Showcase Presents Batman: Volume 1
At a point in the early 1960s, DC Comics gave Batman a slight overhaul, outfitting him and Robin with all-new Bat-branded gadgetry – a move which directly inspired the Insta-Smash TV show, so says the back cover of SHOWCASE PRESENTS BATMAN: VOLUME 1.
You can judge for yourself in this 550-page collection of two years’ worth of consecutive issues of BATMAN and DETECTIVE COMICS (minus that title’s backup stories starring Elongated Man, having already been collected), all featuring the Dynamic Duo keeping Gotham City clean and neat. My opinion is yes, I can see how these stories gave rise to the über-camp TV series, although they don’t have the self-aware humor. They’re corny, alright, but in a completely naïve manner than doesn’t wink at the audience. And they’re also as harmless and irresistible as its cover is bright.
As with Elongated Man, the mysteries they encounter are preposterously plotted, involving a man who turns into a cyborg, a booby-trapped castle and an elephant goddess in Africa. My favorite stories were the three involving the Mystery Analysts Gotham City – kind of a poor man’s version of Isaac Asimov’s Black Widowers – a condundrum club of which Batman is a charter member.
Expect lots of jewelry thefts, mind-control schemes, gimmicky traps, secret-identity close calls and baddies in TG&Y costumes. The Penguin and The Riddler each show up for one issue, and The Joker for two (tell me the cover of DETECTIVE COMICS #341 at left isn’t mega-disturbing), but that’s about it for Batman’s usual rogue’s gallery. The craziest opponent may be Klag, a frozen caveman – though still enclosed in a block of ice, he goes several rounds with “the sinewy sleuth.” Or maybe it’s the talking gorilla strapped with explosives. (Oh, Batman, don’t you remember that some days you just can’t get rid of a bomb?)
Throughout all the fun, Robin’s chock full of the unintentional double entendres (pg. 74: “I could lick a cageful of tigers right now!”). My favorite might be when Robin complains, “Whew! My fist aches!,” but that’s another story entirely. –Rod Lott
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OTHER BOOKGASM REVIEWS OF THIS SERIES:
• SHOWCASE PRESENTS THE ELONGATED MAN: VOLUME 1
• SHOWCASE PRESENTS THE HAUNTED TANK: VOLUME 1
• SHOWCASE PRESENTS THE HOUSE OF MYSTERY: VOLUME 1
• SHOWCASE PRESENTS JONAH HEX: VOLUME 1
• SHOWCASE PRESENTS METAMORPHO: VOLUME 1
• SHOWCASE PRESENTS SUPERMAN FAMILY: VOLUME 1
[...] OTHER BOOKGASM REVIEWS OF THIS SERIES: • SHOWCASE PRESENTS BATMAN: VOLUME 1 • SHOWCASE PRESENTS CHALLENGERS OF THE UNKNOWN: VOLUME 1 • SHOWCASE PRESENTS THE ELONGATED MAN: VOLUME 1 • SHOWCASE PRESENTS THE HAUNTED TANK: VOLUME 1 • SHOWCASE PRESENTS THE HOUSE OF MYSTERY: VOLUME 1 • SHOWCASE PRESENTS JONAH HEX: VOLUME 1 • SHOWCASE PRESENTS METAMORPHO: VOLUME 1 • SHOWCASE PRESENTS THE PHANTOM STRANGER: VOLUME 1 • SHOWCASE PRESENTS SUPERMAN FAMILY: VOLUME 1 • SHOWCASE PRESENTS THE UNKNOWN SOLDIER: VOLUME 1 [...]
[...] OTHER BOOKGASM REVIEWS OF THESE HEROES: • DC UNIVERSE: INHERITANCE by Devin Grayson • DC UNIVERSE: LAST SONS by Alan Grant • IT’S SUPERMAN! by Tom De Haven • SHOWCASE PRESENTS BATMAN: VOLUME 1 • SHOWCASE PRESENTS SUPERMAN FAMILY: VOLUME 1 • SUPERMAN RETURNS by Marv Wolfman [...]
[...] As you’ll see clearly in SHOWCASE PRESENTS GREEN ARROW: VOLUME 1, the super-skilled archer is modeled after Batman. But instead of a utility belt full of gadgets, he’s got a gaggle of arrows, each with a different, ludicrous purpose: a glue arrow, a rope arrow, a balloon arrow, ad nauseam. Green Arrow’s secret identity is that of a rich bachelor, who lives with his young ward Speedy, who not only fights crime beside him, but sleeps in the bed next to him. Eyebrows raised? Is it accidental Green Arrow is named Oliver Queen? Together, they get into all sorts of trouble, from angering a tribe of Native Americans to time-warping back into the days of King Arthur. It’s all harmless, of course, but also one of DC’s most repetitive books from that era. Each six- or seven-page story – most backup features from ADVENTURE COMICS – follows the exact same trajectory: 1. Problem arises. 2. Special trick arrow is fired. 3. All is well. –Rod Lott [...]
[...] BOOKGASM REVIEWS OF THIS SERIES: • SHOWCASE PRESENTS BATMAN: VOLUME 1 • SHOWCASE PRESENTS THE BRAVE AND THE BOLD BATMAN TEAM-UPS: VOLUME 1 • SHOWCASE PRESENTS [...]
Hi Rod, I’m just loving your Showcase review. I was wondering… which one is your favorite?
That’s tough to pick from so many good ones. From a pure fun factor, I’d say HOUSE OF MYSTERY. For overall quality, JONAH HEX.
What about your favorite traditional superhero Showcase title?
I haven’t read all of them, but of those, BATMAN and BRAVE AND THE BOLD are the best superhero titles, with honorable mentions to METAMORPHO and SHAZAM! for being so weird.
[...] BOOKGASM REVIEWS OF THIS SERIES: • SHOWCASE PRESENTS BATMAN: VOLUME 1 • SHOWCASE PRESENTS THE BRAVE AND THE BOLD BATMAN TEAM-UPS: VOLUME 1 • SHOWCASE PRESENTS [...]
[...] up SHOWCASE PRESENTS BATMAN: VOLUME 2 if you liked VOLUME 1, because it’s 500 more pages of the same 1960s insanity and inanity, obviously both [...]
[...] BOOKGASM REVIEWS OF THIS SERIES: • SHOWCASE PRESENTS BATMAN: VOLUME 1 • SHOWCASE PRESENTS BATMAN: VOLUME 2 • SHOWCASE PRESENTS THE BRAVE AND THE BOLD BATMAN [...]
[...] action featuring the hero The Crimson Bat. It’s very blatant that the character is amalgam of Batman with elements of The Spider thrown in, since the Bat has guns and will shoot people. The story [...]