TREASURYCAST #8 - LIMITED COLLECTORS' EDITION C25: BATMAN
Rob welcomes comics historian and graphic designer Michael Kronenberg to talk about the classic DC treasury edition Limited Collectors' Edition c25: Batman!
Check out images from this comic by clicking here!
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What a fantastically varied collection of stories, this is like a tabloid version of Batman From the Thirties to the 70s. That cover illustration has never looked better than with the blood-red background – we don’t see bold colours enough on comics, especially modern Batman.
Okay, off to actually listen to the show. I just saw these images had downloaded to the phone and got excited.
I haven’t had a chance to listen to the show, but I’m very much looking forward to it! I don’t have this treasury, but the image gallery has a pic of Batman that looked strangely familiar to me. Sure enough, the figure of Batman was repurposed (or possibly lifted?) from this APC Batman puzzle from 1973.
Chris
Nice find Chris!
I had that puzzle when I was a kid!
As regards your closing comments Rob, I’m sure that originally the X-Men/New Titans was announced as a Treasury edition – can anyone confirm or refute?
Martin-
The treasury format was pretty much dead by 1983, so I’m betting if it was ever considered to be a treasury, it was quickly dismissed before the book ever even got to the creation stage. What a beauty it would have been!
I asked Walter Simonson that question and he told me no, publishing it in the treasury format was never discussed.
Great episode! I loved Michael’s tales of his newstand. I had a similar experience with mine, and they are memories I treasure (ha!) to this day.
I’ve always wanted this issue, but I’ve never seen it in the wild (where I tend to hunt my treasuries). That cover image is actually an improvement on the page from Batman #251, and I think I had a pair of pajamas with this same image! Of course Power Records would also give us Adams/Giordano Batman running along the Gotham Coast, with Robin thrown in for good measure! Who knew Bronze Age Batman liked long walks on the beach?
This issue is certainly a Who’s Who of Batman’s greatest artists. I agree with Michael that a later Sprang story would have been better, as he wasn’t QUITE “Dick Sprang” here. He’s my favorite Golden Age/early Silver Age Batman artist, bar none. But I do love that early period of Batman that Michael spoke of, the “mysterioso” phase as Bob Kane described. The art was crude by you could cut the atmosphere with a Batarang, it was so thick. Fantastic stuff.
I picked up The Hooded Hangman’s one and only appearance sometime back in the late 80s, and when a similarly masked villain showed up in Detective #598-600, I thought maybe he had returned! Turns out I was wrong, but the villains in that story could be seen as a precursor to Bane as well, so it all comes back full circle.
I really enjoyed hearing Michael and hope to hear from him again! My copy of his and Eury’s Batcave Companion is well-worn and over-read. My favorite Bat-reference book!
Chris
Thanks Chris! Yes, Michael is already scheduled for a return appearance!
Great as usual. You made me feel bad that Bass and I were critical of Irv Novick’s work on the Invasion issue of Detective Comics (coming soon, rip me a new one then!).
I’m already penning an angry letter as I type! Why don’t you pick on poor ol’ Curt Swan while you’re at it? Wait, that’s Rob’s job.
Chris
Like Jim Aparo, or Jack Kirby, I think that by the 80s, these comics legends weren’t as sharp as they were in their prime. Hey, neither am I and I’m nowhere near the age they were in the 80s.
Loved this podcast. Hate of the Hooded Hangman was one of my favorite Batman stories growing up and I was especially interested in your comments about this tale (I had the original Detective Comics issue). B&B #67 with Batman and the Flash taking on the speed boys was another favorite issue. Both comics had Infantino covers and interiors.