
Batman #492 (May 1993)
- Writer: Doug Moench
- Cover artists: Kelley Jones, Bob LeRose
- Penciler: Norm Breyfogle
- Inker: Norm Breyfogle
- Colorist Adrienne Roy
- Letterer: Richard Starkings
- Editors: Scott Peterson, Jordan B. Gorfinkel, Dennis O'Neil
The release of ‘DC: Batman’ is the second release in the Folio Society publishing program with DC, following the release of the acclaimed ‘DC: The Golden Age’. Scanned from original copies held in the DC archives, the comics have been reproduced in 10” x 7” treasury format. An anti-scratch laminated hardcover features Batman’s signature silhouette, with titles foil-embossed in yellow and midnight blue, the book itself cowled in a pitch-black slipcase bearing the famous Bat-Signal. A compendium of gothic artwork and Batarang-sharp storytelling, DC: Batman is an unmissable investigation into the adventures and pathology of one of the world’s most famous – and most troubled – DC Super Heroes.
‘DC: Batman’ is now available from the Folio Society for £65 / US $100, exclusively from https://www.foliosociety.com/usa/fiction/comics-graphic-novels.
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