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The Brave and the Bold (1955) #75-76, 79-85
Batman by Neal Adams Omnibus
Neal Adams is considered one of the greatest Batman artists of all-time, and one of comics' most influential illustrators. Now, DC Comics has collected all three volumes of the Batman: Illustrated by Neal Adams series together with Adams' critically acclaimed series Batman: Odyssey in one hardcover omnibus.This massive volume collects material from Batman #200, 203 and 210; The Brave and The Bold #75-76 and 79-85; Dectective Comics #370, 372, 385, 389, 391, and 392; and World's Finest Comics #174-176, 178-180, 182-183, 185, 186; Batman #217, 220-222, 224-227, 229-231, The Brave and The Bold #86, 88-90, 93, 95, Detective Comics #394-403, 405-311, World's Finest Comics #199, 200, 202; Batman #232, 234-241, 243-246, 251, 255; Batman Annual #14; Batman Black & White #4; Brave and the Bold #99, Detective Comics #412-422, 439, 600; Heroes Against Hunger; Limited Collectors Edition C-25, C-51, C-59; Robin #1; Saga of Ra's Al Ghul #4; World's Finest #211, 244-246, 258; Batman: Odyssey Vol. 1 issues #1-6 and Vol. 2 issues #1-7.
1072 pages, Hardcover
First published June 2, 2015
8 people are currently reading
125 people want to read
About the author
Neal Adams
1,050 books82 followersNeal Adams was an American comic book and commercial artist known for helping to create some of the definitive modern imagery of the DC Comics characters Superman, Batman, and Green Arrow; as the co-founder of the graphic design studio Continuity Associates; and as a creators-rights advocate who helped secure a pension and recognition for Superman creators Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster.
Adams was inducted into the Eisner Award's Will Eisner Comic Book Hall of Fame in 1998, and the Harvey Awards' Jack Kirby Hall of Fame in 1999.
Librarian Note:
There is more than one author in the Goodreads database with this name.
Adams was inducted into the Eisner Award's Will Eisner Comic Book Hall of Fame in 1998, and the Harvey Awards' Jack Kirby Hall of Fame in 1999.
Librarian Note:
There is more than one author in the Goodreads database with this name.
Ratings & Reviews
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Displaying 1 - 18 of 18 reviews
December 28, 2018
A classic book by a writer that doesn't get nearly enough credit for taking Batman from the campy 1960's to the dark knight that we all know and love today. The stories were a lot more gritty, I absolutely loved the illustrations, and enjoyed a trip through history with a tremendous writer.
October 12, 2016
Neal Adams run on Batman is still the greatest. Well, in parallel to Jim Aparo's run on Batman in The Brave And The Bold. 1970's Batman is the Best Batman Ever!
It's sort of been all downhill ever since then. He's turned too gritty, dark and grim. Robin's aged too much. There's been way too many Robins. Etc. Etc.
Frank Miller pretty much ruined the character in the 80's and he's never really recovered. Even today's fairly decent run by Scott Snyder is one maxed-out angsty cliche piled on top of the next.
So, yeah. 1970's Batman/Bruce Wayne rules. He was smart. He was happy. He was handsome. He enjoyed his life and his friends. He was the world's greatest detective. And the comics clearly showed how he was the world's greatest detective every month. He had a new case to solve every issue or two.
He had the two greatest Batman sidekicks of all: Dick Grayson and Barbara Gordon, as Robin and Batgirl. Batgirl was a brand new character back then and was featured a lot. More than this collection would have you think. The Adams stories mostly stayed away from Batgirl, sadly. She was always my favorite of the trio of heroes.
It's hard to describe the impact Neal Adams had on comic books.
.... finish later....
It's sort of been all downhill ever since then. He's turned too gritty, dark and grim. Robin's aged too much. There's been way too many Robins. Etc. Etc.
Frank Miller pretty much ruined the character in the 80's and he's never really recovered. Even today's fairly decent run by Scott Snyder is one maxed-out angsty cliche piled on top of the next.
So, yeah. 1970's Batman/Bruce Wayne rules. He was smart. He was happy. He was handsome. He enjoyed his life and his friends. He was the world's greatest detective. And the comics clearly showed how he was the world's greatest detective every month. He had a new case to solve every issue or two.
He had the two greatest Batman sidekicks of all: Dick Grayson and Barbara Gordon, as Robin and Batgirl. Batgirl was a brand new character back then and was featured a lot. More than this collection would have you think. The Adams stories mostly stayed away from Batgirl, sadly. She was always my favorite of the trio of heroes.
It's hard to describe the impact Neal Adams had on comic books.
.... finish later....
January 2, 2024
If I had to pick one set of comic books to read before I die, this would be it.
I have an incredible fondness for the original John Romita Spider-Man books and even the Ben Reilly sagas, but these books - the very few that I managed to read back in the day, truly showed me how high the art could be elevated to.
I don’t think Neal Adams gets enough credit for the creating the Batman we know today. I know others have been given a lot of credit for exorcising the ‘Adam West’ version of Batman but I really think these are these are the stories that put ‘paid’ to it.
And the artwork is just amazing….
I drove all across California to find the last copy of this on the shelves and I’m glad I did. Even with the yellow bat on his chest, this is still the Batman of all time.
Reading my first Neal Adams story. A Worlds Finest story. Tears are in my eyes.
Various crooks who have been defeated by Batman come together to join the “Batman Revenge Squad” but one of the benefits of the squad is that they get to put on a costume much like Batman’s except it is purple and dark purple and the bat-symbol has a skull between the wings! “And look at that insignia! WOW! I can’t wait to put it on!”
Wait, wait! WTF!? Batman is wagering his “Muscle Amplifier” which multiplies a man’s strength a thousandfold!” A THOUSANDFOLD! I can think of several Batman stories that would need to be rewritten if Batman had brought that along…”
LOL! Superman is surprised that someone has figured out his secret identity. Well maybe he should stop saying “Great Krypton!” whenever he is surprised!
I’m not going to bother how Superman disguised himself as a bronze statue coming to life in order to get a meeting with Batgirl.
I’m just going to miss the fact that she is no longer called “The Curvaceous Crimefighter”.
And how come we haven’t heard about the “Eyrie”! The ‘abandoned mountain headquarters of Jimmy Olsen and Robin’!!?
I want to say this right before I die. “I’ve only a few minutes to live… I”ll tell you the whole story!”
The first story was a wonderful Silver Age story, so ridiculous and coincidence filled that it rivaled the worst Superboy epic. It was weird seeing such a dumb story being drawn by Neal Adams instead of Curt Swan or Carmen Infantino!
The next story is a Deadman story. I mean to someday track down the Neal Adams Deadman omnibus. These are some of my favorites from back in the day.
I don’t remember if I knew Deadman as a character without Batman. I doubt it. Neal Adams and Deadman are bound together in my memory. They make a great pair however. I’ll have to track down the Deadman omnibus if I can.
The Creeper has always been one of my favorites. I mean, it’s the Joker as a superhero! What’s not to like?
Love Creeper, love Batman. But that was a weird-ass story.
I love the Batman and Teen Titans story, but the idea that Bruce Wayne had a ward he chose over Dick Grayson seems a little forced!
Okay, the Batman & Easy Company is also a weird one. Batman versus the Nazi’s. In the hands of a lesser artist this might have worked as a ‘golden age’ Batman story, but it’s just strange with art this good! It’s not even a time travel story. Just somehow Bruce Wayne was in World War II!
I forget that these are Brave & the Bold stories and even as a kid I knew I had to ‘suspend disbelief’ to allow Batman to team up with everyone including Oscar Meyer!
I’d also forgotten that all Batman’s adventures were considered ‘cases’ that he made a case file of. I wonder when they dropped that conceit?
While the Brave and the Bold always had some odd-ball pairings and some weird stories (“Punish nor my EVIL son!”), Batman and Green Arrows seems more like a good pairing.
I’d forgotten that Green Arrow was yet another billionaire who decided to use his fortune to fight crime — those billionaires are all alike aren’t they? Is this the debut of Green Arrows ‘modern’ costume? I wonder if Neal Adams designed it? It considered the classic costume for sure.
Okay, either Bruce Wayne is playing fast and loose with his secret identity or the guy he just told is going to die soon.
And now Green Arrow told the same guy his secret identity! THIS GUY IS DEFINITELY DEAD SOON!
Of course, I’m not entirely sure why Batman keeps a live bat in his pocket.
And of course, the guys blabbing Bruce while he’s in the costume! I hope this guys dead!
Well, okay, he didn’t die. But still a good story!
The Brave and the Bold issues come to an end (and remind me I still have to buy the Deadman Omnibus when I get a chance) and start with “Detective Comics Presents Batman & Robin” #395.
“She’s young, very beautiful… but there’s a strange feeling of mustiness about her!” Who hasn’t been there?
“Then a pair of giant wolves answers the whistled summons their eyes gleaming with kill-lust in the moonlight…” My favorite kind of lust in the moonlight!
“Stand back… for I am no clumsy fool!” I’ve got to find somewhere to use that line…
“Night falls on Christmas Eve in Gotham, the sidewalks bustle with last-minute shoppers. A peaceful — almost heavenly scene — would injustice and tragedy dare creep it?
“With a tremendous push of his thick-thewed legs, Batman launches himself across the remaining twenty feet of open space…”
I actually remember reading and being very impressed by the “Ghost of the Killer Skies!” Featuring “Enemy Ace” back in the day.
“AIEEE! El Hombre Murcielago!”
Page 328, a picture of the Batman that will be a pose and logo and emblem of the Batman for decades to come.
“So, THE BATMAN is certain he has solved the mystery! Are you as certain…”
I wonder when this technique was last used. I rather miss it.
A fantastic script by Denny O’Neil and amazing art by Adams & Giordano. I wonder how they divided the art?
I stumbled upon a collection of ‘Enemy Ace’ books a while back. I can’t wait to read them now.
“Disappointing! They look like any other creeps who need to prove their manhood with noise sticks!”
I guess I could rave about Neal Adams. Especially the precision of the action sequences. You know exactly what’s going on and how Batman defeats his adversaries. But please if enough people haven’t raved about Neal Adams, why are you here?
But even as an adult (debatable, sure) I love how they tell you: “The facts are in…and there is a solution! Have you deduced Two-face’s intention?”
I’ll save you the trouble. No you haven’t and neither have I.
Another great Two-Face tale!
“Man, I just GOTTA find someone to rap with about FLOATS!” We really need to bring ‘Rap’ back don’t you think?
“Night of the Reaper” is a wonderful story. Batman calls Robin ‘son’ and as cheesy as it is it illustrates the Nazi holocaust in a way that can be understood by any kid.
There are also great background shots of many Marvel characters at a costume party. Anyway, great story, great art, great fun.
“If I don’t …survive…it’ll be up to Robin to carry on the tradition of The Batman!”
These are the classic Ra’s Al Ghul stories I read as a kid — for 20¢ each.
Man, these stories are still as strong and gripping (and the art still as amazing) as they were originally. Wish I could tell Neal once again that he is the man.
LOL! I love it when the writer asks you if you can see the clue Batman spotted and when you later find out what it is, you go back and find out that yup, you missed it, but it’s there!
The “Bruce Wayne Murder Case” is an classic fun and suitably dark story! Love it!
“The Jokers Five Way Revenge” is the kind of story I don’t think current comic book writers are even cable of writing these days. Complete, self-contained, suspenseful, and complete in one story. Excellent.”
Man. A cover from a “super spectacular 100 page Batman only 50 cents. Meet the BATMAN family!”
Here are the titles of the stories: “A NEW Batman shocker — Moon of the Wolf!”, “Batman’s Father”, “Alfred the Detective”, “Batgirl’s big surprise!”, “Robin Battles Crazy-Quilt!”
If you had this in your hand, you knew you were in for some good reading! Rarely does anything today put me in that mood!
“Moon of the Wolf” is another wonderful stand-alone story. I wonder if they ever used that werewolf again?
I LOVE the fact that they included Book & Record Set collection story done by Neal Adams. He also did some Star Trek records that I’ve reviewed.
“Maybe a frontal lobotomy might help in his case. “ Robin might have a good idea for the Joker.
I think a-lot of this second Book/Record comic is recycled artwork. Still great artwork though.
Still a good story introducing Robin to the Man-Bat-Family.
OMFG! The next story is “Batman Odyssey” which I believe is a relatively recent Adams contribution. Michael Golden inking!?! A fantastic artist his own damn self! Did I really read ALL of Neal Adams contributions in the Silver Age?! It seems hard to believe there was so few. It really changed Batman forever and my appreciation of Batman and comic book artists forever.
I actually bought Batman Odyssey as individual comic books, but apparently it was extended more than I bought.
Either way he only got BETTER. This art is amazing.
I actually remember Mr. Adams talking about this story in a Kevin Smith interview. It’s a great story!
Apparently the last half of this book is all new stories by Neal Adams. While it’s a little hard to follow — he seems to be cramming as much as he could into it — it’s all brilliant artwork and a story about Batman’s early days with Robin and the mistakes that made him change his ideas and tactics. Brilliant stuff that will become permanent parts of the Batman legend.
The Neal Adams later stuff is kind of amazing. It’s a little difficult to follow. It’s so DENSE that it takes some concentration to keep up with. He’s got points to make and pulls out all the stops the make them.
It’s all beautiful of course, a master craftsman the art is as distracting as the story, but the story is very interesting.
Deadman is possessing the Joker and giving Batman the business by telling him that he is being played for a sucker because he’s distracted by ‘clowns’ instead of solving the real problems of crime.
It’s fascinating and complex and fun to read. Batman and the Joker (inhabited by Deadman) finding a secret section of Arkham Asylum.
Even from the grave, Neal Adams is adding a permanent chapter to both the Batman saga and the Deadman saga — expanding it in ways both perfectly fitting and completely unexpected!
While “Batman Odyssey” is a very strange story, far outside of Batman continuity — Robin is Dick Grayson, Deadman takes over Alfred — it is also a good story. And a story that if someone is going to draw a world in the center of the earth with Dinosaur evolved people, dinosaur fights and a neanderthal Batman and Robin, then you darn well want it to be Neal Adams rather than Carmine Infantino!
I do rather object to Batman have the bat symbol on his chest AND on his belt buckle. That’s just weird.
The next book where Bruce talks about Robin and Robin teams up with Deadman is a lot of fun. I understand why Neal Adams called this a “Comic BOOK”. It’s definitely deeper and more intricate than a normal comic. I’m not sure it works, but I respect the attempt to go the ‘next level’.
Of course, the story ends exactly as it is supposed to. With Batman outwitting all his enemies and scaring the heck out of them as well!
After the weird but impressive “Batman Odyssey” they show a selection of amazing covers, presumably by Neal Adams. I’d love to read each and every one of them!
“This is NOT an IMAGINARY fight scene! Nor a symbolic picture! Nor any other sort of COP-OUT!” [Batman and Superman fighting to the Death!
“There are 8 million people in Gotham City — and unless Batman finds the right one … At Dawn Dies Mary MacGuffin!”
“The Truth about Superman’s Twin brother!”
Well, I’m sorry to see this book ending. For my money the greatest comic book artist that ever lived (nothing against Kirby, however) it’s wonderful to finally read a great deal of his work. I hope to hunt down the rest of it as I can.
Of course, I give this 5 stars and will treasure it!
I have an incredible fondness for the original John Romita Spider-Man books and even the Ben Reilly sagas, but these books - the very few that I managed to read back in the day, truly showed me how high the art could be elevated to.
I don’t think Neal Adams gets enough credit for the creating the Batman we know today. I know others have been given a lot of credit for exorcising the ‘Adam West’ version of Batman but I really think these are these are the stories that put ‘paid’ to it.
And the artwork is just amazing….
I drove all across California to find the last copy of this on the shelves and I’m glad I did. Even with the yellow bat on his chest, this is still the Batman of all time.
Reading my first Neal Adams story. A Worlds Finest story. Tears are in my eyes.
Various crooks who have been defeated by Batman come together to join the “Batman Revenge Squad” but one of the benefits of the squad is that they get to put on a costume much like Batman’s except it is purple and dark purple and the bat-symbol has a skull between the wings! “And look at that insignia! WOW! I can’t wait to put it on!”
Wait, wait! WTF!? Batman is wagering his “Muscle Amplifier” which multiplies a man’s strength a thousandfold!” A THOUSANDFOLD! I can think of several Batman stories that would need to be rewritten if Batman had brought that along…”
LOL! Superman is surprised that someone has figured out his secret identity. Well maybe he should stop saying “Great Krypton!” whenever he is surprised!
I’m not going to bother how Superman disguised himself as a bronze statue coming to life in order to get a meeting with Batgirl.
I’m just going to miss the fact that she is no longer called “The Curvaceous Crimefighter”.
And how come we haven’t heard about the “Eyrie”! The ‘abandoned mountain headquarters of Jimmy Olsen and Robin’!!?
I want to say this right before I die. “I’ve only a few minutes to live… I”ll tell you the whole story!”
The first story was a wonderful Silver Age story, so ridiculous and coincidence filled that it rivaled the worst Superboy epic. It was weird seeing such a dumb story being drawn by Neal Adams instead of Curt Swan or Carmen Infantino!
The next story is a Deadman story. I mean to someday track down the Neal Adams Deadman omnibus. These are some of my favorites from back in the day.
I don’t remember if I knew Deadman as a character without Batman. I doubt it. Neal Adams and Deadman are bound together in my memory. They make a great pair however. I’ll have to track down the Deadman omnibus if I can.
The Creeper has always been one of my favorites. I mean, it’s the Joker as a superhero! What’s not to like?
Love Creeper, love Batman. But that was a weird-ass story.
I love the Batman and Teen Titans story, but the idea that Bruce Wayne had a ward he chose over Dick Grayson seems a little forced!
Okay, the Batman & Easy Company is also a weird one. Batman versus the Nazi’s. In the hands of a lesser artist this might have worked as a ‘golden age’ Batman story, but it’s just strange with art this good! It’s not even a time travel story. Just somehow Bruce Wayne was in World War II!
I forget that these are Brave & the Bold stories and even as a kid I knew I had to ‘suspend disbelief’ to allow Batman to team up with everyone including Oscar Meyer!
I’d also forgotten that all Batman’s adventures were considered ‘cases’ that he made a case file of. I wonder when they dropped that conceit?
While the Brave and the Bold always had some odd-ball pairings and some weird stories (“Punish nor my EVIL son!”), Batman and Green Arrows seems more like a good pairing.
I’d forgotten that Green Arrow was yet another billionaire who decided to use his fortune to fight crime — those billionaires are all alike aren’t they? Is this the debut of Green Arrows ‘modern’ costume? I wonder if Neal Adams designed it? It considered the classic costume for sure.
Okay, either Bruce Wayne is playing fast and loose with his secret identity or the guy he just told is going to die soon.
And now Green Arrow told the same guy his secret identity! THIS GUY IS DEFINITELY DEAD SOON!
Of course, I’m not entirely sure why Batman keeps a live bat in his pocket.
And of course, the guys blabbing Bruce while he’s in the costume! I hope this guys dead!
Well, okay, he didn’t die. But still a good story!
The Brave and the Bold issues come to an end (and remind me I still have to buy the Deadman Omnibus when I get a chance) and start with “Detective Comics Presents Batman & Robin” #395.
“She’s young, very beautiful… but there’s a strange feeling of mustiness about her!” Who hasn’t been there?
“Then a pair of giant wolves answers the whistled summons their eyes gleaming with kill-lust in the moonlight…” My favorite kind of lust in the moonlight!
“Stand back… for I am no clumsy fool!” I’ve got to find somewhere to use that line…
“Night falls on Christmas Eve in Gotham, the sidewalks bustle with last-minute shoppers. A peaceful — almost heavenly scene — would injustice and tragedy dare creep it?
“With a tremendous push of his thick-thewed legs, Batman launches himself across the remaining twenty feet of open space…”
I actually remember reading and being very impressed by the “Ghost of the Killer Skies!” Featuring “Enemy Ace” back in the day.
“AIEEE! El Hombre Murcielago!”
Page 328, a picture of the Batman that will be a pose and logo and emblem of the Batman for decades to come.
“So, THE BATMAN is certain he has solved the mystery! Are you as certain…”
I wonder when this technique was last used. I rather miss it.
A fantastic script by Denny O’Neil and amazing art by Adams & Giordano. I wonder how they divided the art?
I stumbled upon a collection of ‘Enemy Ace’ books a while back. I can’t wait to read them now.
“Disappointing! They look like any other creeps who need to prove their manhood with noise sticks!”
I guess I could rave about Neal Adams. Especially the precision of the action sequences. You know exactly what’s going on and how Batman defeats his adversaries. But please if enough people haven’t raved about Neal Adams, why are you here?
But even as an adult (debatable, sure) I love how they tell you: “The facts are in…and there is a solution! Have you deduced Two-face’s intention?”
I’ll save you the trouble. No you haven’t and neither have I.
Another great Two-Face tale!
“Man, I just GOTTA find someone to rap with about FLOATS!” We really need to bring ‘Rap’ back don’t you think?
“Night of the Reaper” is a wonderful story. Batman calls Robin ‘son’ and as cheesy as it is it illustrates the Nazi holocaust in a way that can be understood by any kid.
There are also great background shots of many Marvel characters at a costume party. Anyway, great story, great art, great fun.
“If I don’t …survive…it’ll be up to Robin to carry on the tradition of The Batman!”
These are the classic Ra’s Al Ghul stories I read as a kid — for 20¢ each.
Man, these stories are still as strong and gripping (and the art still as amazing) as they were originally. Wish I could tell Neal once again that he is the man.
LOL! I love it when the writer asks you if you can see the clue Batman spotted and when you later find out what it is, you go back and find out that yup, you missed it, but it’s there!
The “Bruce Wayne Murder Case” is an classic fun and suitably dark story! Love it!
“The Jokers Five Way Revenge” is the kind of story I don’t think current comic book writers are even cable of writing these days. Complete, self-contained, suspenseful, and complete in one story. Excellent.”
Man. A cover from a “super spectacular 100 page Batman only 50 cents. Meet the BATMAN family!”
Here are the titles of the stories: “A NEW Batman shocker — Moon of the Wolf!”, “Batman’s Father”, “Alfred the Detective”, “Batgirl’s big surprise!”, “Robin Battles Crazy-Quilt!”
If you had this in your hand, you knew you were in for some good reading! Rarely does anything today put me in that mood!
“Moon of the Wolf” is another wonderful stand-alone story. I wonder if they ever used that werewolf again?
I LOVE the fact that they included Book & Record Set collection story done by Neal Adams. He also did some Star Trek records that I’ve reviewed.
“Maybe a frontal lobotomy might help in his case. “ Robin might have a good idea for the Joker.
I think a-lot of this second Book/Record comic is recycled artwork. Still great artwork though.
Still a good story introducing Robin to the Man-Bat-Family.
OMFG! The next story is “Batman Odyssey” which I believe is a relatively recent Adams contribution. Michael Golden inking!?! A fantastic artist his own damn self! Did I really read ALL of Neal Adams contributions in the Silver Age?! It seems hard to believe there was so few. It really changed Batman forever and my appreciation of Batman and comic book artists forever.
I actually bought Batman Odyssey as individual comic books, but apparently it was extended more than I bought.
Either way he only got BETTER. This art is amazing.
I actually remember Mr. Adams talking about this story in a Kevin Smith interview. It’s a great story!
Apparently the last half of this book is all new stories by Neal Adams. While it’s a little hard to follow — he seems to be cramming as much as he could into it — it’s all brilliant artwork and a story about Batman’s early days with Robin and the mistakes that made him change his ideas and tactics. Brilliant stuff that will become permanent parts of the Batman legend.
The Neal Adams later stuff is kind of amazing. It’s a little difficult to follow. It’s so DENSE that it takes some concentration to keep up with. He’s got points to make and pulls out all the stops the make them.
It’s all beautiful of course, a master craftsman the art is as distracting as the story, but the story is very interesting.
Deadman is possessing the Joker and giving Batman the business by telling him that he is being played for a sucker because he’s distracted by ‘clowns’ instead of solving the real problems of crime.
It’s fascinating and complex and fun to read. Batman and the Joker (inhabited by Deadman) finding a secret section of Arkham Asylum.
Even from the grave, Neal Adams is adding a permanent chapter to both the Batman saga and the Deadman saga — expanding it in ways both perfectly fitting and completely unexpected!
While “Batman Odyssey” is a very strange story, far outside of Batman continuity — Robin is Dick Grayson, Deadman takes over Alfred — it is also a good story. And a story that if someone is going to draw a world in the center of the earth with Dinosaur evolved people, dinosaur fights and a neanderthal Batman and Robin, then you darn well want it to be Neal Adams rather than Carmine Infantino!
I do rather object to Batman have the bat symbol on his chest AND on his belt buckle. That’s just weird.
The next book where Bruce talks about Robin and Robin teams up with Deadman is a lot of fun. I understand why Neal Adams called this a “Comic BOOK”. It’s definitely deeper and more intricate than a normal comic. I’m not sure it works, but I respect the attempt to go the ‘next level’.
Of course, the story ends exactly as it is supposed to. With Batman outwitting all his enemies and scaring the heck out of them as well!
After the weird but impressive “Batman Odyssey” they show a selection of amazing covers, presumably by Neal Adams. I’d love to read each and every one of them!
“This is NOT an IMAGINARY fight scene! Nor a symbolic picture! Nor any other sort of COP-OUT!” [Batman and Superman fighting to the Death!
“There are 8 million people in Gotham City — and unless Batman finds the right one … At Dawn Dies Mary MacGuffin!”
“The Truth about Superman’s Twin brother!”
Well, I’m sorry to see this book ending. For my money the greatest comic book artist that ever lived (nothing against Kirby, however) it’s wonderful to finally read a great deal of his work. I hope to hunt down the rest of it as I can.
Of course, I give this 5 stars and will treasure it!
September 8, 2024
The biggest problem with this omnibus is the re-inking and coloring. It takes a lot of the mood out of the 70s stories, and the inking just looks scratchy to me. It’s like everything was updated to match Batman: Odyssey of all things. Some of the stories are amazing, but I feel like you can get them in better ways, like the Tales of the Demon collection. Overall, I’m not a big DC fan, and while some of the major stories work, most were misses for me. However, when it's on, it’s really on.
World's Finest Comics #175 ⧫ 2 Stars “The Superman-Batman Revenge Squads!” (May 1968)
It’s so camp. I just I can’t
World's Finest Comics #176 ⧫ 3.5 Stars “The Superman-Batman Split!” (June 1968)
This one starts super silly, but I rather like the end. It’s fun and upbeat in all the right ways.
The Brave and the Bold #79 ⧫ 3 Stars “Track of the Hook!” (Aug.-Sept. 1968)
Deadman is cool, and this mystery is pretty fun, but it’s tough knowing it won’t go anywhere.
The Brave and the Bold #80 ⧫ 2 Stars “And Hellgrammite Is His Name!” (Oct.-Nov. 1968)
Not a fan of the Creeper or the Hellgramite. This starts a bunch of weak stories with great Adams art.
The Brave and the Bold #81 ⧫ 2.5 Stars “But Bork Can Hurt You!” (Dec. 1968-Jan. 1969)
Honestly, pretty silly, but the ticking clock with the Flash kind of works.
The Brave and the Bold #82 ⧫ 2 Stars “The Sleep-Walker from the Sea!” (Feb-Mar. 1969)
Weird Aquaman story that kind of represents why I’m not a big DC fan.
The Brave and the Bold #83 ⧫ 2.5 Stars “Punish Not My Evil Son” (April-May 1969)
A little basic and with way too many characters.
The Brave and the Bold #84 ⧫ 2.5 Stars “The Angel, the Rock and the Cowl” (June-July 1969)
Batman at war is somewhat interesting but still not really my thing. The desert scenery was a nice change of pace and something that will come back more effectively later.
The Brave and the Bold #85 ⧫ 2.5 Stars “The Senator's Been Shot!” (Aug.-Sept. 1969)
Another one that would be better over several issues, so the story could feel less disposable. I’m also a bit surprised at how little some of the heroes interact, like Green Arrow and Batman are working different cases for most of this.
The Brave and the Bold #86 ⧫ 3 Stars “You Can't Hide from a Deadman!” (Oct.-Nov. 1969)
The first half of this is so cool; then, it stops dead for a silly explanation about why Deadman is acting that way, and it’s pretty lame.
Detective Comics #395 ⧫ 3 Stars “The Secret of the Waiting Graves” (Jan. 1970)
It feels very proto-Ra’s al Ghul. I like the ideas, and they might be more impactful if they weren’t done so much more effectively later.
Batman #219 ⧫ 4.5 Stars “The Silent Night of the Batman” (Feb. 1970)
What a great message. Investing in people and trying to eliminate the causes of crime? A little cheezy, but amazing.
Detective Comics #397 ⧫ 3 Stars “Paint a Picture of Peril!” (Mar. 1970)
Batman vs. insane Orson Welles! It’s fine with a little bit of a cheesy ending.
Detective Comics #400 ⧫ 3.5 Stars “Challenge of the Man-Bat” (June 1970)
Having only seen the Animated Series introduction of Man Bat, I was pretty surprised to see a more sympathetic Langstrom and a more body horror approach to the character. It’s a nice start.
Detective Comics #402 ⧫ 3.5 Stars “Man or Bat?” (Aug. 1970)
The tragic continuation of the Man Bat story. I like the addition of Francie, bringing some nice pathos to the story. Though the climax is a little conveniently located, the end is fittingly dark.
Detective Comics #404 ⧫ 3 Stars “Ghost of the Killer Skies!” (Oct. 1970)
A fine throwback mystery with some World War I flair.
Detective Comics #407 ⧫ 3 Stars “Marriage: Impossible” (Jan. 1971)
Batman comes out with a strong, but unsurprising, anti-furry stance.
The Brave and the Bold #93 ⧫ 2 Stars “Red Water Crimson Death” (Dec. 1970-Jan. 1971)
There are better Batman vs. magic stories.
Detective Comics #408 ⧫ 2 Stars “The House That Haunted Batman!” (Feb. 1971)
Good art, but the yellow peril villain is not good and the story is weak.
Detective Comics #410 ⧫ 4 Stars “A Vow from the Grave!” (April 1971)
I rather liked this isolated mystery. There’s a bunch of action that actually drives the plot, and Batman gets to do some cool stuff! Denny O’Neil stuff is so good.
Batman #232 ⧫ 5 Stars “Daughter of the Demon” (June 1971)
This is a classic. Ras immediately establishes himself as a powerful foe. Batman matches him trick for trick. It’s an awesome adventure, including a haunting character moment for Ras. Fantastic!
Batman #234 ⧫ 3.5 Stars “Half an Evil” (Aug. 1971)
It’s a pretty decent Two-Face tale.
Batman #237 ⧫ 3 Stars “Night of the Reaper!” (Dec. 1971)
I liked some of this, Batman failing particularly. The story just seems a little tired, especially in 2024.
Batman #243 ⧫ 3.5 Stars “The Lazarus Pit!” (Aug. 1972)
The beginning has unfortunate awkward stereotypes, but the second half is solid action, ending in a great reveal that most already know, but it’s still cool.
Batman #244 ⧫ 4.5 Stars “The Demon Lives Again!” (Sept. 1972)
The conclusion is awesome. Batman’s team is picked off, leaving Batman mano-a-mano with the Demon. It’s great. The ending’s great. Ras has such a great arc.
Batman #245 ⧫ 3.5 Stars “The Bruce Wayne Murder Case!” (Oct. 1972)
Having someone accused of Bruce Wayne’s murder while Batman’s been away is a great idea. It’s a shame it didn’t build into something bigger.
Batman #251 ⧫ 4.5 Stars “The Joker's Five-Way Revenge!” (Sept. 1973)
The Joker’s out for revenge in this awesome hardboiled O’Neil/Adams thriller. It’s just gritty enough, and its ending was made famous in “The Laughing Fish” Animated Series episode!
Batman #255 ⧫ 4 Stars “Moon of the Wolf” (March-April 1974)
This is a really simple story, but it’s also really cool. Batman, mano a wolfo, vs. a Werewolf. With a talented artist like Adams, this is very much as cool as it sounds.
Batman: "Stacked Cards" #PR27 #255 ⧫ 3.5 Stars “Trumping the Joker” (1975)
This cool Batman vs. Joker story is designed to help younger people read, so I’m giving it a boost.
Batman: Robin Meets Man-Bat! #PR30 #255 ⧫ 3 Stars “Robin Meets Man-Bat!” (1976)
This is mostly a fun retread of the Man-Bat issues. I like Man Bat and appreciate that DC was trying to help people read.
Batman: Odyssey Vol. 1 #1-6, Vol. 2 #1-7 ⧫ 2 Stars (Sept. 2011-June 2012)
I was originally going to go issue by issue, but by the second issue, I realized that I was trapped inside the fever dream of an old artist doing what Boomers think is really cool. Admittedly, some of the art is amazing, but the story is barely coherent, and the characters all act like they’re on cocaine. It’s a wild ride, but not the best as as far as story goes. Flip through it for the cool artwork and make up whatever story you want.
There’s like a hundred pages of amazing art at the end of this, so…
Other Comics Reviews
Challengers of the Unknown
Jack Kirby’s The Fourth World Omnibus
Roots of the Swamp Thing
Orion Omnibus
Power Girl: Power Trip
Supergirl: Woman of Tomorrow
Detective Comics: 80 Years of Batman: The Deluxe Edition
World's Finest Comics #175 ⧫ 2 Stars “The Superman-Batman Revenge Squads!” (May 1968)
It’s so camp. I just I can’t
World's Finest Comics #176 ⧫ 3.5 Stars “The Superman-Batman Split!” (June 1968)
This one starts super silly, but I rather like the end. It’s fun and upbeat in all the right ways.
The Brave and the Bold #79 ⧫ 3 Stars “Track of the Hook!” (Aug.-Sept. 1968)
Deadman is cool, and this mystery is pretty fun, but it’s tough knowing it won’t go anywhere.
The Brave and the Bold #80 ⧫ 2 Stars “And Hellgrammite Is His Name!” (Oct.-Nov. 1968)
Not a fan of the Creeper or the Hellgramite. This starts a bunch of weak stories with great Adams art.
The Brave and the Bold #81 ⧫ 2.5 Stars “But Bork Can Hurt You!” (Dec. 1968-Jan. 1969)
Honestly, pretty silly, but the ticking clock with the Flash kind of works.
The Brave and the Bold #82 ⧫ 2 Stars “The Sleep-Walker from the Sea!” (Feb-Mar. 1969)
Weird Aquaman story that kind of represents why I’m not a big DC fan.
The Brave and the Bold #83 ⧫ 2.5 Stars “Punish Not My Evil Son” (April-May 1969)
A little basic and with way too many characters.
The Brave and the Bold #84 ⧫ 2.5 Stars “The Angel, the Rock and the Cowl” (June-July 1969)
Batman at war is somewhat interesting but still not really my thing. The desert scenery was a nice change of pace and something that will come back more effectively later.
The Brave and the Bold #85 ⧫ 2.5 Stars “The Senator's Been Shot!” (Aug.-Sept. 1969)
Another one that would be better over several issues, so the story could feel less disposable. I’m also a bit surprised at how little some of the heroes interact, like Green Arrow and Batman are working different cases for most of this.
The Brave and the Bold #86 ⧫ 3 Stars “You Can't Hide from a Deadman!” (Oct.-Nov. 1969)
The first half of this is so cool; then, it stops dead for a silly explanation about why Deadman is acting that way, and it’s pretty lame.
Detective Comics #395 ⧫ 3 Stars “The Secret of the Waiting Graves” (Jan. 1970)
It feels very proto-Ra’s al Ghul. I like the ideas, and they might be more impactful if they weren’t done so much more effectively later.
Batman #219 ⧫ 4.5 Stars “The Silent Night of the Batman” (Feb. 1970)
What a great message. Investing in people and trying to eliminate the causes of crime? A little cheezy, but amazing.
Detective Comics #397 ⧫ 3 Stars “Paint a Picture of Peril!” (Mar. 1970)
Batman vs. insane Orson Welles! It’s fine with a little bit of a cheesy ending.
Detective Comics #400 ⧫ 3.5 Stars “Challenge of the Man-Bat” (June 1970)
Having only seen the Animated Series introduction of Man Bat, I was pretty surprised to see a more sympathetic Langstrom and a more body horror approach to the character. It’s a nice start.
Detective Comics #402 ⧫ 3.5 Stars “Man or Bat?” (Aug. 1970)
The tragic continuation of the Man Bat story. I like the addition of Francie, bringing some nice pathos to the story. Though the climax is a little conveniently located, the end is fittingly dark.
Detective Comics #404 ⧫ 3 Stars “Ghost of the Killer Skies!” (Oct. 1970)
A fine throwback mystery with some World War I flair.
Detective Comics #407 ⧫ 3 Stars “Marriage: Impossible” (Jan. 1971)
Batman comes out with a strong, but unsurprising, anti-furry stance.
The Brave and the Bold #93 ⧫ 2 Stars “Red Water Crimson Death” (Dec. 1970-Jan. 1971)
There are better Batman vs. magic stories.
Detective Comics #408 ⧫ 2 Stars “The House That Haunted Batman!” (Feb. 1971)
Good art, but the yellow peril villain is not good and the story is weak.
Detective Comics #410 ⧫ 4 Stars “A Vow from the Grave!” (April 1971)
I rather liked this isolated mystery. There’s a bunch of action that actually drives the plot, and Batman gets to do some cool stuff! Denny O’Neil stuff is so good.
Batman #232 ⧫ 5 Stars “Daughter of the Demon” (June 1971)
This is a classic. Ras immediately establishes himself as a powerful foe. Batman matches him trick for trick. It’s an awesome adventure, including a haunting character moment for Ras. Fantastic!
Batman #234 ⧫ 3.5 Stars “Half an Evil” (Aug. 1971)
It’s a pretty decent Two-Face tale.
Batman #237 ⧫ 3 Stars “Night of the Reaper!” (Dec. 1971)
I liked some of this, Batman failing particularly. The story just seems a little tired, especially in 2024.
Batman #243 ⧫ 3.5 Stars “The Lazarus Pit!” (Aug. 1972)
The beginning has unfortunate awkward stereotypes, but the second half is solid action, ending in a great reveal that most already know, but it’s still cool.
Batman #244 ⧫ 4.5 Stars “The Demon Lives Again!” (Sept. 1972)
The conclusion is awesome. Batman’s team is picked off, leaving Batman mano-a-mano with the Demon. It’s great. The ending’s great. Ras has such a great arc.
Batman #245 ⧫ 3.5 Stars “The Bruce Wayne Murder Case!” (Oct. 1972)
Having someone accused of Bruce Wayne’s murder while Batman’s been away is a great idea. It’s a shame it didn’t build into something bigger.
Batman #251 ⧫ 4.5 Stars “The Joker's Five-Way Revenge!” (Sept. 1973)
The Joker’s out for revenge in this awesome hardboiled O’Neil/Adams thriller. It’s just gritty enough, and its ending was made famous in “The Laughing Fish” Animated Series episode!
Batman #255 ⧫ 4 Stars “Moon of the Wolf” (March-April 1974)
This is a really simple story, but it’s also really cool. Batman, mano a wolfo, vs. a Werewolf. With a talented artist like Adams, this is very much as cool as it sounds.
Batman: "Stacked Cards" #PR27 #255 ⧫ 3.5 Stars “Trumping the Joker” (1975)
This cool Batman vs. Joker story is designed to help younger people read, so I’m giving it a boost.
Batman: Robin Meets Man-Bat! #PR30 #255 ⧫ 3 Stars “Robin Meets Man-Bat!” (1976)
This is mostly a fun retread of the Man-Bat issues. I like Man Bat and appreciate that DC was trying to help people read.
Batman: Odyssey Vol. 1 #1-6, Vol. 2 #1-7 ⧫ 2 Stars (Sept. 2011-June 2012)
I was originally going to go issue by issue, but by the second issue, I realized that I was trapped inside the fever dream of an old artist doing what Boomers think is really cool. Admittedly, some of the art is amazing, but the story is barely coherent, and the characters all act like they’re on cocaine. It’s a wild ride, but not the best as as far as story goes. Flip through it for the cool artwork and make up whatever story you want.
There’s like a hundred pages of amazing art at the end of this, so…
Other Comics Reviews
Challengers of the Unknown
Jack Kirby’s The Fourth World Omnibus
Roots of the Swamp Thing
Orion Omnibus
Power Girl: Power Trip
Supergirl: Woman of Tomorrow
Detective Comics: 80 Years of Batman: The Deluxe Edition
August 16, 2016
Story-wise, the early World's Finest stuff is just what you would expect from the late 60's, very tongue-in-cheek, and corny. Art-wise, Adams seemed to go out of his way to NOT draw a square or rectangle panel. I'm sure initially that seemed innovative and "out of the box" thinking, but he did it all the time (at least in these first couple of issues) to the point where it seemed obvious he was trying to hard to do that. He also wasn't quite as detailed back then.
Closing out the late 60's are the Brave and the Bold issues. These weren't bad, packing quite a bit of story into just one or two issues. Most notable are the Deadman issues. Lastly, you get to the Detective Comics issues and the three parter that introduces the Man-Bat is there which I had never read before. The best are the issues written by Denny O'Neil which is clearly the high point of this collection. All of his Ras Al Ghul issues are fantastic. It's interesting to note that Adams' art changes, for the better, where he abandons the oddly shaped panels for square and rectangles, but changes their dimensions a lot more. He also has the characters breaking the panels, which to me, this is the highlight of his work. With Giordano's inks, his work isn't too sketchy with enough shading to give depth and his anatomy is perfect.
The rest of the book is crap basically, including a couple comics that came with some records. And then there's the just plain awful Odyssey which you can read about here: My review of Batman: Odyssey
Closing out the late 60's are the Brave and the Bold issues. These weren't bad, packing quite a bit of story into just one or two issues. Most notable are the Deadman issues. Lastly, you get to the Detective Comics issues and the three parter that introduces the Man-Bat is there which I had never read before. The best are the issues written by Denny O'Neil which is clearly the high point of this collection. All of his Ras Al Ghul issues are fantastic. It's interesting to note that Adams' art changes, for the better, where he abandons the oddly shaped panels for square and rectangles, but changes their dimensions a lot more. He also has the characters breaking the panels, which to me, this is the highlight of his work. With Giordano's inks, his work isn't too sketchy with enough shading to give depth and his anatomy is perfect.
The rest of the book is crap basically, including a couple comics that came with some records. And then there's the just plain awful Odyssey which you can read about here: My review of Batman: Odyssey
March 16, 2023
By combining Neal Adams's earlier Batman illustration work with his later self-written Batman epic, this volume allows us to reach the following conclusion: Neal Adams was perhaps the greatest Batman artist of all time, and without a doubt the worst Batman writer ever.
"Batman: Odyssey" makes absolutely no sense, from a plot so convoluted and illogical that it makes dreams and pornographic films appear to have the depth and pacing of "Citizen Kane," to stilted, meandering dialogue... that made... me... me think... be reminded of/remember... William Shatner... suffering from dementia and... hot chocolate...
Comics Alliance has already done an excellent, in-depth review of this wild ride, and while there are many, many things to criticize about "Batman: Odyssey," I want to focus on one in particular: Batman's detective skills and strategizing. What sets Batman apart from other superheroes is that he's one of the cleverest and most intelligent characters in the DC universe, a genius who can both plan 15 steps ahead AND quickly adapt himself to unexpected situations. Occasionally he will do something that appears odd to the reader, and at the conclusion of the story will reveal how much sense his action actually made by explaining his line of reasoning.
Sometimes the reader is also given the clues and can solve along with the caped crusader. Other times, we don't have the necessary information to follow his plan. Like with mystery novels, some readers prefer it one way and others the other. That's not the issue here. The problem is that in "Batman: Odyssey," the solutions don't make sense.
Take the early Riddler adventure, for example. Here we are given just as much information as Batman and invited to solve Riddler's clue ourselves: "Too full to eat one bit more/ Too loaded you can't order / Time to hear a friendly hint / How 'bout an after dinner..." Like any ordinary person, Commissioner Gordon concludes that Riddler is going to rob the mint, but Batman later reveals this simple solution to be a red herring, with a "real clue [hidden] inside the fake clue." So far, so good. But the "real clue" makes no sense. Instead of the obvious rhyming pattern of AABB, Batman concludes that it must be AABA (?!) -- but for everyone who's not from Boston, it's really AABC, because "order" does not rhyme with "water." Also, despite what Batman says, I have never heard of an "after dinner water," and if you're too full for a mint, you're too full for water. Not to mention the fact that the clue "water" somehow leads Batman to a shipment of dinosaur statues and the exhaust trap of a hydrogen-powered car...
This Riddler caper also contains an equally frustrating example of the other kind: a mystery that we don't have enough information to solve on our own. After unnecessarily drinking water from the exhaust trap of the car, Batman reveals that it's actually not the Riddler who's been causing trouble, but rather... Reuben Irons!!! (Or possibly Reuben Blades; Batman says both names on the same page...) Great, a villain we thought we knew is revealed to be somebody else strategically using that villain's identity and modus operandi to achieve their own goals -- a cool concept! -- but... WHO IN HERA'S NAME IS REUBEN IRONS?!?! WHERE DID HE COME FROM?!?! WHAT IS HIS DEAL?!?! Why reveal this hidden identity to me if I have no idea who you are talking about? Reuben Irons: the David S. Pumpkins of Gotham City.
This book is full of ideas like the Riddler identity swap that could have been brilliant in the hands of more talented writers but instead fizzle out in a botched attempt to be clever. An exploration of an early adventure in which Batman learned not to use guns could provide fascinating character development, but instead we get Batman evacuating a train by shooting into a crowd. An underground world full of intelligent neanderthals, dinosaurs who have evolved to become like humans, jazz magicians, aliens, tv reporters, gnomes, trolls, mildly evil scientists, ancient Egyptian gods, giant bats, and "oilmen" (?) could be the setting for a truly insane romp with Grant Morrison, for instance, but Neal Adams somehow just makes it sexist, racist, and culturally imperialist. Even "All Star Batman and Robin," as awful as it was, presented Batman at his very extreme, whereas "Batman: Odyssey" is just a bunch of nonsensical gibberish that fails to come together.
A central theme of the book (I think?) is whether Batman could ever kill, and the conclusion that he reaches in the penultimate issue is a good representation of the series as a whole:
Batman: I was on a quest for my own future career as a crime-fighter. I went to WAR... in Ra's' underworld... and I learned what it was to kill. Rather... I learned there are TIMES when killing was the only option. Could... I kill?... if necessary? I learned that if faced with killing... as the only possible option... I could... and would kill. It's a matter of levels of civilization. I could kill Hitler and sleep like a baby. I will NOT EVER kill... if it can be avoided. But this issue has been resolved. If put to it... in self-defense to save a friend or innocent, I will kill.
Robin: But you... will... kill.
Batman: Funny, Dick. I never thought I'd say that... but NOW... I know it's true. The final lesson I learned is if I can find a way... any way NOT to kill, that will be my choice... and GIVEN THAT CHOICE... I WILL NEVER KILL!
Umm... what?
"Batman: Odyssey" makes absolutely no sense, from a plot so convoluted and illogical that it makes dreams and pornographic films appear to have the depth and pacing of "Citizen Kane," to stilted, meandering dialogue... that made... me... me think... be reminded of/remember... William Shatner... suffering from dementia and... hot chocolate...
Comics Alliance has already done an excellent, in-depth review of this wild ride, and while there are many, many things to criticize about "Batman: Odyssey," I want to focus on one in particular: Batman's detective skills and strategizing. What sets Batman apart from other superheroes is that he's one of the cleverest and most intelligent characters in the DC universe, a genius who can both plan 15 steps ahead AND quickly adapt himself to unexpected situations. Occasionally he will do something that appears odd to the reader, and at the conclusion of the story will reveal how much sense his action actually made by explaining his line of reasoning.
Sometimes the reader is also given the clues and can solve along with the caped crusader. Other times, we don't have the necessary information to follow his plan. Like with mystery novels, some readers prefer it one way and others the other. That's not the issue here. The problem is that in "Batman: Odyssey," the solutions don't make sense.
Take the early Riddler adventure, for example. Here we are given just as much information as Batman and invited to solve Riddler's clue ourselves: "Too full to eat one bit more/ Too loaded you can't order / Time to hear a friendly hint / How 'bout an after dinner..." Like any ordinary person, Commissioner Gordon concludes that Riddler is going to rob the mint, but Batman later reveals this simple solution to be a red herring, with a "real clue [hidden] inside the fake clue." So far, so good. But the "real clue" makes no sense. Instead of the obvious rhyming pattern of AABB, Batman concludes that it must be AABA (?!) -- but for everyone who's not from Boston, it's really AABC, because "order" does not rhyme with "water." Also, despite what Batman says, I have never heard of an "after dinner water," and if you're too full for a mint, you're too full for water. Not to mention the fact that the clue "water" somehow leads Batman to a shipment of dinosaur statues and the exhaust trap of a hydrogen-powered car...
This Riddler caper also contains an equally frustrating example of the other kind: a mystery that we don't have enough information to solve on our own. After unnecessarily drinking water from the exhaust trap of the car, Batman reveals that it's actually not the Riddler who's been causing trouble, but rather... Reuben Irons!!! (Or possibly Reuben Blades; Batman says both names on the same page...) Great, a villain we thought we knew is revealed to be somebody else strategically using that villain's identity and modus operandi to achieve their own goals -- a cool concept! -- but... WHO IN HERA'S NAME IS REUBEN IRONS?!?! WHERE DID HE COME FROM?!?! WHAT IS HIS DEAL?!?! Why reveal this hidden identity to me if I have no idea who you are talking about? Reuben Irons: the David S. Pumpkins of Gotham City.
This book is full of ideas like the Riddler identity swap that could have been brilliant in the hands of more talented writers but instead fizzle out in a botched attempt to be clever. An exploration of an early adventure in which Batman learned not to use guns could provide fascinating character development, but instead we get Batman evacuating a train by shooting into a crowd. An underground world full of intelligent neanderthals, dinosaurs who have evolved to become like humans, jazz magicians, aliens, tv reporters, gnomes, trolls, mildly evil scientists, ancient Egyptian gods, giant bats, and "oilmen" (?) could be the setting for a truly insane romp with Grant Morrison, for instance, but Neal Adams somehow just makes it sexist, racist, and culturally imperialist. Even "All Star Batman and Robin," as awful as it was, presented Batman at his very extreme, whereas "Batman: Odyssey" is just a bunch of nonsensical gibberish that fails to come together.
A central theme of the book (I think?) is whether Batman could ever kill, and the conclusion that he reaches in the penultimate issue is a good representation of the series as a whole:
Batman: I was on a quest for my own future career as a crime-fighter. I went to WAR... in Ra's' underworld... and I learned what it was to kill. Rather... I learned there are TIMES when killing was the only option. Could... I kill?... if necessary? I learned that if faced with killing... as the only possible option... I could... and would kill. It's a matter of levels of civilization. I could kill Hitler and sleep like a baby. I will NOT EVER kill... if it can be avoided. But this issue has been resolved. If put to it... in self-defense to save a friend or innocent, I will kill.
Robin: But you... will... kill.
Batman: Funny, Dick. I never thought I'd say that... but NOW... I know it's true. The final lesson I learned is if I can find a way... any way NOT to kill, that will be my choice... and GIVEN THAT CHOICE... I WILL NEVER KILL!
Umm... what?
January 26, 2018
La etapa de Neal Adams en Batman es más un documento histórico que un comic 100% disfrutable, una serie de números que sientan algunas bases en lo narrativo y lo visual del personaje que acabaría por llegar y que incluso es reconocible en la mayor parte de las páginas.
Pero también hay que entender la época del comic, viniendo de la serie de imagen real de los sesenta y con unos superhéroes totalmente camp. En ese escenario éste Batman destacaría como un faro en la noche, una obra adelantadísima a su tiempo y que llevó al hombre murciélago al top de los personajes.
Y es un comic que leído a día de hoy se deja leer, pero satura en caso de que lo hagas unos cuantos capítulos seguidos. Para ir dosificando.
El exceso de texto y los guionistas son quizás la mayor pega de ésta etapa, porque en lo visual no desmerece para nada leído a día de hoy, y eso el color es el de la época y se nota.
Vamos, que tenemos una obra sobresaliente para su tiempo, que cualquier fan del personaje debe tener pero que no es recomendable ni como punto de entrada ni como lectura para alguien no habituado a leer cosas con más de cuarenta años.
Personalmente lo he disfrutado, especialmente la saga de Ra’as al Ghul, pero no puedo recomendarlo a no ser que cumpláis los requisitos del párrafo anterior.
Pero también hay que entender la época del comic, viniendo de la serie de imagen real de los sesenta y con unos superhéroes totalmente camp. En ese escenario éste Batman destacaría como un faro en la noche, una obra adelantadísima a su tiempo y que llevó al hombre murciélago al top de los personajes.
Y es un comic que leído a día de hoy se deja leer, pero satura en caso de que lo hagas unos cuantos capítulos seguidos. Para ir dosificando.
El exceso de texto y los guionistas son quizás la mayor pega de ésta etapa, porque en lo visual no desmerece para nada leído a día de hoy, y eso el color es el de la época y se nota.
Vamos, que tenemos una obra sobresaliente para su tiempo, que cualquier fan del personaje debe tener pero que no es recomendable ni como punto de entrada ni como lectura para alguien no habituado a leer cosas con más de cuarenta años.
Personalmente lo he disfrutado, especialmente la saga de Ra’as al Ghul, pero no puedo recomendarlo a no ser que cumpláis los requisitos del párrafo anterior.
May 19, 2022
I don’t understand how someone would rate this a 5. Maybe nostalgia?
I’m giving it two stars for two reasons.
Neil Adams art is beautiful (especially in odyssey) he changed what Batman should look like visually in the 70’s.
The other reason is, no Batman collection is complete without Neil Adams.
However, odyssey is the perfect example of why not every artist should write. The story was atrocious. If there even was a story.
The Bold and Brave comics that Adams and O’Neil were a part of showcase glimpses of good storytelling but it is childish compared to some of the Batman writers of today. I understand the times were different but I can’t understand how someone will say that comics from before were more engaging and “better” than anything today. I guess it’s a personal preference but this is a nice addition to my collection. Especially now that Neil Adams is no longer with us.
I’m giving it two stars for two reasons.
Neil Adams art is beautiful (especially in odyssey) he changed what Batman should look like visually in the 70’s.
The other reason is, no Batman collection is complete without Neil Adams.
However, odyssey is the perfect example of why not every artist should write. The story was atrocious. If there even was a story.
The Bold and Brave comics that Adams and O’Neil were a part of showcase glimpses of good storytelling but it is childish compared to some of the Batman writers of today. I understand the times were different but I can’t understand how someone will say that comics from before were more engaging and “better” than anything today. I guess it’s a personal preference but this is a nice addition to my collection. Especially now that Neil Adams is no longer with us.
February 7, 2020
Overall a pretty great collection when it comes to the self contained Adams stories. Interesting to see how his art progresses as he writes some of the most iconic Batman rogues such as Man-Bat and Ra's and the League of Assassins.
Unfortunately, Batman Odyssey is a hot mess and brings the enjoyment of the collection to a screeching halt. It'd been a good eight years or so since I'd read it, picking up the first issue from Neal's booth at a comic expo in Calgary years back, and maybe the fact that I'd read it in single issues made me think I liked it more than I truly did.
In any case, it's a great collection for your shelf and I'm happy that mine has a commissioned Batman bust by Neal on the inside cover from a later Expo I'd attended.
3.5 / 5
Unfortunately, Batman Odyssey is a hot mess and brings the enjoyment of the collection to a screeching halt. It'd been a good eight years or so since I'd read it, picking up the first issue from Neal's booth at a comic expo in Calgary years back, and maybe the fact that I'd read it in single issues made me think I liked it more than I truly did.
In any case, it's a great collection for your shelf and I'm happy that mine has a commissioned Batman bust by Neal on the inside cover from a later Expo I'd attended.
3.5 / 5
April 30, 2019
So some of the writing in this collection is a bit ropey but I adore Neal Adams art, it was the start of dynamic realistic gritty art in comic books, probably a precursor to the later Sin City and their ilk. Batman always looks the best superhero in the right hands and he isnt even a superhero really.
June 9, 2020
Hmmm, this book is a complicated one to talk about. It’s essentially the definitive release of an artist’s seminal work on a character, and yet there are so many things that keep me from giving it a full five stars.
First off, the classic stuff? Darn great Bronze Age stuff, ranging from his fun and dynamic Brave and the Bold work to his solo caped crusader tales that defined the character for a generation with Denny O’ Neil. No bad ones in the bunch here, if you ask me. I mean, this is where Ra’s Al Ghul and Talia came from. Man Bat! Joker’s Five Way Revenge! Good stuff!
My biggest problem with the older material is the presentation. Adams himself redid the colors with modern technology and techniques, and...it’s not bad, technically. He’s a decent colorist. However, it really doesn’t feel right. It doesn’t fit the stories, especially the Brave and the Bold ones. I would much prefer a more classic, faithful coloring job. But I bet that’s exactly why Neal did what he did, to make it feel fresh again. And I’m not sure it worked. It just kinda feels like it just makes the storytelling feel more dated than it is by contrast.
And then the other big deficit, it’s back third, Adam’s 2011ish Batman maxiseries, Batman Odyssey. It’s an utter mess. But a beautiful mess. Chaotic, disjointed storytelling with beautifully rendered artwork. If you want a Batman story that seems like it was written under the influence of some ungodly powerful substance, look no further. Batman gets the robocop origin treatment, meets a Caveman Batman, and more, so much more. It has some of Adams weird beliefs in here about the way the Earth works, but it’s easy to roll with because it’s a comic book and it kinda fits right in in a place like the DC Universe. However, there were a few moments that felt...almost uncomfortably racist, but in less the evil way, and more the “what the heck, gramps” kind of way. But, you do get to hear Batman ask a bad guy what a Henway is. So...it’s a mess, but man is it anything but boring.
Just overall, this is a solid a package of Adams work on the caped crusader as you’re going to get, but man does it come with reservations.
First off, the classic stuff? Darn great Bronze Age stuff, ranging from his fun and dynamic Brave and the Bold work to his solo caped crusader tales that defined the character for a generation with Denny O’ Neil. No bad ones in the bunch here, if you ask me. I mean, this is where Ra’s Al Ghul and Talia came from. Man Bat! Joker’s Five Way Revenge! Good stuff!
My biggest problem with the older material is the presentation. Adams himself redid the colors with modern technology and techniques, and...it’s not bad, technically. He’s a decent colorist. However, it really doesn’t feel right. It doesn’t fit the stories, especially the Brave and the Bold ones. I would much prefer a more classic, faithful coloring job. But I bet that’s exactly why Neal did what he did, to make it feel fresh again. And I’m not sure it worked. It just kinda feels like it just makes the storytelling feel more dated than it is by contrast.
And then the other big deficit, it’s back third, Adam’s 2011ish Batman maxiseries, Batman Odyssey. It’s an utter mess. But a beautiful mess. Chaotic, disjointed storytelling with beautifully rendered artwork. If you want a Batman story that seems like it was written under the influence of some ungodly powerful substance, look no further. Batman gets the robocop origin treatment, meets a Caveman Batman, and more, so much more. It has some of Adams weird beliefs in here about the way the Earth works, but it’s easy to roll with because it’s a comic book and it kinda fits right in in a place like the DC Universe. However, there were a few moments that felt...almost uncomfortably racist, but in less the evil way, and more the “what the heck, gramps” kind of way. But, you do get to hear Batman ask a bad guy what a Henway is. So...it’s a mess, but man is it anything but boring.
Just overall, this is a solid a package of Adams work on the caped crusader as you’re going to get, but man does it come with reservations.
December 24, 2016
When I started this book, I never thought it would end up getting only three stars. This omnibus can be broken down into three parts: 1) classic Batman stories from the '60s and '70s; 2) the terrible, incomprehensible Batman: Odyssey; and 3) about 100 pages of pin-ups and covers.
Part (1) is really what made Adams the Batman legend he is today, and deservedly so. These are classic stories that all Batman fans should read at least once. In retrospect, I was surprised there were so few of them. Being so iconic, I thought Adams' Batman run was, well, longer. Features appearances by Green Arrow, Man-Bat, and Ra's Al Ghul. 4 stars.
Part (2), Batman: Odyssey, really tried my patience. If you haven't read this book yet, don't. Whatever expectations you may have about a 13-issue Batman story written and illustrated by Neal-Adams-The-Great-Batman artist, this isn't it! The story is all over the place, is not especially interesting or involving, and furthermore there's poor characterization, especially Batman's, who uses 'idiot' very liberally and thus insults others - and even himself - sometimes. A big, bloated mess. Disappointing. I'm still scratching my head over this one. 1 star.
Part (3): the pin-ups and covers. What you would expect, and that, for 100 pages.
Production-wise, this book is a success: thick pages, well-bound, and - most importantly, at least aesthetically - entirely re-coloured.
I was really excited to meet Neal Adams at the 2016 Montreal Comiccon, and to have him sign my copy of this omnibus. He was quite interesting to talk to, and very friendly. I wish I'd read Odyssey before meeting him, then I could've had asked him about this book of his... 'What was that about, Mr. Adams?'
Part (1) is really what made Adams the Batman legend he is today, and deservedly so. These are classic stories that all Batman fans should read at least once. In retrospect, I was surprised there were so few of them. Being so iconic, I thought Adams' Batman run was, well, longer. Features appearances by Green Arrow, Man-Bat, and Ra's Al Ghul. 4 stars.
Part (2), Batman: Odyssey, really tried my patience. If you haven't read this book yet, don't. Whatever expectations you may have about a 13-issue Batman story written and illustrated by Neal-Adams-The-Great-Batman artist, this isn't it! The story is all over the place, is not especially interesting or involving, and furthermore there's poor characterization, especially Batman's, who uses 'idiot' very liberally and thus insults others - and even himself - sometimes. A big, bloated mess. Disappointing. I'm still scratching my head over this one. 1 star.
Part (3): the pin-ups and covers. What you would expect, and that, for 100 pages.
Production-wise, this book is a success: thick pages, well-bound, and - most importantly, at least aesthetically - entirely re-coloured.
I was really excited to meet Neal Adams at the 2016 Montreal Comiccon, and to have him sign my copy of this omnibus. He was quite interesting to talk to, and very friendly. I wish I'd read Odyssey before meeting him, then I could've had asked him about this book of his... 'What was that about, Mr. Adams?'
May 14, 2016
The Batman stories that Denny O'Neil and Neal Adams did in the '70s are absolutely essential reading, and this is a gorgeous collection with recolored artwork on nice, heavy paper.
The later Batman stories that Adams wrote himself are...interesting. His artwork is still top-notch, but the writing borders on incomprehensible, and his characterization of Batman reminded me of the '90s Batman movies.
Still an excellent collection, worth it for the recolored artwork alone.
The later Batman stories that Adams wrote himself are...interesting. His artwork is still top-notch, but the writing borders on incomprehensible, and his characterization of Batman reminded me of the '90s Batman movies.
Still an excellent collection, worth it for the recolored artwork alone.
August 21, 2016
The early 70's work, with stories by Denny O'Neil and Adams at the height of his powers (which few comic artists have approached) are the highlight of the book and worthy of five stars. As other reviewers have pointed out, the early stories are quite campy and the Batman Odyssey stories from 2010-12, which make up about a third of this volume, are just plain bad, leading to the final three star rating.
September 17, 2016
Neal Adams is an amazing artist and Dennis O'Neil is an astounding writer; unfortunately Neal Adams writing suffers in comparison. The last 3rd of the omnibus is Neal Adams' Batman Odyssey, in which he incorporates all of the characters he (co-)created but then there are also dinosaurs, trolls and Gnomes, all gorgeously illustrated but not what I look for in a Batman story.
May 26, 2022
This anthology chronicles Batman’s transition from ‘60s camp into the dark and violent ‘70s Dark Knight that we know today. Like any anthology, the stories contained are hit or miss. To be honest, most of the stories are fairly simple and geared towards young readers. The final collected story, Odyssey, (which is a modern)is a pretty incoherent mess. It’s Batman but it’s not his best.
August 14, 2016
This is a fantastic collection of Batman comics illustrated by Neal Adams. The presentation of this book is fantastic with over a 1000 pages with amazing artistry and story. Each page is thick paper which is sown into the binding. A must have for any Batman fan or lover of graphic novels.
June 4, 2016
5 stars for everything but Batman : Odyssey.
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