Batman in the 1960s Issue 28: July/August 1964

 

The Caped Crusader in the 1960s
by Jack Seabrook
& Peter Enfantino

Infantino/Anderson

Detective Comics #329

"Castle with Wall-to-Wall Danger!"

Story by John Broome

Art by Carmine Infantino & Joe Giella

Commissioner Gordon spots a familiar face in the newest issue of Lifetime: Frank Pragnel, a gangster who got away after a month-long crime spree, is living in England under the name Albert Maunch. Gordon has readied extradition papers, knowing Batman will want Pragnel back in Gotham to stand trial. The Caped Crusaders gas up the Bat-Plane and begin the two-panel flight to Merry ol' England.

Once there, the duo head to Maunch's castle, where the man himself greets them in the courtyard of his castle. Immediately, Batman recognizes that this man is not Pragnel; he just looks like him. Explaining that they've made a mistake, Bats says their goodbyes but Maunch insists they be his guests for dinner. Remarking that he hadn't been able to grab breakfast on the way to the Bat-plane that morning, Robin begs his boss to accept. 

Maunch shows the boys to their room and promises to call them when supper is ready. The call comes shortly thereafter and the Caped Crusaders exit their room, only to walk into a deadly trap! Robin steps on a spring under the stairs and Batman falls into a black hole, landing in a pit of quicksand under the castle. It's only through his quick wits and a well-placed window that our hero is able to save himself from a slow, messy death.

When confronted, Maunch explains he knew there were traps in the castle but he was sure they'd been deactivated. He apologizes and leads them to the dining room table, where a feast is laid out for the three of them. After the host excuses himself, Batman explains to Robin that he doesn't buy Maunch's story about the trap. He asks the man if he and his pre-teen boy wonder can have a look at the rest of the estate. Maunch happily agrees and our heroes head upstairs. Very quickly, they are set upon by three British punks. Two are dispatched easily but the third escapes. Batman and Robin ponder what this latest mishap could mean.

Meanwhile, in the cellar, Maunch is conversing with his cousin, the real Frank Pragnel, who came back to England and got wind that a treasure is hidden somewhere in his cousin's huge house. Albert is not very happy about the situation, but what can he do? Frank excuses himself and explains he's going upstairs to put a couple of bullets in the tourists. Once the gun is aimed at the World's Greatest Detective, he grabs a can of petrol and tosses it in the fireplace, blinding Pragnel. Maunch explains that Frank had locked his wife and kids in a castle room and wouldn't let them out until the treasure was found. What could he do? Batman releases the Maunches from their prison and he, Robin, and Pragnel hop in the Bat-plane. Destination: Gotham

Though there isn't really the "Wall-to-Wall Danger" promised in the title (one quicksand pit and a trio of thugs does not a house of horrors make), what we do get is an atmosphere of dread we've not seen so far in the 1960s Bat-yarns. This really does feel like "a new look." The graphics are, for the most part, swell; Bruce and Dick still look too nerdy and unmuscular for my tastes. In fact, Bats looks downright anorexic in some panels. But, overall, this is entertaining stuff. Hopefully, it's a sign of what's to come.-Peter

Jack-I agree. Broome tells an entertaining story and Infantino brings it to life; Giella provides the finishing touches. If we were rating these, I'd give it three stars all around. The setting in an English castle adds to the fun.

Infantino/Giella

Batman #165

"The Man Who Quit the Human Race!"

Story by Gardner Fox

Art by Sheldon Moldoff & Joe Giella

"The Dilemma of the Detective's Daughter!"

Story by Ed Herron

Art by Sheldon Moldoff & Joe Giella

Governor Andrew Warner resigns from his post after medical tests show that he's really a mutant who is on the verge of taking the next step in human evolution. Bruce Wayne roomed with Warner in college, but the governor doesn't know that his former roomie is now Batman. The governor voluntarily allows his body to be irradiated in order to speed the process and he mutates into a giant pink guy in swim trunks who has contempt for humans. A bit of Warner's humanity remains deep inside and he warns the Dynamic Duo to flee.

Attempts to stop the mutant fail because he can teleport his body from place to place at will. The mutant is about to let himself be bathed in gamma rays and eradicate his last trace of humanity when Batman pieces together clues that Warner left for him and shines a green light on the mutant that prevents his final transformation. The mutated governor is shot into space in suspended animation with the thought that he'll wake up in the far future after others have mutated and feel right at home.

Gardner Fox was both a science fiction writer and a comic book writer, and his sci-fi side is in evidence in this depressing tale. Is mutant Warner really the future of the human race? Maybe he'd have a better attitude if he weren't surrounded by primitive humans. The combination of Moldoff and Giella takes some getting used to. It's not the goofy, kid's stuff look of Moldoff and Paris, but it's not the sleek, modern look of Infantino and Giella, either. It's a strange mixture. Also the cover features another giant hand, which reminds me of the giant green hand coming out of the cloud.

Batman addresses a room of new graduates from Police Academy and is surprised when the trainee with the best grades is a policewoman named Patricia Powell, the daughter of Detective Bulldog Powell. She confesses to the Caped Crusader that she has a crush on Bruce Wayne and sometimes has mental lapses while she daydreams about the millionaire playboy.

When a brilliant chemist named Ralph Smedley is abducted, Bulldog Powell and his daughter are assigned to the case, unaware that Batman and Robin are also looking for the professor. Batman and Patricia both search the prof's office and race to the Old Point Safety Lighthouse, where Patricia rescues Smedley and Batman disposes of the crooks. That Friday, Patricia finally comes face to face with Bruce at a charity affair.

We've read some sexist comic stories in our day, but this has to be near the bottom of the heap. Batman is shocked that a woman can be tops in her class and Patricia becomes a dumb blonde whenever her mind wanders and she thinks about Bruce. Incredibly, the story is continued next issue. I can only hope that Kathy Kane wipes the floor with Patricia Powell.-Jack

Peter-Obviously, Julius Schwartz was keeping an eye on what was going on at the competitors and decided DC should get themselves into the mutant market as well. "The Man Who Quit the Human Race!" is pretty silly stuff plot-wise, but I appreciate its unusually downbeat atmosphere. We've become numb to bright and shiny and goofy and the tale of a scientist who volunteers to ruin his life in the name of science while the World's Greatest Detective stands by and watches is certainly the change of pace I was looking for. Oddly, Batman mentions to Robin that the scientists can change the mutant back into Warner once they get him lassoed, but then comes the ultimate decision to just shoot him off into space like Star Trek's Khan. I'm surprised the Warner character didn't make a return appearance at some point, filled with rage at how his fellow humans had treated him. "The Dilemma..." mines romance comics to its detriment. Pat Powell, who seems destined for greatness in the ranks of "Bruce Wayne's Girlfriend" makes one more appearance and then disappears off the face of the earth. Perhaps Julie reminded his writers that Batman already had a girlfriend?

Infantino/Giella

Detective Comics #330

"The Fallen Idol of Gotham City!"

Story by John Broome

Art by Sheldon Moldoff & Joe Giella

Three innocent Gothamites have been attacked on the street by hate-driven gangs of otherwise seemingly ordinary people. Batman and Robin have a sit-down in the Bat-Cave to analyze important data when a thread pops up that ties all three victims together: they all ate at the Golden Roost Restaurant. Feeling a yen for lunch, Robin insists they visit the Roost as Bruce and Dick to have a look.

The restaurant seems to pass the Bat-inspection with no red flags. Bruce has coffee and Dick has whole milk. Later, Gordon calls to let the boys know that dangerous criminals, Shorty Hawkins and Pete Dumont, have broken out of the Pen and have promised to kill the Caped Crusaders. Bats thanks Gordon for the tip and the Duo head to a housing development after receiving a tip from a gang of young scallywags. 

Sure enough, the two hoods are at the complex and take a shot at Batman, but he gets the better of the two and lays them out flat. Much to the Caped Crusader's surprise, Robin gets in line for the next round. Joining him is the entire neighborhood, with the whole lot shouting "We hate you, Batman!" and "You're Poorly Drawn!" Barely escaping and not wanting to KO his pre-teen partner, Batman slinks away and discovers that, in a neighboring residential area, the people come out of their houses to praise him. "Hmmm," murmurs the World's Greatest Detective, "My hate aroma seems to have worn off!"

Later, back at the Batcave, Robin admits he remembers nothing about the event. Bats puts two plus two together and arrives at "tainted coffee!" Back to the Golden Roost they go, this time cleverly disguised as a paper boy and a health inspector (who has an uncanny resemblance to the Commish). After interviewing the entire staff, Batman deduces it's the waiter who has been dropping the mickeys in the coffee. After the man's shift ends, Batman and Robin follow him to a nearby gallery, where they witness the "diplomat from a certain foreign embassy" also enter the building. 

The Dynamic Duo sneak in and overhear enough of the conversation to glean that foreign spies will be dumping a drug in the city's water that will make the population go bonkers. The four previous events were only a test. Batman and Robin put the kibosh on the gang and hand them over to the authorities. A few nights later, Batman is given an award from the President of the United States for quashing the terrorist plot of the stinkin' commies foreign spies.

After the wonderful, action-filled saga in #329, John Broome follows up with this tripe. A whole lot of coincidences, not a lot of action, and a really bad graphic display sink "The Fallen Idol of Gotham City!" It's never disclosed just how far the area of the "Hate-Stink" emanates. It seems like thousands could be affected, but who knows? The figures are all posed so stiffly and Shelly seems to have a total of four character faces in his pencil. The "yeah, it's the Russkies, but we won't name 'em" is a peculiar choice. Perhaps Julie didn't want to alienate the commies who read Detective Comics?-Peter

Jack-The New Look comes and goes. In this issue, it seems limited to the Batmobile and Joe Giella's inks. Where's Aunt Harriet? She was introduced but we haven't seen her again. John Broome's stories are more focused on science than aliens, which is a welcome break. I feel bad for Charles Paris, who has been kicked to the curb after inking Batman comics for two decades. He would ink Metamorpho for a couple of years and then retire. Seems like a rough way to treat someone who did so much to define the look of one of DC's top characters.

Moldoff/Swan/Kaye

Batman Annual #7

"Batman Meets Bat-Mite"

Story by Bill Finger

Art by Sheldon Moldoff & Charles Paris

(Reprinted from Detective Comics #267, May 1959)

"The Secret Life of Bat-Hound"

Story by Bill Finger

Art by Sheldon Moldoff & Charles Paris

(Reprinted from Batman #125, August 1959)

"Bat-Girl!"

(Reprinted from Batman #139, April 1961)

"The Dynamic Trio"

Story by Edmond Hamilton

Art by Sheldon Moldoff & Charles Paris

(Reprinted from Detective Comics #245, July 1957)

"The Secret of Batman's Butler"

Story by Bill Finger

Art by Sheldon Moldoff & Stan Kaye

(Reprinted from Batman #110, September 1957)

"Superman and Robin!"

Story by Bill Finger

Art by Curt Swan & Stan Kaye

(Reprinted from World's Finest #75, April 1955)

"Batwoman's Publicity Agent!"

(Reprinted from Batman #133, August 1960)

"The Second Batman and Robin Team"

(Reprinted from Batman #131, April 1960)

Peter-These things can be a little too much of a good thing and, unfortunately, there's not a lot of good in this one. Eighty pages of ridiculous plots and fair to middling art. Of the five that are new to us, I enjoyed "The Dynamic Trio" the most, despite its ridiculous secret identity reveal. "Bat-Girl!" remains one of the best yarns from the first couple years of the 1960s. It accentuates just how easy it was to be a costumed hero back then. Forget martial arts training, you just had to be good with a needle and thread. This would be the final Batman Annual until October 1982 but, fear not, the jumbo-sized event will be folded into the regular numbering from here on out, twice a year (summer and winter).

Jack-I found a lot to like in this annual. "Batman Meets Bat-Mite" is the first appearance of the imp from another dimension, who reappears in "Batwoman's Publicity Agent." Ace, the Bat-Hound narrates "The Secret Life of Bat-Hound," which is unusual, and I was happy to see Batwoman come to the rescue. I called "Bat-Girl!" an instant classic when we first read it, and I liked "The Dynamic Trio" and never guessed the identity of Mystery Man.

"The Secret of Batman's Butler" tells how Alfred first learned of his employer's secret identity, but my favorite panel shows him on a ladder, dusting the giant trophies in the Bat-cave. Is guano an issue? "Superman and Robin!" is the oldest story here, from 1955, and the Curt Swan pencils look a little out of place in a comic dominated by Moldoff. Finally, "The Second Batman and Robin Team" is a story I called "priceless" the first time out. All in all, worth plunking down that quarter I earned on my paper route.

Next Week...
Krigstein Scores
Another Bullseye!