The first issue of Batman Comics I ever bought, as opposed to Detective Comics, was 132 (June 1960).
Artist Sheldon Moldoff and Batman co-creator Bill Finger did the honors, and the cover-featured Lair of the Sea Fox was the primary attraction. With his underwater sleds countered by the Bat-Submarine, the purple-clad Sea Fox was an interesting though limited villain, confined to the seas and sewers and so forth.
The issue included what I’m sure is the only Batman story named after a Joanne Woodward movie, The Three Faces of Batman.
I was already familiar with Batman, having purchased Detective Comics 277 (March 1960) and World’s Finest 110 (June 1960).
When I picked up World’s Finest 110, I was intrigued to see that Batman and Robin seemed remarkably effective and undaunted for people who lacked Superman’s vast array of powers. I was also delighted by the bright, contrasting colors of all their costumes.
The story was a clever one by Jerry Coleman. Let’s say you’re some creepy octopoid invading the planet Earth to shrink and steal buildings for your outer space amusement park. How do you stop the unstoppable Superman, who is sure to interfere?
By siphoning off Robin’s life force so that every blow delivered against the alien invader harms the Boy Wonder.
Behind the handsome Curt Swan cover was the gorgeous interior art by Dick Sprang, the famed Batman artist who actually preferred doing these team-up stories with Superman because of the wilder freedom of action they offered.
Sprang, Superman, Batman, Robin, Tommy Tomorrow and Green Arrow — all in color for a dime. I had no way of knowing how lucky I was.
Johnny Williams wrote, "Here we go again kindred spirit brother of mine. While I didn't get the Sea Fox issue I Absolutely remember 'The Alien Who Doomed Robin'. In fact it was one of the first stories that caused me to think about it in deeper terms beyond my few minutes of initial enjoyment after cracking it open and diving in.
ReplyDelete"I remember being a bit distraught and unnerved by that particular extraterrestrial's loathsome ability to 'do that to someone', and I wondered with admittedly a little dread if there were more like him where he came from and if that life force stealing thing was a common ability for his kind or not. Yes, that story affected deeply the little boy me.
In retrospect I speculate because he victimized 'Robin' I identified with it more so than if he'd done it to an adult in the story. Every time Superman punched the alien and Robin reacted I felt it to my core. How profound was my reaction to that story? These many years later I am still in touch with the things that it made me feel and think about. Not bad for a 'throw away, ordinary, one off story in a non-special issue of 'World's Finest Comics."
Don DeLuca wrote, "I vividly remember buying that Worlds Finest on the way to the Annual Air show at Fort Dix-Mcguire Air Force Base in Fort Dix NJ in 1960. What great adventure for 10-cents for my 10-year-old mind."
ReplyDeletePaul Zuckerman wrote, "My earliest issue of WF that I can remember was 105 but 110 was equally memorable. Sprang did fine work though I don't find his work in his last year or two at DC to be as compelling.
ReplyDelete"My earliest Batman's that I can remember are 122, 125 and 131 but probably read many of the others in between. 1959 was when I think I started buying DC Comics on my own (as opposed to reading my sister's and cousin's Superman titles) and I quickly became a Batman fan like you did Dan. (For the record, I have definite memories about Detective 281 but most likely had started reading that title earlier as well.)"