Showcase Presents: Batman, Vol. 2 [Paperback]

Various (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: June 6, 2007

Over 500 pages of classic adventures are included in this value-priced volume collecting Silver Age tales of Batman and Robin as they face their most enduring enemies, including Poison Ivy, the Riddler and many others. These are the stories that inspired the Dynamic Duo's 1960s TV series, which featured Batman's astonishing detective skills and impressive array of Bat-gadgets!

Product Details

• Paperback: 512 pages
• Publisher: DC Comics (June 6, 2007)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1401213626
• ISBN-13: 978-1401213626
• Product Dimensions: 6.6 x 1.2 x 10.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.5 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (5 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #546,565 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

14 of 14 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The dawn of Batmania!, July 5, 2007

By 

Michael Doty (Houston, TX) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Showcase Presents: Batman, Vol. 2 (Paperback)

Showcase Presents Batman Volume 2 contains issues 343-358 of Detective Comics and issues 175-188(excluding 176, 182, 185, and 187, which were "80 Page Giant" reprint issues) of Batman. These issues, spanning from September 1965 to December 1966, continue the "New Look" Batman stories.

To recap, the Batman books were revamped in 1964 to save the books from low sales and possible cancellation. New editor Julius Schwartz jettisoned the extraneous elements of the Batman mythos and brought a serious and literate tone to the books while artist Carmine Infantino gave the stories a fresh, modern look. As a result, the stories hold up well today and are a far cry from the 1950s stories, in which Batman and Robin fought aliens and underwent various transformations.

This volume contains the first appearances of two notable Batman villains: Poison Ivy (who still menaces Batman to this day) and Blockbuster. The Joker, Penguin and Riddler make appearances as well. Batman #179's "The Riddle-Less Robberies of the Riddler!" is a stand-out. The Riddler discovers that he is psychologically bound to leave clues to his crimes and tries to cure himself, with dubious results.

Another Batman villain who appears is the Outsider. In previous stories(featured in volume 1 of this series), the Outsider was a mysterious villain who knew the Dynamic Duo's secret identities and used their own equipment against them. This volume unveils the Outsider, but his identity is implausible, to say the least. However, blame editorial interference on this one, not bad writing.

As the volume progresses, the influence of the "Batman" TV series starts to show. The series, which premiered in January 1966, was a smash hit and sent Batman's popularity skyrocketing. The later stories in this volume reflect the series' influence, such as "Holy!" exclamations and prominent sound effects. The comics, however, never fully matched the campy tone of the series.

All in all, this volume is a wonderful addition to the Showcase line and a must-read for Batman fans, old-school fans, or anyone who likes fun superhero comics. Regretfully, the cover, which shows Batman fighting the Outsider, removes the absurd but memorable quote from the original Detective Comics #356 cover-Robin saying "Holy Tombstone! I'm turning into a coffin!"

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Necessary Purchase!, October 20, 2009

By 

S. D. Klinger (Wisconsin, USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Showcase Presents: Batman, Vol. 2 (Paperback)

Anyone who grew up in the 60's and loved the Batman tv show should buy this book. Especially comic book lovers.

3 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars The Batman I Knew, July 25, 2007

By 

Barnard Rollit "Blant" - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Showcase Presents: Batman, Vol. 2 (Paperback)

I started reading Batman and Detective Comics only about a year before the TV show premiered, and I remember how I had to content myself with the comic books since my town only had two TV stations and neither carried the show. Particularly amusing, that, since Woolworth's and TG&Y were crammed full of Batman-related merchandise to sell to a customer base fed only by the hype. Anyway, this volume contains the comic books stories published in that period, and since my town did have plenty of comic book racks I have to say that, all in all, I wasn't so bad off. (And I did buy my share of that merchandise, show or no show.)