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Batman The Dynamic Duo Archives, Vol. 1 (DC Archive Editions)

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I'm not certain why DC decided to jump ahead in its Batman Archives from Golden Age to Silver Age, creating fourth Batman series, in addition to "Batman Archives" (covering Golden Age Batman stories from "Detective Comics", Batman's original title), "Batman: the Dark Knight Archives" (collecting the Golden Age "Batman" series), and "Batman: the World's Finest Comics" (covering the Golden Age stories in "World's Finest"). This volume differs in that it collects stories starting in 1963 (jumping from Batman vol 5 which ends in 1947), and it features a mix of issues of "Batman" and "Detective Comics".

I suspect this decision stems from the nature of the stories in "Dynamic Duo". This was a "break-point" in the Batman mythos. While Batman had been a hit from the minute he appeared in 1939, in the fifties, do to (in retrospect) poor editorial decisions prodded by the anti-comics hoopla of the time, Batman had become pretty watered down. While there was some goofiness in the early going, most of Batman's stories were pretty grim and violent, with Batman battling thieves, thugs, and murderers.

But in the fifties, Batman and Robin ran around in daylight, battling such menaces as the Beast from 19 feet below the sea etc. The mystery was taken out, and Ace the Bat-hound was put in.

This approach had worked quite well with Superman. By all accounts, it failed miserably with Batman. Thus, by the early sixties, Batman was on the verge of cancellation. Enter Julius Schwartz and company, who'd dones an excellent job of re-animating many of DC's stable of heroes. And the first order of business was to make Batman a detective again. And they succeeded admirably.

Now, not every story in this collection is a gem. Nor did they completely return Batman to his dark roots. At least one giant sci-fi monster makes an appearance, and the Joker, the only major villain to appear, is still a little more goofy than homicidal. But, having read some of the fifties silliness, these stories are a vast improvement.

Perhaps the most important change to the status quo is the death of Alfred the butler, killed while saving the Dynamic Duo. This story, while touching, and showing that the new team meant business, also is problematic, as our heroes are given about a page to grieve the loss of this important character.

Whatever the reasons DC decided to bring out this edition earlier than expected, I am glad that they did. The stories have a great exuberence and a certain level of depth (not a huge amount, but it's there) of character and plot development not found in the Golden Age stuff. Heck even the big monster story, "The Man Who Quit the Human Race", about a scientist who evolves several millenia physically and mentally, is great fun, and still involves Batman and Robin using they're detective skills to defeat the monster.

Another favorite story, along with Alfred's death and the evolving man, is the "Two-way Deathtrap", in which Bruce Wayne has a recurring nightmare about being trapped in water, surrounded by smooth walls, and guns on each side, a trap he cannot escape. When a gang of crooks discovers this dream they immediately put the trap together. Batman falls into it. Naturally, he escapes, but just how he escapes is the key to the success of this story.

In conclusion, I can't recommend this collection too enthusiastically. It's a real treat for Batman fans, comic fans, and pop culture fans. Be sure to pick it up, and hopefully, DC will continue this series for the foreseeable future. And not to worry Golden Age fans; "Batman: Dark Knight Archives" vol 4 is scheduled to hit comic stores later in July. Now, if they'd only star collecting the Batman team-up stories from "The Brave and the Bold" . . .

This collection contains the first issues of the re-invented Batman of the early sixties, a brief period in the Batman mythos between the "science fiction" oriented Batman of the 50's and the all too soon camp craze brought on by the TV version.


Visually, the changes were minor - a large yellow oval appeared around Batman's trademark bat symbol on his chest (making an excellent target, btw, but I digress...). The Batmobile became the familiar sleek model, the Bat Cave took on it's modern look with the Bat-poles and the exit in the side of a hill, etc.


But the greatest change was the first real attempt to return Batman to his roots, as the Worldest Greatest Detective. Gone (more or lees) were the adventures with monsters and aliens more suited for Superman. Instead, the emphasis was on stories that revolved around Batman's invsetigative and deductive skills. Colorful criminals with exotic names and motifs were given less weight while clever felons committing baffling crimes were the new staple.


Now these tales reprinted here are not the "grim and gritty" Dark Knight of current years. Not an angst-filled panel in the book. But they still are fun and nostalgic slices of the Batman legend. Especially for those of us who first read these 4 color wonders as children.

DC's Batman archive series skips ahead from the tedium of the 1940s into the giddy, goofy '60s, when Batman got a facelift that included both a new yellow chest emblem, and a more mature, fine-art look. As noted elsewhere, these are the very adventures that inspired some TV executives to commission a live-action Batman series and -- holy syndication, Batman! -- the rest is history. These issues, taken from both the "Batman" and "Detective" comics circa 1963, aren't as outlandishly goofy or camp as the TV show, indeed, editor Julius Schwartz made a strong effort to reintroduce plain old bank robbers and crooks as Batman's foes, bringing the book back to its crimefighter roots, after a long spell in the sci-fi drenched 'Fifties where Batman and Robin were fighting aliens and robots at least as often as they ran into the Joker or the Penguin. Most importantly, these stories are lighthearted and fun. Definitely worth checking out if you want a modern view of the Dark Knight, but also one that's a little more kid-friendly than all the dark, foreboding stuff that came later on. (Joe Sixpack, ReadThatAgain book reviews)

In the later 1950's, Batman and Robin were under Editor Robert Canniger. Monsters and science fiction were at the height of their popularity in movies and comic books. Therefore, a lot of the Batman stories went to have science fiction type plots and having monsters and dinosaurs in the stories. Introduced to the Batman series around this time were other characters, Batwoman, her teenage sidekick and neice the original Batgirl, Ace the Bat-Hound, and the magial imp fom the Fifth Dimension, Bat-Mite.

J'on J'onzz, the Martian Manhunter was also introdeced in one of the Batman stories in "Detective Comics" in which the charcter was spun-off into her own back-up series in "Detective Comices."

However with the advent of the new superhero genere taking off in the comic book industry beginning with the advent of the new version of "The Flash" by Julie Schwartz, John "Broome, Gardner Fox, and Carmine Infantino. Eventually, this sales of the Batman comics began to fall. It got so bad that DC Comics was seriously considering cancelling Batman altogether.

Editor Julie Schwartz was brought in to take over teh Batman series and revamp it and give it a new look to try and save the series> It was hoped that Ulie Schwartz and his team would do to Batman what they did with the Flash and Green Lantern and the Justice League of America.

Julie Schwartz decided to get rid of Batwoman the original Batgirl, Ace the Bat-Hound, and Bat-Mite. He also decided to take the Batman series stories out of the realm of science fiction, monsters and Dinosaurs and start doing stories tht were more mystery and detective oriented like the original stories of the series when Batman was first introduced. Julie Schwartz also decided to bring back and make more use of the original Batman's Rogues Gallery: The Joker, The Penguin, The Riddler, The Catwoman, etc.

The bat insignia on Batman's costume was also changed. The bat insignia now appeared in a yellow disc on Batman's chest that resembled the Bat-signal.

Another decision made wa to kill off Alfred the Butler to apease the crtics and believers of Psychologist Dr. Fredrick Wertham who wrote in his book "The Seduction of the Innocent" tht the Batman and Robin relationship along with Alred the Butler shown as living together without a presence of any woman would tend to foster homosexuality among young male readers.

Julie Schwrtz thus decided to kill off Alfred the Butler who was replaced by Dick Grayson's (Robin's) Aunt Harriet Cooper. Yes, that was the purpose of the character of "Aunt Hariet" in the Batman comics and the 1960's Batman TV series at the time.

Julie Schwartz along with writers John Broome and GArdner Fox, and Carmine Infantino managed to save Batman from cancellation.

Another thing happend also. Television Executive Producer William Dozier was interested in doing a weekly TV series based on Batman. When William Dozier wa informaed that Alfred the Butler had just been kiled off, he was not happy to here that because he wanted to use the character in teh TV series. So Julie Schwartz and team got to work to bring Alfred the Butler back to life and return him to the Batman stories still deciding to keep Aunt Harriet to appease the other factions, which was also used in the TV series for he same reason.

The "Batman" TV series premiered on ABC on January 1966. It was a half-hour show that aired in two parts at 7:00 PM on Wednesday and Thrusday evenings. The TV show was an ovrnight sensation. The country was now in a state "Batmania."

This definitely sent the sales of Batman comics soring.

The Batman TV series stories were campy and even silly.

Unfortunately DC Comics decided that the way to go was to also turn the Batman and all its other comic book titles campy, which later proved to be a bad decision costing DC Comics big time.

But with the scess of the Batman TV series, DC Comics quickly decided to capitalize on it by making Batman the lead character featured in team-ups with other DC Coics characters in the issues of "The Brave and teh Bold." Batman was also featured on every cover of "Teh Justice League of America" published at that time.

Robin the Boy Wonder was also being considered for a solo title, but the publishers of DC Comics at that time decided that Robin by himself would may not be able to sell a comic book. So it was decided tht Robin would become the leader of a group of teenage superhero sidekics, Kid Flash, Aqualad, Wonder Girl, and later to be joined by Speedy to form the "Teen Titans."

However, these first two volume of "The Dynamic Duo Archives" contain the stories of the Batman series when Editor Julie Schwartz and his creative team first took over teh comic book series and revamped it. This was before the advent of eh 1960's TV series when they decided to go all out camp with the series and their other comic book titles at the time. So the stories in these "The Dynamic Duo Archives" are good and definitely worth looking into.

If you want to read the original comics be prepared to fork out thousands of $$$ or buy them here. These are classic and a must have for anyone who wants to see Batman in the Golden Age.