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Batman vs. Detective Comics
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20 posts in this topic

I've always been a Batman fan and (though I don't have huge expectations of completing a run) would like start collecting some of the older batman books. Can anyone tell me if there is a reason to collect Batman over Detective Comics or vice versa? Any big difference between the tone of the stories? Is one more sought after than the other?

 

Thanks for any help!

 

- Chadwick

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It all differs depending on era. From a collecting perspective, I don't think it makes a difference between the two for the older stuff (BA and older). As you get more towards the modern stuff, I think the Batman title has the better storylines and collector interest.

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It all differs depending on era. From a collecting perspective, I don't think it makes a difference between the two for the older stuff (BA and older). As you get more towards the modern stuff, I think the Batman title has the better storylines and collector interest.

 

I certainly like your sig line. That's the era I would collect.

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My only issue with huge runs is the space that it eats up. My physical collection is very modest in size compared to everyone else's (one long box and about 10 short boxes). Even then, I still catch a lot of flak from the wife.

 

As blasphemous as it sounds, I went digital with my full Batman and Detective Comics run. All the way up to the end before the New 52 took over. For the New 52, I stick with the trades. Same for my Savage Sword of Conan run. You don't get that nice paper smell, but it's very convenient and allows you access to 75 years' worth of stories.

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My goal, since I will never have a complete run of Batman and Detective Comics is to get the runs of both series from January 1970 and up.

 

That's a great goal. They are stylistically very different if you start going older than that. But as you work on those you'll find that it's not so hard to go back to 1965 or 1960 or maybe even 1955. Beyond that is pretty hard these days.

 

It's a great run (I especially like Batman 200-400) and good luck!

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If you're going back to the Golden Age, the Batman title is all Batman content, while Detective is a 13 or so page story with several unrelated back up features. GOD BLESS...

 

-jimbo(a friend of jesus) (thumbs u

Edited by jimjum12
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I think Detective Comics have maybe more "wtf" --script while Batman is more credible. And probably the principal rogues gallery appears more in Batman. But sometimes the 2 titles was connected too.

Not affirmative just what i think.

Edited by BA773
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Personally, I've generally been more impressed by the Detective Comics run than the main Batman title.  In the Silver Age, Detective is where you could find the Carmine Infantino artwork in every-other-issue, which I preferred to Sheldon Moldoff's ghosting for Bob Kane everywhere else at that time.  Archie Goodwin's brief interruption of the Julius Schwartz tenure as Bat-editor occurred in Detective, and gave us the classic Manhunter strip drawn by a young Walt Simonson.  And Detective was the only place you could find Marshall Rogers drawing the Batman.  2c

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On 5/22/2023 at 7:56 PM, Zonker said:

Personally, I've generally been more impressed by the Detective Comics run than the main Batman title.  In the Silver Age, Detective is where you could find the Carmine Infantino artwork in every-other-issue, which I preferred to Sheldon Moldoff's ghosting for Bob Kane everywhere else at that time.  Archie Goodwin's brief interruption of the Julius Schwartz tenure as Bat-editor occurred in Detective, and gave us the classic Manhunter strip drawn by a young Walt Simonson.  And Detective was the only place you could find Marshall Rogers drawing the Batman.  2c

We share similar great taste in Bat features! And let's not forget Jim Aparo turning in some very atmospheric and spooky art in Detective. Of the same calibre as Neal Adams in many ways and still under appreciated. 

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If you're getting the title to read, during the 80's you have to buy both as a story will begin in one title and then conclude in the other title.

My preference was always for Detective as I liked the anthology format, especially the large 48-page dollar issues in the late 70's early 80's, but during the late 80's that final got dropped and it just became "the other Batman comic".

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Personally, I'm working a run of Detective Comics from 32-881 because that's where Batman originated.

Both titles are great, but Detective has backup features that can introduce you to new characters. That's how I discovered Martian Manhunter, The Crimson Avenger, Slam Bradley, etc...

I'd say start with both from the 1970s. That period has great art and stories. Once you've got that, consider branching out.

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On 12/23/2023 at 9:08 AM, shadroch said:

I've always preferred Detective although I'm not sure why. 1970s Detectives had the classic Manhunter arc, one of my favorites of all time.

I have the feeling that Detective and Action comics are the only 2 comic books who have something different than all the other comics, they arent just comic books, it could be call "super hero magazine". It seems that you really got some content for your money, there is almost always some additional stories into them, more pages! I never read them so im not sure of what i mean but is my views after research. What do you think?

Edited by BA773
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On 12/24/2023 at 8:57 PM, HouseofComics.Com said:

Interesting insight, though the titles definitely had the same number of pages.

Ok i tought it was a lot of over sized issues but i m wrong so.

Edited by BA773
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DC, in the 1960s, did put out more Giant-Sized issues of Batman than most titles. For several years, it seemed like one out of four were giants.  Then they switched to 48 pages for the whole line.  They reverted to 36 pages but then both Bat books switched to 100 pages for about two years.  A few years later, they switched to Dollar Comics. I'd say for the late Silver and most of the Bronze Age, they did have more than their share of oversized books.

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