Here’s the final chapter in my series of bloggy things about the stories reprinted in Batman: The Silver Age Omnibus Volume One. That hardcover chronicle collects Batman #101-116 and Detective Comics #233-257, ranging from the mid-1956 through the mid-1958.
First up is Detective Comics #255 [May 1958}. Like most kids of the 1950s, I loved dinosaurs and cover artist Sheldon Moldoff has robot dinosaurs for us. Close enough.
“Death in Dinosaur Hall” was by Batman co-creator Bill Finger, my favorite Batman writer. The interior art is by Moldoff and inker Charles Paris. The Grand Comics Database synopsis:
Responding to an urgent call from Professor Hale at the Mechanical Museum of Natural History, Batman and Robin arrive only to find the professor has apparently died at the "hands" of one of the mechanical dinosaurs on exhibit. When they examine the body more closely, they discover the dead man has left them a clue to his killer!
Finger rarely disappoints. We get the sensational murder of Hale and four likely suspects. We get false clues and dangerous robot menaces. The solution to the murder mystery is fair. One of the very best stories in this omnibus.
Moldoff’s cover for Batman #116 [June 1958] is striking. I would rank it as one of his best. As usual, there are three stories in this issue.
“The City of Ancient Heroes” is by Finger, Moldoff and Paris. Their pursuit of the Gimmick Gang leads Batman and Robin to the amazing Legend City where, once a year, the citizens dress up as the likes of Robin Hood, Circe and Siegfried. This story is so much fun I wish it had been expanded and published in Detective Comics.
“Batwoman’s New Identity” was written by an unknown writer with art by Moldoff and Paris. Batwoman poses as a photographer in a night club to get the goods on the Funny Face Gang. Batman is his usual male chauvinist with his comments that crime-fighting is too dangerous for a woman. Batwoman proves him wrong. I have a hunch this story was written by a woman.
“The Winged Bat-People” is Finger, Moldoff and Paris. A strange sonic barrier pulls the Bat-Plane into another dimension where a medieval kingdom is under attack by the title characters. There’s a beautiful queen, a traitor and some smart action from Batman and Robin. A solid adventure.
Detective Comics #256 [June 1958] features “The Captive Planet!” by Finger, Moldoff and Paris. As usual, Moldoff is the cover artist. The Grand Comics Database synopsis:
While visiting an exhibit at the old Gotham City Fair Grounds, Bruce and Dick are whisked away in an alien spaceship to the planet Tora, where, as the Dynamic Duo, they battle not only the elements, but invaders as well.
I wasn’t generally a fan of the “Batman in outer space stories,” but I loved this. It was a classic Finger plot, team our heroes with a group of ordinary people: a big-game hunter looking for new thrills, a bored businessman, a bitter ex-convict who’d been sent to jail by Batman and a pair of newlyweds. If I were ever to write a long run on a Batman title, I guarantee you’ll see my modern take on a “Batman and civilians” adventure.
“Batman’s Invincible Foe” from Detective Comics #257 [July 1958] wraps up this first Batman Silver Age Omnibus collection. The cover is my Curt Swan and Stan Kaye. The story itself is the work of an unknown writer with art by Moldoff and Paris. Here’s the GCD synopsis:
A criminal and a policeman from the future draw Batman into the middle of their battle.
This story is notable for the introduction of the Whirly-Bats, an invention our heroes will use in many stories over the next few years. Beyond that, it’s fairly bland and uninteresting. I don’t if these “unknown writers” stories are the work of the same person, but they are generally more hit that miss.
At some point in the not so distant future, I’ll do another deep bloggy thing dive into another classic omnibus edition. Right now, I’m leaning towards one featuring Marvel Comics stories from the early 1960s. I guess we’ll find out which omnibus at the same time.
Thanks for visiting the bloggy thing today. I’ll be back soon with more stuff.
© 2024 Tony Isabella
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