Batman Collected [Hardcover]

Geoff Spear (Author), Chip Kidd (Author, Editor)

Book Description

Publication Date: November 1996

The Batman mythology has fired the American imagination since 1939. Its ever-growing popularity right up until today has spawned thousands of toys, gadgets, plastic figurines, night-lights, wind-up toys, wristwatches,and many other collectibles. Drawing upon the author’s own personal collection, as well as those of such notable fans as Andy Warhol and the DC Comics archives, Batman Collected brings these memorabilia to life. Perfect for the comic lover, here is a remarkable wealth of rare, never-before-photographed Batman treasures. Extreme close-up photography and dramatic chiaroscuro lighting give these materials a magnificent aura of dark menace that brilliantly reflects the Batman ethos.

New to this remarkable paperback edition are 16 brand-new pages of fresh material not included in the original 1996 hardcover,including newly issued collectibles as well as obscure, recently discovered items. Featuring five lavish gatefolds among its colorful pages, Batman Collected is a treasure trove of fascinating history and adventurous graphic design that no true Batman fan can afford to be without.

--This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Review

When the DC Comics character Batman got his own television series in 1966, Batman merchandising took off. A market was developed not only for little Caped Crusader suits and toy Batmobiles, but for Batman kiddie blankets, Batman nursery wallpaper, and so on down a slippery slope of mostly plastic kitsch to Batman combs, pogo sticks and tortilla chips. With Tim Burton's 1990s movie blockbusters, Hollywood marketing spin revived the genre. Book designer Chip Kidd, whose earliest memory of this commerce-driven Batman fetish is a nightlight that soothed his four-year-old mind, has actually collected vast quantities of such junk, and has put it all together in a catalog of shameless pop culture. Artfully photographed by Geoff Spear, this document casts light upon a dark and awesome figure--advertising.

From Publishers Weekly

There's an unusual vigor and inventiveness to the graphic design of Batman Collected, which isn't surprising given that the author, Chip Kidd, is the book jacket designer who created the eye-catching jackets for Jurassic Park, All the Pretty Horses, Intensity and other Knopf titles. Here, Kidd, a dedicated collector of Batman memorabilia, presents hundreds of rare items from his collection, photographed in an appropriately bold and ominous manner by Geoff Spear, accompanied by Kidd's resourceful essay on the lure of Batman collecting and the evolution of the visual aspects of the character and his colleagues and foes. The array of products featured in the 500 photos, 460 in color, is extraordinary, from watches to cars to figurines to milk containers to corn chips. The book includes an exclusive blow-in Batman paper toy.
Copyright 1996 Reed Business Information, Inc.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Hardcover: 276 pages
• Publisher: Bulfinch Pr; 1st edition (November 1996)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0821223003
• ISBN-13: 978-0821223000
• Product Dimensions: 12.1 x 9.5 x 1.1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 3.7 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (6 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,470,063 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Nifty as heck, November 16, 2001

By 

John Michlig (Wisconsin) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Batman Collected (Paperback)

Chip Kidd loves Batman and it shows on each and every page of this gasp-inspiring book. If you're like me and and grew up with unrequited desire for each and every Batman-related product available, these pictures are almost as good as having the real items.

Text is sparse, but entertaining. And if you have the hardcover version of this book, you'll want this new edition as well for the new material included.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars GREAT EXPECIALLY IF U LIKE THE GOLDEN AGE, April 10, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: Batman Collected (Hardcover)

I LIKE THE BOOK BECAUSE IT HAS GREAT PICS I MEAN THINK THE BOOK SAID THAT IT HAD 250 SOMETING PICS AND THE SUMMARY IS GOOD IT IS A MUST FOR ALL BATMAN FANS

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A must for Batman Collectors!, December 26, 1996

By A Customer

This review is from: Batman Collected (Hardcover)

If you're looking to relive your childhood and loved Batman and Batman related merchandise ---this is the book for you! It is not a Price Guide of Batman collectibles, but a stunning photographic Batman timeline. The photos are highly detailed and very unique! There are toys pictured that you wished you had as a child and now you get the next best thing. $50.00 is little to spend for this "coffee table" sized book that will make you feel like a kid again..."Batman Collected" is the quickest way to find your fountain of youth!