The Folio Society, independent publisher of beautifully illustrated hardback books, in collaboration with DC, will celebrate the 85th anniversary of the first comic book appearance of DC’s Dark Knight Detective with the release of DC: Batman.
This collectible compilation includes twelve seminal comics, by a host of iconic writers and artists— including Bill Finger, Bob Kane, Jerry Robinson, Denny O’Neil, Neal Adams, Marshall Rogers, Frank Miller, Dave Mazzucchelli, Alan Moore, Brian Bolland and Kelley Jones. Each story was selected for the collection by Jennette Kahn, DC’s former President, Publisher and Editor-in-Chief, who also provides the introduction. DC: Batman is a 320-page piece that also comes with a stand-alone replica copy of Batman #1. The replica copy of the Batman #1 comic book is scanned from an original 1940 and includes the original back-up strips and vintage ads and introduces DC’s Clown Prince of Crime, aka The Joker, and The Cat, who would come to be known as Catwoman.
DC: Batman
(Image courtesy of The Folio Society)
“Created towards the end of the Great Depression by artist Bob Kane with writer Bill Finger, Batman is an icon as familiar as James Bond or Tarzan, one who has evolved to reflect the changing attitudes of the twentieth century,” said James Rose, The Folio Society’s Head of Editorial.
“The stories selected for DC: Batman reveal how the character and his billionaire alter-ego Bruce Wayne gradually evolved from the dutiful crimefighter of the 1940s to a man possessed, as crazy as the criminals he puts away. The Caped Crusader faces a rogue’s gallery steeped in gothic horror, from the Weimar cinema-inspired The Joker to the Jekyll/Hyde figure of Two-Face and the Moriarty-like Ra’s al Ghul.”
“The Dark Knight Returns by Frank Miller and Batman: Year One, by Miller and Dave Mazzucchelli, and the terrifying classic The Killing Joke by Alan Moore and Brian Bolland are widely regarded as among the greatest comic books ever created,” said The Folio Society’s publishing director, Tom Walker. “These stories changed the graphic medium forever with their combination of cinematic storytelling, shocking violence and literary depth and serve as centerpiece texts for DC: Batman.”
DC: Batman includes:
| Facsimile: Batman #1 (Spring 1940) Writer: Bill Finger Cover artists: Bob Kane, Jerry Robinson Artists: Bob Kane, Sheldon Moldoff Editor: Whitney Ellsworth |
The Bat-Man Detective Comics #27 (May 1939) Writer: Bill Finger Artist: Bob Kane Editor: Vincent Sullivan |
Robin—the Boy Wonder Detective Comics #38 (April 1940) Writer: Bill Finger Artists: Bob Kane, Jerry Robinson Editor: Whitney Ellsworth |
| The Crimes of Two-Face! Detective Comics #66 (August 1942) Writer: Bill Finger Artists: Jerry Robinson, George Roussos Letterers: Ira Schnapp Editor: Whitney Ellsworth |
Batman and Green Arrow: The Senator’s Been Shot! The Brave and the Bold #85 (September 1969) Writer: Bob Haney Cover artist: Neal Adams Penciler: Neal Adams Inker: Dick Giordano Letterer: Ben Oda Editor: Murray Boltinoff |
Daughter of the Demon Batman #232 (June 1971) Writer: Dennis O’Neil Cover artist: Neal Adams Penciler: Neal Adams Inker: Dick Giordano Letterer: John Costanza Editor: Julius Schwartz |
| The Dead Yet Live Detective Comics #471 (August 1977) Writer: Steve Englehart Cover artists: Marshall Rogers, Terry Austin, Tatjana Wood, Gaspar Saladino Penciler: Marshall Rogers Inker: Terry Austin Colorists: Marshall Rogers Letterer: John Workman Editors: Julius Schwartz, E. Nelson Bridwell |
The Dark Knight Returns Batman: The Dark Knight Returns #1 (June 1986) Writer: Frank Miller Cover artists: Frank Miller, Lynn Varley Penciler: Frank Miller Inker: Klaus Janson Colorist: Lynn Varley Letterer: John Costanza Editors: Dick Giordano, Dennis O’Neil |
Batman: Year One—Chapter One: Who I Am—How I Come to Be Batman #404 (February 1987) Writer: Frank Miller Artist: Dave Mazzucchelli Colorist: Richmond Lewis Letterer: Todd Klein Editor: Dennis O’Neil |
| Batman: The Killing Joke (July 1988) Writer: Alan Moore Cover artists: Brian Bolland, Richard Bruning Artist: Brian Bolland Colorist: John Higgins Letterer: Richard Starkings Editors: Dennis O’Neil, Dan Raspler |
The Last Arkham (Part One) Batman: Shadow of the Bat #1 (June 1992) Writer: Alan Grant Cover artist: Brian Stelfreeze Penciler: Norm Breyfogle Inker: Norm Breyfogle Colorist: Adrienne Roy Letterer: Todd Klein Editors: Scott Peterson, Dennis O’Neil |
Knightfall Part 1: Crossed Eyes and Dotty Teas Batman #492 (May 1993) Writer: Doug Moench Cover artists: Kelley Jones, Bob LeRose Penciler: Norm Breyfogle Inker: Norm Breyfogle Colorist: Adrienne Roy Letterer: Richard Starkings Editors: Scott Peterson, Jordan B. Gorfinkel, Dennis O’Neil |
Inside cover of DC: Batman (Courtesy of The Folio Society)
DC: Batman serves as the second release in the Folio Society’s publishing program with DC after the release of the acclaimed DC: The Golden Age. It consist of images scanned from original copies held in the DC archives, reproduced in 10” x 7” format. The anti-scratch hardcover features Batman’s signature silhouette, with titles foil-embossed in yellow and midnight blue, the book itself cowled in a pitch-black slipcase bearing the famous Bat-Signal. DC: Batman is available today (February 20, 2024) from the Folio Society exclusively at https://www.foliosociety.com/
