Issue Description

"The Grown-Up Boy Wonder"

When Bruce Wayne and Dick Grayson examine a box which Superman found floating in outer space and left with them until he returned from a current mission, Dick accidentally causes it to open and spew forth a gas that ages him to a young adult. The two are unsure of what to do in Superman's absence, but the Bat-signal draws Batman away to a jewel robbery in Gotham being committed by the Daredevils, ex-acrobats turned to crime. Batman vetoes Dick coming along as a second Batman, saying that he has a lot of mental growth to do yet. But Dick sneaks on the "Owlman" costume that Bruce had stored away for a masquerade party, grabs a lift on the back of the Batmobile, and hurries away with Batman to the scene of the crime. Batman angrily thinks that he'd spank Dick, if he wasn't so big; the Daredevils manage to make a getaway, and Owlman, misgauging his weight, almost falls to his death when a flagpole breaks in his hands. Batman, saving him, angrily berates him for "acting like a kid--still rushing ahead without thinking!"

Dick begins to see the disadvantages of living in an adult body, such as his sudden cut--off from all his young pals and virtual isolation from the outside world. But, still confident he can fight crime as a man, he becomes Owlman again, tracks the Daredevils to a prominent fence's lair, and promptly knocks himself out by not ducking under a low ceiling beam. The crooks unmask him, but cannot place his adult face. Dick admits that he still has a lot of growing up to do, and Batman allows that if he can admit that, he isn't a kid anymore. Batman and Owlman go outside, tear into the three Daredevils, and bring them down. Shortly after the crooks are carted off, Dick faints, and awakens in the Batcave as a boy again, the effect of the gas being temporary. The Daredevils, in jail, vow to find out who the Owlman really was, not knowing they have a long wait ahead of them. And Dick Grayson returns to school, eager to get back with his friends.

-Note the trio in this story are referred to as the The Daredevils but bare an incredibly striking resemblance to the golden age characters the Three Devils. Not only do they have similar attire, they have identical origins, motifs, and even use the same fence, Frankie, to unload their stolen jewelry.

Batman (1940)

Publisher

DC Comics

Volume Description

The entire run of Batman still stands upon large controversies over who actually came up with some of the characters. Bob Kane supposedly came up with the idea for the hero, but it has been suggested that he only came up with a "Bird-man" and Bill Finger suggested he be a "Bat-man". Both creators however, share credit for this character. As for the Joker, the first concept sketch was drawn by Jerry Robinson, but Kane disputed that his input was "minimal" suggesting he and Bill came up with the idea. Kane also finagled many legal aspects of Batman related print and media. Every movie and comic reads "Batman created by Bob Kane" when it should read "Batman created by Bob Kane and Bill Finger". However It is not disputed that Robinson and Finger came up with the character, Robin after "Robinhood" . Bob Kane and Sheldon Moldoff co-created numerous bat-creations including Alfred Pennyworth, Poison Ivy, Mr. Freeze, Batwoman, Batgirl as well as Bat-Mite and Ace the Bat Hound just to name a few. Bill Finger also co-created Penguin, Riddler, and Catwoman.

Ad for Batman #1

One of DC's longest running books showcasing the adventures of the Dark Knight, Batman. Through out the years, a majority of Batman's marquee story lines have happened within the pages of this book including, but not limited to the death of the second Robin, Jason Todd, and Bane breaking Batman's back, leading to Jean-Paul Valley to assume the role of Batman for a period of time in the 90s.

In 2006, super-star writer Grant Morrison took over the book. Morrison wrote stories that introduced readers to Bruce's son Damian Wayne as well as putting Bruce through a series of near fatal trials against The Black Glove and Doctor Hurt, leading up to the epic 2008 story lines of Batman RIP and Final Crisis where Bruce Wayne had apparently died at the hands of the evil god Darkseid.

After Bruce's "death," and the Battle for the Cowl, Dick Grayson, the first Robin, took up the mantle of Batman, continuing to protect Gotham exactly as his mentor had. He even took in Damian as his own Robin. With the exception of two issues set prior to the events of Final Crisis, Dick Grayson has been the star of the book since issue #687.

When the super hero community learned that Bruce Wayne had never actually died, and was sent back in time by Darkseid, Dick Grayson eventually knew that his time as Batman would soon end. But with Bruce's return, and formation of Batman Incorporated, Bruce deemed Dick Grayson the Batman of Gotham City, as he traveled the world, searching for more recruits for his new organization.

Charles Paris has drawn the most issues of Batman thus far at 128. Denny O'Neil is a long time writer and editor at DC with 211 issues. He also contributed the location of Arkham Asylum as well as the characters Man-Bat, Ra's al Ghul and Talia al Ghul.

In September 2011, DC Comics relaunched their entire line in an event known as "The New 52" which would see the premiere of fifty-two new titles, thus the long-running Batman series ended with #713 during Tony S. Daniel's run on the title. In the new line, however, Tony Daniel will continue writing in the "Batman universe" but under the character's other main title, Detective Comics. The new Batman series will be written instead by Scott Snyder (who was writing Detective Comics pre-relaunch).

For Post Flashpoint volume 2, refer to Batman.

Trade Volumes that collect Batman issues:

Classic and Archived Batman:

Batman: A Celebration of 75 Years (#1, 49, 181, 497)The Joker: A Celebration of 75 Years (#1, 5, 25, 32, 85, 163, 251, 427)The Batman Chronicles Volume 1 (Batman #1, Detective Comics #27-37)The Batman Chronicles Volume 2 (Batman #2-3, Detective Comics #39-45, New York World's Fair Comic #2)The Batman Chronicles Volume 3 (Batman #4-5, Detective Comics #46-50, World's Finest #1)The Batman Chronicles Volume 4 (Batman #6-7, Detective Comics #51-56, World's Finest #2-3)The Batman Chronicles Volume 5 (Batman #8-9, Detective Comics #57-61, World's Finest #4)Batman: Arkham - The Riddler (#171, 179, 292, 317 & 362)

see also Batman Archives, Batman: The Dark Knight Archives, Batman: The Dynamic Duo Archives etc...

For late 60`s - 70`s comics...

Showcase Presents: Batman

Modern Batman (Post-Crisis)

Batman Arkham: Two-Face (#234, 346, 410 & 411)Tales of the Batman: Len Wein (#307-310, #312-319, #321-324, #326-327)Batman: Second Chances (#402, 403 & 408-416)Batman: Year One (Batman #404-407)Batman: The Many Deaths of Batman (Batman #433-435)Batman: Ten Nights of the Beast (#417-420)Batman: A Death in the Family (Batman #426-429)Robin: The Teen Wonder (Batman #428 and 442, Batman: Legends of the Dark Knight #100, Nightwing #101, Batman #428 and 442, Robin #126 and 132, and Teen Titans #29)Robin: A Hero Reborn (Batman #455-457 and Robin #1-5)Robin: Reborn (#455-457)Batman: Knightfall Part 1: Broken Bat (Batman #491-497, Detective Comics #659-663)Batman: Knightfall Part 2: Who Rules the Night (Batman #498-500, Detective Comics #664-666, Showcase '93 #7-8, Shadow of the Bat #16-18)Batman: Knightfall Part 3: Knightsend (Batman #509-510)Batman By Doug Moench & Kelley Jones Volume 1 (#515-525, 527-532 and 535-536)Tales of the Batman: J.H. Williams III (#526, 550 and 667-669)Batman: Road To No Man's Land (#555-559)Batman: No Man's Land Vol. 1 ( Batman #563-564, No Man's Land #1, Shadow of the Bat #83-84, Detective Comics #730-731, Legends of the Dark Knight #116)Batman: No Man's Land Vol. 2 (Batman #565, Shadow of the Bat #85-87, Detective Comics #732-733, Legends of the Dark Knight #117, #119, Batman Chronicles #16)Batman: No Man's Land Vol. 3 (Batman #566-569, Shadow of the Bat #88, Detective Comics #734-735, Legends of the Dark Knight #120-121)Batman: No Man's Land Vol. 4 (Batman #571-572, Shadow of the Bat #92-93, Detective Comics #736, # 738-739, Legends of the Dark Knight #125, Batman Chronicles #18)Batman: No Man's Land Vol. 5 (Batman #573-574, Shadow of the Bat #94, Detective Comics #740-741, Legends of the Dark Knight #126, No Man's Land #0)Batman by Ed Brubaker (#582-586 & 591-594)Batman: False Faces (Batman #588-590, Detective Comics #787, Wonder Woman #160-161, Tale from Batman: Gotham City Secret Files and Origins)Batman: Bruce Wayne-Murderer? (Batman #599-600, Batman: The 10 Cent Adventure, Detective Comics #766-767, Batgirl #24, Nightwing #65-66, Batman: Gotham Knights #25-26, Birds of Prey #39-40, Robin #98-99)Bruce Wayne: Fugitive Volume 1 (Batman #601, #603; Batman: Gotham Knights #27-28; Batgirl #27, #29; Birds of Prey #41, #43; Nightwing #68-69)Batman: Bruce Wayne - Fugitive (#603-607)Bruce Wayne: Fugitive Volume 2 (Batman #605, Detective Comics #768-772, Batman: Gotham Knights #31)Bruce Wayne: Fugitive Volume 3 (Batman #606-607, Detective Comics #773-775, Batgirl #33)Batman: Hush (Batman #608-619)Batman vs. Superman: The Greatest Battles (#612)Batman: Broken City (Batman #620-625)Batman Noir: Eduardo Risso (Batman #620-625)Batman: As the Crow Flies (Batman #626-630)Batman: War Games Volume 1 (Batman #631, Batman: The 12 Cent Adventure, Detective Comics #797, Batman: Legends of the Dark Knight #182, Nightwing #96, Batman: Gotham Knights #56, Robin #129, Batgirl #55, Catwoman #34)Batman: War Games Book One (New Edition) (#631)Batman: War Games Volume 2 (Batman #632, Detective Comics #798, Batman: Legends of the Dark Knight #183, Nightwing #97, Batman: Gotham Knights #57, Robin , Batgirl #56, Catwoman #35)Batman: War Games Volume 3 (Batman #633, Detective Comics #799, Batman: Legends of the Dark Knight #184, Nightwing #98, Batgirl #57, Catwoman #36, Robin #131, Batman: Gotham Knights #58)Batman: Under the Hood Volume 1 (Batman #635-641)Batman: War Crimes (Batman #643-644, Detective Comics #809-810, Batman Allies Secret Files and Origins, Batman Villains Secret Files and Origins)Batman: Under the Hood Volume 2 (Batman #645-650, Batman Annual #25)Batman: Face the Face (Batman #651-654, Detective Comics #817-820)Batman: Batman and Son (Batman #655-658, #663-666)Batman Unwrapped by Andy Kubert (Batman #655-68, 664-666, 686 and 700)DC Comics Presents: Robin War 100-Page Spectacular (#657)Damian: Son of Batman Deluxe Edition (#666)Batman: The Black Glove (Batman #667-669, 672-675)Batman: The Resurrection of Ra's al Ghul (Batman #670-671, Batman Annual #26, Detective Comics #838-839, Robin #168-169, Robin Annual #7, Nightwing #138-139)Batman: Batman R.I.P. (Batman #676-683)Batman: Whatever Happened to the Caped Crusader (Batman #686, Detective Comics #853, Secret Origins #36, Secret Origins Special #1, Batman: Black and White #2)Batman: Long Shadows (Batman #687-691)Batman: Life After Death (Batman #692-699)Batman: Time and the Batman (Batman #700-703)Batman: Eye of the Beholder (Batman #704-707, Batman #710-712)Batman: Gotham Shall Be Judged (Batman #708-709, Red Robin #22, Gotham City Sirens #22, Azrael #14-18)

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