Number 2327: Batman down under

I like reprints of American comics from other countries. I assume the Marvel and DC characters are well known around the world because of the movies, but I like seeing the foreign reprints because then I know the readers are sharing what Americans find (or in today’s example from several decades before CGI movies, found) fun and desirable about the comic book versions.

“The Death of Batman” is presented here in its blackline reprint from Australia, 1953. The story is originally from DC’s World’s Finest Comics #58 (1952). The cover (with some text modifications on the marquee) is from Batman #64 (1951). K.G. Murray is the name of the publisher “down under.” I’d tell more about American comics in Australia if it didn’t involve work on my part. Since I’m being lazy perhaps one of my readers will be so kind as to let us know how long Batman appeared in Australian reprints.

The story features figures drawn by Bob Kane, and the rest of the artwork is by Lew Sayre Schwartz, who was Bob Kane’s ghost artist at the time. Inking is by Charles Paris, and the story is by David Vern. The credits are gleaned from the Grand Comics Database’s information on the American  printing of World’s Finest Comics #58.

Number 813

The "First" Batman

Tattered, worn, battered, torn...Detective Comics #235 rests in a comic book bag in a box in my basement. I lost the cover eons ago. This comic is one I bought in the summer of 1956, just after my ninth birthday, when I took my 50¢ allowance to the drugstore for my weekly ration of comics and a candy bar. I was knocked on my keister by this story, written by Bill Finger and drawn by Bob Kane's ghost, Shelly Moldoff. I didn't know about Finger or Moldoff at the time, obviously. It was the first time I'd seen Batman's origin, and I was impressed. Detective Comics #235 is one of those comics I treated shabbily as a kid with repeated re-readings and mishandling until it ended up like this.

Batman was a favorite character of mine. In 1956 I was considered the neighborhood expert. "Does the Batman fly?" asked my neighbor, Bobby. "No," I said, "Not unless Superman carries him." That was what passed for expert.

This is one of the books I'll keep until they pry it from my cold, dead fingers. Not that anyone else would really want it, being in the poor-minus condition it is. Just so you can see how bad it is, I've scanned it without cleaning it up.

I haven't read any Batman comics in a long time, and no recent stories. When I quit reading I felt that too many hands were working over the character, writing and rewriting the legends.

This beat-up old comic book is a sentimental favorite of mine, as you can probably tell.

"The First Batman" has been reprinted several times. According to the GCD, it's been reprinted in these places:

Batman (DC, 1940 series) #255 (March-April 1974)

Batman Annual (DC, 1961 series) #4 (Winter 1963)

Best of DC, The (DC, 1979 series) #2

Greatest Batman Stories Ever Told, The (DC, 1988 series) #nn [1]

Greatest Batman Stories Ever Told, The (DC, 1989 series) #nn [1]

Greatest Batman Stories Ever Told, The (Warner Books, 1989 series) #nn

My additions to the list:

Batman: Secrets Of The Batcave (2007)

Batman: The Black Casebook (2009)
Batman Annual 1968 (UK)

Number 509


Cathy the Cat Girl


Mrs. Pappy, whose name is Sally, went on a collecting binge a few years ago, finding and buying anything with the name Sally on it. Among the other stuff she found she bought a 1975 Sally Annual from the UK. She liked the cover, but she opened it, saw comics, and closed it right back up. I've told you before about the balance in the Pappy marriage. I love comics, she hates them.

I took a look and found this cute 4-page duotone strip featuring Cat Girl, who is Cathy, a prepubescent girl with a cat suit that gives her the agility of a cat. The story is as fluffy as my own cat; it's also unsigned, as is everything else in the Sally Annual. But it gives me an excuse to show you some other stuff about Catwoman, who we all know. These are panels from Batman #35, by Bob Kane.


Here's a babe in a Halloween costume who could trick or treat at my house:

Here's a photo called "catsuits" my son sent me last year. He knows what his Pappy likes:

I dunno if those are really catsuits, but I like the picture and wanted to share.