Top Ten Batman issues from the Bronze Age 0

[Rip]

I'm just a collector, so while value will play a role in my choices, aesthetics and what not will also weigh heavily. I would choose Batman 217, 227, 232, 234, 251, Detective 395, 400, 405, 411, and B&B 85......without much hesitation.... but then I've been an Adams fan forever. GOD BLESS...

 

-jimbo(a friend of jesus)

 

I'd be very close to this list but would take 237 over 217 and maybe BB93 just for personal horror preference.

 

Also love Bats 222 and tec 402

 

 

Edited January 27, 2017 by Rip

[JTLarsen]

You can try the aforementioned treasuries for many of the reprints (and bigger). Also the Ra's al Ghul stories and the Man-Bat stories were each reprinted in separate limited series which can be picked up for cheap (or check out the Tales of the Demon trade for the Ra's stuff).

 

Honestly, though, I've got the Adams 3-volume set and the coloring simply does not bother me at all (yes, I'm well aware that I'm the only one). The stories and art are just a joy.

 

Thanks for the info. I have one of Adam's recolored volumes and the digital coloring did throw me off. I actually picked it up at one of his signings and he was telling everyone how proud he was of the new coloring. I feel there is too much contrast now and I'm focusing more on the bright colors vs the beautiful art and story. I would've sold my copy had he not sketched in my book. I will try to hunt down those treasuries!

 

The treasuries are easy enough to find in mid-grade and will give you a wide selection of classic stories. However, the Tales of the Demon tpb is worth picking up as well as it has the DC Special Series 15 that others have mentioned, which is a key story in the Batman/Talia/Ra's relationship, as well as a few other post-Adams stories (I believe all are penned by O'neil, though).

 

--------------------------

Here's a question for everyone, too. Which B&B would you place in the Top 10 of this thread: 79 or 85? I've seen mention of 85, but I always thought it was more significant for GA than Batters.

 

93.

[JTLarsen]

I HIGHLY recommend the Titan TPBs of Neal Adams Batman (which also has another contender for top ten Batman bronze: Night of the Stalker, from Detective...438 maybe? I can't remember. It's an Adams cover, but the interiors are Sal Amendola...)

[Brian48]

I HIGHLY recommend the Titan TPBs of Neal Adams Batman (which also has another contender for top ten Batman bronze: Night of the Stalker, from Detective...438 maybe? I can't remember. It's an Adams cover, but the interiors are Sal Amendola...)

 

Tec 439.

[Comic_Zone]

speaking of Neal Adams batman, can someone recommend a collection (TPB or HC) that has all these classic stories? (and I don't mean the batman Omnibus that has all the new fancy digital coloring) I want the original color printing! I want to read them all now that I've seen all these amazing covers!

 

Here are some cheaper options, I'm not a fan of the new coloring either, but if you don't mind b&w(I love it) Showcase vol 5 collects a ton of great issues.

 

 

 

 

That Treasury looks amazing, is that the only one of Adams I need to pick up?

[Brian48]

No. You need C25, C44, C51, and C59.

[Readcomix]

Not that it should crack top 10, but what about honorable mention love for B&B 79?

[jimjum12]

I love all the Adams B&B's...... Adams does everybody......that is the volume I look at most of all in the 3 volume set GOD BLESS...

 

-jimbo(a friend of jesus)

[Ken Aldred]

I love all the Adams B&B's...... Adams does everybody......that is the volume I look at most of all in the 3 volume set GOD BLESS...

 

-jimbo(a friend of jesus)

 

I don't really mind the digital recolouring in the Batman Illustrated by Neal Adams hardcovers, but volume 1 provides an easy comparison between the original and new presentations. I think I read that Adams got carried away a bit with his remastering and ran over budget before finishing the volume, so that it stops suddenly part way through the Brave and Bold run; around the Sgt Rock issue, IIRC?

[Comic_Zone]

I love all the Adams B&B's...... Adams does everybody......that is the volume I look at most of all in the 3 volume set GOD BLESS...

 

-jimbo(a friend of jesus)

 

I don't really mind the digital recolouring in the Batman Illustrated by Neal Adams hardcovers, but volume 1 provides an easy comparison between the original and new presentations. I think I read that Adams got carried away a bit with his remastering and ran over budget before finishing the volume, so that it stops suddenly part way through the Brave and Bold run; around the Sgt Rock issue, IIRC?

 

That's actually really good to know. Does that mean the Adam's Batman Omnibus is not all digitally recolored? Does anyone here own one? Love to know how much of the volume has been touched up. If it's half recolored, I would consider getting the omnibus. Thanks!

[Brian48]

I can say that the 3 volume set is all digitally colored. Maybe not as consistently, but definitely digitally colored. Can't imagine why they wouldn't do the same for the omnibus since they already had the color plates from the first 3 volumes.

 

I'd skim through the vol 1-3 TPB and see how much it bothers you. If it's not too bad to your eyes, the omnibus is really the way to go. Another thing that bothers me a bit is that Adams did a George Lucas and redrew a few panels here and there to correct what he thought were mistakes or renderings that didn't turn out the way he wanted originally. The only problem is that these look a little obvious and sort of sticks out when you see it. I have all the original issues so it was easy for me to catch these.

 

The best reprinting of these stories in the original four color palette are the treasury editions. C25 is my favorite, but C51 and C59 are the best. C59 also reprints Wrightson's fantastic Swamp Thing 7 and Adams' HOS 93, one of the few books where Adams did both the pencils and inks. On top of that, Tec 410 and Bat 227 are included as well.

[Comic_Zone]

I can say that the 3 volume set is all digitally colored. Maybe not as consistently, but definitely digitally colored. Can't imagine why they wouldn't do the same for the omnibus since they already had the color plates from the first 3 volumes.

 

I'd skim through the vol 1-3 TPB and see how much it bothers you. If it's not too bad to your eyes, the omnibus is really the way to go. Another thing that bothers me a bit is that Adams did a George Lucas and redrew a few panels here and there to correct what he thought were mistakes or renderings that didn't turn out the way he wanted originally. The only problem is that these look a little obvious and sort of sticks out when you see it. I have all the original issues so it was easy for me to catch these.

 

The best reprinting of these stories in the original four color palette are the treasury editions. C25 is my favorite, but C51 and C59 are the best. C59 also reprints Wrightson's fantastic Swamp Thing 7 and Adams' HOS 93, one of the few books where Adams did both the pencils and inks. On top of that, Tec 410 and Bat 227 are included as well.

 

Thanks so much for this!

[Zonker]

--------------------------

Here's a question for everyone, too. Which B&B would you place in the Top 10 of this thread: 79 or 85? I've seen mention of 85, but I always thought it was more significant for GA than Batters.

 

 

I've always had a hard time shoe-horning the Haney/Adams B&B run in to the Bronze Age, since those issues carry cover-dates of 1968-1969. But they are certainly strong precursors of what was about to come, as was the Neal Adams Deadman run from Strange Adventures (which of course heavily crossed over into B&B during those years).

 

I'd vote B&B 79 as the more historically significant as the first true Adams Batman, but the market clearly values 85 as the first appearance of the "new" Green Arrow. Or at least the first appearance of his beard...

[Black_Adam]

speaking of Neal Adams batman, can someone recommend a collection (TPB or HC) that has all these classic stories? (and I don't mean the batman Omnibus that has all the new fancy digital coloring) I want the original color printing! I want to read them all now that I've seen all these amazing covers!

 

Here are some cheaper options, I'm not a fan of the new coloring either, but if you don't mind b&w(I love it) Showcase vol 5 collects a ton of great issues.

 

 

 

I have that Showcase and it has some great reading material and eye candy (Talia ) . The black and white reprints didn't bother me nearly as much as the jarring difference in quality between the Neal Adams stories and the terrible Frank Robbins tales that follow them...

[Martin Sinescu]

I have that Showcase and it has some great reading material and eye candy (Talia ) . The black and white reprints didn't bother me nearly as much as the jarring difference in quality between the Neal Adams stories and the terrible Frank Robbins tales that follow them...

 

If it's the quality of stories, then its the difference between O'Neil and Robbins with Adams doing some pencils for each. Although I've never read straight through the issues (as the two writers went back and forth for a while), I think Robbins gets big points for Man-Bat!

[Chillax23]

Kind of surprised there is not more love for Tec 405 (great cover)

 

But there seems to be a ton of love for Tec 411 .... just surprised that there is that much separation between Tec 405 and 411. I would think a Tec 411 lover would love Tec 405 and Batman 232, so the three books would be on the same list ....

[Brian48]

I think Tec 405 getting about the right amount of attention. It's a key, but certainly not because of the cover. Some might even argue it's a minor key. I'd rank it far below those related books that drive the popularity to begin with.

 

Let's face it, if you had to pursue the Al Ghul keys of the era, you'd want Bats 232 first (if not Tec 411) and Tec 405 would be the last one to get just to complete the trinity of Bats 232 > Tec 411 > 405. It would make the top 10 certainly, but never the top 5 in my opinion. When was the last time anyone got excited by the first appearance of an organization versus that of a real character?

[lou_fine]

Kind of surprised there is not more love for Tec 405 (great cover)

 

But there seems to be a ton of love for Tec 411 .... just surprised that there is that much separation between Tec 405 and 411. I would think a Tec 411 lover would love Tec 405 and Batman 232, so the three books would be on the same list ....

 

+1

 

Especially since Detective 411 has by far the worst cover out of the three books in question.

 

I would definitely say that Detective 405 is the most undervalued out of these 3 books. Normally, it would have been Batman 232, but this book is just so common with far too many issues out there.

[Chillax23]

I think Tec 405 getting about the right amount of attention. It's a key, but certainly not because of the cover. Some might even argue it's a minor key. I'd rank it far below those related books that drive the popularity to begin with.

 

Let's face it, if you had to pursue the Al Ghul keys of the era, you'd want Bats 232 first (if not Tec 411) and Tec 405 would be the last one to get just to complete the trinity of Bats 232 > Tec 411 > 405. It would make the top 10 certainly, but never the top 5 in my opinion. When was the last time anyone got excited by the first appearance of an organization versus that of a real character?

 

I agree that out of the three it is likely the least important - but I don't think it is so much less importance wise then Tec 411 - and the price gap between the two in grade is quite large.

 

Edit: and as a disclaimer I don't any of the three books but am in the market for all three so I am happy Tec 405 is so "low"

Edited February 2, 2017 by Chillax23

[lou_fine]

Also interesting to note that in terms of slabbed copies, Detective 405 have by far the fewest out of the 3 books in question. Looks like Detective 411 have about twice as many copies slabbed while Batman 232 have about 10 times as many slabbed copies.

 

Probably means that there are possibly a lot of raw copies of Detective 405 out there just waiting to be slabbed once there is any kind of uptick in the price.