TheBraveandTheBoldFromSilentKnighttoDarkKnight

byMichaelCurry

Smashwordsedition

Copyright2014TheBraveandtheBold&BatmanaretrademarksofDCComics.All

charactersshownareTM&©DCComics.TheBraveand theBold,Batman, JusticeLeagueofAmerica,Teen

Titans, Silent Knight, the Viking Prince, the Suicide Squad, Hawkman,Metamorpho,StrangeSportsStories,GoldenGladiator,Starman,BlackCanaryandtheVikingPrinceandallcharactersassociatedorotherwisehereinaretrademarksofDCComics.Allassociatedartworkreproducedin this work is © DC Comics. All reproductions in this historicaloverview/index of the Brave and the Bold and related magazines arecopyrightbytherespectivecopyrightholders,asindicatedinconjunctionwiththeindividualillustrationsorphotographs,andareusedherestrictlyforhistoricalpurposesandunderthe“FairUse”doctrineof17USC106&106aforthepurposesofcriticismandcomment.

Regardlessofcopyrightstatus,theauthorthanksallthecreatorswhopoured themselves through theirwork intoeachandevery four-coloredheroandvillainmentionedinthisindex.IwishIcouldlistyouallanddojusticetoyourfantasticwork.

DiscoverothertitlesbyMichaelCurry:Abby’s Road, the Long & Winding Road to Adoption; & How

Facebook,Aquaman&TheodoreRooseveltHelped

andToddler TV: A Befuddled Father’s Guide to What the Kids are

WatchingThisebook is licensedforyourpersonalenjoymentonly.Thisebook

may not be re-sold or given away to other people. If youwould like tosharethisbookwithanotherperson,pleasepurchaseanadditionalcopyforeachrecipient.Ifyou’rereadingthisbookanddidnotpurchaseit,oritwasnotpurchasedforyouruseonly,thenpleasereturntoyourfavoriteebookretailerandpurchaseyourowncopy.Thankyouforrespectingthehardworkofthisauthor.

MichaelG.CurryPOBox93

MountVernon,IL62864(618)246-1296

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TableofContents

NotefromtheauthorDedication

BlazingAdventures:OfsilentknightsandprincesnamedJonShowcase:OfStrangeSuicideSquadStoriesInsideEarthTheTeam-UpYears1:TheWorld’sGreatestSuperHeroesTheTeam-UpYears2:Lo,ThereShallComeaDarkKnight!

TheTeam-UpYears3:CoastingTheTeam-UpYears4:TheLongGoodbye

AppendicesErrata,AdditionalandSupplemental

FinalTallyTaleoftheTapeBatmanFamily

LaterVolumesofTheBraveandTheBoldTheBraveandTheBold(1991)

TheBraveandTheBold:FlashandGreenLantern(1999)TheSilverAge:Brave&Bold(July2000)

Brave&BoldAnnual1969(2001)TheBraveandTheBold(2007series)

Batman:TheBraveandTheBold(animatedseries)Reruns

Australian-RulesBrave&BoldAbouttheAuthorConnectwithMe!

OtherBooksbytheAuthorAbby’sRoadToddlerTV

NotefromtheAuthor

Regardingtheuseofitalics-Itrytoitalicizethetitleofeverycomicormagazine. This will clear any confusion between a comic title and acharacter. When I refer to Wonder Woman the character, she is notitalicized;whenIrefertohercomicbook,Iitaliczeit-WonderWoman.

TheBrave and the Bold is referred to inmany differentways here:TheBraveand theBold,BraveandBold,TheBrave& theBold,B&B,etc.Theyallmeanthesamecomicbookseries.

ImayhavemissedafewandIapologizefortheerrors.

Dedication

TomydadwhobroughthomestacksandstacksofcomicbookswhenIwasakidformetoenjoy!

Andtomydepartedmotherforsellingthematyardsalesforanickel.NotthatI’mbitter...I’vespentafortunereplacingthemoverthedecadesyetIwouldshredthemallforfivemoreminuteswithher.

AndasalwayseverythingIdo isdedicatedtomytwo lovely ladies-mywifeEstherandmydaughterAbby.Iloveyoubothwithallmyheartandsoul!

BlazingAdventures

OfsilentknightsandprincesnamedJon

“Invitation” the comic cover called out amidst its four-color

characters:“Ifyoudreamofridinginathunderingchariot–ifyouyearntoexplore unknown seas – if you are ready towield a clashing sword toguardanastoundingsecret– then–TheGoldenGladiator,TheVikingPrince, and The Silent Knight invite you to join them in blazingadventures fromnowonasamemberof–THEBRAVEANDTHEBOLD!”

InMay1955thefirstissueofTheBraveandTheBoldhitthenation’snews stands. It was published byNational Periodicals (only in the late1970sdidit legallybecomeknownasDCComics)withanAugust1955covermonth (hereafter the cover datewill be used– keep inmind thedate the comic was actually able to be purchased by eager readerswould have been months earlier). To introduce new readers to theNational Comics line, #1 featured ads for comics featuring their twobiggestcharacters,SupermanandBatman,inActionComics(#206)andDetectiveComics(#221)respectively.

Althoughthenumberoftotalcomicspublishedinthe1950swasmorethan at any time in history until the 1990s, the number of superheroeswasatitslowest.Thefunny-animalstripcharacterstheFoxandtheCrowappearedinasmanycomicsasBatman–afeatunthinkabletoday.

AfewyearsagoDCcomics“rebooted”allofitstitlesstartingat#1.Ifyoudon’tcounttherenumbering,thereareonlyfivecomicspublishedinAugust1955thatarestillbeingpublishedtoday,giveortakeahiatusorrestructuringofafewmonths.Asyoumightguesstheyweretheiconsofthefour-colorworldSuperman,Batman,WonderWoman(althoughitwasalso “cancelled” and restarted as #1 during the 1980s, too, so does itcount?),DetectiveComicsandActionComics.Theonlyothersuperheromagazines at the time were Adventure Comics, World’s Finest (theselatter two featured Superboy and the Superman-Batman respectively,aiding their survival – no one bought World’s Finest to read GreenArrow), and Quality Comics’ Plastic Man, but that would be cancelledwithintwoyears.

AlistofNational’sothercomicspublishedwhenB&B#1hitthestandsshow the typical rangeof comic book readers at the time:ADatewithJudy,OurArmyatWar,OurFightingForces,AllAmericanMenofWar,TheAdventures of BobHope, TheAdventures ofDeanMartin & JerryLewis,RudolphtheRedNosedReindeer,PeterPorkchops,Fox&Crow,Frontier Fighters, Tomahawk,HouseofMystery,Mystery inSpace,MyGreatest Adventures, Showcase, Strange Adventures, Star SpangledWar Stories, Real Screen Comics, Western Comics and All-StarWestern. Imayhavemissedsome.National staplesSugar&Spike (intheirowncomic)andTalesoftheUnexpectedhadyettodebut.Qualitywas still publishingmagazines later taken over byNationalComics:GICombat, Plastic Man, Blackhawk andRobin Hood and some romancetitles.

Obviously, grown men in underwear and capes were not on thepriority listofcomicbookpublishers.CaptainMarvelandotherFawcettheroeshadbeencancelledduetoNational’sextensive(andexpensive)litigation;Timely’sCaptainAmerica,HumanTorchandSubmarinerwererevivedafewtimesinthefiftieswithoutsuccess.

NewtocomicsatthetimewastheComicsCodeAuthority--agroupcreatedtoregulatethecontentofcomicbookstopreventthegovernmentfromdoing it --ensurednofurthersexualexploitation,gruesomeand/or

violentactivityorany funatallwouldbedepicted incomicbooks.Thisrang the death knell for EC Comics and drove their readershipundergroundforthenextthirtyyears.

The first volley of the superhero revival would be fired twomonthslaterwithShowcase#4andthereturnoftheFlash,usheringintheSilverAgeofComics.B&B#1andShowcase#3sharedthenewsstands.

B&B #1 was a fairly typical comic for its day – focussing onswashbuckling sword operas – where adventures abound in ancientbygone days. Heroes were beyond reproach, their allies no less thanabsolutelytrustworthy,sneeringvillainswereingeniousyetalwaysfallibleanddamselswerealways,always,indistress.

Until issue #16 there were three stories per issue, along with themandatory page of text (to allow comics to be mailed at magazinesubscriptionrates)andaone-pagehumorous“cartoony”strips.

Texts in issues1–24 includedescriptionsofbattles,weaponryandpeoples,culturesandspecificheroesandvillainsofRomanandMedievaltimes.Singlepagecomicsrangedfrompublicservicecartoonsregardingthe International LaborOrganization, going back to school,Pennies forUnicef, National Brotherhood Week and getting a library card. Therewerealsohumorousknightcartoonsscatteredthroughoutthetwenty-fourissuerun.

The first issue’s cover showed all three features in action blurbs(Nationalhavingnoideayetwhichof thethreewouldbethestarof themagazine)–coversafterwardwouldfeatureonlyonestar,withbannersproclaimingtheadventuresoftheothertwo.

***

Just fromobserving thecovers, itwouldappear theSilentKnight

was thestarattraction. Including#1,heappearedonelevenof the firstfifteencoversandagaininissues#18and20.OnlyBatmanappearedonthecoverofB&Bmoretimes.

Andwithgoodreason:theSilentKnightfeaturewascertainlythemostcolorfulandenergeticof the features in thisperiod.Bright redandbluehoods and capes abounded in the days of Camelot; as young Prince

BrianKentwastrainedinthewaysofknighthoodandleadershipuntilhecould ascend the thrown on his eighteenth birthday. In the meantime,wickedSirOswaldcontrolledthekingdom.Tohelptheoppressed,youngBrian assumed the red mantle of a knight, but as he stated in everyissue,"NowImustremainmute,lestmyvoicerevealmytrueidentity!”

With the aid of his trusty horse and falcon, Brian fought brigands,Oswald’shenchmenandevensomeKnightsoftheRoundTabletokeepthepeace.EverattractedtothefairladyCelia,shehadeyesonlyfortheSilentKnight(thisplotdevisebeingacomicstaple).At times itseemedvery superheroic – Brian had to sneak away to change into the SilentKnight.OftenCelia tried toproveBrianandSilentKnightwereoneandthesame,onlytobefooledintothinkingotherwise.LoisLaneandClarkKent–norelationtoBrian(notatthetime-DCmissedthatobvioustwistfordecadesandonlyhintedatitinTheBraveandTheBold2007series#10) – had been going round and round with this plot devise forseventeenyearsbynow!).

SilentKnightappearedtwenty-twotimesinBraveandBold;asmanyas themore popular VikingPrince. The storieswerewritten byRobertKanigherandsometimesbyBobHaneyandweredrawnmostlyby thelegendaryIrvNovick(afewstoriesweredrawnbyRussHeath).Novick’sart style fit the feature perfectly – as clean and brightly colorful as theCinemascope movies “Ivanhoe” and “Robin Hood” from which SilentKnightwasinspired.Scalearmorwaspainstakinglydetailedasweretheweapons of the period. Later,more fantasy-based stories focussing ondragons andmagical beasts certainly did not dampen the spirit of thecomic.Onecouldalmostheartheorchestraswellingduringthejoustingandhand-to-handcombatscenes.

As beautiful as the art was, the strip seemed to suffer from …sameness. A brief synopsis of the stories published show some of theflaws:

1. With his father “accidentally” killed by Sir Oswald, our Brian isorderedbyOswaldtotraininknightlyways.Brianimpresseshisteacherswithhisskills.BrianunintentionallyallowsthefalconSlasher toescape.While recovering it, Brian discovers the mysterious armor, helmet andswordheldfloatingmysteriouslyintheforest.Hedonsthearmor,defeatsagroupofbrigandsandisgiventhenameSilentKnight.

2. Prince Brian has to protect fair lady Celia (who was deliveringjewels)fromtheRobberBaron.

3.CedricktheBlackstormsthecastle.Withallotherknightsawayonmissions, the castle’s only defenders are oldSirGrot, evil SirCedrick,andBrian!

4. How can the Silent Knight defeat the Robber Baron, when theBaronusesashieldastallasahorse?

5. Brian defeats the twin “Hooded Terror”, who blocks a bridgedemanding a toll; then on to the Tournament of Roses to defeat SirEdwin’sknights.

6.EvilSirEdwinhiresafakeSilentKnighttoluretherealherointohisclutches.

7. Ala Cinderella’s slipper, everyonemust try on a replica of SilentKnight’ssuitofarmor.WillBrianberevealedastheSilentKnight?

8. Evil Sir Oswald (Edwin and Oswald are apparentlyinterchangeable)ordersBriantocapturetheSilentKnight!!

9. To appease the wrath of a knight, Alvin the kitchen boy mustcapturetheSilentKnight.

10.EvilSirOswaldordersourBrianKenttodelivertheSunRubytoSirDuncanthroughtheForestPerilious.HowcantheSilentKnightsavehimfrombanditswhenheistheSilentKnight?

11. Tana the Stallion and Slasher the Falcon compete to see whoSilentKnightneedsandreliesonthemost!

12. Sir Brathe plots to capture the Silent Knight and take him toCamelottoensurehismembershipintheRoundTable.

13. In a series of continuing story lines, SirsGalahad and LancelotwoofairLadyCeliaandbattletheSilentKnight.

14. Tricked into going to Camelot, the Silent Knight bests GalahadandLancelotinatwo-to-onejoust.

15.GuinneverestatesthatonlythebravestknightcouldchallengetheSilent Knight and make him speak! Galahad and Lancelot accept thechallenge!

16.SilentKnightmeetsthechallengeoftheTripleThunderbolts(evilknighttriplets!)tosaveCamelot.

17.SirEdwintriestodrownandthenburntheSilentKnighttomakehimrevealhisidentity.

18.Astallasamountedknight,evilSirHawktormentsallwhoenterthe Forest Perilous! When he kidnaps the fair Lady Celia, the SilentKnightmustbestSirHawkincombat!

19.SilentKnightlosestoMorganLaFay’schampion–anemptysuitofarmor!Towinhis freedom,Brianmustretrieveagoldenappleandanecklaceguardedby,respectively,adragonandagiantsword-wieldingarm!

20.Ahorse(Tana)onlyrespondstoBrian,will italsorespondtotheSilentKnightandexposehissecretidentity?

21.TheSilentKnightrescuesagianteaglefromadragon.TheeaglereturnsthefavorinrescuingtheKnightandCeliafromthevengefulghostofahauntedcastle.

22.RussHeathdraws the final taleof theSilentKnight.Brianmustaccept the three challenges of the Queens of Dread or England itdoomed!1)CrosstheKnifeEdgeMountains,2)defeattheKnightsoftheClock(mechanicalknights)and3)defeataQueenofDread inhand-to-hand combat without touching her (as no knight can touch a lady)!Editorial: One small problem with this story is that Silent Knight fallsbefore completing his crossing of the Knife Edge Mountain! He isattacked and thrown off the mountains by Bird Men and is saved bylandingonandtamingagriffin.Buthenevercrossedthemountains!Hefailedinhisfirsttask!Butthatfactisgleefullyoverlooked!

Thesimilarityinstorylinesisparticularlyevidentwhilereadingseveralstoriesinsequence.Trulyuniqueplots(suchasthecompetitionbetweenthehorseandfalcon)weretoofew.Thiswastrueofmostcomicsoftheperiod - their readership changed every few years as comic book fansgrewup.Andhardlyanyonecollected thesecomics.Theywere literallyperiodicals - to be read periodically and then given to or traded withfriendsthentobediscarded.

Whenthelimitationsofthepremisebecameevidentthestoriesbeganto focusmoreonmagic andmysticism– for example,KingArthur andMerlin appeared more frequently. By this time, though, most of theenergyofthestriphadgone.SilentKnightbeganlosingmoreandmorecoverappearancesandhislasttale,drawnbyRussHeath,adoptedthedarkertonesofHeath’sotherfeatures.

But the twenty-two adventures of the Silent Knight were still fun toread,whichwasthewholepoint,wasn’tit?

***

Issue #1 also featured the first of five appearances of theGolden

Gladiator, andwashisonlycoverappearance.RobertKanagherandBillFingerwroteindividualstorieswiththeartonallfivestoriesbyRussHeath.TheequalinskilltoIrvNovick,thestylewascompletelydifferent.Thelinesweredarker, themotionlessfluidandthecolorsmoremuted.The characters were also beefier and more muscular than any otherfeature.

National was obviously trying to cash in on the success ofHollywood’ssandalepics(“TheRobe”,“TheSilverChalice”,andohyes,“Sparticus”).Aformerslavewinshisfreedominthearenaandmakeshisnamewithhisfightingpowersandhonorabledemeanor.Wearingarmormadeofsolidgoldgiveshimhisname(andverylikelyabackache–howcould he defend himself? Gold is among the softest and heaviest ofmetals,notagoodideaforarmor).Thestorylineswereasfollows:

1.Intheorigintale,ashepherdboynamedMarcusisframedfortheattemptedmurderofapraetor;heismadeaslave,butwinshisfreedominthearena.

2. TheGoldenGladiator battles Attila the Hun – stealing the Hun’sswordandensuringpeaceforRome!

3.Marcusreturnstohishomevillage,onlytofindthat,whilethemenareawayfishing,thetownisunderattackbyCassiustheConqueror!Theonlyaidhecanfindcomefromthetown’schildren!

4.Capturedbyacollectorofallthingsgold,theGladiatorhadtofighthiswaytofreedom.

5. While stationed in Egypt, Marcus fails to protect the Banner ofPeacefrombeingstolen;canherecover thebannerbeforedawnwhenthedeserttribeswillattack?

Golden Gladiator never was as successful as his B&B mates.Perhapsthepremisewastoolimited;perhapsthewriterandeditorcouldnot come up with any further stories to tell. After four issues, he wasdropped.Althoughheappearedagaininissue#6,theGoldenGladiator’s

timewasgone.Hewasreplacedbyoneofthemostfamousheroesofalltime!

***

Robin Hood is such an obvious choice for B&B’s format one

wonderswhy they botheredwith anything else.Maybe it was becauseQualityComicswasalreadypublishingaRobinHoodcomicatthetime.Perhapsthat’swhyRobinHoodonlyappearedonthecoverofB&Bthreetimes--#5(hisdebut),#12and#14.

Thepremiseiswell-known:whileKingRichardfightsinthecrusades,evil Prince John takes the thrown and oppresses the masses. PrinceJohneliminatesthelordsloyaltohisbrother,includingRobert,theEarlofHuntington. Hiding in the woods, Lord Robert adopts the name RobinHoodwho,withhisbandofMerrieMen,combatthemachinationsoftheevilPrinceJohn.

Kanigheragainwrote,Heathagaindrew.Perhapsintheireagernessto make room for a Robin Hood strip they gladly ousted the GoldenGladiator. Heath’s art again is dark and thick – perfectly reflectingoppressive times.Colorswere forestgreenandmarooncomparedwiththeSilentKnight’sbrightinks.EvenwhileRobinHoodlaughinglythumbshisnosewhileescapingPrinceJohn,theSheriffofNottinghamandtheirminions, the costumes and colors remained muted and dark; as ifremindingusthattheevilofPrinceJohnwillreturnnexttime.JoeKubertdrew a few issues, doing his usualmore-than-competent job, althoughnothing spectacular aswas the case elsewhere in those issues. In hisfirst few issues, Robin Hood appeared more like Errol Flynn – fairskinned with light brown hair and a goatee. Later he appeared moremuscular,withdarkhairandeyes.

Surprisingly, considering the well-known plot, the sameness thatplaguedSilentKnightdidnothappen in thisstrip.AlthoughPrinceJohnalwaysplottedandRobinalwayswonout, thestorieswereuniqueandwelldone:

1. Prince John captures the Merrie Men, and Robin must performthree tasks: capture theGoldenStagbare-handed,defeatagiantona

bridge over a ravine, and snuff out a candle with an arrow whileblindfolded.

2. Prince John’s trained boar attacks Robin. Later, King Richard isrescuedbykitesflownoverPrinceJohn’scastle.

3.RobinHoodrescuesLittleJohnandispursuedthroughSherwoodForest–howisPrinceJohntrackinghimsoeasily?

4.AcourtjesterhelpsPrinceJohntrytocaptureRobinHoodthroughvariousgamesandchallenges.

5.CanRobinHood fight twenty swordsmen, rescuehismerriemenandsaveMaidMarionwithonlythreearrows?

6. At Prince John’s behest, King Trident’s colossal floating fortresssmashes King Richard’s supply ships. Robin Hood vows to stop thepirate!

7. An amnesia-stricken Robin Hood is duped by Prince John intocapturingtheMerrieMen!

8.RobinHood faces threechallenges(spend thenight inahauntedcastle,stealablackeagle’seggandshootanarrowthroughasolidoaktree) towin a golden apple fromPrince John. Is this the same goldenappletheSilentKnightretrievedforMorganLaFey?

9.RobinHoodiscrownedkingforoneday.Hisduties:collectunfairtaxes, imprison knights loyal to King Richard and (gulp!) capture theMerrieMen!

10.ThreefakeRobinHoodsloottheVillageofTynesbury.Byissue#15(January1958),NationalhadboughtoutQuality’slineof

comics, cancelled Plastic Man and kept publishing Blackhawk andGICombat and Heart Throbs. That also included the Robin Hood Talescomic. There was no longer any reason to keep Robin inB&B, so hepackedupandmovedintohisownNationalmagazine–thefirstfeaturefromB&Btoobtainhisownmagazine.

TherewereeightfeaturesthatdebutedinBraveandBoldthatmovedon to star in their own magazines: Robin Hood, Justice League ofAmerica,anupdatedversionoftheSuicideSquad(some25yearsafterits B&B debut, but it still counts), Hawkman, Strange Sports Stories,Metamorpho,theTeenTitansandtheOutsiders.

Robin’sadventures inB&Bandhisownmagazinewere reprinted intheseveral issuesofDCSuperStars in the1970s,sharing thebillwiththe3Musketeers.

WithRobinHood’sdeparture,B&Bchangedformatslightlytofeatureonlytwostoriesperissue.SilentKnightwasstillgoingstrong,butthestarofthecomicwasobviousfromissue#16on.

***

TheVikingPrincewas thebest feature inBrave&Bold and it’s

most popular. Other than the first issue, he appeared on the cover ofissue#2andwasnotseenonthecoveruntil#16.After thathewasonevery cover until #25, with the exception of #s 18 and 20, the SilentKnight'slastgasp.

VikingPrincedidnotappearatall inissue#6,beingreplacedbytheGoldenGladiator(althoughthecoverof#8advertisedaGoldenGladiatorstory, there was no such tale, but an unadvertised Viking Prince storyreplaced it). Viking Prince appeared in 23 issues,more than any saveBatman (who appeared 138 times in B&B, including the JLA issues).Flash is third with 13 appearances, followed by Hawkman with 11(includingteam-upsandtry-outs),GreenArrowandWonderWomantiewith 10 appearances each, and the Metal Men, Aquaman and GreenLanternarenextwith9appearanceseach(eitherasateam-uporintheJusticeLeague).

VikingPrincewassopopular theSilentKnightwasdroppedentirelyafter issue #22. The next two issues featured theVikingPrince solely,evengivinghimalogoundertheBrave&Boldbanner.Hewasthefirstsolo“try-out”featureinB&B!

Premise: In 964 AD, a young Viking warrior is found afloat andadopted by a fishing village. The village is thereafter constantly underattack. Why? It seems the warrior, named Jon, is actually a prince inexile.He isbeingattackedby themanwhooverthrewhis fatherand istryingtoeliminatethecompetition.Jonfindsahomewiththepoorfisherfolk and falls in love with the village leader’s daughter Gunnda. Joneventually meets up with his father’s advisor, a mute bard, and mustcompletethe12TasksofThortoregainhisthrown.

Inthelasttwoissuesofhisappearances(#23and24),thecontinuityofthelasttwentyorsoissueswasignored.JontheVikingPrince(notto

be confusedwithRobinHood’s nemesis John, theSaxonPrince) liveswith his father and his cortège in their kingdom and is betrothed toPrincessAsafromaneighboringkingdom.Supposedlyinissue#23,Jonprevented his exile by avoiding a prophecy his father saw in a vision.National would more viciously adopt this “let’s pretend that neverhappened”stylethroughoutthe1980sand1990s.

Someofthestorylinesare:1. Jon had towin two out of three challenges against a redheaded

opponenttowinthefirstdancewiththeWinterQueen.2.AVikingcommanderfromJon’sforgottenpastattacksJonandhis

village.3.ThorvaldkidnapsCaptainOlaf,butwillexchangehimforJon.Jon

counters–hewillexchangeOlafforthemysticHammerofThorJonjustdiscovered.ThorvaldtricksJon,butthat’sokay,itwasafakeHammerofThor,too.

4. (In artwork that looks amazingly likeWallyWood) A “ghost ship”attacksJon’svillage,whichendsupbeingatrick(again)byThorvald.

5. An ice dragon torments the fishing village (which is actually anicebergcarvedintoadragonandmannedbyevilLordThorvald’smen).

6.GianteaglesattackJon’svillage.7. A volcano thaws out a hibernating herd of mastodons that

stampedetowardJon’sadoptedvillage.8.Adeadlyfiretroll(whichisreallyavolcanorockuncannilyshaped

likeahumanhead),trapsandkillsfishermenfromJon’svillage.9. Jon’s boat is blown in a storm to America where be befriends a

native village. Just in time – it’s then attacked by a rival tribe! Veryrespectfully of Native Americans, despite it being published in 1957(comparedtotheveryun-PC#71,forexample).

10.Amagneticmeteoritemakesallmetalweaponsuseless!WhatatimeforThorvaldtoattack!

11.Jonfightsadinosaurthathascometolifeandattacksthevillage.12.Jon&hisbelovedGunndaarecapturedbypiratesandmust foil

theirplottoseizethefishingvillagealone!13.Jonescapespiratesandpretends tobeaghost towinback the

village.14.Sealed ina caskand thrownoverboard, Jon landsashore in…

Baghdad!Ofcourse,backthenBaghdadwasontheocean!Yeah,that’s

it! Anyway, Jon recovers a helm, shield and sword stolen by the eviltyrantSaddamHusse…er…ElKazimtohelprebelsoverthrowhim!

15. A maelstrom hurls Jon into an undersea kingdom ruled by themonstrousTrukka.JonhelpsMerla,thePrincessoftheLakeregainherrightfulthrone.

16. In a continuing storyline, Jon regains his memory and mustcompletethe12TasksofThortoregainhisthrone.Hecompletesthreeinonestory:defeatagiant,bringbackfireinanicedemon’shelmetandrescueamaid from the sea.Thismaid isYlla, daughter of theKingofSkane. In later storiesJon isbetrothed toAsa,daughterof theKingofSkane.

17.JonandthemutebardbattlethesorcererIceKing.18.AnotherTaskofThorrequiresJontoobtainafeatherfromagreat

hawkonthetopofasheercliff.Thehawkendsupbeingawingedhorse!Capturingit, theVikingPrinceiscarriedtoValhalla,wherehefightsthevalkyrie,onlytoallywiththemtodefeattheMoonVikings!

19.JonrescuesamaidenfromtheunderworldkingdomofWotan.20.JoncontinueshisquesttocompletetheTwelveTasksofThorto

winbackhiskingdom,accompaniedbyhisfriend,amutebard.Hemustgetanotherfeather,thisoneintheArctic.Jondropsthroughacrevasseinto the ocean, where he rescues amermaid from a killer whale. ThemermaidwhisksJontoatropicalisland–whereherescuesthevillagersfromaneruptingvolcanoandanattackingFireBird!Hegetshisfeather!

21.WithapologiestoJonathanSwift,whentheVikingPrinceandthemutebardcrashintoanunknownisland,Jonistiedupbyavillageoftinyislanders.Gainingtheirtrust,hehelpsthemthwartagiantspider,agiantsquidandaboatloadof“giant”(normalsized)bandits!

22.WhentheVikingPrincetookoverasthesolefeatureofwithissue#23, the Twelve Tasks of Thor (indeed, the entire plot of Jon living inexileinafishingvillage)isscrappedwhenweareshownhis“origin”.TheViking Prince’s father, King Rikk, has a vision of his defeat and Jon’sbanishment. So he trains his young son to fight and to master hisphysicalprowess.At this timeJonmeetshisbride-to-be,PrincessAsa.WhentheDragonKingappearsandattacks,JondefeatstheprophecybybeatingtheDragonKinginhand-to-handcombat.

23.TheDragonKing’sbrotherturnsAsatowoodandusesherasafigureheadonhisVikingship!Jonrescuesherandbringsherbacktolife

when he uses the last of his water to protect her from fire (loveconqueringall).JonandAsarideoff intheirVikingshipintothesunset.ButwhateverhappenedtoGunnda!!?

24.KlaggtheRedchallengesJonforhistitleandforhisfiancéAsa.25.Jon’s father iscapturedbypirates;Jon,AsaandReyatheblack

falcontotherescue!RobertKanigherauthoredthesestoriesaswell,vastlyoutshininghis

other B&B features: certainly superior to Silent Knight and GoldenGladiator.RobinHoodhadroomtomaneuverplot-wise(asallthemoviesandtelevisionsprogramsoverthelasthalf-centurywillattest),butVikingPrincealwayshadmuchbetterstories.Whetheropposingswashbucklingpiratesor fightingdragonsandvalkyre,VikingPrince’sreadabilityneverwavered.Thesamenessofplot fromwhichSilentKnightsufferednevermaterialized in Viking Prince. Perhaps the writer and editors wereinspiredbytheart.…ahtheart!

If the Viking Prince were a newspaper comic strip in the 1920 and1930s, Joe Kubert’s namewould bementioned in the same breath asAlex Raymond and Hal Foster. War comic fans would argue Kubert’sbest work was with Sgt. Rock and DC’s other war heroes. SuperherofanswouldargueKubert’sbestworkwaswithHawkman.Kubertbecamealegendinboththesegenresandalsowhatwouldnowbecalled“swordandsorcery”withVikingPrince.HispencillingwouldprobablyevenworkwithArchieandCaspertheFriendlyGhost!

Kubert’sstyle isverystylizedyetyetveryaccessible.Hischaracterswere realistically lean and muscular. His women were curvy andbeautiful.When Jon lookedweary, his shoulders sagged and his armshung limp at this side. His action scenes were straight out of “FlashGordon” and “Tarzan”. He was the perfect choice for this strip and itshowed.

He had his off moments though, issue #16’s Viking Prince storylooked rushedand sketchy. #16was the first issue to feature only twostories,sotheVikingPrinceandSilentKnight taleswere longer than inprevious issues. Perhaps Kubert was rushed to complete the thirteen-pagetale.

KanigherandKubertwouldthrilluswiththeirwarcomicsforthenexttwentyyears.Sgt.RockandtheUnknownSoldiermaybemorefamiliar

toreadersthantheVikingPrincestories,buttheyequallysurvivethetestof time as comic book classics. And not just comic books: it’s just asthrilling to reread Viking Prince as it is to reread the aforementionedTarzanandFlashGordonstripsattheirprime.IfB&Bstoppedpublicationatthispoint,itwouldstillbeaclassicamongcollectors.

Reprints of the Viking Prince are scattered throughout the DCUniverse.HewasabackfeatureinoneoftheaforementionedDCSuperStars with the 3 Musketeers and Robin Hood. Jon even had his ownissueofDCSuperStarsdedicatedtohisearlyadventures.The100-pagegiant issuesofB&B featuredJonseveral times,asdid the52-page25-centissuesinthelate1960s.

AndJondidhavesomenewadventuressince,provinghisdurability;whereas (rare cameos aside) Silent Knight andGoldenGladiator havenot been heard from in forty years. Robin Hood will always have anaudience,butit’snotfairtocomparehimtoNational’soriginalcreations.

WenextmeetJonsomesixyearslaterinthecomicOurArmyatWarinwhichheisencasediniceandisrescuedby…Sgt.Rock!!Inthistwo-parter,theVikingPrinceandEasyCompanybattleNazis!

JonnextappearsintwoissuesofJusticeLeagueofAmericainaJLA-JSA meeting along with other heroes through time (Enemy Ace, theBlackPirateandJonahHexamongthem).

RobertKanigherwroteafour-partadventureasaback-upfeatureforRoyThomas’Arakcomicin1982.

A hardback book of new material was also published in the early1990s. Jon appeared again in the 1990s in an issue of Time MasterteamingupwithfellowB&BalumCaveCarson!

***

IndexbyIssue:(storiesarelistedinorder)Brave&Bold#1:VikingPrince:BattlefortheDragonShipSilentKnight:DuelinForestPerilousGoldenGladiator:ThunderoftheChariots

Brave&Bold#2:GoldenGladiator:SwordofAttilaVikingPrince:ThreatofthePhantomVikingsSilentKnight:KnightforaDayBrave&Bold#3:GoldenGladiator:InvisibleWallVikingPrince:TheHammerofThorSilentKnight:ChallengeoftheBlackLanceBrave&Bold#4:SilentKnight:RobberBaronoftheForestPerilousVikingPrince:WhirlingWarriorsGoldenGladiator:CaptiveChampionBrave&Bold#5:RobinHood:TheBlindBowmanVikingPrince:BattlewiththeIceDragonSilentKnight:ShieldofTerrorBrave&Bold#6:RobinHood:BattleoftheKitesGoldenGladiator:BattleofthePyramidsSilentKnight:TheHoodedTerrorBrave&Bold#7:SilentKnight:DueloftheDoubleIdentitiesRobinHood:ForestofTrapsVikingPrince:InvasionoftheSeaEaglesBrave&Bold#8:RobinHood:ChallengeoftheGrimJesterVikingPrince:TheOutcastVikingSilentKnight:TheSecretoftheArabianHorseBrave&Bold#9:

RobinHood:ThreeArrowsagainstDoomVikingPrince:PeriloftheBurningSeaSilentKnight:TaleoftheFalconandtheStallionBrave&Bold#10:RobinHood:KingoftheSeaVikingPrince:SecretoftheFeather-Men’sShipSilentKnight:ChallengeoftheRoundTableBrave&Bold#11:RobinHood:VersustheMerrieMenVikingPrince:TheTerrorStoneSilentKnight:ForestofFearfulTrapsBrave&Bold#12:RobinHood:AppleofPerilVikingPrince:MonsteroftheVikingSeaSilentKnight:ShadowoftheSilentKnightBrave&Bold#13:SilentKnight:VersustheSleepingKnightsVikingPrince:TheFightingFigureheadRobinHood:KingRobintheFirstBrave&Bold#14:SilentKnight:TheArmorofDoomVikingPrince:TheGhostShipRobinHood:TheSecretofSherwoodForestBrave&Bold#15:RobinHood:TheBowthatCouldn’tBeBentSilentKnight:ThreeFlamingDoomsVikingPrince:TheVikingGenieBrave&Bold#16:VikingPrince:TheVikingandtheMermaidSilentKnight:TheTrapofSirHawk

Brave&Bold#17:VikingPrince:TheLadyoftheLakeSilentKnight:TheTripleTournamentBrave&Bold#18:VikingPrince:ThreatoftheIceKingSilentKnight:TheDoubleDecoyBrave&Bold#19:VikingPrince:ChallengeoftheFlyingHorseSilentKnight:TheEndoftheSilentKnightBrave&Bold#20:SilentKnight:TheHauntedCastleVikingPrince:SecretofOdin’sCupBrave&Bold#21:SilentKnight:TheSwordintheLakeVikingPrince:TheVikingandtheFirebirdBrave&Bold#22:VikingPrince:TheInvisibleVikingSilentKnight:ChallengeoftheSinisterQueensBrave&Bold#23:VikingPrince:OriginoftheVikingPrinceVikingPrince:FigureheadoftheVikingSeaBrave&Bold#24:VikingPrince:TrailoftheBlackFalconVikingPrince:CurseoftheDragon’sMoon

***

Itwasafunfouryears,but thetimesandaudienceswerechanging.ErrolFlynnandVictorMatureweregivingwaytobug-eyedmonstersandcold war paranoia. No one was reading Hal Foster-esque tales. Theywere reading comics like theChallengers of the Unknown, Sea Devilsandotherhard,grippingmoderntalesofsciencefictionandhorror!Eventhesuperheroeswerecomingback–whowouldhaveexpectedthatfouryearsago?

Tosurvive,Brave&Boldmustmoveon,andbidadieutoourheroesofauldendays.

Toobadthough,someofthosetaleswererealclassics.Therewouldbemoreclassicstocome.

returntotableofcontents

Showcase

OfStrangeSuicideSquadStoriesInsideEarthWithBrave&Bold#25cameachangeofformat.Why?Perhapsthe

genre (swashbuckling adventure)was dying out in comics as it was inmoviesandtelevision.Plussuperheroeswereexplodinginpopularityforthe first time sinceWorldWar Two. The Superman television programhelped, as had the revival of the Flash and Green Lantern (NationalComics being nearly the only publishers still doing superheroes).National’s Showcase title was among its most successful – Flash,Challengersof theUnknown,GreenLanternandLois Lane featured inthree-issuestints(orso)attractedreaders.Thepowers-that-beatBrave&Bolddecidedtodothesame.

Eventheappearanceofthemagazinewouldchange.Nowtheproud“BraveandBold”bannerwouldbeshrunkdownandplacedintheupper-lefthandcornerofthecomictomakeroomforthespecificfeature’slogo,asithaddonewiththeVikingPrincesolorunsof#23and#24.Thishasled tosomeconfusion– “VikingPrince#23”was recentlysoldonEbayfor$5.00insteadoftentotwentytimesthatifproperlylabeled“Brave&Bold#23”(ahinttothoselookingforbackissues).

SotheVikingPrince, thesolesurvivorofB&B’s first fouryears,wasquietlyshelved(aretherestillunpublishedVikingPrincestoriesinavaultsomewhere slowly crumbling to dust?) and the magazine was thrustahead1100years!

***

“Introducing America’s Top SecretWeapon” screamed issue #25 in

September1959,“inreportsneverbeforepublishedtotheworld!!”Thuswas introducedTheSuicideSquad: Colonel Rick Flagg, commandpilot;JessBright,nuclearphysicist;Dr.Evans,astronomer/astrophysicist;andKarinDavies,eye-candy,er,space-medicinenurse.Yes,TaskForceX, “known as the Suicide Squad because of the fantastic perils itunhesitatinglyfaceswithsupremecourageanduniquemethods.”

RickandKarinare in loveofcourse (typical1950sscience fiction–there’salwaysawomanandsheandtheleadingmanalwaysfallinlove).However,JessandDr.EvansloveKarintoo!SoRickandKarindecidetokeep their love foroneanothersecret for thegoodof the team.A lovequadrangle would only get in the way of team missions! This wasmentioned every issue and was pretty much the sole characterdevelopment.

TheSuicideSquadwasRobertKanigher’sversionoftheChallengersoftheUnknown,withwonderfulRossAndru/MikeEspositoartinsteadofwonderfulJackKirbyart!Saidartwastypical1959–straightforwardandrealistic-lookingmen,womenandmachinery.Imaginationswereletlooseonthe“perils”–giganticaliensandbeastsattackedourheroesnon-stop.Whiletheartworkwasgood,thestorylineswereforthemostpart…well…silly.By today’s standard, that is. Theyweredefinitely of its time.Aten-year-oldin1959wouldeatthesestoriesup!

The perils were of the science-run-amuck-because-we-tampered-in-God’s-domain found in the “B” movies playing down the street. OneexpectedtofindPeterGravesorLeslieNelsonpoppingintohelp!

In their first story (#25: Three Waves of Doom) an earthquakeawakens a dinosaur-like creature that sets fire to Tokyo - er - AtlanticCity, freezes metal and absorbs all chlorophyll! The Suicide Squaddefeatsitbytrickingthebeastintograspingontoarocketandshootingittowardthesun!

Oneoftheperilsofwritingsciencefictionandadventurewritingisthe“as-you-know-Bob” info dump, or idiot lecture. A character providesexpositionbyexplainingasituationtoanothercharacter.Bothcharactersshould know these facts already - but the readersmay not. “Bob” is asubstituteforthereader;butitmakesBobseemlikeanimbecileandtheothercharacterasapompouswindbag.

“Asyouknow,Bob,Marsisthefourthplanetfromthesun.”“OfcourseIknowthat,Frank,I’manastrophysicist...”Because of that the stories sometimes talk down to its youthful

audience.Factsarethrowninalmostasifthecharactersareshowingofftheirintelligence(onecharacteractuallysays,“It’sagoodthingwehaveenoughsodiummanganateonboard!”What?!).Kanigher isbetter thanthat.Hewassuchaprolificwriter-butevenBabeRuthdidn’thithomeruns all the time. Perhaps a small word balloon explaining WHY they

were carrying sodium manganate on board would help. Perhaps thisserieswasn’tthemaindishonhisplate.NotthatKanigherdidn’talwaysgive100%,but ... youneverknow. I’monlyspeculating:andwhatdo Iknowanyway?KanigherisacomicbookwritinglegendandIwriteaboutadoption and toddler television shows. I’m sure if we evermeet in thehereafterI’llgetanearfulfromhim.

ButinsixissuesweneverlearnDr.Evans’firstname!TheSuicideSquadwasgiventhreeissuestodotheirthing(#25–27)

andanotherthree-issuetry-outlaterin1961(#37–39),withoutsuccess.The plots of the other five issues read like an edition ofWeeklyWorldNews:

1)RadiationshrinkstheSquaddowntomatchsticksize,yettheymuststillthwartasubmarineattackagainstAmerica!(#26:TheSunCurse)

2)Dinosaur-likeserpentattacksParismetro,boatsontheSeineandtheEiffelTower!(#26:SerpentoftheSubway)

3)Scientistturnsself intoten-storyreptile–carriesA-bombintocity!(#27:CreatureofGhostLake)

4)Intelligentdinosaursfromotherdimensioninvadeearth!(#37:RaidoftheDinosaurs)

5) Planeload of nuclear missiles land on island of Cyclops! (#37:ThreatoftheGiantEye)

6)Alien giant’s pet pterodactyls capturewarships, planes,Statue ofLiberty!(#38:MasteroftheDinosaurs)

7)Other-dimensional“miragemen”trytokilltheSuicideSquad!(#38:MenaceoftheMiragePeople)

8)Gigantic dinosaur-shapedspacecraft contains Jurassic zoo! (#39:PrisoneroftheDinosaurZoo)

9)Sculptor-Sorcererkillsscientistsbyturningthemintogoldstatues!(“TheattorneysforIanFlemingarestillholdingonlinethree!”).Thiswastheonlyattemptatasupervillainfortheseries.Haditbeensuccessful...wouldhehavebeenarecurringvillain?(#39:RainofFire)

Thetextsintheissueswereinteresting,albeitsoonforgettable:“real”seaserpentsanddragonswereexamined, including theonespotted inGloucesterHarbor,Massachusettsin1817.Anothertextteachesushowsonarcantrackasubmarine.

During theirsecond try-out thepriceofBrave&Bold jumped fromadimetotwelvecents(withissue#39).

TaskForceX faded intoobscurity for twenty-fiveyears.KeithGriffinbrought back the idea of a Suicide Squad in the late 1980s as acompaniontohisnewJusticeLeaguetitle.Thistime,RickFlaggrecruitsvillainsandminorsuperheroes(includingfellowB&BalumniNemesis)todobattlewithevil.Flaggevenwent toe-to-toewithBatman toamutualdraw(notevenSupermancoulddothatinthelate1980s!).ThatversionoftheSquadwasdefinitelymoresuccessful,beingfullyentrenchedinthesuperherogenre.But thesesix issuesare theoriginalsanda fun read:just as the Thunderbirds TV show was some years later – silly, butcharming.

Butasgoodasitwas,thequalityoftheSquadasacomicbookpaledincomparisontopreviousissueswiththeVikingPrinceandSilentKnight.Overall,notaverygoodstarttoB&B’sShowcase-styleformat.

Itwouldhitahomerunnexttime.

***

B&Bwouldnevermatchthesuccessorsalesofissues#28,29&30,

featuring the first three adventures of the Justice League ofAmerica. Since the debut of their own comic in late 1960, there hasnever been a month without at least some kind of version of the JLApublishedbyNationalorDC.

Superman,Batman,WonderWoman,Flash,GreenLantern,Martian

ManhunterandAquamanjoinedtogethertofightevil.

Note that Superman fans were very excited that year: Supermanappeared in a “new” comic and Supergirl made her debut in ActionComicsaswell!

These Justice League’s Brave and Bold issues were written byGardnerFoxanddrawnbyMikeSekowsky.TheeditorialreignsofB&Bwere takenaway fromKanigher andgiven to JulieSchwartz.ThiswasSchwartz’s third tryat revivingGoldenAgecharacters–updating themfor a modern audience. The Flash and Green Lantern were rousingsuccesses(GLwasveryshortlytogethisowncomic),sohetriedagain!This timehebroughtback theoldJusticeSocietyofAmerica:changedthe name to something “more exciting” (someone once said a Societymakes themsound like theygot together tohave tea)andupdated therosterwiththefewheroesavailableatthetime.Therewasreallynooneelse around:AdamStrange?He’s good, but harder towork into a plotthanAquaman, so insteadhewasa frequent guest.RoyRaymondTVDetective and Rex theWonder Dog wouldn’t work, Challengers of theUnknownandtheBlackhawkswouldmakethingstoocrowded.Superboywould be impossible! Batwoman? Robin? Nah! Green Arrow? Oops,forgotabouthim–he’djoininJusticeLeagueofAmerica#4.

Ihate tosaybad thingsabout theartbyMikeSekowsky.Fansandcritics of his artwork argue to the present day! Inmy opinion, he drewexcellent soloGreen Lantern andWonderWoman stories later on, buthis artwork in the first year or sowith the JLAwaspoor. Figureswereeither stiff and awkward or rubbery (the cover of #29 has the Flashrunninginasquattingposition).Thestoriesmorethanmadeupforit.

TheplotsoftheseissuesarenowpartofDC’smythos:1.(#28)“StarrotheConqueror”takesoverthemindsofthecitizensof

Happy Harbor, except for resident teenage oaf Snapper Carr. Why?Flash presumes it was because Snapper was covered in lime whileworking in his yard. I always thought it was because Snapper had nomind to control. Because of Snapper’s lack of hygiene, he ismade anhonorarymemberoftheJLA.TheHolyGrailofSilverAgecomics–themostsought-afterandthemostreprinted,secondin importanceonlyto,perhaps,Showcase#4.

Only one problem sticks in my mind: the mighty Justice League issentouttofightagiantstarfish?WastheSuicideSquadtoobusy?

2.(#29)“ChallengeoftheWeaponsMaster”,whocomesfrom10,000years in the futurebyusinghis robot-armor togoback in time tobattletheJLA!Thishasoneofmy favorite lines from,of all people,Batman:“Zotar may be one of the most powerful foes we’ve has ever fought!”Well, that’s true, considering thiswas the second foe theyever fought!Thefirstwasastarfishforgoodness’sake!

3. (#30) “TheCase of theStolenSuperPowers”: The robot Amazoabsorbs thepowersof the JLA togivehimenoughpower to attain theformulaforimmortalityforhismaker,ProfessorIvo.

Asopposed to theprevious three issues,here thestories (whilestillaimed primarily at children and pre-teens) were simple without beingsimplistic.Bythis timeFoxhadbeensprinklingscientific facts instoriesfortwentyyearsandhewasgoodatit!Ratherthanshowingoff(aswastheimpressionwiththeSuicideSquad),weweregivenusefulinformationthatfitintothestoryline.Thatis,itmademoresenseforSnapperCarrtohavebagsoflimelyingaroundthanfortheSuicideSquadtobecarryingenoughsodiummanganatetodouseGodzilla!

TheJusticeLeagueruninBrave&Boldhadmanyhistoricmoments.BatmanmadehisB&Bdebutin#28.Hedidn’tseemuchactionthough–aswithSuperman,Batmanwaskeptbehindthescenestoallowreadersaccess to the other heroes. It was often explained that Superman andBatmanappearinsomanyothercomicstheydonotneedtheexposure.Thatlogicescapesusnowadays–ifacharacterissuccessful,heorsheshouldbecrammedintoasmanycomicsaspossible.Batmaninthelate1980sandLobo in theearly 1990s.Wolverine in thepast 30 years. In2001 and 2002, Green Arrow appeared in every comic DC published!AndhowmanyX-Mencomicshavetherebeen?Thatwaythecharacterwillsaturatethemarket,everyonewillgetsickandtiredofseeinghisorhermug,andsaleswillplummet…oh…well,maybeSchwartzwasontosomethingthere.

Also,#30featuredthefirstlettercolumninBrave&Bold,astheJLAwas so successful the magazine was inundated with mail. The lettercolumnincludedinformationontheJusticeSociety(“mybrothertoldmeabout a super hero group from twenty years ago…”); a request for aJuniorJusticeLeaguefeaturingRobin,KidFlash,Speedy,Supergirland“theBoyfromAtlantis”;and(astaple in theJLAmailroom)membershiprequests:GreenArrow,Supergirl,RobinandAdamStrange.

To say the JLA was successful is an understatement. After a four-month lag afterB&B #30, the JLA got their own magazine and neverlooked back. With Brave & Bold #31, Schwartz gave the magazine’seditorialseattoJackSchiffforhopefullyanothersuccessfultry-out.

***

Ormaybenot.RobertKanigherwassuccessfulwiththeSeaDevilsin

Showcasestarringunderwateradventurers(Kanigherdidagreatjobwiththe Devils, so then why was the Suicide Squad not ... ), how about aseriesofadventurersundertheearthitself?

CaveCarson,Adventures InsideEarthwas the next try-outseriesrunninginissues#31(September1960)through#33andagainfortwo issues in #40 and 41. Cave Carson and his assistants BulldozerSmith,professionalsandhogand(moreeye-candy)ChristieMadisonasgeologistandromanticinterest.MaybeKanigherlearnedhislessonfromSuicideSquadandkept thesilliness toaminimum.Thestorylinesherewerejustassilly-soundingaswiththeSquad,butsomehowitworked:

1. In their first adventure, Cave and friends are attacked by amagneticmonster,a subterraneansea lizard,a lavacreatureandkillerweed!(Killerweedindeed!)(#31:TheSecretBeneaththeEarth)

2. Evil scientists from an underground city attempt to invade thesurfaceworld.(#32:TheCity100MilesDown)

3.Cave tracksextra-terrestrialmuseum thievesunder theearthandontotheirowndimension!(#33:AlienRobotsfromInnerEarth)

4. Cave tries to stop the evil sorcerer Zenod from retrieving threemagicalcrystalsburiedinsubterraneancaves.(#40:3CavernsofDoom)

5.Alienswithkillerrobotsuseanundergroundbasetoinvadeearth.(#41:RaidersfromtheSecretWorld)

The art was very well done by mostly Bruno Premanini and MortMeskin.Onewouldthinkbeingundergroundwouldmaketheartlimited,butinsteadthescenerywasbeautiful–withvastcaves,andexoticplantandanimallife.TheissuedrawnbyJoeKubert(#40)wasverywelldone,but seemed like just another assignment – as lauded as Kubert’s art

shouldbethiswasafairlycannyeffort.Hecoulddrawstorieslikethisinhissleep.Inthiscase,heprobablydid.

Cave Carson was given a third try-out in Showcase, indicatingNational’sstrongpushforthisfeature.Butexceptforbriefcameos(e.g.,inanearly1990sissueofTimeMasterandlaterinJSA);CaveCarson,alongwith theSilentKnight and theGoldenGladiator, have faded intocomics’history.

WhetherCaveCarsonand/ortheSuicideSquadappearedintheDCmini-seriesCrisison InfiniteEarths Iwill leave to thosewithmagnifyingglassesandevenmoretimeontheirhandsthanIhave!

Brave & Bold’s nine issues (so far) ofShowcase-style try-outs wasdefinitelyamixedbag.Twostrikeoutsandonephenomenalsuccess.Willtheirnexttry-outbeadudorflyintothestratosphere...

...likea…hawk?

***

Showcasewastoobusywithotherthings,soSchwartzandFoxtook

overB&B for threemore issues tosee if lightningwouldstrikea fourthtime.WithFlash,GreenLanternandtheJLAprovedrousingsuccesses,therereallywasonlyoneGoldenAgegiantleft.

HawkmanmadehisSilverAgedebutinBrave&Bold#34onMarch1961.He also appeared in issues #35, #36, and later in #42, #43 and#44.TheoriginalHawkmanappeared twenty-oneyearsearlier inFlashComics #1 (January 1940) and co-starred in the magazine with theoriginal Flash for over 100 issues. Hawkman never received his ownmagazine – although he did appear in every adventure of the JusticeSociety inAll-Star Comics. Still, it had been thirteen years since therehadbeenasoloHawkmantale.

TherevisedHawkmankepthis1940snameofCarterHall,buthisrealnamewasKatarHolfromtheplanetThanagarofthestarsystemPolaris.HeandhiswifeShayerawerepoliceofficersonThanagar,andthehawkcostumewastheirofficialuniform.

Unlike Flash and Green Lantern, the new Hawkman’s costumechanged little from the original. Hawkgirl’s mask was redesigned. The

new mask must have worked; the Hawkgirl from Cartoon Network’s“JusticeLeague”cartoonsworethatsamestylefortyyearslater!

AlthoughHawkgirlalsostarredinthesefeatures,itisstillconsideredasoloHawkman-centeredseries!

Three of his (their?) six Brave & Bold try-out issues were “novel-length”andthreeissuescontainedtwostories:

1) (#34: Creature of a Thousand Shapes) Tracking a dangerousThanagarian criminal named Byth, who can assume the shape of anycreature; Katar and Sheyera Hol come to Earth. After capturing Byth,theydecidetostayonEarthtostudypolicemethods.Hispowers:flight,cantalkwithbirds,canliveinthevacuumofspaceforfiveminutes.

2) (#35: Menace of the Matter Master) The Matter Master debuts!Hawkmandevelopssuper-smellandcandiveandswimforashorttime.

3) (#35: Valley of the Vanishing Men) Carter’s assistant Mavisdisappears while tracking the Abominable Snowman. The Hawksinvestigateto findtheYetiarereallyaliensmaroonedonearth foreonsand devolved back into savages. This story has the debut of theAbsorbiscon–Hawkman’sshortcut in lieuof investigation.Hehasallofearth’s knowledge, so he knows the Yeti’s teleportation weapons areinvulnerabletowood.Thissavesafewpagesofhimfindingthisoutforhimself. New powers: can speak all languages (even Yeti) and cancommunicatewithallcreatures,notjustbirds.

4) (#36: Strange Spell of the Sorcerer) The Hawks defeat anarcheologist who steals Babylonian and other artifacts to evokesorcerouspowers.Hawkgirldefeatsamedusabyremovinghercompactfrom her belt and using the mirror against it. If the series were moreenlightened,they’dstillbestonestatuesbynow.Aletterwriterrequeststheychangehername toHawkwoman,butJuliesays thatname is tooawkward–theydoitanywayyearslater.

5) (#36: Shadow Thief of Midway City) The debut of the ShadowThief,oneofHawkman’smostenduring foes.Forty-oneyears later, thetwostillbattleditoutinHawkman’sfourthseries.Thisstorywasselectedfor an all-Kubert issue of DC Special as one of Kubert’s best–drawnstories.

6)(#42:MenaceoftheDragonflyRaiders)ResuminghispolicedutiesonThanagar,Hawkmanwinshishelmetwings (makinghishelmet lookmore in line with his golden age counter-part) by again defeating the

shape-changing Byth. This comic won an Alley Award for Best SingleComicBookCover.

7) (#43:MaskedMarauders of Earth) The deadlyManhawks debut!TheirattacksonThanagarledtotheformationofthehawk-wingedpolicecorps;nowtheManhawksareonearthstealingTerranrubiesinordertoperfectlaserweaponrysotheycangettheirrevengeagainstThanagar.

8) (#44: Earth’s Impossible Day) “Earth’s” July 4th celebrationscoincide with Thanagar’s “Impossible Day”. So after the traditionalImpossibleDaypicnic,theHawksperformthreeimpossibletasks:Makeitrainupward,throwlightning(tocaptureanescapingconvict)anddodgeinvisible bullets from an invisible gun. New powers: supersonic speed(enough to create a water spout), wings that can flap at hundreds ofmilesperhourtocreatehurricane-forcewinds(itwasexplainedthattheAmericanPeregrineFalconcandiveat160milesperhour).

9)(#44:TheMenWhoMovedtheWorld)OnceEarthwasinthesamesolar rotationwithVenus. The city of Lansimar ruled the planet.WhenEarth was pulled to its present orbit by a huge planet-sized asteroid,Lansimar frozeunder theArctic.Three revivedLansanarians try topullEarthbacktoitsoriginalrotation.Newpowers:Canseeinthedark.

Theseries isapleasantmixofsuperheroplots in theearlysixties–

from scientificmumbo jumbo tomagicalmumbo jumbo.And the art…theart…

Joe Kubert’s work on Viking Prince (last seen in #24, thirty-twomonthsbefore)isthebestartB&Bhadproduced.Untilnow.OnlyKubertcould top himself. Average people looked real; the villains looked real;Hawkman’smuscleslookedashardassteel;andHawkgirlwasbeautiful.Ohthatredhair…

The Viking Prince is what Kubert’s Prince Valiant or Tarzan wouldhave looked like. Hawkman is what his Buck Rogers or FlashGordonwouldhavelookedlike–highflyingsciencefiction.Kubertwasreallyathisprimehereand in thenext fewyears.TheShadowThiefhasa thinbeard, the Matter Master had a beatnik’s chin stubble, the policecommissionerhadathickdroopymoustache;mygosheveryonelookeddifferent!Hisdetail to the individualityofeventhesecondarycharacterswasphenomenal–howdidhestayonadeadline?

Hawkmanhada lettercolumn inhis first issue, including reaction totherumorsofaHawkmanrevivalandaninterviewwithGardnerFox.FoxsuggestedHawkmanshouldjointheJLAandthebirdmanwoulddosoinNovemberof1964.Cometo thinkof itGardner,youwrite theJLA,youmakehim join!LikeJulieSchwartzwould tellyouno!The lettercolumnalsohada letter byRoyThomas, applaudingHawkman’s revival – butonlyifJoeKubertdrawshimandHawkman’shelmetisaspecificdesign.Becauseofhisforesight,theRascallyOnegothisletterpublished.

AletterfromRoyalsoappearsinB&B#35againdiscussingthenewHawkman’shelmet.Fortyyears later inhisAll-StarComicsCompanionVol. 1 (2002) Roy spends a whole page discussing the evolution ofHawkman’shelmet.AndyouthinkI’mobsessive!Therewasalsoaletterfrom well-known professional fan the late great Jerry Bails and anautobiographyofJoeKubert!

After the first try-out Hawkman and Hawkgirl left Earth to return toThanagar. To National’s credit, a blurb at the bottom of the last pagerequested fans to send in their letters if they want to seemore of theWingedWonders.Apparentlyitworked!

Thelessonofhypingthemselvesmusthavestuck–withHawkman’ssecond go-roundB&B was littered with house ads. Even in the VikingPrince days, Batman and Superman magazines were advertised, sowereMysteryinSpace,MyGreatestAdventuresandTheFlash.ButnowweseeadsforTheAtom,MetalMen,Aquaman,evenTheAdventuresofBobHopeandTheAdventuresofJerryLewiswereadvertised!

Hawkman didn’t launch into a solo series of his own for some timeafter his twoB&B try-outs. He did share the bill with AdamStrange inMystery in Space for a while, but he was eventually awarded his owncomic for the first timeever anddid indeed join the JLA.Another JulieSchwartz-Gardner Fox success! Lightning struck for the fourth time.<Wheet!>

In between Hawkman’s two three-issue stintsB&B dusted off more

SuicideSquadandCaveCarsontry-outs.Perhapsthepublishersthoughtthe previous low sales of these characters must have been a fluke! Itwasn’t.

Sonowwhat?AftertheHawkmantry-out,JulieSchwartzremainedaseditor and allowed Gardner Fox to experiment by creating one of the

mostunusualseriesofcomicseverproduced.

**

StrangeSportsStories ran foranunprecedented five issuesof

Brave & Bold in 1963. From #45 – 49 sports tales were told with asciencefictiontwist.Thebestwaytoexplainistodescribethem:

1. (#45: Challenge of the Headless Baseball Team) The World’sSeries championship pole contains an element needed by aliens tomaintaintheirwarpdrive,sotheychallengetheChampionNewYorkJetstoaWorlds’Series!ThistalewasselectedbyInfantinohimselfasoneofhisfavoritetalesincludedinDCSpecial#1.

2.Achemistraiseshugeberrybushes;eatingberriesturnthechemistinto the “Goliath of the Gridiron (#45)”. But within a week, the samechemicalsthatcausedtheenormousgrowthkilledtheplants.Uh-oh.

3. (#46: Hot Shot Hoopsters) 14-year old college geniuses usescienceandmathematicstodefeatAlvaniaUniversity’sbasketballteam.

4. (#46: Danger on the Martian Links) John Broome wrote anexcellent taleofWaleMarner, thegreatestgolfer in thesolarsystemof2372,whowins theMarsNine-Planet Tournament.Oh and defeats analieninvasionalongtheway!

5.(#47:ThePhantomPrizeFighter)AFaustiantale:Boxerallowsanalientotakeoverhisbodyinsixmonthssothealiencansurviveearth’sradiation belt in exchange for being invulnerable in the ring for half ayear.

6.(#47:SagaoftheSecretSportsmen)JohnBroome’staleofatimewhen sports and athletes are outlawed! And on top of that – Uranusattacks(stopgiggling)!Interestingly,peopleparticipateinsportsthroughwhatwewouldnowcall virtual reality–onewearsspecialglassesandyouseeandcanparticipateinvarioussportingevents.JohnBroomewasthirtyyearsaheadofhistimeonthisone!

7. (#48:TheManWhoDroveThroughTime)Amandrivesan1896automobilesofasthegoesforwardintimeto1964andcompetesintheIndianapolis500.

8. (#48:Duel of theStarChampions) AnAltairan kidnaps the earthrepresentativeoftheintergalacticOlympicsandstealshis“willtowin”.

9.(#49:WarrioroftheWeightlessWorld)Zero-geebasketballplayersaresenttodestroytheevilalienCreonrocket-repairdepot.

10. (#49: Gorilla Wonders of the Diamond) Genetically engineeredbaseball-playinggorillasbeattheYankees,theReds,TheWhiteSoxandtheDodgersthentrytoconquertheworld!NotethatthestoryonlysaidtheyplayedChicago–IpresumeitwastheWhiteSoxandnottheCubs,becausethestorystatedthecrowdwassurprisedthatthegorillaswon...

GardnerFoxandJohnBroomegaveus tales thatcouldhavecome

straightoutofAstoundingorAsimov.Thestorieswereincrediblefortheirday. In themore cynical 21st century, the storylines sound quaint. Buttaken in light of their times the stories arewonderful pieces of sciencefictionforpre-teensandolder!

TheartwasbyCarmineInfantino.HisartworkwasevenmorestylizedthanJoeKubert’sand isdefinitelyanacquired taste. Iwasneverabigfanofhisartwork–thoughIgrewtolikehisworkonMarvel’sStarWars-histermonSpiderwomanandhislastyearsonTheFlashwerejustplainbad,I’msorrytosay...

Buthe’s suchagiant in the industryandhis interviewsare sodarninterestinghowcouldyounot likehimpersonally?Well, Iwillsay this–hisworkon“StrangeSportsStories”wasthebestthingheeverdid!

Insteadofangularandstiff,hischaracterslookedalmostrealistic.Addin the scientific machinery at which he excels and you have a verystylizedcomic.

Hismostuniquecontributiontotheserieswasthesilhouettedtextboxnexttotheartwork.Nearlyeverypanelineachstoryhadatextboxnextto it describing the action, (“Suddenly a Venusian walked onto thebasketballcourt”alongwithasilhouettedescribingtheaction–suchasaVenusianwalking,amanlightingapipe,abasketballorbaseballthrown,etc.).

Itaddedauniquedimensiontothestories.SomuchsothatInfantinolistedtheseriesasbeingamonghisfavorites.Minetoo.

Thelettercolumnspraisedtheseries’originalityandrequestedmore.Unfortunately, there would only be the five issues. In the early 1970s,National brought back Strange Sports Stories as a horror book ratherthaninthesciencefictiongenre.Insteadofalieninvaders,clawedhandssprangfromthethirteenthhole,thatsortofthing.It lastedafewissues,enough to qualify “Strange Sports Stories” as a B&B feature thatgraduatedtoitsownmagazine.AlaterDCSpecialtitled“StrangeSportsStories”hadsuperheroesvs.supervillainsinabaseballgame.

MalibuComicsreleasedthreeissuesofacomictitledStrangeSportsStoriesin1992.ThecoversindicateitwasahorrortitleasDC’s,orweirdhumor. These three issues are reasonably priced in the secondarymarket.

By theway, Infantinosaid inan interview inAlterEgo thathehateddrawingsciencefiction.ThisfromthemanwhomadeAdamStrangethebelovedstylisticfeatureitwas;themanwhosefewlaterworksofqualitywas Marvel’s Star Wars; the man who helped make “Strange SportsStories” one of the most truly unique series in Brave & Bold and incomicsaltogether!

And remember: “Strange Sports Stories” got its own comic book,somethingtheVikingPrinceneverdid.SothisseriesranksuptherewiththeJusticeLeague,HawkmanandtheTeenTitans.

Strangeindeed.

***

AlthoughBrave&Boldwasadvertised inothercomicbooks itnever

advertiseditself-notevenwitha“ournextexcitingfeauture”blurb.TheJusticeLeagueaudiencecouldhavebeenenticedtobuythenextissuefeaturingCaveCarson if itwashypedenoughat theendof theAmazostory in #30. Instead it was announced the JLA would get their ownmagazine.Whoopie! I’llsaveupfor that insteadofBrave&Bold!Therewasnomentionof the returnof theSuicideSquadafter the first runofHawkman.Whynot?Couldn’t itonlyhavehelpedsales?Thefirst issueof Suicide Squad’s second run (#37) blurbed that they were back“becauseyoudemanded it!”Wedid?When? Ifwedidwherewere theaccoladesinthelettercolumns?

Thelast“StrangeSportsStories”raninSeptember1963.B&Bhadaneight-yearrunofunimaginablesuccessesanddisappointingfailures.ButinthoseeightyearsthemarkethadchangedbeyondevenGardnerFox’sandRoberyKanigher’svastimaginations.

Whatdotheydonow?Imaginereadingthenotesfromthelate-nightbrainstormingsessions:

Superheroes seem to be the big thing again. Dowe continuewith ourShowcase try-out style or leave that to Showcase and do somethingdifferent? We can increase sales by showing superheroes and otherpopular National characters, but which ones? Maybe we can split themagazinebetweentwocharacters, likeHawkmanandAdamStrange inMysteryinSpace.Orwecangobacktothreefeatures;withsuperheroesinstead of Vikings, gladiators and knights! Maybe we can recreate themagic of the Justice League by bringing back the Justice Society orrevampanewSevenSoldiersofVictory!Gosh,theJusticeLeaguehasbeensosuccessfulevenTimelyisbackinthesuperherogamewiththeirversion: the Fantastic Four. It has an updated Human Torch and theybroughtbackNamor theSubmariner!Timely,AtlasorMarvel,whateverit’scalledthisweek,hmmph!Whowouldhavethought?Rememberthosegreat Human Torch-Submariner battles? Two great heroes together inonegiantstory…

Twogreatheroesinone…Two…That’sit!!!

returntotableofcontents

TheTeam-UpYearsPt.I

TheWorld’sGreatestSuperHeroesNovember1963–November1967

WhydidNationaldecidetoturnBrave&Boldintoateam-upcomic?It

hadneverbeendonebeforeand therewasno indication itwouldbeasuccess. Sure, World’s Finest had featured Superman and Batmanteaming up together for years, but by this time they weremore team-mates thana team-up.FlashandGreenLanternwouldpopup ineachother’smagazines,butcouldcontinuous(seemingly)randomencountersbetweensuperheroessustainaseries?

JusticeLeagueofAmericawashardlyateam-upmagazine.DittoAll-Star Comics before it. Still, Marvel has had wonderful success havingcharacters crossing-over every fewmonths, as the characters featuredwouldgetsomepublicitytheywouldn’totherwiseget.Andbesides,whoknows?NationalmightstrikegoldwithateamaspopularasSuperman-Batman. B&B’s days as a magazine of swashbuckling adventure hadgone, and it had failed to become another Showcase, maybe it canbecomeanotherWorld’sFinest.

AswithachangeinformatinBrave&Bold#50(November1963);sowilltherebeachangeinformatforthisindex.Eachissueshallbelistednumerically, with issue number, guest stars, writer and artist, plotsynopsisandotherinformation(trivia,otherfeatures,letterpagecontent,editorialcomment,etc.).

November1963#50: Green Arrow & Martian Manhunter, “Wanted – The Capsule

Master”,Writer: Bob Haney, Artist: George Roussos. Murray Boltinoff and

GeorgeKashdantakeoveraseditors.Martianslandonearthandtrytorecoverthreepiecesofadoomsday

weapon, unlessGreenArrow,Speedyand theMartianManhunter stopthem.AneditorialconfirmstheWorld’sFinest-styleformatandrequestsreaderstowriteinandrequestcharacterstoappearinthecomic.

Atthispointinboththecharacter’shistorytheywereatthetopofthesecond tier.Notmuchwas knownof themoutside fandomandneither

hadalotofbackstorytoworryabout.IfthisteamtookoffalaSuperman-Batman the editors and creators could start with a clean slate. GreenArrow’spopularitywouldgrow(thanksinparttohisrestructuredcostumeandpersonalityinB&B)aswouldMartianManhunter’sinthelate1980sand 1990s thanks to his Justice League membership and his ownsuccessfulmagazine.

1964

#51:Aquaman&Hawkman,“FuryoftheExiledCreature”,Writer: Bob Haney, Artist: Howard Purcell. Fish and Fowl! This is

Hawkman’s 8th appearance (the month before (11/1963) he started asolostintinMysteryonSpace).HewouldgethisownmagazineinMarchof1964andjointheJusticeLeagueinNovember1964.

Tyros, anAtlantean exile, finds a ruby that turns him into awingedreptile with the ability to control birds and sea creatures. Hawkgirl andAqualadhaveasmuchactionasthetwostars,butdonotappearonthecoveratall!

Another second-tier, or perhaps far-down-the-first-tier, pair up.Hawkman’s titlewouldbegin later that year - lasting27 issues to1968(beforemergingwiththeAtom’scomicforanotheryear)andAquaman’scomichadbeenaround for twoyearswithanother8excellentyears togo!

ThelettercolumnstatesthenextissuewillfeaturetheFlashandtheAtom.

#52:Sgt.Rock,JohnnyCloud,&TheHauntedTank(labeledasThree

BattleStars),“SuicideMission”,Writer:RobertKanigher,Artist:JoeKubert(his lastcreditedworkfor

B&B).Editor:RobertKanigher.ThreeofDC’sWorldWarTwostarsteamuptorescuealeaderofthe

French underground. The leader is locked in a suit of armor. Whenreleased, the leader is revealed tobeMlle.Marie!A fourthBattleStar!Joe Kubert fans have been spoiled with B&B: now we can watch hismastery of thewar genre.Andweweren’t disappointed.Superb art asusual. Kanigher is in his element, too, writing an excellent script! This

issuewas so good it was reprinted in the one-and-only issue ofBattleClassicsduringthe1978DCExplosion.

Where’sFlashandAtom?Mighthavebeendeadlinetrouble.PlusthisstoryfitbetterinB&Bthaninawarcomic.Eachchapterfeaturedoneofthe battle stars, which would have been awkward in a supposed-Sgt.Rock“solo”story.KanigherisonceagainintheeditorialseatandthetextfeatureisRock’s“CombatCorner”,whichimpliesthiswasmeantforoneofNational’swarcomicsratherthanB&B.Butwho’scomplaining?Goodstory,goodart!

#53:Atom&Flash,“ChallengeoftheExpandingWorld”,Writer:BobHaney,Artist:AlexToth.Agoldenagegreatforanartist!

BoltinoffandKashdanarebackaseditors(givingmorecredenceto thetheorythat#52wasafill-in).

A microscopic world begins to expand, threatening to destroy theearth. Unfortunately, the microworld’s inhabitants don’t see a problemwiththis!

The folks atNational can learn!Brave&Bold has never touted themagazines of its guests – other than stating the JLA will get its ownmagazine.Thisissue,however,hashouseadsforbothFlashandAtom’smagazines.

#54:Robin,KidFlash,&Aqualad,“1,001DoomsofMr.Twister”,Writer:BobHaney,Artist:BrunoPremanini(HisfirstartinB&Bsince

Cave Carson). Fans have been clamoring for a Junior Justice Leagueever since there has been a Justice League. One such request waspublished in the lettercolumnofBrave&Bold#30.The fans finallygettheir wish. This is touted as the first appearance of the Teen Titans,althoughtheywerenevercalledbythatnameinthisissue.

TeenagersofHattonCornersarekidnappedbyMr.Twister,fulfillingacursefromcolonial times!Ironically,Robinstars inB&BbeforeBatman!(Batman makes his fourth cameo appearance in B&B here, after thethree-issueJusticeLeaguetry-out).

#55:MetalMen&Atom,“RevengeoftheRobotRenegade”,Writer:BobHaney,Artist:RamonaFradon.

Dr. Magnus’ first robot creation, Uranium, turned evil and wasdestroyed.Inthisstoryhere-forms,createsafemalesidekick–Agentha(silver) – and destroys theMetalMen. Ray Palmer interceptsMagnus’laserSOS,re-formstheMetalMen,andtheytackleUraniumtogether!

TheMetalMencomichadbeenoutforaboutayearatthistime;theAtomwasinhissecondyearofhisowntitle.

#56:Flash&MartianManhunter,“RaidoftheMutantMarauders”,Writer:BobHaney,Artist:BernardBailey(anothergoldenagegreat–

the original artist for Hourman and the Spectre), George Kashdan islistedasthesoloeditor.

Scientists from theplanetArgoncreateamutantwithall theJusticeLeague’spowers (Iknow, Iknow, thatsortof technology isAmazo-ing)that raiseshavocat theNewYorkWorld’sFair.This issueshouldhavebeen billed as featuring three DC stars, as Hawkgirl plays a crucialunbilled role.Well, nowonder she isn’t given equal billing, being a girlafterall…

ANewYorkWorld’sFairdisplayoftheJusticeLeaguemembersdoesnot include Hawkman, although the mutant does sprout Hawkman’swings. Plus Flash and MM contact Hawkgirl through Hawkman’s JLAcommunicator. This issue was published in November of 1964 – themonthHawkmanjoinedtheJLA.

Believe it or not, Batman was not as popular as you would thinkbeforehis1960’sTVshow.His titleswereclose tocancellation.Buthewas still considered the top tier character at National, second toSuperman.Flashwasarguably in thirdplace.Hismanyappearances inB&BbeforeBatmaniaensconcedtheCapedCrusaderasthebook’sstarconfirmedthat.

1965

#57:Metamorpho,“TheOriginofMetamorpho”,February1965Writer: BobHaney, Artist: Ramona Fradon.B&B reverts back to its

try-out days.Why?Who knows, but it’s another success! TheElementManwonhisownseriesthatsummerandhaspoppedupeverywhereintheDCUniverse since.Heevenappeared in the 2002 Justice League

cartoononCartoonNetwork.HebecameafoundingmemberofanotherB&Bspin-off–theOutsiders.

Okay,keepupwithmenow.RexMason lovesSapphireStagg.Herfather,millionaire industrialist Simon Stagg hatesMason. Simon StaggwillallowMasontomarrySapphireifhewillobtaintheOrbofRa.Mason,accompaniedbyStagg’s toadyJava, finds theOrb.Java takes theOrbandtrapsMasoninthepyramid.Masonisbombardedbyradiationfromameteorite inside the pyramid.Nearing death, he takes a pill thatStagggavehimyearsagointheeventofimminentdeath.TheradiationandthepillcombinetoturnMasonintoMetamorphotheElementMan–whocantransformintoanyelement!

Despite being “no whiz at chemistry” Mason becomes magnesium,sodiumcarbonateandfirefoam(carbon,sodiumandwater)inthisissue.Justthinkwhathecoulddoifhewasawhizatchemistry!

#58:Metamorpho,“TheJunkyardofDoom”,Writer:BobHaney,Artist:RamonaFradon.Metamorpho is kidnappedbyex-NaziMaxwellTremaineandbattles

his junkyard of doom – a repository of the world’s dud weaponry thatTremaine has repaired or improved. This includes a robotic prayingmantisanddaddylong-legs,amissilewithinsectwingsandagianttankwithaspikeddrill.

#59: Batman & Green Lantern, “Tick-Tock Traps of the Time

Commander”,Writer: Bob Haney, Artist: Ramona Fradon. Batman’s first starring

appearanceinBrave&Bold,andfifthoverall.The Time Commander uses Batman as bait to trap Green Lantern

andabsorbhispowers.ThenhesendspartsofGothamCityintodifferenttime periods to remain there forever until his alter ego, John Starr, ispardonedofallcrimes.

If Flash was not the third most-popular superhero in National’scollection, then it would be Green Lantern (WonderWoman ... not somuchbackthen).HislateentryintoB&Bisanoddity.

InDC’srevivalofBrave&Bold in2007,BatmanandGreenLanternwerethefirst issue’sstarsasanobvioushonorara.Another issue(#10)

featuredSupermanandtheSilentKnightwithasubtlereferencetoBrianKentbeingSuperman’sdistant(adopted)ancestor...

#60:TheTeenTitans,“TheAstoundingSeparatedMan”,Writer:BobHaney,Artist:BrunoPremanini.Team-uportry-out?You

decide!Regardless,thiswasanotherB&Btry-outtriumph!Fullyoneyearafter their unofficial “first appearance” in issue #54, now the youthfulsidekicksofourfavoriteheroesareofficiallyagroup.Otherthanalullinthe late 1970s, there has been an incarnation of the Titans ever sincethey first appearedhere.This issuedebutsWonderGirl – the lastnewcharacter introduced inBrave&Bold until Nemesis some fifteen yearslater.

Brave & Bold #10 (2007), which featured the aforesaidSuperman/SilentKnightmeetingcontainsanotherstory -Aquamanandthe Teen Titans. That tale takes place in between B&B #54 and thisissue.

After the events of #54,Robin and gang decide to form a group tohelpkidsintrouble.TheteensofMidville(aswellaseveryoneelse)aremenaced when a criminal steals a serum from the father of Midville’sTeen-Mayor-for-a-Day,turninghimintotheSeparatingMan:whosegiantindividualbodypartsattackthetown!Ew.

#61:Starman&BlackCanary,“MastermindofMenaces”,Writer:GardnerFox,Artist:MurphyAnderson,JuliusSchwartz takes

overaseditor.Forthefirst timeinover15yearsBlackCanarystarsonthe cover of aNationalComic (as opposed to being one ofmany in aJLA-JSAmeeting);almost twenty forStarman!BlackCanary’s logohasneverappearedonacoverbefore!ThiscomicalsowonanAlleyAwardforBestComicBookCover.

National was likely testing the waters to see if any of the old JSA

stalwartscouldhandleasoloseries,asfourmonthsearlierDr.FateandHourmanteamedupintwoissuesofShowcase.InterestingrolereversalofShowcasecopyingBrave&Boldbyfeaturingateam-up!

MurphyAnderson’sartisspectacularasourJSAteammatesfighttheMist!HeisusingDinahDrake’shypnoticflowerstoforcerichsocialitestostealfromthemselves!

#62: Starman & Black Canary (with Wildcat), “The Big SuperHero

Hunt”,Writer:GardnerFox,Artist:MurphyAnderson.For the first time inB&B a team-up returns!This time to fightMr.&

Mrs.Menace– theSportsmaster and theHuntress.Here is it revealedthat the two villainshavemarried (the firstmarriageof super villains?).Wildcatmakeshissilveragedebut,andhisfirstofmanyinBrave&Bold.

1966

#63:Supergirl&WonderWoman,“RevoltoftheSuperChicks”,Writer:BobHaney,Artist:JohnRosenberg.GeorgeKashdanisback

as editor. By this time the once proudBrave & Bold banner has beenshrunkdowntotwoinches.

Ahugestepbackforthesuffragettemovement:SupergirlrenouncesherheroiclifestyletolivewiththejetsetinParis.WonderWoman,sent

toconvinceSupergirloftheerrorofherways,alsofallsintotheswayofthe jet set, and renounces her super-do-good lifestyle. With their newboyfriends theyhead to the IleD’Amour,notknowing the island isalsothehide-outoftheevilMulti-Face!Willourgirlsgobacktotheirsuperlifeorremain“frailandfeminine”andkeeptheirboyfriendshappy?

MortWeisingerkeptatightreinontheSupermanfamilyoftitlesandcharacters back then - to have them appear in a non-Superman bookwas a rarity - Justice League of America being the exception. But thestory needed two female leads and there really was no one else inNational’srosterthatwouldfitthebill.

A small tag line on the last panel warns us that “the Spectre iscoming!”Cool!

#64:Batmanvs.Eclipso,whichwasalsothestorytitle.Writer:BobHaney,Artist:DickGiordanoandSalTrapani.Hey,where’stheSpectre?Thisissue(March1966)beginsNational’scheckerboarddesign(“Go-

GoChecks”)alongthetopofalltheircomiccovers.Theygetan“A”foragreatidea:thefirstvillainasaco-star!Batman’s

greatest love and one-time crime-fighting companion, Marcia Monroereturns (Who!? You probably won’t find her listed in any Batmansourcebook)! But she frames Batman for the theft of the cat emerald.While he sits in stir, Marcia, as theQueen Bee (not the JLA foe) andEclipsotakeoverGotham’scrimecartel.

EclipsowasarguablythefirstNationalvillaintogethisownseries.Hisplots were always thwarted by Bruce Gordon and his allies. In laterdecades thecharacter is turned intoademonic lordofvengeance...orsomesuch...suckingthefunouttheoldseriesaltogether.

Saints preserve us! Chief O’Hara debuts in B&B, having beenbroadcasting his befuddlement of the most dastardly assortment ofcriminalmindsthelikesofwhichGothamCityhaseverproducedlothesepast ninety days (translation: he had already been on the Batman TVshowforthreemonths).

#65:Flash&DoomPatrol,“AliasNegativeMan”,Writer:BobHaney,Artist:BrunoPremanini.Aningeniousidea:team

up a new, lesser-known DC character with an established one –

introducing fans to theDoomPatrolwhomight otherwise not buy theircomic.Thiswasalsodonethepreviousissue,butmorewasmadeaboutthe fact that is starred a villain rather than a newermore obscure DCcharacter.

Negative Man is kidnapped by the Brotherhood of Evil (no, notBrotherhood of Evil Mutants, just Brotherhood of Evil. Hey, give theDoomPatrolabreak;theypredatedthatothersuperherogroupledbyaman in a wheelchair by three months – June 1963 as opposed toSeptember1963)!TheFlashdisguiseshimselfasNegativeManandfillsin,foolingtheBrotherhoodintothinking,“Ifthat’sNegativeMan,who’sinthislead-linedcoffin?”Creek!Whoosh!“Aargh!”

Flash andDoomPatrolwere a featured team-up in issue #8 of therevivedB&Bfrom2007asanobvious(andadmitted)homage.

#66:Metamorpho&MetalMen,“WrecktheRenegadeRobot”,Writer:BobHaney,Artist:MikeSekowsky, legendaryJLAartist,who

last appeared in these pages six years ago in issue #30 and does anexcellentjobinthisstory!HisartworklooksalmostKirby-esque.

DocMagnuscuresMetamorphoandturnshimbackintoRexMason!Whatabad time forsomeone to takeover themindsof theMetalMenandorderthemtodestroySimonStagg!

#67:Batman&Flash,“DeathoftheFlash”,Writer: Bob Haney, Artist: Carmine Infantino, who last appeared in

thesepagesthreeyearsearlierwithhismasterlyworkonStrangeSportsStories.Herehedoesaverygoodjobonthetwosuperheroesforwhichheisbestknown.

TheFlashdiscoversthathissuperspeedskillisslowlykillinghim–hemuststoprunningorhewilldie!BadtimefortheSpeedBoystostartasuper-speedcrimespreeinGotham!

InJanuaryof1966 theTVshow“Batman”debutedonABC.By thisissue(September1966),theshowisarunawaysmashandanythingwithBatman’s image on the cover would become a huge seller! Flash hasstarredinmoreissuesofB&Bthananyothercharacterduringtheteam-up and try-out years. Batman has starred in only three issues. Flash’sreignasmostpopularB&Bcharacterwillendshortly.

#68:Batman&Metamorpho,“AliastheBat-Hulk”,Writer: BobHaney, Artist:Mike Sekowsky, in another excellent job!

Whydidn’thedothiswellinJusticeLeagueofAmerica?The Joker, Penguin and Riddler all make their B&B debut.

Metamorphoappearsforthesecondtimeinthreeissues.Batmanisthefirstcharactertostarintwoconsecutiveissueswithdifferentstars.Adsinthe comic explain why: the Batman TV show, the Batman movie, theBatmansyndicatednewspaperstrip,BatmanAuroramodelsand,ohyes,Batman comic books are advertised in this issue. Metamorpho tellsBatmaninthefinalpanelthathe’llseeBatman“ontheTV”.Subtle,isn’tit?

The three dastardly bad guys spray Batman with a chemical thatchanges him into Bat-Hulk: a huge lumbering bad guy whose handsdestroyeverythingtheytouch!Hecaneventhrowchemicalfireballs.Inamomentoflucidity,BatmangoestoSimonStaggandMetamorphototryto findacure.Before theydo,MetamorphomuststopBat-HulkandhisthreealliesduringtheircriminalrampageonGotham.

Unabashed plug department: This is Batman’s fourth starringappearanceinB&B,andinthelastthreehementionsRobinbeingawayataTeenTitansmeetingtoexplainhisabsence.

1967

#69:Batman&GreenLantern,“WaroftheCosmicAvenger”,Writer:BobHaney,Artist:WinMortimer.The Time Commander (from issue #54) returns and again tricks

Green Lantern and Batman into giving him some ofGL’s power. TimeCommander then uses the power to summon Cosmo: “A humanoidrecalledfromthelimboofthepast…”butnowimbuedwithcosmic“starpower”.

#70:Batman&Hawkman,“Cancelled:TwoSuperHeroes”,Writer:BobHaney,Artist:JohnnyCraig.TheCollector decides to start collecting superhero secret identities.

When Batman realizes what is going on, he tricks the Collector intothinkingBatmanisCarterHallandHawkmanisBruceWayne!

#71:Batman&GreenArrow,“WrathoftheThunderbird”,Writer: Bob Haney, Artist: George Pepp. This is Green Arrow’s

secondappearanceinB&Bandhisfirstteam-upwithBatman(ofnine–themostfrequentgueststarintheseries).

BatmanandGreenArrowhelptrainafriendtowinthechiefdomofhisNativeAmericanKijawa tribe.Hisopponentcheats towinand releasesthe Thunderbird, who attacks everyone in sight! Native American slursaboundinthispre-politicallycorrectstory!

#72:Spectre&Flash,“PhantomFlash,CosmicTraitor”,Writer:BobHaney,Artist:CarmineInfantino,whowesawlastinissue

#67also featuring theScarletSpeedster.This is the last issue starringthe Flashwithout co-starringwith Batman. Issue #63 told us that “TheSpectre iscoming!” It’sabouttime!Actually, theyweretalkingabouthissilver age debut inShowcase. This issue ofB&B is the Spectre’s 4thsilverageappearance.

TheghostofaWorldWarOnesquadronfighterwreaksvengeanceonhissurvivingcomrades(hewastheonly fatality);andhe’sbrainwashedtheFlashintoaidinghim!

This issue mentions Earth Two, the alternative world in which thegoldenageheroeslive,forthefirsttime.Itsetsupsomestrangescenes–one,theFlashfromEarth-1istheretovisittheSpectre(whovisitstheSpectre?);andtwo,whencrooksspotacrimsonblurracingtowardthemtheyshoutout,“It’stheFlash!”Whattheydon’tshoutoutis,“Wait,what’swiththedifferentcostume?”

SpectreisoneofthefewcharactersfromtheGoldenAgethatfitwellinthisnewSilverAge.Especiallyinthelate1960swhencharactersweregettingstrangerandlessgood-guy-wearing-a-cape.HisruninShowcaseand his own brief series at the time still make for wonderful reading.Spectre’sruninAdventureComicsintheearly1970sastheembodimentofvengeanceisiconic.

#73: Aquaman & Atom, “Galg the Destroyer”, Writer: Bob Haney,

Artist:SalTrapani.Galg the Destroyer is out to conquer the universe. The catch? He

livesinamicroscopicworldinadropofoceanwater!

TheGo-GoChecksaregone in this issue.So isBatman.As far asBrave & Bold is concerned, the Go-Go Checks will never return, andBatmanwillneverleave.Batmanwillsoonbeginhis127-issuerunasthestar.

***

TheselasttwoissuesofBrave&Bold(#72and#73)werethelowest-

sellinginsometime.Thereasonwasobvious–theywerethefirstissuesinanearlyayearthatdidnotfeatureBatmanonthecover.IssuesbeforetheBatmanTV showwere selling from249,000 to 279,000. Issue #69(for example) sold 398,000 copies. As the TV show would say, “Zap!Pow!Ka-Ching!!”Seeing thedollar signs in frontof their eyes (and themanyzeroesbeforetheperiodintheirsalesreports),theeditorsofBrave&Boldvowednevertomakethatmistakeagain!World’sFinestaside(asthatwasalwaysconsideredaSupermanbookatworstandacomicco-starring Superman and Batman at best); from here on, Brave & BoldbecomesthethirdBatmanbook.

When didNational finally decide this? The comic itself doesn’t say.DespiteBatmaniabeing in full bloom,#68 tellsus that “we’ll beseeingmoreteam-upsofDC’sfabulousheroesintheverynextissueofBrave&Bold!” ... but notBatman specifically.Besides, limitingB&B to one starandaguestwouldlimititsscope,wouldn’tit?Hardly,thebestwasyettocome!

returntotableofcontents

TheTeam-upYearsPt.II

Lo,thereshallcomeaDarkKnight!January1968–January1972

Thenext twenty-five issuesofBrave&Boldareconsideredthebest

oftherunduringtheteam-upyears.Andrightlyso:theissuesfrom#79through #86 inclusive are considered the best issues of the entire run;andamongthebestcomicseverpublished!

By this time Marvel had been regularly beating National comics inpopularity (nowadayswe could call it “buzz”), if not in sales.Charletonwas successfully publishing heroes like Captain Atom and the BlueBeetle. Thereweremore superhero comics being published than therehad been in twenty years. Compared to all the DistinguishedCompetition,DCseemedstaid,staticand–worstofall–boring to thegrowing-older reader.SoNationaldecided to fightback!DCdecided togrow rather thanwither - if you can’t beat them, imitate them!Nationaldecided tochange theirstyle– introducingnewandoff-beatcharacterslike the Creeper and Hawk & Dove. Comics such as Aquaman andJustice League of America and most notablyGreen Lantern (soon tochange itsmoniker toGreenLantern/GreenArrow started tobecome–what’stheword?–relevant!Sometimesitworked,sometimesitdidn’t.

This was to be the new look Brave & Bold: no longer will theadventures of the caped crusader be square and archaic, to use thewordsofa letter-writer,but realand important.Drug runners insteadofpettycrooks,terroristsandspiesinsteadofmonstersandaliens!Heavy,anddeep,man,realdeep.

Chances were taken – team-ups were done (and done well) thatwould seem unlikely: AdamStrange, Sgt. Rock andPhantomStrangermettheCapedCrusader.DC’smostrecentcreationtheCreeperstarred.Experimentsweredone:TheBatSquad introducedacastofassistantsforBatmanakintotheaidsofpulpheroesDocSavageandtheShadow.Batman entered the House of Mystery. And Green Arrow, the mostfrequent guest in the team-up years, was given a make-over: a newcostume and character. That hasn’t been done in B&B since theHawkmanrebootinMarch1961,8½yearsearlier.

NealAdamswas theartistduring theclassiceight-issuespan (#79-#86) and helpedmake these issues the comic book legends they are.Adamswasn’tacomicbookartist–hewasaphotographer!Theart inBrave&Boldneverlookedmorerealistic,andthestorieswereinspiring.

Otherwise theartworkwasexcellently doneby (mostly)NickCardy.With#98,however,anotherartisttookovermostoftheartchores.DickGiordano brought him over from Charleton. His name was Jim Aparo.Moreonhimlater.

BobHaneywasstillinhisownlittlecontinuitybubble–BruceWaynewas a Senator, adopted a second ward and became a godfather toanotheryouth,noneofthesefactshavebeenacknowledgedsince–noteven inHaney’s later stories.Nonetheless, thestorieswrittenwerestillexciting.Youneverknewwhatwouldhappenonthenextpage!

For the most part these twenty-five issues featured stories and artwhichwerefunandadmirable;entertainingandlaudable.Itwasabraveandboldstepforthecomicandithelpedputitattheforefrontofcomicsgenerally and National Comics specifically. Comic book readers werestartingtogrowup,andBrave&Boldgrewupwiththem.Itwastheverybest.

November1967#74:Batman&MetalMen,“RampantRuntheRobots”,(sinceBatman

stars in all remaining issues, only the guest – as indicated on themagazine’scover–willbelisted).

Writer:BobHaney,Artist:RossAndru.BatmanbeginshisrunthroughtheremainderofB&Basitsstar.This

isalsothefirstmeetingofmanywiththeMetalMen.RobotsrunamuckandcommitcrimesaplentyduringarobotexpositioninGotham.AretheMetalMenalsoaffectedandcommittingcrimes?Batmanthinksso!

1968

#75:…&Spectre,untitledtail,Writer:BobHaney,Artist:RossAndru.Wonderful cover by Neal Adams! A typo has the editor being GeorgeHasdaninsteadofKasdan!

OnChineseNewYear (theYearof theBat), theLordof theYellowRiver,Shahn-ZitrapsthecitizensofGotham’sChinatownuntilitsmayor,BillWoo,turnsoverhissontobecomethenewLordoftheRiver.

#76:…&PlasticMan,“Doom,WhatisthyShape?”,Writer:BobHaney,Artist:GeorgeRoussos.TheMolder andhis plastic robots terrorizeGotham!This issuealso

featuresareprintofaRobinsolostory,butthecomicdoesn’ttelluswhenandinwhichcomicitwasoriginallypublished.

Plas’ first appearance in B&B. He was a Golden Age great fromQualityComicsboughtoutbyNationalinthe1950s.Attemptstobuildupthecharacterweren’tverysuccessful -hiscomicsonly lastedayearortwo.EvenaSaturdaymorning cartoondidn’t help.But by his inclusioninto the JLA title and appearances in the Batman: Brave and Boldcartoon,PlasticManwasfirmlysetinDC’spantheon.

#77:…&Atom,“SoThunderstheCannoneer”,Writer: Bob Haney, Artist: Ross Andru. Artist and writer credits are

startingtoappearmoreregularlynow.RossAndruhasbeendrawingsomanyissuesofB&Blatelyitalmost,almostseemstoestablishaspecificlookofcontinuityforthebook!ThisideaofacertainlookforB&Bwillbevery important in future issueswithNealAdamsandJimAparo.Also inthis issue, in the text page, the editor requests letters to the comic.Insteadofone-pagetextsregalinguswithinformationontheGreatWall,ghosts,real-life tiny individuals,“real”proofofghosts,etc.,wewillsoongetcorrespondencefromfellowfans!

TheCannoneerandhiscircuscroniessteal theBrotherhoodTrain–featuringonecarforeverynation,aWorld’sFaironarail!

#78: … & Wonder Woman (with Batgirl), “In the Coils of the

Copperhead”,Writer:BobHaney,Artist:BobBrown,Editor:MurrayBoltinoff.TolullthevillainousCopperheadintotheopen,WonderWomanand

BatgirlpretendtobeinlovewithBatman,distractinghimfromhisbattleagainstcrime.Itseemstowork,untiltheyreallyfallforhim!

Batgirl is the co-star, and is given amention on the cover, but it ismoreofaBatman-WonderWoman team-up.Batgirl’spresence ismore

to capture the TV fans. This issue also introduces the villainy of theCopperhead, the last bad-guy of note to debut in B&B (others beingStarro, Amazo, Matter Master, Shadow Thief, and the Manhawks).Copperhead fought Hawkman in the fourth series of his magazine,teaming with the Shadow Thief – a Brave & Bold reunion that wentunnoticed!

#79:…&Deadman,“TrackoftheHook”,August-September1968.Writer:BobHaney,Artist:NealAdams.Beginningthe“classic”runofB&Bthrough#86.Uponrelease,andto

thisdayinthebackissuemarket,thisissuewasphenomenallypopular.Deadmanappeared inStrangeAdventuresand this issue isan integralpartof thatstorybut told in theothermagazine.Morethan justaguestappearance - this is part of theDeadmanstorylineandmythos.A rarethingforBrave&BoldandDCingeneral.

Deadman helps Batman identify “The King” – Gotham’s syndicateleader,inexchangeforBatmanhelpingtrackdownDeadman’skiller,theHook.Theybreakthesyndicate,butfailtofindtheHook.ButwedomeetMaxChill–thebrotherofthemanwhokilledBatman’sparents.

The first letter column appears in Brave & Bold since issue #49,exactly fiveyearsbefore!ThiscomicalsowonanAlleyAward forBestFull-LengthStory.

#80:…&Creeper,“AndHellgramiteishisName”,Writer: Bob Haney, Artist: Neal Adams. Another new villain is

introduced with some durability – Hellgramite tormented Green Arrowthroughthe1970sinWorld’sFinestComics,buthasn’tbeenseenmuchinthepastthirtyyears.TonyIsabella,futureMarvelandDCwriter/editorand creator ofBlack Lightning,MistyKnight andothers, has a letter inthisissue’slettercolumn.

Hellgrammite captures three ofGotham’s gangland bosses.BatmanandCreeperfightHellgrammite,CommissionerGordonandeachothertofindoutwhy!

Creeper was anotherShowcase creation that reflected themove inthemid-1960saway fromstandardsuperhero fare.Nocapesandutilitybelts here - just strange weirdness. He was created by the legendarySteveDitko.

1969

#81:…&Flash,“ButBorkCanHurtYou”,Writer:BobHaney,Artist:NealAdams.A two-bit hood suddenly becomes invulnerable and takes over

GothamCity’sunderworld!FlashdiscoversBork’ssecret(islandnativescreated a stone statue of Bork, imbuing him with invulnerability) justbefore Bork forcesGotham’smayor to banishing Batman from the cityforever. Flash runs in outer space and through the sun unharmed, apowerhe’snevershownbefore!

BorkwasrevivedbyKurtBusiekasamemberofhisPowerCompanyseries,butotherwisethecharacterhasnotbeenused.

#82:…&Aquaman,“SleepwalkerfromtheSea”,Writer:BobHaney,Artist:NealAdams.Thisissuebeginsanewlogo.

GoneisthewaivingBrave&Boldbannerseensincethefirstissue.Nowwe have simple blocked script in capital letters announcing the comicname.Smallwonder–thebannerlogohasbeenshrinkingforyearsandwasalmostinvisible.Theplainlogobelaystheexcellentmaterialwithin!

Aquaman’s brother Orm, the Ocean Master, tricks Aquaman intobeinghis“muscle”inashadymarinedevelopmentdeal.

#83:…&TeenTitans,“PunishNotMyEvilSon”,Writer:BobHaney,Artist:NealAdams.Robin is jealouswhenBatmanadoptsasecondward–thesonofa

deceasedfriend.ButthesecondsonofBatmanisabadseed.HefinallyturnsfromthedarksideintimetosaveBatman.

#84:…&Sgt.Rock,“TheAngel,TheRock&TheCowl”,Writer: Bob Haney, Artist: Neal Adams. Joe Kubert assists an

uncreditedco-artist.ThecombinationofAdamsandKubert(whoassistsonthepanelswithEasyCompany)isfantastic!Adamsphotographicstyleand Kubert’s distinctive method gives the art a natural look – actionsbecomerealisticspeedblurs!

AnotherfriendofBruceWayneiskilled(twoissuesinarownow…),thistimeduringWWIIwhilespyingontheNazis.BruceWaynetakesoverthecaseandinterfereswithEasyCompany’sorderstoblowupabridgeon D-minus-one-Day. According to the Overstreet Price Guide (andothers), this is the first appearance of the golden age (Earth-Two)BatmanintheSilverAge(barringanearlierone-panelcameoinJusticeLeagueofAmerica#82).Inthelettercolumnto#86,onewritercomplainsabout the time-anomaly: A 60-year old Rock and a still-young BruceWayne.

Ahouseadforthisissueappearsonthelastpage–“howcanit(thisteam-up) be possible?” This is one of the strangest team-ups even forthisera-butitreallyworks.Theeditorssawthattoo-Rockcamebackmany times to team with Batman. He was one of the more popularguests!

Theblurbforthenextissueasks“Howcanwetopthis?”andanswers“thisistoprepareyouforwhat’scomingnext!”ThebeautifulthingaboutB&Binthiserais…they’reright!

#85:…&GreenArrow,“TheSenator’sBeenShot”.Writer:BobHaney,Artist:NealAdams.Fifteencents?!Fifteencents!

Foracomicbook?Outrageous!Thisbetterbesomestory!

It is! Like their promise in the previous issue, they top themselves.Althoughprobablynottocompensateusfortheextrathreecents,thisisthemostpopularB&Bofthisera.Itiscertainlythemostreprinted.Itwaspart of the “Millenium Edition” reprint issues in 2000. This issueintroduceda“newlook”forGreenArrow–newcostume,blondgoatee–buttheradicalattitudecamelaterinGreenLantern’scomic.

HereB&Bcombinesitsteam-upswithitsoldgenreofintroducingnewcharacters(ornewlyremodeledcharacters)andisdoneexcellently!

TheSenatorwasshotbecausehesupportedacrimebill thatwouldeliminate the career of evil financier Miklos Minotaur. BruceWayne isappointed interim senator. Meanwhile, Minotaur must eliminate hiscompetitor (Ollie Queen) from wining a multi-million dollar Gothamrenovationplan.

ThisisaprimeexampleofBobHaney’sisolatedDCContinuity.BruceWayne’s stint as a senator has never been elsewhere referenced, noteveninBrave&Bold.

#86:…&Deadman,“YouCan’tHidefromaDeadman”,Writer: Bob Haney, Artist: Neal Adams. Tony Isabella again

contributestotheletterpage.Inastorycontinued fromStrangeAdventures#216(Deadman’s last

issue in thatmagazine): Deadman is poisonedwhile in Namba Parbat(where he obtains corporeal form). To save his life, Batman andDeadman’s brother Cleveland fight the Sensei’s Society of Assassins,oneofwhomhastheantidote.

It isanexcellentbookendtothebestrunoftheseries-startingwithDeadman in issue#79andendingwithDeadmanhere.Plus these twoDeadmantalesareconsideredpartofhiscanon.Goodtimesforthebook-greatstufftoread.

1970

#87:…&WonderWoman,“TheWidowmaker”,WriterandArtist:MikeSekowskyandinkedbyDickGiordano.

Issue#150liststhewriterasBobHaney,butthisissueand#88stateSekowskywrotethetaleofBruceWayneracingatMonteCarlo.WonderWomandiscoversthatBruce’scarissabotagedbyhisracingadversaryWilliVanDort.

Batman appearance here is almost token. Could this have been aWonderWomantalerevampedforinclusioninBrave&Bold?SekowskywroteanddrewWonderWoman’scomicatthetime,andwiththeartworkofNealAdamsbeing somuch indemandcould thisbea “rush job” tomeetadeadline?

PartOneof a text page summarizing the first 24 issuesofBrave&Bolddebuts,writtenbyMarvWolfman!

#88:…&Wildcat,“CountTen&Die”,Writer:BobHaney,Artist:IrvNovick(hisfirstworkonBrave&Boldin

66issues–justshortofelevenyears!FutureDCscribeMartyPaskohasalinepublishedinthelettercolumn(oneofthefewslamsontheGreenArrowremake–“Where’sSpeedy?”)

Washed-uphas-beenTedGrantlivesonskidrow,butisconvincedbyBruceWayne to coach theboxing team for theWorldYouthGames inVienna.Batmangoestoo,tocaptureanironcurtainspy!

The text page featured Part Two of Marv Wolfman’s summarizingBrave&Bold.HerehediscussedthenewcharactersintroducedinB&Bwho went on to their own comics (JLA, Hawkman, Teen Titans andMetamorpho).

Wildcat appears in costume in only five panels!Was this aBatmanstory originally featuring a “normal” ex-boxing champ and rewritten –substituting Wildcat to make it a B&B tale? Good story (so was lastissue),butwhatgives?WeretheeditorsatB&Bcaughtsounawares?

Maybeitwasdoneonpurpose,asanexperiment(ateam-upinwhichthesuperheroesneveractuallymeetexceptintheirotheridentities).JustaslastissuewasaWonderWomanstorywithaBatmancameo,sothiswasaBatmanstorywithaWildcatcameo.

Regardless,itwaswelldone,whichisthewholepoint.#89:…&PhantomStranger,“AriseYeGhostsofGotham”,Writer: Bob Haney, Artist: Ross Andru. Part Three of a text page

summarizingthefirstteam-upsinBrave&Bold.

Okay, stay with me. 150 years ago the Hellerite sect settles inGotham. Being different, their settlement was burned down and theywere runoutof town.Nowadescendantofsect founderJosephHellerand descendants of the Hellerite survivors settle in Gotham Park anddemand reparations! Their hatred summons forth the ghosts of theHellerites and JosephHeller!Gothamstarts turning into salt and everyfirst born male child turns into warlocks! Including Dick Grayson! HolyCharletonHeston!Will Batman sidewith PhantomStrangerwho offershisassistance,orgowithDoctorThirteen,whobelieves theStrangeracharlatan?

Theideaofreciprocity(onesovereignstaterecognizingandobeyingthelawsofanother)betweenGotham’sfamilylaw/guardianstatutesandtheLawsofDivineRetributionisintriguing.Inotherwords,iftheCosmicLaws of Vengeance recognize Dick Grayson as being BruceWayne’sfirstbornmalechild;then,underFullFaithandCreditprovisions,itmustalso recognize the right to dueprocess, illegal searchand seizure andtrialbyjury.Wouldn’tthatputtheSpectre,forexample,outofbusiness?WhathathHaneywrought?

The Phantom Stranger is one of my favorite characters. He wasintroduced in the 1950s as a more-or-less crime fighter fightingsupernatural threats;kindofamysteriousKolchak.Hewas rebooted inShowcase and in his own series as a being who intervenes for goodagainstallmannerofcreepiness.

#90:…&AdamStrange,“YouOnlyDieTwice”,Writer:BobHaney,Artist:RossAndru.PartFourofMarvWolfman’s

historyofBrave&Boldteam-upscontinues.AdamStrangeisaccidentallywhiskedintothefutureandbringsback

Batman’sobituary!Cantheypreventhishumiliatingdemise?AnotheralumofShowcase,AdamStrangewasagreatsciencefiction

hereintheveinofBuckRogersorFlashGordon.#91:…&BlackCanary,“ColdCorpsefortheCollector”,Writer:BobHaney,Artist:NickCardy.The fifthand finalChapterof

thehistoryofBrave&Boldteam-upsisincludedasatextpage.Black Canary falls in love with the Earth-One counterpart of her

deceasedhusbandLarry Lance.Unfortunately, Lancemaybe themob

bossBatmaniscurrentlyhunting!She appeared earlier inB&B teaming with her fellow JSAmember

Starman. Since then, in the pages of Justice League of America, shebecame widowed and relocated to Earth-One and gained her sonicpowers. Later continuity revealed shewas actually the daughter of theEarth-Two Black Canary and ... well ... her history has been rebootedseveraltimesbynow;besttoforgetaboutit...

#92:…&theBatSquad,“NightWearsaScarletShroud”,Writer:BobHaney,Artist:NickCardy.This isanattempt tocreateagroupofsidekicksoraids forBatman

ala thepulpheroes that inspiredhiscreation– theShadow, theSpiderandDocSavage. Just in case thepoint ismissed, thegirlwasnamedMargo(however, theyheldbackgivingher the lastnameofLane).TheBatSquadconsistedoftheMajor,retiredScotlandYard;Mick,reformedpick-pocket turned mod-rocker; and Margo, eye-candy (shades of theSuicide Squad and Cave Carson!). They never appeared again, andwereprobably better suited forDetectiveComics thanas a team-up inBrave&Bold.WasthisanattempttogobacktoB&B’s“try-out”daystotestthewaterforanewgroupof“Bat-partners”?

Duringa filmingof “TheScarletStrangler”, the star and thedirectordisappear. Batman and his Bat Squad track the clues and findthemselves back in 1904 London and come face to face with the realStrangler!!OrisitagiantrusebyaStranglerwannabe?

Oddly, in #89Batman did believe in ghosts and spooks, but in thisissueheplaystheskeptic.

NickCardy’sartinhissix-issuestintas“regular”artistisspectacular!Rather thanNealAdam’s lithe, leanBatman,Cardy’scapedcrusader isbeefier:agilityversusstrength.HisstyleissimilartoGeorgeTuska,whohascontributedafewone-pagestoriesinthepastfewissues.Cardyisawonderful artist (so is Tuska for that matter) and continues to keep asenseofcontinuityinB&B.

1971

#93:…intheHouseofMystery,“RedWater,CrimsonDeath”,

Writer:DennyO’Neal,Artist:NealAdams.Adamsisbackasartist,inoneofthebestBatmanstories,andforthatmatteroneofthebestcomicbookstories,ever.This issueappeared ina “BestofDC’ tabloid in thelate1970s.Theartisperfect,thetaleissuspensefulandmoody!

Cain, the “host” ofHouse of Mystery tells the tale: While on (whatshouldbe)a restfulvacationvoyage to Ireland,BruceWaynebefriendsSean,aboyfromtheAranIslands.WaynestayswithSean’sfamilyanddiscovers a plot to frighten the fisher folk off the island to ensureexclusive fishing rights for the villain behind it all –AlouysiosCabot.Atypicaltale,untilBatmanishelpedbytheghostofKingHughofAran.

FutureJusticeLeagueandLegionofSuperheroesauthor/artistKeithGriffincontributesaletter.

#94:…&TeenTitans,“RebelsintheStreets”,Writer:BobHaney,Artist:NickCardy.IntheTitan’sownbook,Robin

had left the group. Haney and Cardy (who also wrote and drewTeenTitans)usedthisissuetobringRobinbackintotheTitans.

Ghetto teensmakeanatomicbombandwilldetonate itunless theirdemands are met – jail all drug dealers, slum lords and (eep!)CommissionerGordonandBatman!

#95:…&?,“ColdCorpseonDelivery”,Writer:BobHaney,Artist:NickCardy.B&BBaddieRubyRyder, the

world’srichest(andmostruthless)woman,makesherdebut.OutsideofHaney’swork,though,Rubyisrarelyseen.Also,thisissuehasthe“ReaditEver,MissitNever”taglineattheendofthestory.Thistaglinehasn’tbeenseeninB&Binyears(usedmostlyduringthe“Go-GoChecks”era),andwillneverbeseenagain!Anothertaglinewilldebutnextissue,withabitmorestayingpower!

RubyRyderhiresBatman to findhermissing fiancé.Whenhe findshiminSouthAmerica,BatmanbringshimbacktoRuby,whoshootshimdead!LuckilyitwasPlasticManindisguisetryingtoestablishanewlife.Thus starts Bob Haney’s apparent hatred of Plastic Man – hereafterportrayinghimasanunlovableloser,socialpariahandwashed-uphero.HaneywouldhavegivenPlasBOifitwouldgetpastthecomicscode.

Thefirst“mystery”guest inB&B–thereaderisprovidedcluesastotheguest’sidentity.Thisone’satoughie!The“clues”providedaremerely

vagueshapes (ahandpushingBatman,etc.).Onceyouknowwho theguestis,thecluesareeasyinretrospect.ThehandpushingBatmanwasnextseeninasewergrating.Howdidhegetdowntheresofast?Easy–hestretchedoutofthegrating!

#96:…&Sgt.Rock,“TheStripedPantsWar”,Writer:BobHaney,Artist:NickCardy. “B&BSeeingYou”debutsas

the tag line in the letter column – and used from here on. RockremembersBatmanfromissue#84.Hemusthavebeendebriefedaftertheadventure–RockmetBruceWayne,butwasunawareofBatman’sparticipation!

Bruce Wayne’s friend, the ambassador to an unnamed SouthAmerican country is kidnapped (I would avoid being Bruce Wayne’sfriend…).Bruceisappointedinterimambassadorand,asBatman,huntsfor the terrorist-kidnappers. The clues point to an insider helping theterrorists.Cluesthatpointtothethirty-yearman–SgtRock!

#97:…&Wildcat,“TheSmileofChoclotan”,Writer:BobHaney,Artist:BobBrown.Twenty-fivecents?Twenty-five

centsforacomicbook!?Hmmph,well,thepagecountdiddoubleto52pages.Still,inmydayyoucouldbuyacomicforadime…

Deadman’sdebut /originstory fromStrangeAdventures is reprinted.FutureDCAnswerManBobRozakisasksquestionsinthelettercolumn.Theeditorclaimstherewereonlyfivedissentinglettersreceivedfor#94(TeenTitans)andonlyonedissentingletterfor#93(HouseofMystery).One…outof twohundredthousandreaderswrotetosayhedidn’t liketheissue.Hyperbole?Quitelikely,buttheyweregreatissues!

Amnesia strikes Wildcat (wildcat strike?) as he looks for the losttempleofanAztecgod.CanBatmanhelphimregainhismemoryandre-find the temple before temple-raiders kill them both? This is the thirdissueinarowthattakesplaceinLatinAmerica.

#98:…&PhantomStranger,“MansionoftheMisbegotten”,Writer: Bob Haney, Artist: Jim Aparo. Two reprinted stories in this

issue–aChallengersoftheUnknowntaleandararePhantomStrangerstoryfromthe1950s.

Batman’s friendRogerBirnamdies (another friendbites thedust…).OnhisdeathbedRogermakesBatmanpromisetocareforhiswidowedwife and young son. Ooo, too bad they are the ring leaders of amurderoussataniccult…

ThiswasJimAparo’sfirstattemptatdrawingBatman-forapublishedcomic book of course, I’m sure he had drawn Batman before for hisportfolio - having been selected for this issue because of his stunningworkonPhantomStranger.ItwasathrowbacktooldendayswheretheregularartistofthegueststardidtheartworkinB&B.Comicfanstothisdayshouldbegratefulforthisdecision!

DickGiordanobroughtJimAparo fromCharletonComics,whereheworkedonNightshade,amongotherstories -mostnotablyhisworkonthe Phantom. His style is more like Neal Adams than Nick Cardy –although his first few issues were Cardy-esque – beefy and stoutcharacters.HisleanandlitheBatmanwilldevelopquickly.WhilenotthephotographerthatisNealAdams,Aparo’sartisjustasgood–charactersarealive–skinny, fat,curlyhair,balding,every illustration is…well…different! Angry characters are livid, happy characters are ecstatic,surprisedcharactersare in shock!WhenBatman landsahaymakeronthe bad guys, the comic shudders! Aparo’s portrayal of emotion andactionisperfect.Aparo’sBatmanwillbethetemplateforthenexttwentyyears.He’soneofthebest.

1972

#99:…&Flash,“TheManWhoMurderedthePast”,Writer:BobHaney,Artist:NickCardy(theindexinissue#150states

this issuewasdrawnby JimAparo).VikingPrince returns toB&B in areprintedstory.

The ghost of a Satan-worshipping Portuguese whaler possessesBatman. IfOldManuelcancomeback from thedead,canBatmanusethesamemethodtobringbackhisparents?Well,no,butit’ssuspensefulforafewpanels!

#100: … & Green Arrow, Black Canary, Green Lantern, Robin,

“Warrior inaWheelchair”,Writer:BobHaney,Artist:JimAparo.History

repeatsitself–AparoreplacedCardyasartistforAquaman,anddoessoagainnowinBrave&Bold.

ADeadmanreprintroundsouttheissue.BobRozakisappearsinthelettercolumnagain.

Batmanistemporarilydisabled–theslightestshockcouldkillhim!Soheenlists the aid of his friends to do his detectivework for him.BlackCanaryalmostblowshermission–shecouldn’tgooutsideas itwouldruinherhairdobystandingintherain!Afterherlastappearance(sidingagainst the Batman in favor of her husband’s doppelganger), onewonders howBatman could have trusted her the next three times sheappears!

***

Theartistsandwriters fromthiserawouldbe inducted inanycomic

book hall of fame on the first ballot. And theseweren’t guests – thesewere the regular monthly artists! Neal Adams, Nick Cardy, Jim Aparo.Guestartists includedMikeSekowsky,JoeKubert,and IrvNovick.Addwriters Denny O’Neal and Bob Haney andBrave & Bold’s pedigree iscomplete. Neal Adams proved so popular he was quickly moved toNational juggernautJusticeLeagueofAmericabeforesettling intoDC’sflagshipDetectiveComics.HeandDennyO’Nealworkedtogetheragainon Green Lantern (renamed Green Lantern/Green Arrow) where theyhelpedredefinewhatwethinkofas“funnybooks”.

Chances were taken in this era –B&B introduced new characters,highlighted little-knownor forgottenheroes.Batmanappeared incameoinoneissue(#87)andtheguestbarelyappearedinanother(#88).Iftheywere really willing to take a risk, #88 could have been done with thesecret identitiesonly–no long johnscouldhaveappearedatall and itstillwouldhavebeenaterrificstory!

Itwasuncanny–everystorywaswellwritten,beautifullydrawnandwellreceived.Fewcomicbooksinthepastseventyyearscanclaimsuchaflawlessspanofissues,andmostofthosecomicsmakingsuchaclaimwouldbefromDC’smaincompetitor!AsforBrave&Bold,thestoriesand

artweretremendousandthesalesofthemagazinereflectedit.B&BwasNational’sprideandjoy,oneofDC’sverybestcomics.

Brave&Boldwasattheverytop.Unfortunately,onceyou’vereachedthetop,thereisonlyoneplacetogo.

returntotableofcontents

TheTeam-upYearsPt.III

CoastingMarch1972–May1979

For the rest of the 1970s, Brave & Bold seemed to rely on its

popularity.Thiswas the lowestpoint inBrave&Boldhistory, ifonlybecause it

wasitsleastcreative.Saleswerestillgoodandsolid(itwentmonthlyinthis period as did many DC comics), and the stories and art weresometimesfantastic.Butasareflectionofthesuperherocomicsindustryatthetime,Brave&Boldseemedtiredandinneedofsomefreshideas.Batmanmetonlytennewcharacters(that is,characterswhohadneverappeared before in B&B) in this fifty-issue run, and one of them wasSuperman. Supergirl was another. That averages one new team-upeverytwoyears.

Mostof thenew team-upswereexciting in idea ifnot inapplication.SomeofBatman’smostbizarrepartnerswere in this timeperiod– theDemon, Manbat, Kamandi, Swamp Thing, the Unknown Soldier andRichardDragonKungFuFighter!Mr.Miracleappeared–theonlynodtoKirby’sFourthWorldseriesgoingonelsewhereatNational.

ThesenewheroesreflectedNational’sattempttorefreshtheir lineinthe1970s.Kirby’swork(includingtheaforementionedKamandi),gaveashot of excitement at National. The horror genre was at its peak withDC’s mystery magazines and Phantom Stranger and Swamp Thingputtingoutexcellentstoriesandart.Swordandsorcerymagazinescameback–harkening toB&B’searliestdaysonlywithamoremodern twist(read:more sex and violence) –Warlord, Claw, Stalker, even a comicbook loosely -anddo Imean loosely -onBeowulf.DCeven triedpulpheroes (TheShadowand theAvenger inJustice Inc.)andgavevillainstheir own comics –Kobra, theSecretSociety ofSupervillains andTheJoker!

While these comicswerewonderful and exciting in themselves, thesuperhero genre was stagnating. At one time the two biggest sellingcomics atNational, both Justice League of America andBrave&Boldwereat their lowestebb.Even turning thecomics into100pagegiants

packedwithnewmaterialandwonderfulreprintsdidn’thelpboostsalesinafalteringeconomy.

The price of comics going from ten to twelve to fifteen, twenty-five,fiftycentsalsohurtsales.

Alot.Maybe itwas partly the fault of the editor,MurrayBoltinoff, and his

choice of guests. He insisted B&B feature “real” heroes – no moreubermensch in underwear with impossible and inexplicable powers.Reprintsinthe100pagegiantsconsistedofVikingPrince,SilentKnight,GreenArrow,SecretSix,TeenTitansandBlackhawkstories.WhilethisideaworkedforCharletoncomics(thiswasalsooneofDickGiordano’sfavoritemantras),atB&Bitmadeforboringteam-ups.Wildcatappearedonaverageeveryeightissues.GreenArrowappearedannually.

Plus the guests seemed interchangable – Metamorpho could havebeenPlasticMan could have been theMetalMen.GreenArrow couldhave been Wildcat could have been Black Canary. Batman neededsomeone to investigateahealthspawhocouldnotbeseen.HecalledDeadman.WhynottheMartianManhunter?Cometothinkofit,whynotElementGirl instead ofMetamorpho?WhynotBlackOrchid instead ofWonderWoman?Dolphin insteadofAquaman?Theydid itonce–withSupergirlinsteadofSuperman,anditworked!Theydidn’ttakethehint…

ImagineBatmanmeeting theNewGodsor theForeverPeople (Mr.Miracle’sappearanceshardlymentionedtheFourthWorld:therewasoneappearance by Granny Goodness and a mention of Darkseid butotherwise Miracle’s three team-ups added nothing to the mythos). Orimagine his teaming with the Avenger, Travis Morgan the Warlord,CaptainComet,CodeName:AssassinorKirby’sSandman.

Meanwhile,MarvelwasonceagainbeatingDCatitsowngame:TheThing inMarvel Two-in-One introduced new characters (for example -whileMTiO did not debut of Spiderwoman - it certainly put her in thelimelight) and teamedwith Doc Savage. Spiderman’sMarvel Team-Upguest-starredHoward theDuck and the cast of SaturdayNight Live. Ithadcontinuingstorylineswithmorethanoneguest(ThorandHavokinone,Dr.StrangeandMs.Marvelinanother,Hulk,WoodgodandWarlockinyetanother!).HowcanB&Btopthat?

Ironically,Batmanwashavingmoreexcitingteam-upselsewherethanin his own team-up magazine. Walt Simonson’s Manhunter fought

Batman in Detective Comics; the Shadow out-spooked Batman inBatman and inDetective Comics where he “met” the ghost of EnemyAce.OntelevisionhemetScoobyDoo!

Twice!Zoinks!Thisiswhythestrangerteam-ups(SwampThing,Kamandi,Manbat)

seemedsostrangeandbroughtalotofresponse,positiveornot.SwampThing? Igottabuy that!KamandiandBatman together?How?Goodorbad, the powers-that-be didn’t look at sales figures, only what theythoughtwould“work”.Forthatmatter,however,whenthestoriesworked,theyworked.TheJokerteam-upisoneofthebestsellingcomicsofthisera. But then they wondered why the fourthWildcat story in as manyyearsdidn’tsellaswell.Evenadding theJokeras the titledvillain toaWildcatstorydidn’thelpsales.Andtheeditorsasked,“Why?”

Still, itwasn’tall thatbad:experimentsweremade– threeofB&B’sfourthree-personteam-up(thefourthbeingthe100thanniversaryissue)and two of its fivemulti-part storylines appeared in this era (both withGreen Arrow {sigh} well, their hearts were in the right place). Thevillainous Ruby Ryder appears in several issues to taunt Batman andBruceWayne–asmallattempttomakeB&BtrulyathirdBatmanbook?But as is the danger of team-up books, continuity and characterizationmusttakeabackseattogettingourheroestogethertobeatthebadguysinabouttwentypages(notcountingtheunnecessarysplash).

But suchattemptswere fleetingand (apparently) unnecessary.B&Bstill had good sales and loyal readers from years past (the sales dropwasproportionatetotheindustryasawhole),andthemarvelousAparoartwasalwaysspectacular,givingB&Bitsdistinctlook.ThiswasthetimewhenAparomadehisnitchastheBatmanartist.AsinfluentialtoBatmanasWayneBoringorCurtSwanweretoSuperman.

Itwasn’tthebest,butitwasstillgood!Andthat’sallthatmatters!Isn’tit?(Unlessotherwisestated,BobHaneywroteandJimAparodrewthe

issues)May1972#101:…&Metamorpho,“ColdBlood,HotGun”

Writer:BobHaney,Artist:JimAparo.AGothammansionisbeingsoldviasealed-bidauction.Ahiredkiller

namedBountyHunter is trying to eliminate everyonewho submitting abid,includingBruceWayneandMetamorpho’sgirlfriendSapphireStagg!Whohiredhimandwhy?Endsupbeingoneof thebrothersselling themansion.

This issue features a blurb for the return of a Metamorpho strip inActionComics,areprintofaB&BVikingPrincestoryandathirdletterbyBobRozakisispublished.

#102:…&TeenTitans,“CommuneofDefiance”Writer: Bob Haney, Artist: Jim Aparo and Neal Adams (hard to

imagine!LikeLennonandJagger,orSinatra&Crosbyin“HighSociety”)and the result is one of the best artwork in comics! Wondergirl neverlookedprettier(inallofthreepanelsshewasin!Boo!Hiss!)

Barcleyville isGotham’soldestcity,butnow it’sacrime-riddenslumand set for demolition. The Young Aquarians (a good-natured youthgang)canpreventthetown’sdemolitionif in30daystheycanroustoutall themuggersandpushersand cleanup the town. Itworks, until themob boss brings in his hired goons during the victory block party! Theplot is somewhat reminiscent of issue #84 (ghetto teens clean up theirtown),butthiswasexecutedbetter,almostasifitwerearewrite.

This isAparo’ssecondvisit toBarcleyville, the townwas featured inPhantomStranger#4,whichhealsodrew.

Also featuresasilverageRobotmanstory,withaguestappearancebyhisfellowDoomPatroller,theChief.Rozakisanduber-comics-fan(thelate)RobertMorriseyhaveletters.

#103:…&MetalMen,“ATraitorLurksInsideEarth”Writer: BobHaney, Artist: Bob Brown. Twenty cents? That’s better!

Well,theydidcutthepagecountinhalf,butwe’repayingfivecentslessthanlastissueforthesamenumberofpagesbeforethepricehikewhenitwasfifteencen–HEY!!BobRozakis’nameisagainmentionedinthelettercolumnapplauding#101.

JohnDoe,therobotinchargeofallUSnuclearmissilesgoesinsane.Batman asked the help of the newly-reformed Metal Men, until they

decide to join JohnDoe’s side! Aswith #101 (Metamorpho), this issuepicksupthethreadstotheguests’canceledmagazine.

#104:…&Deadman:“SecondChanceforaDeadman”Deadman helps Batman infiltrate and gather evidence on a Florida

spa that also changes the identities of fugitive criminals! Only oneproblem:Deadmanfallsinlovewiththewomanincharge!

BobRozakis’andMarkGruenwald’slettersarepublished.

1973

#105:…&WonderWoman,“PayNow–DieLater”AnotherBobRozakisletter(anyonekeepingtrack?Sevensofar,six

ina row)appears.This issue featuressuperbartbyAparo–ashiningstaramongagalaxyofgreatperformances inBrave&Boldby “JauntyJim”!

AsenoritaandherrevolutionarybrotheraskBruceWaynetopaytheirfather’s ransom before he reveals the location of his country’s exiledtreasure trove.Wayne suspects a scam and enlistsWonderWoman’shelptoexposeitall.TroubleisBatmanfindsoutitisn’tascamafterall!Isittoolate?

#106:…&GreenArrow,“DoubleYourMoneyorDie”Eighth Rozakis letter. And a letter by professional fan-boy, the late

RichMorriseyfromFramingham,Mass.alsocontributes.Thereare“fivelittleshareholders”whowillcashinatenmilliondollar

dividend.Unfortunately,someoneiskillingthemoff–thesolesurvivorisOliverQueen! If all shareholdersdie, themoneygoes toaSwissclinicdedicated to new plastic surgery techniques. Ah, that explains TwoFace’smurderousintent.

ThisisthefirstappearanceofamajorBatmanvillaininsevenyears–sincetheJoker-Penguin-Riddlerteamin#66.

It is a great storyline!! Full of twists and turns!A blatantHaney-ismthough: Queen is no longer destitute and collects the ten million individendsattheendofthestory!Thisisexplainedlater–eitherthestory

tookplacebeforeQueenlosthisfortune,orQueenisthetypeto“…gainamillion,loseamillion”(toquotetheeditor).OrHaneygoofed.

#107:…&BlackCanary,“The3MillionDollarSky”AnotherRozakismentioninthelettercolumn,aswellasa“full”letter

fromJoeRusnak.Note thatB&B’s lettercolumns readmore likemoviepostersthanactualletters–“Fantastic,”saysBobRozakisofElmont,NY;“Fair,” Keith Griffin of Mobile, Ala. Writes; “Blows!” Mike Curry of St.Louis, MO shouts. This way the editors can mention twenty or moreletter-writers in one issue. Every few issues someone complains aboutpublishing complete letters and addresses so they can contact fellowfans,but theeditorscontinually refuse todoso.Toobad, itwouldhelpestablishastrongerfanbaseiftheycouldcontacteachotheranddiscusstheirfavoriteissues.

A skyjacker demands three million dollars, the release of a drugkingpinanda trip toSanPedro.BatmanandBlackCanarydisguiseasanaviatorandastewardess(youarelefttoyouowndevisesastowhodisguisedaswhich!)tofoiltheplot.

#108:…&Sgt.Rock,“TheNightBatmanSoldhisSoul”NoBatmandidn’tsignontobethecommercialspokesmenforPepsi,

heshoutedthathe’dgivehissoultoberescuedafterbeingtrappedinawellduringamanhunt.Nowtheoldmanwhorescuedhimclaimstohavehissoul!Batmanthinksheisthedevil,Rockthinkshe’sanalive-and-wellAdolphHitler(there’sadifference?).

Letters?Yep,Rozakisagain–tentimessofar,ninthinarow.B&B’s first swearword– “hell” – isused three times,but in context

(“we’ve gone into the bowels of Hell”) rather than cursing. They arefightingthedevilafterall!SoIguessthat’sallright…

#109:…&Demon,“GothamBeMyGrave”ThefirstKirby-moves-to-DCcreatedcharactertoappearwithBatman!

AnddiscountingtheBatSquad(whoweren’testablishedcharacters)andtheHouseofMystery(thatwasmoreofastyle thana team-up), this isthe first new team-up since Adam Strange in #90 – three years ago!“Hell”ismentionedtwiceinthisstory,butstillnotusedasswearwords.

Still…they’repushingit!Rozakis,KeithGriffenandRichardMorrisayallcontributetotheletterpage.

A sailor condemned to death in 1883 returns to hauntGotham andkillingallsailorsandseameninitspath.

1974

#110:…&Wildcat,“AVerySpecialSpy”Rozakis again is named in the letter column, as well as the first

request foraSwampThing team-upandaBlackOrchid team-up.OnereadersuggestedPlop!Nowthatwouldbeinteresting!

TedGrant (Wildcat) takes the job as a vice president of an energycorporationforthesakeofpublicity.Toobadthecompanyisinvolvedincorporatetheftandmurder!

#111:…&Joker,“DeathhastheLastLaugh”This is the best selling issue of (and one of themost sought after)

Brave & Bold in this period. Features letters by Rozakis (does he sliptwentydollarbillsinwithhisletters?)andBobRodi.

Someoneis framingtheJoker formurder!Topreventanunderworldmassacre,BatmanmakesadealwiththeClownPrinceofCrimetobringintherealkiller–together!

#112:…&MisterMiracle,“TheImpossibleEscape”Sixty cents! Sixty cents!!What am I,made outtamoney?Well, it is

100 pages of comics.Most of it reprints, but tripling the price for overtriple the pages –well, okay for now! This issue also features reprintsfrom issue #s 59 (Batman and Green Lantern), #52 (Aquaman andHawkman)andtheSilentKnightstoryfrom#15.AletterfromKeithGriffinis published (who apologizes for his “nasty letters” to B&B). Uh-oh,where’sRozakis? Ishesick?Twelvementions in the lettercolumn inarow–aDiMaggio-likerun!

Another milestone: for the first time in 16 years the Silent Knightappearsonthecoverofacomicbook!

AnotherKirbycreationdebutsinB&B(thefirstbeingtheDemontwoissuesago)!AndtheonlycharacterfromKirby’s“FourthWorld”seriesof

comicstostarinB&B.Toinvestigatepossiblemuseumfraud,Batmansearchesforthetomb

of Atun, first pharaoh of Egypt. Accepting the challenge of anarcheologist, Mr. Miracle does the same. Will they find the secret ofeternallife!Orbetrappedforeverinthetomb?

#113:…&MetalMen,“50StoryKiller”The new mayor of Gotham fires Commissioner Gordon and forces

Batman to retire.Anewcommissionerand theMetalMenwill continuethe fight against crime. It’s a good thing, then – as terrorists have just“hijacked” the Wayne Enterprises Building, with Bruce Wayne andhundredsofemployeesinside!

Also features reprints of aB&B VikingPrince story andHawkman’sdebut tale; a Green Arrow story from 1958’s World’s Finest, and aChallengersoftheUnknowntalefrom#14oftheirmagazine.

Bob Rodi and regular contributor Joe Peluso are mentioned in thelettercolumnthatalsofeaturesfullpagebiographiesofBobHaneyandJimAparo.BobRozakiscreatedapuzzlepage,nowbeingonNational’spayroll.

#114:…&Aquaman,“LastJettoGotham”BatmanandGordonwait fora jet to landinGothamholdingamafia

boss.Unfortunatelyitalsoholdsanuclearbomb,settogooffwhentheplane lands! Batman and Aquaman try to rescue the passengers asmafialieutenantstrytorescuetheirchief.

This100pagegiantfeaturesasoloAquamanstoryfrom1961,aTeenTitansreprint,aswellasthefirstteam-upfromB&B#50–GreenArrowandtheMartianManhunter.

#115:…&Atom,“TheCorpsethatWouldn’tDie”Okay, I’ll explain it again if need be. Batman is electrocuted when

searching for a kidnapped girl. The Atom microscopically entersBatman’sbrain tostimulatehisneurons tosimulatemovement toagaintry torescuethegirl.Atomisprettygoodat it!HemakesBatmanwalk,punch and do a backflip! Oh yes, Batman comes back to life after somuchcerebralexcitement.

ThisissuealsofeaturesreprintsoftheChallengersoftheUnknown,asolo Atom story, one of the Viking Prince tales from B&B #23 and areprintofShowcase#55starringDr.Fate,HourmanandthegoldenageGreenLanternfightingSolomonGrundy–thebesttaleoftheissue!

BobRodiagainappearsinthelettercolumn,howcloseishetotyingRozakis’numberofentries(13)?#118’s lettercolumnsworeonastackofDC’sthattheyreceivedhundredsofpositivelettersontherecentAtomteam-upandonlytwonegativeletters.Wow!

1975

#116:…&Spectre,“GraspoftheKillerCult”Armyveterans turn intostrangling thugs.No, they reallydo, literally:

theyarepossessedbythespiritsofnineteenth-centuryKali-worshippingThugsfromBurma!

Good issue: reprints of a Teen Titan adventure from #16 of theircomic, aSilentKnight reprint fromB&B #2(!) and theBatman-Wonder-Woman-Batgirlteam-upfrom#78.

Letter column: another letter by Bob Rodi, and someone asks whodesignsthepuzzlesinB&B?BobRozakis!Sorry,Bob,amentioninthelettercolumndoesn’tcountifyouworkforthecompany!Moreseriously,the letter column shows some revealing things this time around: Theeditor laughs at a Krypto suggestion for a team-up. Actually, it mightmake for a fun story! He certainly would have fit better than Wildcat(again)in#118!

Why do they take such pains to laugh at some suggestions? Andbelittle the remarks of some letter-writers? One writer in #119 calledHaneyandBoltinoffsmug.Thiskindofcriticismwasusuallyshruggedoffwithasmirkbysaying if theywerewhy’d theypublish the letter?Well,fromreadingnearly thirty issuesofeditorialcomments, theyweresmugandarrogant!Stoptalkingdowntous!

Great example: in this issuewhenmore golden age characters aresuggested,theeditormakesapointtosay,“Whatisitthatmakesthesetarnishedheroessopopular?”Well,Idon’tknow,buttheyobviouslyarepopular.Apparently,theonlypeoplewhodonotwantgoldenageheroestoteamupwithBatmanarethepeopleinchargeofselectingtheteam-

ups.Every issuebegs forDr.Mid-Nite, theCrimsonAvenger, or someothergoldengreat.SowhydragoutWildcat–again!?Consideringhowthey treat Wildcat in every issue (“Pardon me, can you help a fellowsuperherowho’sdownonhisluck?”),dotheyreallythinkitwouldsatisfyagoldenagefan?

Do they think reprinting the Dr. Fate-Hourman team-up fromShowcase will satisfy demands? Will running Challengers of theUnknown reprints instead of teaming them in a new adventure withBatmanstopthefloodofrequests?No, itdidn’t!Somereaderstooktheeditorstotaskforthatquestionintheupcominglettercolumns.

#117:…&Sgt.Rock,“NightmareWithoutEnd”Thelastofthe100pagegiants,withreprintsofaVikingPrincestory

from#24;thefirstissueofSecretSix,aMission:Impossible-stylegroupof“normal”people fighting internationalcrime;aBlackhawkreprint from1965withDickDillinartandaGreenArrowstoryfromAdventureComicscirca1952.

Rock participated in the execution of a soldier for cowardice duringWWII.And thesoldier’sbeenhauntingRockeversince.Or ishe reallystillaliveandspyingfortheUSallthistime?

#118:…&WildcatwithJoker,“MaytheBestManDie”Twenty-Fivecents!Thisisbetter!Twenty-fivecentsforacomicbook.

Beatssixtycentsanyday!Well,it’snotahundredpagesanymore,butIcan accept that …wait a minute! It’s only 18 pages of comics! That’sthreepageslessthanwhenitcost20cents!

Well,asofthisissueitisgoingfrombi-monthlytoeight-issues-a-year!SoIgetlesspagesperissue,buttwomoreissuesperyear!(Still,soundslikearip-off!)

Tohushupastoolie,theJokerpoisonsthedrinkingwaterofaprison.All600inmateswilldieunlessBatmanandWildcatcanrushtheantidotetotheprisonbeforetheJokergetstoitfirst.Thetroubleisthe“antidote”areantibodiesinsideasmalldognamedSpot.AndSpothasrunoffandishidingsomewhereinGotham…

Doesthiscountasasecondteam-upfortheJoker?Heisgivencreditonthecover,obviouslytoboostsalesinanotherwisesillystory.

Foryourconsideration:Batman’sB&Bstoriesalwaysseemedgearedtowardtheguest(howmanytimesdidBatmanfightevilrobotswhentheMetalMenweren’tfeatured?).Sincethisstoryinvolvedadog,whywouldaKryptoteam-upseemsofarfetched?

#119:…&Man-Bat,“BringBackKillerKrag”AMafiosowidowputsacontractonthebountyhunterwhokilledher

husband. The killer is living in a country ruled by aUS-hating dictator.Three sets of hunters go after the killer: two ex-CIA agents, Man-Bat,whoisdesperateformoney,andBatman!

Man-Bat was a villain/hero in the Batbooks andwas given his owntwo-issueseries-awoefullyunderappreciatedpairofbooks.Man-Bat#1istheonlytimethatIcanfindthatSteveDitkodrewBatman.

#120:…&Kamandi,“ThisWorldisMine”Batman is magically brought into earth’s future after the Great

Disaster to lead a group of humans hiding inMt. Rushmore to safety.Trouble is, Kamandi shows up – being pursued by gorilla slavers andbearrangers!

Twonewteam-upsinarow!AndanotherKirbycreationtoteamwithBatman.KamandiwasDC’s attempt to do a “Planet of theApes”-stylefuturedystopia.Kirbytooktheideaandremadeitinhisownuniquestyle.KamandiwasasmashhitandlasteduntiltheDCImplosion.HepoppedupinDCcontinuityfromtimetotime-eveninthe“Batman:TheBrave&TheBold”TVcartoon.WhetherthereareanycurrentplansforhimintheNew52isunknown.

ThisissuefeaturesareprintfromSecretSix#2.LetterpagesfeaturesBobRodi and future comics scribe JoDuffy and Justice League’sDanJurgens.Thepriceofthecomichikesto50centsfor64pagesthisissueonly,alaSupermanFamily,TarzanFamily,etc.

#121:…&MetalMen,“TheDoomsdayExpress”B&Bquicklyconvertsbackto18pagesfortwenty-fivecents.Whyso

soon?Saleswereverygoodfor#120.Maybethepowers-that-bedecidedagainstabiggerformatforB&B.

AtrainbearingtheDeclarationofIndependenceandtheConstitutionis hijacked by Native American terrorists! Twist: foreign terrorists have

hiddenabombonthetrain!#122:…&SwampThing,“TheHouroftheBeast”A plane-load of experimental biochemicals crashes into Gotham’s

reservoir,causingkillervinestospringthroughoutthecity–crushingallin itspath.ElsewhereinGothamCity,aP.T.Barnum-likehucksterhascapturedSwampThingandisdisplayinghiminhissideshow.Guesswhothecitizensblamefortheplantattacks?

The letter column thanked a reader for a nice letter, explained acontinuityflawandaskedifithelpedimprovethereader’senjoymentandthankedreadersfortheirteam-uprequests.Oh,yeah,andwholelettersareprinted,notprinted“soundbites”.Whatgives?Ah,JackC.Harris isnow theassistanteditor, takingover the lettercolumn! IguessBoltinoffwas too busy strangling puppies for profit and touring orphanagespresentinghis“Surprise,Brats,ThereAin’tNoSantaClaus”lecturetodoB&B’slettercolumnanymore.Heremainstheeditorthough…

SwampThing isacomicbook iconandhestillappears inDCtitles,most recentlyAquaman (I have lived to seea daywhen there are twoAquamantitlesonthestands...).ButhisfirstrunonlylastedafewyearsafterhisinitialappearanceinHouseofSecrets.Ashere,hepoppedupincomics (suchas the revivedChallengersof theUnknown)untilhisowntitlewasbroughtbackbasedon themovie.A fewyears into its runanauthornamedAlanMooretookoverthebook.Therestishistory...

#123:…&PlasticMan&Metamorpho,“HowtoMakeaSuperHero”Arare three-teamer,andasequel to#95.Batman findsPlasticMan

outofworkandpanhandlingasabum.HeasksPlastoguardGothamasBatmanwhile he is away.However, PlasticMan is then put under theswayonceagainofRudyRyderwho1)brainwashesPlasintothinkingheis the real Batman and 2) frames Bruce Wayne for murder!Coincidentally, Bruce Wayne is in competition with Ryder over thepurchaseofanancientAfricanstatue.MetamorphospringsWayneandtogethertheyhuntdownRyderandPlas!

Long-timeletterwriterJoePelusocontributestothelettercolumn.Thiscomicwasinthewaitingroomofmydentist’sofficewhenIwasa

child - it was the first issue of Brave & Bold I ever read. Oh, what itstarted...

BobHaney createdMetamorpho,who has powers similar toPlasticMan (as they each admit during their battle). So guess which hero iscalledafreak(twice),afoolandanidiot?PlasgetsasimilartreatmentinhislastappearanceinB&B#148.C’monBob,don’tbesopetty!Cosmicjustice: fora time,PlasticManwasoneof theprimarymembersof theJLAcomic,whileMetamorphowaskilledoff inJLA in its firststoryarc.SeeBob?Itoldyounottobesopetty…

1976

#124:…&Sgt.Rock,“SmallWaroftheSuper-Rifles”JoePelusocontributestothelettercolumnagain.Top secret infantry rifles are stolen by terrorists. Rock, assigned to

find them, ends up tracking the terrorists toGotham. But the terroristshavemanaged toalso steal the script toBrave&Bold #124, andhuntdownJimAparoandBobHaneytostopthemfromcompletingthecomicandthushaltingtheirdefeat!

JimAparo “appears” in this storyasanactual character. JimAparofromComicBookArtist#9:“Thatwascorny. Ididn’t livenear thewaterastheyhadmeinthestory.Iclimbedoutofmystudiointhebasementandclimbedintoaboatandwenttoalighthouseorsomething.Itwasjustwrittenthatway.Iguessthereadersbelievedit. Iwasjusta joke.They[HaneyandBoltinoff]wantedtofoolaround.”

#125:…&Flash,“StreetsofPoison”BatmanandFlashgotoRangoontostopapoppyfarm/heroinfactory.

While there theymeeta femaleaviatormissing formanymonths.Onlylaterdotheydiscovershehasbeeninontheherointraffickingthewholetime!

#126:…&Aquaman, “What LurksBeneathBouy 13?”,Artist: John

Calnan (Aparo inks).JoePeluso isagain in the lettercolumn; thepricehikestothirtycentsforeighteenpages.

Atlantis, America, the USSR and terrorists play keep-away with anAtlanteansatellitethatcantracknuclearsubmarines.

#127:…&Wildcat,“Deadman’sQuadrangle”IllegalaliensaresmuggledtotheUSviaTedGrant’sislandresort.Is

he somehow involved? No, but after five appearances with Batman inonly 39 issues, fans have had enough. Wildcat appearing becamesomethingofajoketoletter-writersandfutureeditors(includingMikeW.Barr’s text in the “Best of Brave & Bold” mini-series); this is his lastappearance. Wildcat does later become intertwined with the Batmanmythosinthe1990sand2000s:hetaughtBatmanhowtoboxandhadafling(andamini-series)withCatwoman.

#128:…&MisterMiracle,“DeathbytheOunce”This isB&B’s“DCSalutestheBicentennial” issue.JoePelusoagain

writesaletter.Inexchangeforoneounceofayouth-restoringpotion,Apokolypsian

GrannyGoodnesskidnapstheworld’srichestruler–theShahofKirkan–topreventhimfromsigningaUSpeacetreaty.

#129:…&GreenArrow,Atom,“TheClawsoftheEmperorEagle”Onlythethirdmulti-guestissueandthefirstmulti-issuestorylinesince

#25and26withtheSuicideSquadseventeenyearsbefore!Okay, I’ll explain it again if need be: The people of Pathanistan

created the Emperor Eagle to appease Alexander the Great. All whohavesinceowneditarecursedanddoomed.OliverQueen,believinghecanbeatthecurse,buysit.TheplanecarryingtheEagleisskyjackedbythe Joker and Two-Face, who have been hired to return the Eagle toPathanistan. Queen is put on trial in Pathanistan for “stealing” theirnational treasure, but Batman and the Atom rescue Queen before hisexecution.

Later,JokerandTwo-Facesteal theEagle for themselves,andwithBatmanasahostage,headforhighground,withGreenArrowandAtomandthewholePathanistanarmyinpursuit!

#130: … & Green Arrow, Atom, Joker, Two-Face, “Death at

Rainbow’sEnd”Thecoverboasts“FourFamousCo-Stars”inthesamemannerasthe

100thissue.

OurheroesfindtheancientcityofPathan,wheretheEmperorEaglewascreated.GreenArrowconvincesthecitizenstomakeaduplicateandswitch itwith the realEaglebeingheldbyJokerandTwo-Face.Duringthis time,Batmansupposedly iskilled ina landslide,buthepopsup inthenickoftimeattheendofthestory.TherulerofPathanistanrecoverstheEaglebutplummetswith it (wediscover that theEagle is filledwithgold,rubiesanddiamonds)downachasmwhereitislostforever.

JokerandTwo-Face,meanwhile,nowownalarge,hollowironstatueofanEagle!

#131:…&WonderWoman,“TakeSevenStepstoWipeOut”Bad: theAfricancountryofSudaria smugglesdrugs into theUSvia

diplomaticattaches.Worse:theyaresmugglingouttheblueprintsofthemost top secret encoding devise ever created in the United States.Worst:they’relatestdiplomatis…eek!…Catwoman!

1977

#132: … & Richard Dragon - Kung Fu Fighter, “Batman – DragonSlayer”

WiththisissueJoeOrlandotakesoverasmanagingeditorandDennyO’Neil is the story editor.CaryBurkett handles the letter column.Theypromisesomenewblood inB&Bandnot thesameold team-upsagainandagain!Theystartwithoneofonlytennewteam-upsinthisera.

Carlos Esteban hires the Stylist, a kung fu killer, to assassinateRichardDragon.Why?Estebanwas once the partner ofCalvinCurtis,deceasedeccentricbillionaire.DragononcehelpedCurtis–hefixedhisbikeandgavehimaquarter foracupofcoffee. In return,DragonmayhaveinheritedCurtis’billions!

RichardDragonwasDC’shomage to thekung fucrazeat the time.TheyalsogaveKarateKidhisowncomicandfanboyshoutsofateam-upbetweenthe twowere ignored.Dragonstillappearsonoccasion,asdoesLadyShivaandothercastmembers.Butitneveracquiredthelevelof sophisticationandpopularity ofMarvel’sShangChi,Master ofKungFu (whose character popped into Marvel’s team-up magazines on

occasion),makingRichardDragon,KungFuFightersomethingofapaleimitator,despitewhatIthoughtwasafuncomic.

#133:…&Deadman,“AnotherKindofJustice”BatmanenlistsDeadman’s help to lure drug lordAchille Lazlo back

ontoUS jurisdictionbyrevivingaghost fromhispast– the formerdruglordLazlokilledyearsbefore!

#134:…&GreenLantern,“Demolishment”GreenLanterndefectstothe“otherside’s”PeopleRepublic!Batman

attempts tokidnapGLandbringhimback,but iscaptured insteadandputthroughthebrainwashingtechniqueknownasDemolishment!ItendsupGL’s defection is a rouse to reveal theDemolishment technique byhavingitusedagainsttheonepersonwhomightwithstandit–Batman!Toobad itdidbrainwashBatman into trying tokillGreenLantern!Let’shopeGLfindshislostringintime!

The editors admit in the letter column that Wildcat and Sgt. Rockmighthavebeenoverusedinthepastfewyears.“Hellfactory”isused–arguablyaswearword,butthey’restillpushingit!

#135:…&MetalMen,“MorethanHuman”Princehikestothirty-fivecents.Arobot(createdinthe1800s)claimslegalrighttothelandonwhich

sitsBruceWayne’stower.Thejudgeagrees,thusruiningBruce’sempire.CouldhisrivalRubyRyderbeinvolved?Continuesinthenextissue.

#136:…&GreenArrow,MetalMen,“LegacyoftheDoomed”This is the thirdmultiple-issuestory (secondwithGreenArrow)and

thefourthmulti-guestissue(thirdwithGreenArrow).Batman and the Metal Men are enjoined by court order from

interferinginRubyRyder’sshenanigans,butGreenArrowisnot!#137:…&Demon,“HouroftheSerpent”,Artist:JohnCalnan.This is a “sequel” to #75, as the evil Shahn-Zi returns. Teenage

gangstersinChinatowndisguisedasShahn-Ziterrorizecitizens.Buttheiractionssummon the realShahn-Ziwhoseeks revengeagainstGothamCityandBatman!

#138:…&MisterMiracle,“Mile-HighTombstone”Trond-Hag, “theTombstone”, isavolcanic island riddleswithcaves.

Geologist Steve Lang goes missing while exploring the mountain, andBatmanandMisterMiraclegototherescue.TheyfindSteve,aswellasthevillainousescapeartistsCosimo(senttokillLang),andKraken–thecomputerrunninganinternationalcrimecartel!

1978

#139:…&Hawkman,“RequiemforaTopCop”.Back to bi-monthly!!? Noooo!!! Hawkman’s first appearance inB&B

since #70 (over ten years). This has always been one ofmy personalfavoritestories.Onetimefan–andformerDCboss–PaulLevitztakesover fromDennyO’Neil as storyeditor.SincePaul doeshisown lettercolumn,CaryBurkett leavesforotherpastures.Paulmentions thatBobRozakishashad135letterspublishedinhisfancareer.SoinwhichfourissuesofBrave&Bolddidhenotwritealetter?

In the late1930s,CommissionerGordonkilledanalienaccidentally.Although Batman and Hawkman agree it was in self-defense (Gordonthoughtthealienwasabouttofireathim),analienmercenarydisagrees,andtriestobringGordoninfortrialperintergalacticlaw.Gordon,afellowadherertotheRuleofLaw,agrees!

1978 B&B Special (DC Special Series #8): …Sgt. Rock and

Deadman.“HellisforHeroes”RicEstradaandDickGiordanoartists.PaulLevitz,editor.DChad “annuals” (largereditionsofexistingcomicspublishedonce

per year) throughout the 1960s with mostly reprinted material. MarvelComicshadsincedevelopedtheAnnual intoanartform.DCComicsinthe late 1970s, in an attempt to boost a saggingmarket, tried bringingback the annuals. Not wanting to be accused of copying Marvel, DCinstead referred to their annuals as Specials and Spectaculars. Everycomic from Wonder Woman and Superman to the Secret Society ofSuper Villains had their own specials. Unlike the annuals of old, thesewereallnewstoriesandart.Theissueswerenotpublishedasanedition

of theirparentcomic,but insteadpublishedunder theumbrella titleDCSpecialSeries.Brave&Boldwasgiven itsownspecial in1978asDCSpecialSeries#8.

Tocelebrate theuniquenessof thisSpecial (todifferentiate it froma“usual” issueofBrave&Bold,Batmannevermeetshispartners–Sgt.Rock andEasyCompany alongwithDeadman appear together in onestorylinelinkedwiththeBatmanstoryline.Thiswasthefourthtimemorethanonestar(other thanasanestablishedteam–theTeenTitans, forexample)appearedwithBatman–#100andthetwo-partersin#129-130and 135-136– andwould be the last. Too bad, it is an interesting plotdeviceandwouldsatisfyreaderswhoclamoredformorestars.

Batman tracks down Lucifer, a mad bomber. Meanwhile Sgt. Rocksearches for a Batman statue stolen by Scottish Nationalists. Butwhatever harm comes to the statue, will also be wrought on Batman!Ouch! The statue is rammed by an army truck, set on fire by gypsies,attackedbytheLochNessMonsterandflungfromaclocktower…youget the idea.Who’s behind all this voodoo? Lucifer himself (the fallenangel, not the mad bomber) with the aid of the ghosts of Hitler, GuyFawkes,BenedictArnold,Bluebeard,Neroand Jack theRipper!RamaKushna sends Deadman to a mysterious stranger for clues, andDeadman and Rock recover the statue just in time for Batman’s finalbattlewithLucifer (themadbomber,not theprinceofdarkness).RamaKushnaherselftakescareofLucifer(thevilespinneroflies,notthemadbomber)andhisghostlyilk!DeadmaneventuallydiscoverstheidentityofthemysteriousstrangertorevealthisSpecial’sfourthstar–thespiritofSherlockHolmes!

#140:…&WonderWoman, “DastardlyEventsAboard theHellship”

(spelloutthefirstlettersofthetitle–getit?)There’sthataitch-eee-double-hockey-stickswordagain.Swearwords

orappropriate?Hmm…TheCEOofBelmontTechnologiesoffersBatmanonemilliondollars

tocharity if hewill rescuehisdaughterEsmeralda from theclutchesofevil industrialspyDimetrious(becausesheknowsthesecretofthenewenergy-crisis-ending solar cell). The UN’s Crisis Bureau asks WonderWoman to capture Dimetrious for his crimes. Actually, Dimetriouskidnapped the scientist who created the solar cell and Esmeralda and

BelmonttrickBatmanandDimetriousintorevealingwherethesolarcellisbyEsmeraldastatingshelovesDimetriousandwasneverkidnapped!Dimetrious’simianguardscaptureBatmanandWonderWoman,whoaredruggedintoperformingascircusanimals…

Whew!AnyoneforanindexofRichieRichandCasperinstead?#141:…&BlackCanary,“PayorDie”Lotsof“Jaws”referencesinthisissue,astheJokerisbackandnow

in the loan-sharking business. Those who can’t pay up mysteriouslyexplode! Batman sets a trap using Alfred as bait to catch the Joker.BatmanandBlackCanarymusttrackdowntheJokertodiscoverhowhisvictimsexplodeorelse, forAlfred, it’sso longoldchum(chum,sharks,getit?Nevermind…!)

Haneymusthavelearnedanewword–vigorish:underworldslangforloan interest – as it is used about every third page. This issue alsocontainsa rare thing forB&Bupuntilnow–recognitionofcontinuityofotherDCcomics! It isrecalledthatJokerwassupposedlykilledthe lasttimeheandBatmanfoughtinDetectiveComics,andthattheJokerwasonce in love with Dinah Lance (that is why Joker saved her from anexplodinglendee)!

#142:…&Aquaman,“EnigmaoftheDeathShip”The logbook of the sunken Alhambra contains the name of a

stowawaywholaterbecomesGotham’sdrugkingpin.Thebookmayalsocontain incriminatingevidenceagainstAquaman’s father, the lighthousekeeper who may have caused the wreck! Batman must fight the druglord’sscubasquadandAquamanhimself toget the logbook!Hedoesget it eventually, and absolves Aquaman’s father from blame. And thenameofthedruglordis…

#143:…&Creeper,“CasttheFirstStone”…Montgomery Walcott, TV’s most respected and trustworthy

newsman!UniquetoB&B isthiscontinuedstorylinewithoutnecessarilybeinga

continuedstory–somethingatwhichMarvel’steam-upbooksexcelled!With this issuebegins theDCExplosion! Increasing theprice to fifty

cents and increasing the page count to 44, with all new material

throughout theDC line!Thebeginningof a newera in comicdom!ThegreatestthingtohappentocomicssinceSuperman!

Whyareyougiggling?The ripple effect of the DC Explosion hitsBrave & Bold as a new

regular feature debuts: new adventures of Christopher Chance, theHumanTarget. “TheCatand theCanaryContract”byLenWein (story)and Dick Giordano (art). Chance impersonates people marked formurder,bettinghecanstopthekillersbeforetheystophim!HereChancemust protect the mob witness who years earlier had Chance’s fatherkilledforfailingtopayadebt!

#144:…&GreenArrow,“TheArrowofEternity”Monthly! At long last! After twenty-three years Brave & Bold goes

monthly!While searching for Merlin’s invincible arrow, Batman and Green

Arrow aremagically whisked to the Battle of Agincourt to face the oldTeenTitan’sfoetheGargoyle!

Aparo’s art is fantastic: a rare venture into the sword and sorcerygenre.Hecouldhaveexcelled in theBlazingAdventuresyearsofB&B.Whilewe’re on the subject: with a little rewrite this could have been abook-length story, reset in King Arthur’s time and also co-starring theSilentKnight!Whynot?WewillhavetobesatisfiedwiththeSilentKnighthavingasmallcameoinabattlescenebeingkilledbyanarrow!Boo!

Human Target: “The Symphony for the Devil Contract”, Len Wein(writer) and Dick Giordano (art). The Human Target impersonates afamous symphony conductor, protecting him from a religious fanatic.Everyone’s a critic… “Dammit”! Brave & Bold’s first blatant andundisputedswearwordappears!

#145:…&PhantomStranger,“ChoiceofDooms”The only member of Gotham’s diamond-smuggling ring willing to

testifysuddenlybecomesparalyzed!Yousee,theheadoftheringisalsoavoodoopriest!

Backtoseventeenpagesandnowfortycents,asthe“DCImplosion”hits thecomicgiant,making themcancelmanyof theirnewbooksandreelingbacktheirmuch-hypedback-upfeatures.

1979

#146:…(EarthTwo)&UnknownSoldier,“TheSecretthatSavedtheWorld”

Artist: RomeoTanghal. #84was partly set duringWorldWar II andtoldinflashback.ThisisthefirstB&Bstory(duringtheBatmanteam-upyears)setduringthewar.

A defecting German nuclear scientist is murdered and his secretdesigns for anatomicbombwill be smuggledback toGermanyunlessBatmanandtheUnknownSoldiercancatchtheNazikiller!

The Unknown Soldier was one of my favorite war title characters -moreofaJamesBond-ishspy thanagun-totingsoliderSgt.Rock, theLosers or themembers of theHauntedTank.His facewas covered inbandagesandwasamasterofdisguise.Hehadhisowntitleforyears-startingasthemainfeatureofStarSpangledWarStoriesin1970beforethe title changed toUnknown Soldier in 1977 and lasting another fiveyears.TheUnknownSoldierexistsintheNew52continuity,butnotthesamecharacterthatappearshere.

#147: … & Supergirl, “Death Scream from the Sky”, Writer: Cary

Burkett.The Children of Light, a terrorist-cult, gets control of a

communications satellite completewith a killer laser aimed atGotham!BatmanandSupergirl finally discover an old JLA foe is behind it all. Itseemsthe“father”oftheChildrenofLightisacertainDoctor…

Mohammed comes to themountain: some issues back, Paul LevitzadmittedhewashavingtroubleconvincingBobHaneytodoaSupergirlteam-up.Thesolutionwassimple:Haneygotthebootandformer lettercolumneditorCaryBurkettwrotethemuch-demandedstory!ThisisonlythefifthissueofBrave&Boldsince#50Haneydidnotwrite!

Aparo’sSupergirlisstunning.#148:…&PlasticMan,“TheNight theMobStoleChristmas”,Artist:

JimAparoandJoeStaton.Haneyreturnsandtakeshis frustrationsoutonhis favoritewhipping

boy,PlasticMan.ThisisthelastofPlas’fourappearancesinB&B.Plasis(ofcourse)stillshownasaloneloser(seethecommentaryof#123for

Haney’sdislikeofPlas.).AFloridamobstersmugglesinillegal(untaxed)cigarettes into Gotham City and smuggles out the city’s Main StreetChristmasdecorationstolurehiscompetitorsintoaChristmaspartytrap.ToobadtheyalsokidnappedSanta–itwasPlasticMantryingtomakeabuck!

The combination of Aparo and Staton works here despite theirdivergent styles – Staton’s heroes are drawn thickly and muscular,Aparo’sarewiryandthin.

#149:…&TeenTitans,“LookHomeward,Runaway”This is the lastappearanceof theTeenTitans inBrave&Bold, the

magazineinwhichtheydebutednearlyfifteenyearsbefore.Haney’stempertantrumover,it’sbacktoB&Bbusiness.Batmanasks

theTeenTitanstoreunitetoinfiltratetheRunaways–anorganizedteencrimegangof(whoelse)runaways–tobreakupthegangandfindtheirleader.

#150:…&?,“TodayGotham,TomorrowtheWorld”TerroristscalledtheBattalionofDoomthreatenGothamCitywithan

atomicdevise.TheyalsokidnapBruceWaynewhoisguardedbyKeeperKarnes. Bruce discoversKarnes is super-powered!He knowsWayne’sBatman identity, is super fast (faster, even, than a speeding bullet), isverystrong(morepowerfulthanalocomotive)…

You get the idea, the terrorists have also kidnapped Jimmy Olsen.Supermanhoped tobeassignedas Jimmy’sbodyguard, but gotBruceWayneinstead.

In the past fans screamed for Superman to guest in B&B. Thoserequests were (rightly) ignored: if you want to see Supes and Batstogether, go buyWorld’s Finest. In fact it was clearly stated in #120SupermanwillneverappearinB&B.

Howtimeschange.Letters in later issuespannedthechoice for thisanniversary issue, saying it was nothing more than a warmed-overWorld’s Finest story. I disagree. If this was a story from WF, therecertainlywouldn’thavebeenany“surprise”.However,Iexpectedamorespecial guest for #150. Superman could have easily been MartianManhunter.ThrowinGreenArrow(likeHaneyandcompanyneededanexcusetobringhimintoastory)andyouwouldhaveBatmanteamingup

with B&B’s first team from #50! That would have been a goodanniversaryteam-up.Still,itwasaninterestingstoryandwelldone,ifnotuptohype.The lettercolumnlistsall theteam-ups inB&Bstartingwith#50. Unfortunately it also lists #150 as starring Superman, ruining thesurprise for anyone reading the letter column first (including yourstruly…).

***

TheissuesinthiseraofB&Bweren’tallstinkers.Infact,itcontained

some of themost interesting plots. And Aparo’s art is brilliant. But thecomicwasn’tcuttingedgeanymore;itwasn’tleadingthefield.

Although the letter columns promised new team-ups, you couldalmostheartheargumentsbehindthedoor–Levitzadmittingtoall thatHaneydoesnotwantSupergirlinB&Bisagoodexample.Washetryingtocoaxreadersintopleadingforherappearance?

And Batman, for all his different interpretations, was turning intonothingmorethanasuper-cop.Hedidfightsomenamesupervillains,buttheJokerasaloanshark?Dr.Lightasaterroristleader?Whatwasthepointofthat?Therewerenonewsuper-badguysintroducedinthesefiftyissues (likeHellgrammite orBork), no new versions of old heroes (likeGreenArrow),justBatmanand…whoever.

And because of that, Brave & Bold was no longer the best andbrightest star atDC.Thenagain, it didn’t need to be. Itwas no longerchallenging and exciting. Instead of asking, “Who knowswhat the nextissuewillhold,”readerssaid,“Idon’tknowwhowillbeherenext issue,but thewritingwill begoodand theartwill begreatand that’sall rightwithme!”

InsteadBrave&Boldraninplace.Naturallyandinevitablythatmeantitstartedtofallbehind.Itsmomentumhaskeptitgoingafteritsprimeforeightyearsnow.Inonlyhalfthattimeitwillbegone.

returntotableofcontents

TheTeam-upYearsPt.IV

TheLongGoodbyeJune1979–July1983

The inmates are running the asylum! Or more accurately, the fans

havetakenoverthecomicbookcompany!ByJulyof1979,uber-fanRoyThomashasbeeneditingatMarvelfor

nearlyadecade.JoeStaton,whoselettertoJusticeLeagueofAmerica#9slammingWonderWomanandpraisingGreenLantern reverberatedformonthsinthatcomic,isnowdrawingthosecharacters!ThenamesofB&B letter-writersBobRozakis,BobRodi,KeithGriffenandothersarenowincomicbooksonthefirstpageinsteadofthelast.

Nomorewill fanssufferunder thebootof theMoltinoff-Haney junta!Riseup,fellowfans!WehavenothingtolosebutmoreWildcatteam-ups!Guest stars who were laughed at or ignored are starting to appear:Supergirl, Superman, the Legion of Superheroes, the Guardians,Firestorm,BlackLightning,etc.

Asmanynewteam-upsappearedintheselastfiftyissues(23)thaninissues#50-#100!(Thirtyheroesappearedtotalinissues#50-#100,butonly twenty-two with Batman). The fans were finally getting what theycraved!

Butthenwhyweren’ttheyhappy?PartofthereasonisbecauseBobHaneyleft,leavingasuccessionofwriterstofinishtheseries.JimAparodrew issues less and less frequently – he was now considered THEBatmanartist,andhisworkappearedeverywhere!Wasthereacoverhedidn’t draw in the late 1970s and early 1980s (with apologies to ErnieChua/Chan!)?Somuchdemandwasonhistimesomethinghadtogive.Itwas issuesofBrave&Bold.Fanswereback toB&B’searly team-updays–variousartistsandarotatingrosterofwriterscontributingstoriesthat ranged from classics to just plain bad. There was no sense ofcontinuity–youweren’tsurewhatthenextissuewouldbring.PaulLevitzadmittedthesameinhislettercolumn.

FanswerenolongereagerlyanticipatingthenextissueofB&B,whichmeanttheystartedlookingelsewhere.

Back to the fans running the company: During Haney’s reign, asstated,Batmanwastheworld’sgreatestdetective,asuper-cop.Nowthe

fans thought Batman exchanging jokes with the Atom didn’t fit hispersonality – hewas a lonewolf, a creature of the night. This style ofBatmanworked in thepre-Robindays,and theO’Neil-AdamsDetectiveComicsofthelate1960s/early70;isn’tittimethependulumswungbackfrom Batman the world’s greatest detective to Batman the broodingloner?

Fans,editorsandcreatorsthoughtso.Somuchsothatthependulumhasyettoswingback.

This style eventually lead to Frank Miller’s Dark Knight Returns,

turningBatmanintoabrutishthug(spoofsofhimas“BroodingSociopathMan”werecloser to truth thansatire),andeventuallyculminated in theseriesofBatmanmoviesinthe1980sand1990s.TheBatmanmoviesofthe 2000s, although of Oscar-winning caliber, were still dark andbrooding.Marveldidabitbetterwithitsbrighter-tonedmovies...

Brave & Bold obviously did not fit into this paradigm. Batmanconstantly insulting, assaulting, threatening and/or ignoring his gueststarswouldnotmake forgood reading.LaterattemptsatBrave&Boldprovethepoint:eitherultra-violentencounterswithterrorists(withGreenArrow, the Question and the regrettably named Butcher), ignoring theteam-upaltogetherforamoreWorld’sFinest-stylemodewithFlashandGreenLanternstarring,orignoringBatmanandallowothercharacterstoteam-up.

ItwastimetoreplaceBrave&BoldwithacomicmoreinlinewiththisstyleofBatman.IwillletothersdiscussthelogicinreplacingB&Bwithacomic about Batman (the brooding loner) forming a new group ofsuperheroes!

IguessB&Bisalessoninextremes:here’swhathappenswhenyouignore fansoutright;andhere’swhathappenswhenyoukowtow to themostvocalfanseverywhim.

Wellwestillhavefouryearsandtwomonthsoffunleft.Let’sdigin:(unlessotherwisestated,BobHaneywroteandJimAparodrew the

issues)June1979#151:…&Flash,“DiscoofDeath”,(No,I’mnotkidding!)

Who is killing thepatronsofGothamCity’smost fashionabledisco?Batmanbelieves it’s themob,Flash thinks it’s theghostofamarathondancerfromthe1930s.Asbadasitsounds.

#152:…&Atom,“DeathHasAGoldenGrab”Computersrunamuck–planescrash,trafficsnarls,prisoncelldoors

open, BruceWayne apparently steals money from his own foundationand Ray Palmer embezzles Ivy University funds! The hunt for thecomputercriminalconcludesinSwitzerland,withBatmanbeingfedintoatrashshredderandAtomthrownintoagarbageincinerator.

#153: … & Red Tornado, “The Menace of the Murder Machine”,

Writer:CaryBurkett,Art:DonNewton&BobSmith.Ascientist,injuredinalabaccident,takeshisrevengebysiccinghis

Marsproberobotsagainsthisindustrialbackers,unlessBatmanandtheeternallywhinyRedTornadostophimfirst.

TherewasaRedTornadointheGoldenAge,butthecharacterwasremade for theSilverAgeandbeyondasanandroidwith thepower togeneratetornado-forcewinds.HeappearedinJusticeLeagueofAmericaat almost the same time as Marvel’s red-faced android Vision. Bothcharacterswereknownformopingabouttheirlackofhumanity-althoughthewritersof theVisionmadehimmorenoblewithoutReddy’sendlessgraspyneedforacceptance.

A story about robots that doesn’t co-star the Metal Men? Did theyhavetochainHaneytoawaterheaterinthebasement?

#154:…&Metamorpho,“ThePathwayofDoom…”SapphireStagg “hires”Batman (offers himonemillion dollars to his

favorite charity) to find Metamorpho. The trail leads to France andTurkey,whereourheroesstopagoldextortionring, if theycanavoidamysteriousassassin.

#155:…&GreenLantern,“FugitivefromTwoWorlds”Tri-Vul,awell-respectedalienscientist,stealsa largemeteoritefrom

Gotham’s bedrock to take back to his planet, causing massiveearthquakesinGotham!Butwhy?BatmanandGreenLanternfightoverjurisdiction:willhebetriedinGothamorbeforetheGuardians?Canour

heroesstopfightinglongenoughtofindthemeteoriteandgetitbacktoGothambeforeanearthquakedestroysthecity?

#156: … & Dr. Fate, “Corruption”, Story: Cary Burkett, art: Don

Newton&BobSmith.Agoldenagecharacteristreatedwithdignityandrespect–Moltinoff

mustbechainedtothathotwaterheaterwithHaney!A dead cop accused of taking bribes from a drug lord turns the

Gotham City PD (including Commissioner Gordon) into thieves andmurderers!Batmanmust findevidence to clear the cop,whileDr.Fatebattlesthedemoninhabitingthelatecop’sspirit.

Dr.Fatewas inspiredby thewritingsofH.PLovecraft. Ienjoyedhisoccult stories more so than the magician-as-superhero tales. HereNewtonandSmithgivethisstoryamurkyfeel.Itworks.

#157: … & Kamandi (ties into Kamandi #59), “Time … My Dark

Destiny”Extortion, Inc. has a newEnforcer: Kamandi! How is that possible?

Seems he was flung back in time, lost his memory and imbued withinvulnerabilityandsuperstrength!CanBatmanstophiscrimewave?

Levitzannounces in the lettercolumn that it is time forB&B togrowand as a resultHaney is leaving as of this issue to allow him time formore projects. And that’s it, no great goodbye, no mention of thetremendouseffortheputintoBrave&Boldforthelast24years,nothing!Wasitamicable?MaybeIshouldn’thavemadesomuchfunofhim...

Nah…

1980

#158:… &WonderWoman, “Yesterday Never Dies”,Writer: GerryConway.

Thefirst issuewithoutHaneyfeaturessomethingHaneyrarelyused:a supervillain, and a new one at that! Flashback, whose chemical gasmakes his victims relive their worst life experiences, vows to kill themembers of a French-US business conglomerate. Can Batman and

Wonder Woman overcome the traumas of the deaths of Batman’sparentsandSteveTrevorintimetostophim?

#159:…&Ra’sAlGhul, “TheCrystal Armageddon”,Writer:Denny

O’Neil.Supervillainsarecomingoutofthewoodwork!Ra’sisthesecondbad

guytoco-starinateam-up!TheJoker(#111)istheother.Ra’swasoneof the fewBatman villains from the 1970swith staying power.HewasfeaturedinmostofthevariousBatmancartoonsanditstill inDC’sNew52continuity-ifonlyasthegrandfatherofthelatestdeadRobin.

AsingledropofProfessorHatter’sformulacouldturntheoceanintocrystal! Imagine what a bottle-full would do! The League of Assassinskidnapstheprofessor,andBatmanandRa’strytofindhimbeforeeitherheortheLeaguespills/breaksthebottle!

#160: … & Supergirl, “The Brimstone Connection”, Writer: Cary

Burkett.ColonelSulfurkidnapsSupergirl’sadoptedfather-heknowsthethird

partofanewrocketfuelformulatheColonelwants!#161: … & Adam Strange, “A Tale of Two Heroes”, Writer: Gerry

Conway.AswiththeSpecialandissue#200,Batmannevermeetshiscostarin

thisissue.A ZetaBeam switchesAdamStrange and (an unknowing) Batman.

BatmanissenttoRanntohelpclearAdamwhowasframedformurder.That leaves Adam Strange to capture Gotham’s serial killer before hestrikesagain!Averywell-donestory!

#162:…(EarthTwo)&Sgt.Rock,“OperationTimeBomb”,Writer:Bill

Kelly.World War II sabotage: bombs are planted on a new squadron of

tanksfinancedbyWayneEnterprises.NowBatmanandSgt.Rockmustdisarm the tanks,discover theNazi’sattackplans,anddefeat themanbehinditall–theIronMajor!

IenjoytheseWWIIBatmantales-Iwishtheywouldhavedonemoreofthem!

#163: … & Black Lightning, “Oil, Oil, Nowhere”, Writer: Paul

Kupperberg,Art:DickGiordano.BlackLightningwasthecreationofTonyIsabella-aformerBrave&

Bold letter-writer turnedcomicbookwriterandeditor.The firstandonlytimeafanofthemagazinehadacharacterhecreatedappearinit?Hewon a reader’s poll for most requested team-up (Black Lightning, notTony Isabella -although thatwouldhavebeena fun team-up!).Afteradelay(BlackLightningwasscheduledtoappearinDCComicsPresentsand the editors didn’t want to compete with their sister team-upmagazine),he finallydebuts inB&B.Other thanMalappearingwith theTeenTitansin#102,thisisthefirstAfricanAmericancharactertoco-starwithBatmaninBrave&Bold.NotthatDChadalotofblackcharacterstochoosefrom…

Someone is stealing oil tanker trucks fromGotham andMetropolis.Enter Batman. One of the stolen trucks runs over an old lady inMetropolis’ suicide slum. Enter Black Lightning. They both find themissinggasoline.Enter thegeneral-turned-senatorandhisprivatearmyreadytotakeovertheUS.Bunchajiveturkeys!

#164:…&Hawkman, “TheMysteryof theMobileMuseum”,Writer:

J.M.DeMatteis,Art:JoseLuisGarciaLopez.Batman and Hawkman deliver “The Mysterious Ones” – two pre-

Cambrian statuettes – to the Midway City Museum. Unfortunately, theoriginal owners haunt themuseum and Shiera Hall in order to get thestatuettesback.AveryLovecraftiantale,includingacameoappearancebyCthulhu!

#165:…&ManBat,“PrescriptionforTragedy”,Writer:MartyPasko,

Art:DonNewton&DanAdkins.SouthAmericandrugs,smuggledintotheUS,maybetheonlything

tosaveMan-bat’sdaughter.Unfortunately, thisbatchhasadeadlyviralstraininit!CanBatmanstopthelethalinjectionintime?OldBatmancastmemberJasonBardappearsinapanel.BardisanobscurememberoftheBatmanFamily.HewasBatgirl’sdetectiveboyfriendandwasgivenhis own feature (e.g.Detective Comics #425, July 1972). Around thistimehewasaregularcastmemberoftheManbatfeatureinDetective.

#166: … & Black Canary, “Requiem for Four Canaries”, Writer:

MichaelFleisher,Art:DickGiordanoandTerryAustin.Fiftycents?Again!?Well,theyaddedeightpages…ThePenguin(hisfirstappearanceinB&Bsince#6814yearsbefore)

vowstokillhisfourformerhenchmenwhotestifiedagainsthim.Thestory’sbeendonebefore (mostnotablywith theJoker),but the

art by Giordano is beautiful! The story seems to focus more on theflirtationbetweenCanaryandBatman.Thispotential romancewasalsohintedatyearsbeforeinanissueofJusticeLeagueofAmerica.

This issuewas roundly panned in the later letter columns. It wasn’tthatbad!

For the first time in fifteenyears (since thedebutof thenever-seen-since Bat Squad), a new hero is featured. “Nemesis” by Cary Burkett(writer) andDanSpiegle (art).Toatone for amurder committedbyhisbrother, Thomas Tresser becomes the master-of-disguise Nemesis. Inhisdebutoutinghecapturescrime lordJ.R.Ogdenandhishiredgun,GeorgePeal.

#167… (EarthTwo)&Blackhawk, “IceStationAlpha!”,Writer:Marv

Wolfman, Artist: Dave Cockrum (yes, THAT Dave Cockrum) & DanAdkins.

Anotherlong-timeB&Brequestedteam-upfinallycomestopass.Thegoldenage(EarthTwotothepurists)BatmanandtheBlackhawkseachdiscover theNazi’sultimateweapon:amachine thatwillmelt thepolaricecapanddrowntheentireeasternseaboard!

Blackhawk, like Plastic Man, was (were?) another Golden Agecharacter from Quality bought out by National Comics in the 1950s.Blackhawklastedwellintothe1970sandhasbeenrevivedsince-mostnotablyinasuperbminiseriesbyHowardChaykin.

Nemesis: “A Name Writ in Blood” by Burkett & Spiegle. More ofNemesis’originitrevealed:Whentheirwidowedfatherdies,Tom&CraigTresserareraisedbyBen&MarjorieMarshall,theirfather’sbestfriends.When they grow to adulthood, the boys begin working forMarshall asgovernment agents. Craig, mysteriously, shoots and kills Ben and ishimselfkilled.Tom,nowalwaysundersuspicion,removeshisnamefromthegovernmentroles,takeshisexperiments(disguisetechniques,bullets

thatshootonlynon-lethalparalyzingtoxins,etc.)andbecomestheDarkHeraldofJustice,Nemesis.

You’llnoticehowtheNemesisstorydescriptionsarelongerandmoredetailed than theBatman team-upmain feature.A telling critiqueas tostyleandsubstance,isn’tit?

#168:…&GreenArrow,“ShacklesoftheMind”,Writer:CaryBurkett.

JimAparoisbackafterasixissueabsence.Hmm,sixissuesmissedtodrawa three-issueminiseriesUntoldLegendofBatman.His “vacation”seemstohavepaidoff;hisartworkinthisissueismoremarvelousthanever.

Green Arrow coaxes Batman into appearing at a charity benefitfeaturing a thief-turned-escape-artist reformed by Green Arrow.Meanwhile,Batmantriestohuntdownamuseumthiefwhomakesnearlyimpossibleescapes.Hmm.CouldGreenArrow’sfriendbebehind itall?Orishejustapatsyforarealstage-magician-turned-thief?

This issueshowsmoreescape tricksand techniques thanall ofMr.Miracle’spastappearancesputtogether!

Nemesis:“SwiftWingofRecompense”;Burkett&Spiegle.Pickinguphis brother’s investigation where it left off, Nemesis find his brother’sundercoverworkwasdiscoveredbyamobbossnamedKingston.Craigwasbroughtbeforethe“Council”andbrainwashed,isthatwhyhekilledBen Marshall? During his investigation, Nemesis also stops a drugsmugglingring.

#169:…&Zatanna, “AngelofMercy,AngelofDeath!”Writer:Mike

W.Barr.I’mhonoredtohaveZatannaherselfdescribetheplotofthiscomic.“A

retsgnagsllikahtiafrelaehohwt’ndluocerucsihkaewtraeh.Fiehthtiafs’relaehdewodiwefiwt’nacerucmih,ll’ehsebdellikoot,sselnuNamtabdnaIpotsmihtsrif!”

Thankyou,Zatanna.Thatwaswonderful………Is she gone? Between you and me, Zatanna has never been a

characterIlikedverymuch.Ohshe’sacutie,nodoubt;andthosefishnetstockings, hubba hubba. Although this was during her fishnet-lesscostume-era,grrr ... Imostly thecharacterbecause, for the reader,herspell-castingmethodisapainintheass,orasshewouldsay,a“niapni

eht ssa”! Thank you, but I don’t want to read what Zatanna saysbackwards.Besides,herspellsareusuallyexplained in thenextpanel.Here,shestopsacriminalbysaying,“Snugotnisag!”Thatis,“Gunsintogas!” In theverynextpanel thecriminalsays (andweareshown), “Mygun has turned into gas!” Thanks, I just spent five minutes of my lifetrying to figure that out for myself! Well, not five minutes, as anytimeZatannaappearsIalwaystrytokeepamirrorhandy.ButIshouldn’thavetoreadacomicbookholdingacompact!(Besides,isn’t“Gunsintogas!”backwards really “!sag otni snuG”?)Why can’t she just say somethingsilly likeDr.Strangeandbe justaseffective; “I shall turn theguns intogasbyusingmyAmuletofAmaretto!”Justasdramatic,andmakesmefeellessdyslexic!

OthersloveZatannaandIrespecttheiropinion,ofcourse...othcaesihnwo.

Nemesis: “TheCouncilCalls forDeath”;Burkett&Spiegle.KingstoncallsameetingoftheCouncil,afederationofallmobbossesundertheleadership of “The Head”. Kingston updates the Council on Nemesis’search formore details ofCraig’s brainwashing (Nemesis finds out thebrainwashing was done on the orders of The Head by a former Naziscientist).Nemesis isat themeetingdisguisedastheCouncil’ssecuritychief(all throughthestorythereaderwasleftguessingwhocouldhavebeen Nemesis – he had to be in the meeting somewhere!). His nextmoveisobviouslytofindTheHeadathisbaseofoperations,whichisin… (cue excitingmusic)GothamCity.Guesswho starswith Batman inB&B next month? That’s right – Sisemen! Er, Nemesis (damn thatZatanna!)!

1981

#170:…&Nemesis.“…IfJusticeBeBlind”,Writer:CaryBurkett.TheHeadhiresakillertoassassinatehiscontactswiththemembers

of theCouncil. Then he has the assassin killed! Batman andNemesisfinally find TheHead by finding the ex-Nazi scientist who brainwashedCraig.TheHeadturnsouttobeacriminalshotbyBenMarshallearlyinhis career and forced to live the rest of his days in an iron lung. In a

moment of truth, Nemesis refuses to kill The Head when he had thechance.

ABatman comic’s back-up series teamsupwithBatman to finish amajor story arc. Shades ofWalt Simonson’sManhunter fromDetectiveComics…

#171: … & Scalphunter, “A Cannon for Batman”, Writer: Gerry

Conway, Artist: Jose Luis Garcia Lopez (excellent and flawless art asusualfromLopez,butIwouldhavelovedtoseeAparodoCivilWarbattlescenes!). Scalphunter, a whiteman raised by aNative American tribe,replaced JonahHex as the lead forWeirdWestern Tales, although bythistimetheonlyweirdpartofthecomicwasthtitle.Still,theywerewelldoneandshouldbecollectedinatradepaperback.I’dbuyone!

BruceWaynefindsaCivilWarcampaignpatchsuspiciouslysimilartohis bat symbol. Through hypnotist Professor Carter Nichols, BatmangoesbackintimetotheCivilWar(NicholshypnosistechniquewasusedbyBatman in the 1940s andmost recently in theSuperfriends comic).Batman and Scalphunter help Martha Jennings, “the FlorenceNightingaleoftheCivilWar”,delivermedicinetotheUnionforces,iftheycangetpast theConfederateArmy!Wahdewawl thuhnawthunsoljerztawkwithasuthunache-cent?

Nemesis: “Double or Nothing”, (Burkett/Spiegle). With The Headdead,Nemesisgoesafter therestof theCouncil.His first job:stoppingtheriggedgamblinghouseofM.C.Curtis–unlesstheprettyblondwiththebombstopsCurtisfirst!

#172: … & Firestorm, “Darkness and Dark Fire”, Writer: Gerry

Conway,Artist:CarmineInfantinoandSteveMitchell.Firestorm is experiencing memory blackouts, and Batman

investigates. It seems the same explosion that created Firestorm gavethe nuclear power plant sentience, and is slowly taking control ofFirestorm’smind.JasonBard,whoappearedinonlyonepanel in#165,hasalargerrolehere.

Firestorm is a creation of Gerry Conway and Allen Milgrom. Hedebuted in his own book in 1978. He’s still around in one version oranother...

Infantino’sartisfairhere(ararethingatthistime-bynowhisartworkwas lacking something); in fact, his final battle between Firestorm andBatman(dressed inanasbestossuit) is fantastic!His talent fordrawingfuturisticmachineryneverfaded,buttherestoftheartwasangularandsketchy – his trademark in later days. Does he draw faces with a T-squareorsomething?

Nemesis: “Pirate’s Peril”, (Burkett/Spiegle). After rescuing the ladyfrom the casino, Nemesis chases Curtis to LA, where he foils Curtis’videopiratingracket.

#173:…&GuardiansoftheUniverse,“OneofUsisNotOneofUs”,

Writer:GerryConway,Artist:JimAparo.GreenLanternsaremissing!OneoftheGuardiansoftheUniverseis

animposter!AGuardiancomestoearthtoenlistthehelpoftheworld’sgreatestdetective.ButfirstBatmanmuststopa jewelrytheftring.“Verywell,” sighs theGuardian, “let usgo stop it, then.”Theyeventually findHalJordan,revivehismemoryanddiscoverSinestroisbehinditall!OntoMaltus,theGuardian’shomeworld!

Whensomeonesuggested thisasa team-up in the letter columnofB&B #152, it was (nicely) called one of the strangest ideas eversubmitted.Buthereweare.Itisanexcellentoff-beatissue;Aparo’sartisatitsbest!Thisisoneofmyfavorites–fullofdryhumor.TheGuardianstates,“…itseemsoddthatthelaw-breakershaveleftnooneonguard!”Andasa ship’s rigging smashesharmlessly against his skull, he says,“PerhapsIspoketoosoon!”Wonderful!Thisstorycontinues in thenextissue.

Nemesis:“Knight’sGambit”,Burkett/Spiegle.EnglishCouncilmemberNoelChestertonisnextonNemesis’hit list.WhydoesChestertonwanttokidnapex-RAFofficerSirRobertGreene?

#174: … & Green Lantern, “To Trap an Immortal”, Writer: Gerry

Conway,Art:Aparo.On Maltus, Green Lantern reunites with the Old Timer, the mortal

Guardian from theclassicGreenLantern/GreenArrowseries#76–81.TheOld-TimerandBatmantrickSinestrointorevealinghimself,whileGLgoesforreinforcements–theentireCorps!SinestrotakesoverthemindsoftheGuardians, leadingto“abattlethatwill liveinlegendasanepic”:

GreenLanternsversusGuardians!Well,theysaiditisanepicbattle;thereaders couldn’t tell – the battle only lasted two pages… of coursenowadays itwouldhave lasted throughasixmonth line-widecrossoverwith dozens of “special” one-shot issues. Can’t we have any middlegroundhere?

Nemesis: “Bishop’s Sacrifice”, Burkett/Spiegle. Nemesis uncoversChesterton’splot–firsthekidnapsaknight,hisnextvictimisabishop!Isthequeennext?

#175:…&LoisLane,“HeartofaMonster”,Writer:PaulKupperberg,

Artist:Aparo.Anotheroft-requestedteam-upcomestopass.LoisLanewasthefirst

Supermancast-membertogetherownseries.Shedebutedin(surprise!)Showcasein1957andhadherowntitlethenextyear.HerbookmergedwithSuperman’sPalJimmyOlsenandSupergirlintoSupermanFamilyin1974andthattitlelasteduntil1982.

A high-ranking member of crime-terror organization Skull wants toturnhimselfin,unlessSupermanbad-guyMetallogetstohimfirst!

Nemesis: “Queen: EnPrise”, (Burkett/Spiegle). As Nemesis rescueshis female companion Valerie and the kidnapped bishop mysteriouslyreturns.Why?

#176: … & Swamp Thing, “The Delta Connection”, Writer: Martin

Pasko, Artist: JimAparo. Excellent cover byMikeKaluta (a non-AparocoveronBrave&Boldisveryrare!).

SomeoneiskillingoffalltheparticipantsofaGothamjewelheistfromyears before – and Felicia Kyle (Catwoman’s sister) is next!(Un)Fortunately,shehasescapedherLouisianaprisonandhasfledintotheswamp.

This was an unsuccessful attempt to relaunch aSwamp Thing title(thatinfluentialtitlerebootwouldn’thappenfortwomoreyears).“Createdby Bob Kane” appears under Batman’s splash-page logo for the firsttime.

Nemesis: “Endgame”, (Burkett/Spiegle). Bishop takes Rook (sonictrapon thebishopknockscastleoccupantsunconscious)!Knight takesQueen(fakeSirRobertGreenekidnapsQueenElizabethII)!FakeQueen

(Valerieindisguise)andNemesistakeCouncil-memberChesterton!WillNemesismateValerie?Check!!

#177: … & Elongated Man, “The Hangman Club Murders”, Writer:

MikeW.Barr,Artist:JimAparo,DickGiordanobeginsaseditor.ThisstorywasdedicatedtoBillFingerandavery…er…Fingerish

story.Agenuinewhodunit,completewithachallengetothereadertoIDthe killer before the heroes do! Who is killing fellow members of theHangmanClub–anorganizationofreformedcriminals?

Elongated Man was a supporting character in Flash that provedpopularenough togethisownback-upseries inDetectiveComics.HeeventuallyjoinedtheJusticeLeague.LegendsaysthathadtheeditorofFlash (I thinkat that time itwasJulieSchwartz) known thatDCownedtherightstoPlasticManatthetime(andhadsince1956),hewouldhaveusedthatnameifnotthecharacter.Itwastoourgaininretrospect.

Nemesis: “Honor Among Thieves”, (Burkett/Spiegle). The nextCouncil-member on Nemesis’ hit list is Samuel Soloman. Too badSolomancapturesNemesisfirst!

#178:…&Creeper,“PaperChase”,Writer:AlanBennett,Artist:Jim

Aparo(whohassaidthiswashisfavoritestoryinB&B!).A right-wing TV commentator’s hatred creates a living origami

monster that kills off criminals, poor people, minorities and then goesafterJack(TheCreeper)Ryder!

Was that a Legion cruiser silhouetted against the moon? Yes, thisissuestartsabrieftraditioninB&B’slastyears–eachissuehasa“clue”as tonext issue’sguest. JimAparo: “I’d findoutwho thenext team-upwouldbeandI’dstartleavingaclueforthereadersinthedrawingtoseeiftheycouldfindit.Thatwaythereaderswouldknowwhowasgoingtobecomingnext.IfitwasGreenArrow,I’dhaveanarrowlyingaroundorstuckinawall.Ididittomakesurethesekidswerereading.”

Nemesis: “The Bitter Choice”, (Burkett/Spiegle). With a devisestrappedtohischestthatcouldstophisheart,NemesisagreestobringallotherCouncilmemberstojustice,leavingSolomanalonetorule!

Ashortenedlettercolumnonlyhasroomforoneletter–thethirdlettertoappearinBrave&BoldbyT.M.Maple.Hisletterwasroundlymocked

byDickGiordano.ItmadeonewaxnostalgicfortheolddaysofMurrayBoltinofflaughingatthefans.No,actuallyitdidn’t…

#179:…&LegionofSuperHeroes,“TimeBombWiththeThousand-

Year Fuse”,Writer: Martin Pasko, Artist: Ernie Colon &Mike DeCarlo.Priceincreasesto60cents.

Neversaynever.TheLegionhasbeensuggestedforaB&Bteam-upwithBatmanas longas therehasbeena letter column inB&B. Itwasalwayslaughedoffassillyor“undoable”.Maybetheywereright…

In1981,animpenetrableanti-matteregg,settohatch(andexplode)in 1000 years, is switchedwith aGothamCity time capsule by an evil31st century scientist. This is all a plot by Legion villain Universo todestroyMetropolis!Whenthetimecapsulehatches…boom!

Although well received according to later letter columns, to me itseemedvery rushedandconfusing,evenat25pages.Whynot simplyopenup theegg in the20thcentury? Itwasunder lockandkey in the31stcenturytopreventjustthat!Whygobackintime?Thisshouldhavebeenatwo-parter,oranother48-page“Special”.

MyfriendJillWeberismentionedinthelettercolumnintheteam-upround-up.

#180: … & Spectre, “Scepter of the Dragon God”, Writer: Mike

Fleisher, Artist: Jim Aparo. Fleisher and Aparo together again on theSpectre! They redefined the Spectre in Adventure Comics in the mid-1970s.Ifhyped,thisissuewouldhavebeenamega-seller!

One-third of the scepter is placed too close to the ashes of ancientwizardWa’ar Zen, resurrecting him. Zen gathers the other two piecesand Spectre and Batman are too late to prevent him from becomingomnipotent. Well, almost omnipotent. Some of Fleisher’s dialogue forBatman didn’t ring true – Batman’s flippant “I did it with my littlebatarang.”AndcallingZen“oldbuddy”weretoooutofcharacterevenforme!

Nemesis: “Be Still My Trembling Heart”, (Burkett/Spiegle). Nemesisfinds the doctor who created the heart accelerator, and the doctorpromptlyturnsonthedevise,leavingNemesiswrithingonthefloor!

#181:…&Hawk&Dove,“TimeSeeWhat’sBecomeofMe”,W:AlanBrennert,A:Aparo.

Anexcellent story.B&B does something it hasn’t done in years – itmakesamajorchangeinacharacter(ortwointhiscase).Here,itmarkstheendof two superhero’s careers! Theart is also not to bebelieved.Aparowasinspired!

Hawk&Dove- twomoreShowcasealums-werebrotherswith twodifferentworld viewsduring theVietnamWarand theother conflicts ofthe1960s.Astheirnamesimplied:Hawkwasaggressive;Dovepassive.Theyhadashort-livedself-titledseriesandby this timehadbeenseenonly in a few issues of Teen Titan. They’ve been revived through theyears-sometimeswithafemaleDove.

HankHall (Hawk)hasmentallybrokendownover thepast12yearsandislosingcontrolofhisemotions.DonHall(Dove)hasbecomemoreandmorepassive.The“Presence”thatgaveHawk&Dovetheirpowersreturns and realizes that giving Hawk & Dove their powers merelyatrophied their humanity. So it strips Hawk & Dove of their powers toallowthemtogrow.Badtiming–Hawkhasbeenkidnappedbyaheroinkingpin!

Nemesis: “Heartbreak”, (Burkett/Spiegle).NemesissubduesDr.RiceanduseshimasadisguisetoagaininfiltrateSoloman’smansion,whereNemesisdeactivatestheheartstimulatorandputsitinsteadonSolomanhimself!

1982

#182:…&Robin (ofEarthTwo), “InterludeonEarthTwo”,W:AlanBrennert,A:JimAparo.

Anotherexcellentstoryandart!Intelligentandthought-provoking!Twostoriesinarowthatdealtmorewithemotionthanviolence–thingsthatmight have been, lost opportunities and second chances. Both shouldappearinany“bestof…”compilation.

OnEarth-Two,ProfessorHugoStrangestealsStarman’scosmicrodandthreatenstodecimateGothamCity.Sogreatisthestormhecreatesthat it causes a rift between earths andwhisksEarth-One’sBatman toEarth Two. Strange, having taken over the Batcave, assaults Batman,

RobinandBatwomanwiththebatmobile,aBatmanrobotandotherbat-weapons.RobinisangryatBatman–fortreatinghimasajuniorpartner(hepointsoutthatheandBatmanarethesameageandRobinhasbeenfightingcrimemuchlonger)andconsidersBatmanarankimitatoroftheoriginal.Robinisalsomadathimselfforthinkingsuchthings.Batmanisangry at himself for forgetting how much he misses Batwoman (theEarth-One version is deceased). Batwoman is angry at herself for nottellingEarth-TwoBatmanhertruefeelings,all thewhiletryingnottofallin love with Earth-One Batman. Can the three heroes overcome theirjealousy,mourningandmelancholyintimetostopStrange?

Nemesis: “Enter: Greyfox”, (Burkett/Spiegle). The three survivingCouncilmembershiretheGreyFox–Frenchassassin–tooffNemesis.The Fox’s only clue is Valerie’s brother in Las Vegas. In the terms ofMarvelRolePlayingGamethisisknownastheDisadvantage:Relative.

#183:…&Riddler,“TheDeathofBatman”,W:DonKrarr,A:Carmine

Infantino.Cluesonaboardgame leadBatman toakidnappedmysterywriter.

The Riddler receives clues too – he’s trying to find the fiend who’sstealinghismodusoperandi!

CarmineInfantinoartistypicalInfantinoatthistime–verystylistic,toputitdiplomatically.Takessomegettingusedto.Actually,thislooksverymuchlikeoneofhis1960sstory.Hard-corpsfansprobablylovedit,butitissomewhatstiffanddistant.

This is the Riddler’s first appearance in Brave & Bold since #68,fifteenyearsbefore.Thisplot–avillaingoingafteranimitator–isdonemuchbetterin#191.

Nemesis: “Fox & Hounds”, (Burkett/Spiegle). The Grey Fox huntsNemesis through his stolen helicopter, Nemesis hunts the Grey Foxthroughhishenchmen.Adeadlyconfrontationbuildsonaloneairstrip.

#184: … & Huntress, “The Batman’s Last Christmas”, W: Mike W.

Barr,A:Aparo.In the first Christmas story since #148, Batman discovers evidence

thathisfatherbankrolledgangsters!Brucedecidessincehisfatherwasahypocrite,sowashisentirecareerasBatman!CantheHuntress(visiting

fromEarth-Twofor theholidays)convinceBatmantoputbackthecapeandcowlbackontofindthetruth?

This is the third issue ina row featuringacharacterstrictly fromtheBatman family. What gives? Are they trying to see if a new Bat-bookmight sell without a non-Batman Family guest star? Considering theyonlyhavesixteenissuesleft,it’spossible.

Nemesis: “Outfoxed”, (Burkett/Spiegle). The Grey Fox kidnaps thedaughter of Barney (Nemesis’s mechanic) as bait. Nemesis is injuredwhilerescuingthegirlandBarney’swildrifleshotcausestheGreyFox’shelicoptertoexplode!

This first page of this issue is a classic and reproduced here. Youwon’t see this side of Batman since his reinvention as a broodingsociopath…

PlusitgivesagoodglimpseoftheexpertartworkofJimAparo.#185:…&GreenArrow,“TheFalcon’sLair”,W:DonKraar,A:Adrian

Gonzales.

ThePenguin sets a trap disguised as aGotham socialite’s birthdayparty filledwithmechanicalknights,killer falconsand fakeRobinsall tokillBatman!Batscan’tmakeit,willGreenArrowdo?

GreenArrow’s lastappearance inB&B.He totaled tenappearances(ninewithBatman–morethananyoneelse–andonewiththeMartianManhunterinthefirstteam-upissuein#50)inthecomic.HeranksfourthamongtotalB&Bappearances(onlyBatman,FlashandHawkmanhavehadmore–Hawkmanwithsix issuesdevotedsolely tohim.And that’snotcountingVikingPrinceandSilentKnight!).

Nemesis: “Triple Threat”, (Burkett/Spiegle). The three remainingCouncilmembersmakeadeal–whoeverdestroysNemesiswillbecomethenewHeadof theCouncil!Nemesis infiltratesJayKingston’smanor,notknowingKingstonkeepslionsroaminghisgrounds.Badtimeforhiswoundfromlastissuetostartbleedingagain!

#186:…&Hawkman, “TheTreasureof theHawk-God’sTomb”,W:

DanMishkin&GaryCohn,Art:JimAparo.TheFadeawayManstealstreasuresfromGotham’smuseumstosell

them to the highest bidder, unless Batman & Hawkman stop him first!Penguinmusthaveescapedhiscaptureof the issuebefore–hehasacameoduringthemuseumauctioneyeingtheGothamEaglestatue!

Speaking of Hawkman, this was his last appearance (his 11th). Hehad six issues as a try-out series (#34-36 and 42-44). His silver-agerevivalwassecondonlytotheJusticeLeagueasasuccessfulB&B try-out.Hewasfeaturedinfourteam-upswithBatmanandoneteam-upwithAquaman.

Nemesis: “In the Lion’s Den”, (Burkett/Spiegle). Nemesis escapesKingston’s lion and his gun toting henchmen, but Kingston has otherplans. He discovers that Nemesis is somehow connected with widowMarjorieMarshall…

#187: … & Metal Men, “Whatever Happened to What’s’ername?”

Writer:CharlieBoatner,Art:JimAparo.Nameless, the robot created by Tin (he called her Beautiful), was

kidnappedbyPlatinumMan(oftheMetalWomen,don’task…).PlatinumMan rebuilds the Floating Furies, the Gas Gang, the Missile Men andBOLTStokillDocMagnusandtheMetalMen!

IrememberNameless,shehasabriefcameoinBrave&Bold#74!Nemesis: “Arena of Despair”, (Burkett/Spiegle). Kingston kidnaps

MarjorieMarshall,whowith her husbandBenMarshall raisedNemesisand his brother, to lureNemesis back toKingston’smanor and certaindoom!

JillWebercontributesagaintothelettercolumn–hersecond!KarenWu’ssecondletterappearsthisissue,too!

Another B&B staple makes their last appearance. The Metal Menappeared nine times – twice without Batman (teaming instead withMetamorphoandtheAtom)andsevenwithBatman.

#188:…&Rose&Thorn, “AGraveasWideas theWorld”,Writer:

RobertKanigher(Rose&Thorncreator,andhisfirststoryforB&Bsince#5218yearsbefore).

ANazispyonhisdeathbedtellsHitlerhimselfthelocationofalethalcanisterofnervegashehadstolenduringWWII.Well,heTHOUGHTitwas Hitler. Instead of Hitler, it was a neo-Nazi bent on destroyingAmerica!Continuesinthenextissue.

Rose&Thornwas(were?)arebootofaGoldenAgeGreenLanternvillain and appeared many time as the backup feature in Superman’sGirlfriendLoisLane.Thatwasduring the timeatNational (early1970s)whenitseemedthebackupfeaturewasmoreinterestingthanthelead–BlackOrchid,CaptainFearandRose&Thornareexamples.

Nemesis: “Gladiator’sGauntlet”, (Burkett/Spiegle).Nemesis fightsoffgun traps!Spike-filledpits!Bullwhipcarryinggoons!Amanwithahookfor a hand!Knife tossers! Judoexperts!Explodingdoors! I can’twatchanymore!Tellmewhenit’sover!

#189: … & Rose & Thorn, “Grave…” Part Two, W: Kanigher, A:

Aparo.ThehuntforthenervetoxinleadstoArgentinaandMartinBormann!

“Agoinzed”? Should have been “agonized”, a very rare typo! The lastmulti-partstoryinB&B.

Nemesis: “Betrayal”, (Burkett/Spiegle). Nemesis evades more trapsandrescuesMarjorie.KingstoniskilledbyarivalCouncilmember’sspy.

#190:…&AdamStrange,“WhoKilledAdamStrange?”Writer:MikeW.Barr,Artists:CarmineInfantinoandSalTrapani.

Still in the jungle inSouthAmerica (where’sThorn?)Batman issentbyZeta-BeamtoRann.Withtheuseofthebeam,BatmanrestoresAdamStrangetolife,findshiskillerandhelpsdefeatalieninvaders.

Infantino’sartisverygoodforhisstyleatthislatedate.Toobaditissuchastrangestory,pardonthepun-andsomeplotpointsarehardtoswallow.Batman’s detective skills are at their nadir – he guesseswhokilledAdamStrangeandhappenstobecorrect.HebringsAdambacktolifebecausetheZetaBeamtakesAdambacktoearthinthesamestateheleft.Sohowcomeitdoesn’tworkinreverseandhereturnedtoRanndead?MikeW.Barrisbetterthanthis!

Nemesis: “Murderer’s Proxy”, (Burkett/Spiegle). Council memberMaddoxhiresahitmantokillhismoleinKingston’soperation,tostopthemolefromsquealing.Nemesisisbentonstoppinghim!

#191:…&Joker,:OnlyAngelsHaveWings”,Writers:DonMishkin&

GaryCohn,Art:JimAparo.An imitationJokerkills thePenguin (thePenguin’sbackagain!?)on

livetelevision.TherealJokerasksBatmantotrackdownthekiller.Thisstorymakesforabetter“team-up”thantheclassic#111.

ThisisthethirdtimeaBatmanvillainappearsasaguest,thesecondfortheJokerandhisfourthcoverblurb(alongwith#111,118&130).Healsoappearedasthevillainin#s68and141.

Nemesis: “Dead Man’s Bluff”, (Burkett/Spiegle). Disguised as theassassin, Nemesis convinces Maddox’s mole to turn himself in andimplicateMaddoxinKingston’smurder.

#192:… & Superboy, “You Can Take the Boy Out of Smallville…”

Writer:MikeW.Barr,Art:JimAparo.LenWeintakesoveraseditor.Mr.IQtriestowhiskSupermanintothedistantpasttopreventSupes

from foiling IQ’s plot. Instead, hemistakenly switches theSupermanof1982with theSuperboyof1967! IQ tries toempowerhiscomputerizedbrainthatwilltakeovertheworldwithsolarflares!CanBatmanandtheBoyofSteelstophimintime?

Great ideaturnedinto(thankfully)agreatstory.NotethatSupermanwas shown only in silhouetted shadows – there is a touching scene

where he avoided nearly being seen by his parents. It was heart-wrenchingtoseehimflyawayinsteadofseeinghisparentsaliveagain.Also, it was interestingwatchingBatman “train” Superboy on using hispowersmoreeffectively(“don’tuseyourheatvisiontodetonateagun–you could hurt someone!” “Yes sir.”). Considering Batman is lecturingsomeonewho could break his neckwith a pinky, Batman does a verygoodjobteachingandinstructingthelad!

Nemesis: “Operation Overkill”, (Burkett/Spiegle). Sole survivingCouncilmember IreneScarfield tries to resurrect theCouncil.Nemesis,disguisedasanactorinScarfield’stravelingtroupe,overhearstheplanstoOperationOverkillthatbringsachilltohisspine.GoodthingthenextstopofthetheatertroupeisGothamCity!Nextissue’sguestwithBatmanis…surprise!Sisemen!Er,Nemesis!DamnthatZatanna!

#193: … & Nemesis, “Those Who Live by the Sword…” W: Cary

Burkett,A:Aparo.Scarfield hires the terrorist group the PLA to kill a senator who is

sponsoringastrictanti-crimebill.BatmandefeatsthePLAanditsleaderBloodclaw. Nemesis sacrifices himself to destroy the last Councilmemberinahelicoptercrash.Thescalesofjusticehavefinallybalanced.(Nemesissurvivesthecrash,spendsyearsrecuperatinginahospitalandjoinstheSuicideSquad-afellowBrave&Boldalumni).

1983

#194: … & Flash, “Trade Heroes and Win!”, Writer: Mike W. Barr,Artist:CarmineInfantinoandSalTrapani.

Little-known/long forgotten Flash and Batman villains, the RainbowRaiderandDoctorDoubleXtakelessonsinself-confidencefromafemaleTony Robbins-like character and nearly defeat our brave and boldcomrades.

It is announced in the letter column that issue #200will be the lastissue featuring aBatman team-up format, and announcesBatman andtheOutsiders,butprovidesnootherinformation.

This is Flash’s last appearance: six times teaming with the capedcrusader,fourtimeswithothersuperheroesandthreetimeswiththeJLA,

not counting cameos (#172 for example). Only Batman, Viking PrinceandSilentKnightappearedmorethantheFlash.

Infantino drew the first Flash-Batman team-up (#67) and the last.These are the two superheroes with which he is most associated.Infantino’s art isn’t bad here, but still not very good. As with his laterFlashwork,sometimeshisartjustdoesn’tlookrealistic.Butcomparedtomorestylizedartworkincomicsinthepastseveralyears(especiallythe1990s,ick),it’sstillveryaccessible.

#195:…& I…Vampire, “Night ofBlood”,Writer:MikeW.Barr,Art:

JimAparo.A Gotham gangster makes a deal with Batman – find the vampire

killer that attacked his daughter and Batman will be provided withincriminating evidence against a rival gangster. In one of thosecoincidencesthatonlyhappenincomics,therivalgangsterisincahootswith the vampire cult The Blood Red Moon, sworn enemy of AndrewBennett(whotellsthetaleinhisfirstpersonnarrativetypicalofthe“I…Vampire”series).

IdonotrecallifanyotherB&Btalesweretoldinfirstpersonnarrative.None spring to mind. Neither the Viking Prince or Silent Knight tales,although some might have been. Some of the Sgt Rock tales hadsectionstoldinfirstperson.Lotsofissueshad“flashback”scenesinfirstperson,butawholecomic?Thismightbethefirst–I’mnotgoingbackthrough194issuestofindout!

Greatissue,Mark,youmadeupfor#190!Thanks!Speaking of that, future Flash scribe Mark Waid writes a scathing

reviewofissue#190.ConstantletterwritersTMMapleandKentPhenisalso contribute. It is hinted in the letter column that after issue #200,Brave&Boldwillfeaturestoriesbynewtalentratherthanteam-ups.Thisidea will turn instead into what will be a 19-issue run of New TalentShowcasebeginningsixmonthslaterinJanuary1984.

ThisissuecouldhaverankedwiththeHaney/AdamsDeadmanstories(#79&86)asagreatchapterintheguestcharacter’smythos.Thistale,althoughagoodstory,didnotmakeyouwanttorunoutandbuyHouseofMystery.ItisalsoararecaseofbadAparoart.Let’sputbadinquotes.Theart isstillmarvelous,butnothisbest.Forone thing: there’shardlyany background! Instead of looking stylized, it looks rushed. You can

actuallytellonwhichpanelshetookhistimeandonwhichpanelshedidnot.Thisissuewasindesperateneedofafinisher.Fortunately,evenhispoorartworkisbetterthanmost.Thereason?Well,bythistimehewasdoing other Batman books, including preparing Brave & Bold’sreplacement! Where this issue could have been a classic, instead itseemedliketheywerebuyingtime.Theendisnigh.

#196: … & Ragman, “The Two Faces of Midnight!” Writer: Robert

Kanigher, Art: Jim Aparo, doing his last Batman team-up for Brave &Bold.

Abanker’sdaughteriskidnappedbyterrorists.BatmanandRagman,eachexhaustedandwounded, taketheother’s leads,andcostumes, tofindher!

Anothergreat talewithauniquehero.Ragmanappeared inhisowncomic inthe 1970s. It was short-lived but a great and unique series.KudostoRobertKanigherandJoeKubert!Anothertriumphfromboth!IfDCreallywantedtopushthisissueandissues195and197,theywouldbe best-sellers. Instead they already had their sights set on Batman’snewbook.

#197: … (Earth Two) & Catwoman, “The Autobiography of Bruce

Wayne”,Writer: Alan Brennert, Art: Joe Staton (who else but the pre-eminentEarth-Twoartist?)andGeorgeFreeman.

TheScarecrow’slatesttrick isagasthatcreatestherealistic illusionof one’s greatest fears come to life! Batman sees Robin, Batwoman,CommissionerGordon,AlfredandClarkKentalldisappear!Heisalone!Whocanhelphimsincehisfriendsaregone?Howaboutanadversary?BatmanasksCatwoman to help catch theScarecrow.During thehunt,theyhelpeachotherconquertheirfearsandalsofallinlove.

Bruce writes: “But lately I’ve had the feeling that time is somehowrunning short, that endings are not so very far away.” He was writingabouthisowndeathpreviouslyshowninAdventureComics,buthecouldalsobewritingabouttheendofhisworld’sexistence–threeyearsfromnowtheCrisisonInfiniteEarthswillbepublished:DC’sfailedattempttoreboottheirlongandwonderfulhistory,eliminatinganyandallreferencestoEarth-Twoandthesetypesofstories.

Bruce (and Alan) may have also been refering to Brave & Bold’sdemiseinthreemonths…

Back to this issue: another great story, and a fine addition to theEarth-Two Batman mythos. This tale has been reprinted in several“GreatestBatmanStories…”anthologies.

These last three issues were fantastic! Could it be that they weretrying torevivean interest inkeepingB&Bgoing,orwere they trying tomake their last issues final blazes of glory? Regardless, overall thequalityof the tales(storyandart)ofB&B’s lastyearwasphenomenallygood!Certainlymorehitsthanmisses.

#198:…&KarateKid,“TerroristsoftheHeart”,W:MikeW.Barr,A:

ChuckPatton.KarateKidisamemberoftheLegionofSuperheroeswho,duringthe

KungFucrazeof the1970s,waswhiskedback to thepresent toprovehimselfman enough toPrincessProjectra’s father tomarry her. A sillypremise, I grant you. His title was cancelled tomakeway for the newtitlesoftheDCExplosionof1978.

It’sastorythatcanonlyhappenincomics:TerroristgrouptheBlackHeart hire Karate Kid bad guy Pulsar to kill their traitor, Katy. Katyescapesandhidesout inKarateKid’sgirlfriend Iris Jacobs’ apartment.KarateKid travels to1983 just in time toget in themiddleof it all!Ohyeah,BatmanisaftertheBlackHearttoo!

The lettercolumn features fans reaction toB&B’s “cancellation”.Butthe editors, over the past few issues, have only stated that #200 willfeature the lastBatman team-upandBrave&Boldwill thenchange itsformat.Ominously,theeditorsdonotcorrectthemistake.Thefinalteam-upin#200isannounced.

#199:…&Spectre,“TheBody-NappingofJimCorrigan”,Writer:Mike

W.Barr,Art:RossAndruandRickHoberg.The Spectre enlists Batman’s aid to find the body of Jim Corrigan,

who was kidnapped by a sorceress and will use Corrigan’s body asearthlyhostforherastrallover.Ifshesucceeds,Spectrewillbeunabletoregenerateandwillceasetoexist!

Inthelettercolumn,theeditorsannounceBrave&Bold#200willbethefinalissue.

#200:Batman&Batman(EarthTwo),“SmellofBrimstone,Stenchof

Death”Writer:MikeW.Barr,Art:DaveGibbons.$1.50!! A dollar fifty for a comic book!?Aw, it’s the last issue, let it

go…Earth-Two 1955 (the yearB&B began): After a series of robberies,

BatmanandRobinfinallydefeatBrimstone.Earth-Two1983:Hate isallthathaskeptBrimstonealive.HishatredofBatmanissogreat;whenhehearsofBatman’sdeath,hismindpassesintohisEarth-Onecounterpartwhere another hated Batman still lives! Earth-One 1983: Brimstonecauses riots inGotham and eventually traps Batman in the same lava“hellpit” Batman escaped 28 years before! Can Batman escape – er –again– in timetosaveGotham,catchBrimstonewhilst findingoutwhotheheckBrimstone is?Wellofcoursehecan,buthenever figuresoutBrimstone’sEarth-Twosecret.Andheneverwill.

“Batman and the Outsiders”, Writer: Mike W. Barr, Art: Jim Aparo.Batman and the Outsiders protect Mikos from his own terroristsubordinates–whovowtokillMikos(underhisownorders)forthegloryofthecause!

Oft-requestedBatmite finallyappears inBrave&Bold inaonepagecomic.

For the first time sinceNemesis, new characterswere introduced –Halo,Geo-Force andKatana. They are the first newB&B superheroessinceMetamorpho,whoisalsoamemberofthenewOutsiders.

Onelastteam-upandonelasttry-out.Thetry-outwasasuccess:theOutsidersgoingontotheirownseries(replacingBrave&BoldonDC’sroster)andlastingforseveralyearsafterward.LaterincarnationslinktheOutsiders(stillfeaturingtheresurrectedMetamorpho)asasplintergroupof the TeenTitans. Appropriately, both groups began inBrave&Bold.ThethirdincarnationharksbacktotheBatman-formedplay-by-their-own-rulesmetagroup.

ItwastrendyatDCforawhiletointroducenewgroupsbymixingnewcharacters and old. At times it worked brilliantly (the Teen Titans); attimesitwasanutterfailure(theJusticeLeagueofDetroit).TheOutsiderswereanothersuccess.

***

***

Andthat’sit!After262newstoriesand28reprintsBrave&Boldwas

gone.We’veseenthemall–fromtheAtomtoZatanna.We’vebeenfromCamelottoHell,fromRanntoOaandallpointsinbetween.We’veseenknights and dictators, Vikings and terrorists, ordinary citizens andsupermen, hard-working cops and pliable freaks. From King Arthur toSatan,fromQueenElizabethIItoSnapperCarr.Itwasquitearide.

Team-up books were not necessarily on their way out with B&B’scancellation – there were only four in existence by this time. But thecracks were showing – Marvel Two-in-One was canceled one monthbefore Brave & Bold with its issue #100 (June 1983). Solely on thestrength of their stars (as opposed to the quality of material),MarvelTeam-Up was cancelled on February 1985 after 150 issues, and DCComics Presents’ last issue was September 1986 with issue #97.Subsequent attempts at team-up-books (mostly by Marvel withSpiderman Team-Up, a revived Marvel Team-Up), didn’t last long.Although supergroups would come back to popularity, with JLA, JSA,Avengers,Defenders and others being vigorously revived, the team-upbookisprobablygoneforever.Adaptationsoftelevisioncartoonsaside...

TheBrave&Boldformat,asdiscussed,probablywouldn’thavefitintoDC’sparadigmafter1983.Thatincludestothisday.KevinSmithbroughtup theprospectofbringingbackBrave&BoldwithGreenArrow in theearly2000s,butitdidnotcometopass.

But history won’t judge Brave & Bold by its team-up years,praiseworthyastheHaney-Aparoissueswere.B&Bwillbemoreknownforitsfirstfiftyissues–theVikingPrince,theJusticeLeague,Hawkman.Andrightlyso,buttheteam-upstorieswerealsogood,qualityfun.Somewerefantastic!Someoftheverybeststoriesofthemagazineappearedinthelasttwentyissuesofitsrun!

DCstill trots out comics under the banner to preserve its copyright,buttheyhaveallsofarfailedtocapturethewonderandwonderfulnessofB&B’sgloryyears;B&B’sverybestissues.

Alltwohundredofthem.

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APPENDICES

Errata,AdditionalandSupplemental

The Golden Gladiator appeared in an issue ofSwamp Thing in itscontroversialtime-travelstoryarc:controversialinthatthestoryinwhichSwampymetwithJesusofNazarethwasnotallowedtobepublished.

CaveCarson does not appear inShowcase #100. Although it doesnotclaim to includeeverycharacterappearing in themagazine,aone-panelappearance(aswasdonewithsuchobscurecharactersasJason,Firehair and Manhunter 2070) could have been done. Cave hasappearedincameosinissuesofWonderWomanandJSA.

TheGoldenGladiator,SilentKnightandtheVikingPrinceappearedinAll Star Squadron #54 as part of the line-wide cross-over mini-seriesCrisisonInfiniteEarths.

CaveCarsonappearsinCrisisonInfiniteEarths#11.RickFlaggandtheSuicideSquaddonot!It’stheonlygrouporcharacterfromB&Bthatisnotinvolvedinthemini-series.

It has been established that the Silent Knight is one of the manyreincarnationsofCarterHallinthefourthHawkmanseries.The“ghost”oftheSilentKnightappearedinthecomictobattlehisformerB&Bco-star.OnepresumesShieraHallisthereforethefairLadyCelia!

The continuity of any and allBrave & Bold-originated characters inDC’s2011reboot,calledthe“New52”isanyone’sguess.

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FinalTally

Batman starred in Brave & Bold in 134 issues, appeared in twocameos(inthefirsttwoTeenTitansstories–includingtheirfirstteam-upwithout the TT logo), and appeared in three issues with the JusticeLeagueofAmerica,foratotalof139issues.

Other characters have appeared several times – adding JLAappearances definitely helped. Flash appeared in 13 issues;Hawkmanappeared in11 issues,sixofwhichwerehissolostories;GreenArrowand Wonder Woman each appeared in 10 issues; and Metal Men,AquamanandGreenLanternappearedin9issues.

The followingDC characters appeared inB&B and did not team-upwithBatman:MartianManhunter(althoughheappearedwithBatman intheJLAstories),DoomPatrol,JohnnyCloudandtheHauntedTank.

ThetallyforBatmanteam-upsisasfollows:Totalteam-upswithBatman--9:GreenArrow7:MetalMen

6:Flash,GreenLantern,WonderWoman

5: BlackCanary, Sgt. Rock,Wildcat 4: Hawkman, Aquaman, Atom,Teen Titans, Metamorpho, Spectre, Plastic Man, Deadman, Joker(counting his “also starring” and “4 Famous…” spots) 3: Creeper,PhantomStranger,AdamStrange,Mr.Miracle

2: Supergirl, Robin, Demon, Man-Bat, Kamandi, Swamp Thing,Nemesis, Rose & Thorn (in a two-parter) 1. Eclipso, Bat Squad, TheHouse ofMystery, KungFuFighter,UnknownSoldier, Superman,RedTornado,Dr.Fate,Ra’sAlGhul,BlackLightning,Zatanna,Scalphunter,Firestorm,GuardiansoftheUniverse,LoisLane,ElongatedMan,Legionof Superheroes, Hawk & Dove, Riddler, Huntress, Superboy, I …Vampire,Ragman,Catwoman,KarateKid.

Atallyofwritersandartistsarebelow(no,thenumbersdonotaddup

to200.Morethanoneartistdidappearinmulti-storyissues).

Writers:BobHaney: 122 issuesRobertKanigher: 39 issuesGarner Fox: 16

issuesMikeW.Barr: 9 issuesCaryBurkett: 5 issuesGerryConway:5issues Alan Bennet: 3 issues Marty Pasko: 3 issues Denny O’Neil: 2issuesPaulKupperberg:2issuesDanMiskin/GaryKohn:2issuesMikeFleisher:2issuesDonKrarr:2issuesJohnBroome:2issuesOneissueeach:

CharlieBoatnerMarvWolfmanBillKellyJ.M.DeMetteisAlanBrennertArtists:Jim Aparo: 82 issues Joe Kubert: 26 issues Irv Novick: 22 issues

Ross Andru: 10 issues Carmine Infantino: 10 issues Neal Adams: 9issuesDickGiordano:6 issuesNickCardy:6 issuesMikeSekowsky:6issuesRamonaFradon:4issuesBrunoPenanini:3issuesDonNewton:2issuesJoeStaton:2issuesBobBrown:2issuesJohnCalnan:2issuesMurphyAnderson:2issuesOneissueeach:

RomeoTanghalSalTrapaniAlexRothBernardBaileyGeorgeRoussosJohnRosenbergWinMortimerJohnnyCraigGeorgeReppDaveCockrumDaveGibbonsRickEstradaChuckPatton

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TaleoftheTape

DC was “required by law” to publish financial statements in their

May/June/July issues,usuallycutting intoprecious lettercolumnspace.Thesestatements include totalaverage issuesprintedeach issue, totalissuesactuallypurchased, totalsubscriptions,and issuesclosest to thepublishing date (October). Here I have used the average per issue forthat year. Did Marvel, Harvey & Archie had to publish these too?Regardless, if the publishing statements can be believed (they wereattested to, but then so were financial statements by Enron andWorldcom …), the following is a list of the annual sales of andcomparables:

1966

B&B249,000

1967

B&B279,000(#74soldfor398,000)JusticeLeagueofAmerica(“JLA”)385,800StrangeAdventures146,600(Deadmandebuts)

1968

B&B290,900(Haney-Adamsissues)JLA315,500

1970

B&B212,200

TheFlash184,400JLA200,785World’sFinest356,200

1971

B&B210,708

1972

B&B179,819JLA168,871World’sFinest234,878PhantomStranger138,629

1973

B&B190,047JLA187,055TheFlash162,400

1974

B&B190,100JLA189,392World’sFinest181,542AdventureComics166,398(theSpectrew/Aparoart)PhantomStranger179,566WonderWoman132,675Superboy/Legion260,480SupermanFamily174,416

1975

B&B158,000JLA166,000AdventureComics106,647(Aquamanw/Aparoart)SwampThing124,581SuperboyandtheLegionofSuperheroes173,232

1976

B&B151,000JLA193,000World’sFinest132,185AdventureComics104,309Superman216,122SupermanFamily156,636

1977

B&B147,912JLA151,982World’sFinest95,997(DollarComicbegins)Detective105,078Superman226,127SupermanFamily95,109(DollarComicbegins)

1978

B&B119,955JLA126,805World’sFinest63,463

1979

B&B152,252(#155soldover200,000issues)World’sFinest85,194

1980

B&B109,180JLA123,099

1981

B&B92,847JLA128,243DCComicsPresents135,604WonderWoman81,725

1982

B&B91,097JLA114,071World’sFinest80,6961983(B&Bwascancelledbeforethesaleswerepublished)JLA119,519World’sFinest81,179

1984

B&BNoneJLA108,222

World’sFinest70,677

ReprintedfromAlterEgo#19,December2002

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TheBatmanFamily

Batman’scastofsupportingcharactersappearedfrequently inBrave&Bold.Insomeissues,CommissionerGordonappearedinmorepanelsthanthesupposedguest!

Theissuelistisasfollows:Batgirl: #78 (despite many promises to the contrary, she only

appearedonce)Batwoman:#182,197Robin(asBatman’ssidekick,notasamemberoftheTeenTitansora

namedguest):#s86,185(aroboticRobin),197,200DickGrayson(notasRobin):#s89,164,167The Mayor of Gotham City: #s 59, 67, 89, 94, 102, 105 (kudos to

Aparofordrawingthesamemayorin102and105–hemusthavewonre-election!),113,148,150

Alfred:#s79,82,90,96,100,101,105,141,142,147,150,153,155,

157,165,167,168,169,173,176,177,184,187,190,193(Nemesisindisguise),194,200andDCSpecialSeries#8:Brave&BoldSpecial

CommissionerGordon:(althoughitwouldbeeasierto list theissues

inwhichhedidn’tappear…)#s59,64,67,68,69,70,74,75,76,77,78,79,80,81,82,86,89,90,91,93,94,98,100,101,102,104,105,107,108,109,111,112,113,114,115,116,117,120,122,123,124,125,132,133,135,136,137,139,140(awaxfigurine),141,145,146,147,148,149,150,152,153,155,156,157,161,163,165,166,167,168,170,173,177,183,184,186,197,198,200andDCSpecialSeries#8:Brave&BoldSpecial.

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LaterVolumesofBrave&Bold

Todate,therehavebeentwosix-issuemini-seriesandtwoone-shotcomicswith theBrave&Bold title.Thesecomicswere likelyprintedasBrave&Bold (as opposed to, sayShowcase orAdventureComics) topreservethecopyrightednameratherthananhonestefforttorevivethetitle,despitepleasfromtheorlettercolumns.In2007B&Bwasrevivedasan ongoing series that lasted nearly three years. There was also anongoing series based on the excellent animated series that lasted justovertwoyears.Discussionofthesevolumes/revivals/issuesfollow:

TheBraveandTheBold(1991):

In1991theBrave&Boldbannerwasdisplayedonasix-issuemini-series returning to the team-up genre. In fact, it featured one of thecharactersfromthefirstB&Bteam-up–GreenArrow!Themagazinealsofeatured the Question, a Charleton character assimilated into the DCuniverse,and theButcher,anultra-violentbrutewhowas typicalof theheroes thecompanywasvomitingupat the time.Thestorywasrippedfromtheheadlinesandfilledwithpageafterpageofthroat-slitting,bone-breaking,car-explodingaction!Haneycouldhavecondensed itdownto22 pages, while not once needing to use the word “shit” in a wordballoon.

The art was actually fair for the time. The humans looked, well,human!Limbswereproportional,facialfeatureswere…featured(exceptfor theQuestionof course).Onlyonestrangestylizedpanel in the firstissueseemedoutofplace:itshowedtheButcherinthebackground,yetstill looming larger than thecharacter in the foreground.Pardonme forbeingoldfashioned,butIstillenjoyperspectiveinmycomicbookart.

Notitle inanyof thesix issues;Writers:MikeGrellandMikeBaron;Artist:SheaAntonPensa;Editor:MikeGold.

#1. December 1991.Green Arrow and the Butcher each infiltrate aterrorist conference of various Indian tribes and an IRA member. Thegroup kills a logging industrialist and weapons are on their way fromCanada.

#2. January 1992. The Question discovers that the murderedindustrialist’scompanywasownedbyEnglish(laterCanadian)SirArthurYoungblood, who is part Indian. Green Arrow is attacked by twoterrorists. One of the terrorists returns to his native reservation inQuebec,whereaMohawkfestivalisunderway.

#3. February 1992. Our three heroes meet at a Quebeci Mohawkfestival. Green Arrow hunts the Indian and IRAmember who attackedhim.TheQuestionand theButcher interviewYoungbloodandare laterattackedbytwoofhismen.

#4.March1992.TheButcherandTheQuestionescapetheattack.Ariotbreaksoutatthefestival,culminatingintheterrorist’scrytoarmstostopYoungblood’sdevelopmentoftheMohawkland.

#5.May1992(forsomereasonitskippedamonth).Butcherinfiltratestheriotersandfindstheterroristshandingouttheweaponsfromissue#1(that must have been sneaked back into Canada…), the Questioninterviews the rioter’s leader, Green Arrow is caught sneaking intoYoungblood’smanor–afterhefindsaroomfulofweapons!

#6.June1992.Ourheroesdiscoverall.Youngbloodisinstigatingtheriots and handing them the IRA weapons so the government will shutdown the reservation.Hewill then build housing and industry over theentirearea.TheIRAattacksthereservationtofurtherstirthecontroversy(with the weapons Green Arrow discovered). Can our heroes stop theattack?Dowecarebythispoint?

TheBraveandTheBold:FlashandGreenLantern(1999)

DCdidbetterinitssecondmini-series.Itfeaturedateam-upofFlashandGreenLantern.DChad found sales successwith amini-revival ofWorld’sFinest;tenissuesfocusingontheten-yearrelationshipbetweenSuperman and Batman, with one issue representing one year. Theydecided to tryagainwith thesixyearsof friendshipbetweenFlashandGreen Lantern. That is, the silver age versions – Barry Allen and HalJordan.Other than the obvious team-up reference, therewas no otherreasontoputthisundertheBrave&Boldbanner.Still,itworked.Itwasanenjoyableseries.

MarkWaid,whowroteascathinglettercondemningthestoryofBrave&Bold#190,puthismoneywherehismouthwasbywritingthisseries.Anddida fine job–characterizationwas forefront,plotwassecondary;but it worked. It examined (to paraphrase Pie(face)’s diary) Hal’sfascination with Flash’s freedom and Barry’s discipline and Barry’sfascinationwithGreenLantern’sdisciplineandHal’s freedom.ThatHalmovedfromjobtojobandgirlfriendtogirlfriend,whileBarryhadonejoband one girlfriend-then-wife was brought upmany times – who envieswho?Whowashappier?ItseemsthatGLcameoffastheleasthappy…

The art was excellent. Barry Kitson and Tom Grindberg drew verysolidandrealisticcharacters.Itcameoffprofessional,relaxedandfun–muchlikeBarry&Hal’sfriendship.

OfficialthecomicwascalledFlash&GreenLantern:Brave&Bold.

Writer: Mark Waid, Artist (unless otherwise noted) Barry Kitson,Editor:PeterTomas.

#1 (October 1999): “ThoseWhoWorship Evil’s Might”. IntergalacticevilscientistSaraarconcoctsavirusthatstripstheessenceofevilfromhumans (theessences take formandattack their former hosts).GreenLantern (testpilotHalJordan)asksFlash toCoastCity (hoping thatastheygetalongsowell intheJLA,maybethey’dgetalongoff the job…)and both become infected! As their evil shadows leave, so do theirsensesofaggressionandconfidence(aretheseconsideredeviltraits?)!

#2 (November 1999): “Lightspeed”. In Central City, Green Lantern(insurance adjuster Hal Jordan) meets Kid Flash and Iris Allen. BlackHandandMirrorMastermeeteachother.BlackHanddrainsKidFlashofhis speedpower, soGL lendsKidFlash someof his…um… lanternpower.Nowhe’sKidLantern!AndFlashisjealous!(KidLantern?Didn’thegosixroundswithDempseyatthegarden?)

#3(December1999):“AWorldofHurt”.GreenLantern(toysalesmanHal Jordan)andFlashgowith theirEarth-Twocounterparts (yes I saidEarth-Two dammit!) on a camping trip to an uninhabited planet – filledwithyellowquicksandandwoodenkillerinsects.Thevillainbehinditallis…AlanScott?!

#4(January2000):“HowManyTimesCanaManTurnHisHead”,Art:TomGrindberg(doinganexcellentNealAdamsimitation).CentralCity’snewmayorpromisespeaceatanyprice–thatpricebeingapolicestate.GreenLantern(unemployedHalJordan)andGreenArrow,ontheirtouracrossAmerica–discoverthemayor’splantolobotomizeFlash’sroguegallery!Moreimportantly,hasFlashlosthisbestfriendtothisloud-mouthliberalhippie?

#5 (February 2000): “The Man Without Fearlessness”. Sinestro isbehind a rogue star that amplifies emotions. Green Lantern corpsmembers without fear become foolhardy and are destroyed! TheGuardianssendinthecautiousreservedFlash.Whenhefindsoutwhat’shappened, fearlessGreen Lantern (truck driverHal Jordan) flies to theroguestartorescuehisfriendorDIETRYING!!Uh-oh.

#6 (March 2000): “Running on Empty”. While widower Barry Allenstays with Green Lantern (test pilot Hal Jordan), the original StarSapphire (the Jay Garrick-Flash villain) possesses the body of the

“usurper”CarolFerristoregainheroriginalpower!CanFlashsnapoutofhismourningtosavehisbestfriend?

TheSilverAge:Brave&Bold(July2000)

Brave&Boldwasrevivedtopublishnewmaterialasaone-shotissueundertheSilverAgeminiseries.AsDChadgreatsuccesswithitsGoldenAge miniseries, it decided to try it again. In the Golden Age series,variousheroes fromthe1940sgathered inan issueofAll-StarComics.Theheroesthenwerefeaturedinsolostories.Insteadofissues#2,3,4,etc.,theseparateadventuresweretitledunderactualNationalmagazinetitles – Star Spangled Comics, All-American Comics, etc. The seriesconcludedwithasecondissueofAll-StarComics.

AsDC’smottois“ifitworksonce,itwillworkathousandtimes”,theytrieditagainwiththeSilverAge.Bookendedbetween80PageGiants(asilver age staple), various heroes from the 1960s appeared in revivedShowcase(cleverlyfeaturing,aswastheoftendoneinthemagazine,arevivalofagoldenageclassic–anall-newSevenSoldiersofVictory!),Dial“H”forHero(whynotcallitHouseofMystery?Inanothergenuinelyclevermove, this issue teamed the two staplesof thatmagazine– theManhunter from Mars and Dial “H” for Hero), Doom Patrol, JusticeLeagueofAmerica,originalissuesofFlash,GreenLantern,ChallengersoftheUnknownandofcourse,Brave&Bold.

BobHaneydidthescript!Wow!AdisappointmentwasthatJimAparodidnotdotheart,exceptforthecover.StillKevinMcGuireisnoslouch–heisanexcellentartist.PlatinumoftheMetalMenneverlookedsexier!Still, Aparo art with a Haney story would have been very sentimental.Unfortunately thepointof thestorywasn’t sentimentality.Anynostalgiawasforced,makingfornonostalgiaatall.Itwasmerelyfillerforthefinalfranticfinalepublishedlater.

“The Great Gotham Switcheroo”, Writer: Bob Haney, Art: KevinMcGuire,Editor:DanRaspler.

Batman (really the Penguin) is having trouble fighting Catwoman(reallyBlackCanary)andFelixFaust(reallyGreenArrow),soheenliststheaidoftheMetalMen(reallytheMetalMen).MostofthestoryinvolvestheMetalMenformingatankandchasingourheroes/villains;whichgottedious after a few pages. One real interesting twist was when GreenArrow uses Faust’s real spell book to turn the Metal Men into… realmen!No,really!

Brave&BoldAnnual1969(2001-allreprints)

DCreleasedseveralcomicsinthissimilarstyleasanhomagetothe“annuals”publishedinthe1960sfeaturingreprintedmaterial.This issuefeatures reprints fromBrave & Bold #50 and 57, a Charleton Comic’sCaptainAtom-Nightshade team-upandaNewsboyLegion reprint. Thiswasprintedonhigh-glossypaperandsoldforoverfivedollars.WhenaJusticeLeagueofAmericaAnnualwaspublished,a “lost”JLA talewasreprinted from Mystery in Space. Why not reprint a Batman team-upneverseeninB&B?PerhapsaBatman-ElongatedManstoryfromamid-1960s Detective Comics? Or any other team-up from Detective(Manhunter),Batman (theShadow) orBatmanFamily (Robin,Batgirl –someof these taleswere evendrawnbyAparo!) or any otherBatmanteam-ups from othermagazines (Swamp Thing, Aquaman or even the1980s’Vigilante). It was a lot to pay for to have a Captain Atom andNewsboyLegionreprint.

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TheBraveandTheBold(2007series)

Forthefirsttimein24yearsBraveandBoldwasbackonthestandsas an on-going comic. Not a miniseries! Not as part of a nostalgicadvertisingploy!B&Bwasbackinallitsfour-colorglory!

But this was not your father’s Brave & Bold! Well, it WAS if yourfather’s Brave & Bold were the Team-Up Years Part 1! Although thecapedcrusaderwouldappearfromtimetotime,thiswouldnotbeaone-characterteam-upmag,butwouldinsteadfeaturethelengthandbreadthof the DC pantheon! And as befitting those times, most of the issuesweremulti-partstoryarcsthatwouldfitnicelyintoatradepaperback–atrend that continues to this day. Unfortunately this causes stories thatcouldbetoldinanissueortwotoinsteadbetediouslystretchedout.

Theywereamixedbagofstories:someweregood,someweregreatand some were bad. Some harkened back to B&B’s glory days andincluded team-ups requested thirty years earlier and finally seeingfruition.

Itlasted35issues.Itwasagoodseries,butIdoubtanyonewillmakeanindexoutofit.

Well,anyonebutme...Keep inmind in these later daysnot onlywere thewriter andartist

mentioned,butthe inker, the letterer, thedudewhodeliveredthepizza,everyonewaslisted.Rightlyso,butthislittleexerciselimitsthecreatorslisttothewriterandmainartist–althoughtheinkerisusuallyalsolistedonthecover,too.Sorryaboutthatifyouarefanofthosenotmentioned!I’vealwaysbeenabigfanofBobWiacek!JoeyCavalieriistheeditoroftheentireseries.

***

#1.April2007.BatmanandGreenLantern;“LordsofLuckChapter1:Roulette”;MarkWaid(w),GeorgePerez(p).ThefirstBatmanteam-upofthe originalB&B is also the first team-up of the title’s revival. After somanyyearsofDCdeciding thatBatmandidnot likeHalJordan, itwasnicetoseeafewpanelsofthemgettingalong(ofcoursethiswasnothingcompared to his dislike of Superman, which has only recently, finally,

been ignored).After recharginghisbattery,Hal sayssheepishly, “Sorryaboutthecornyoath.”Batman:“I’mokaywithoaths.”

AnintergalacticthiefregretsstealingtheBookofDestinyandiskilledbythealienswhohiredhim.BatmanandGreenLanternchasethealienstoLasVegasandsplituptogoaftereachone.

#2.May2007.GreenLantern&Supergirl;“LordsofLuckChapter2:Ventura”; same team. GL and Supergirl follow the alien who stole theBookofDestinytoVenture-acasino-world.Thealieniscaught,buttheBook ofDestiny is stolen by aRannian nationalwho zeta-beamsbackhomewithGreenLanternintow.

Some cute scenes of Supergirl flirting with Hal highlight the book.“Steady,Hal,”hesaystohimself,“youhavefoodinyourfridgeolderthanher;whoareyou–Ollie?”

#3.June2007.Batman&BlueBeetle;“LordsofLuckChapter3:TheLordofTime”;Batmanand thenew(ish)BlueBeetlegoafter theearth-boundalienwhowieldstheHaruspex–areality-alteringweapon.ItwasfunwatchingBatman,atthispointfullyinbroodingsociopathmode(fromwhich he never really recovered) be almost, to quote Beetle, “…nice.”He’sbacktotraininganinexperiencedyouth.FirstaBatmanworkingwithHal Jordan and now this!? The basement dwellers are feinting deadaway.Don’tworry–he’sstillBatdickinhisothercomics!

ThealienisattackedbytheLordofTimeandhisalliestheFatalFiveleadingtoanall-outbrawlendingwithBatmanandTharokmergingintoonebeing!Meanwhile,Supergirl,whocan findherwayneither toRannnorbacktoearth,rescuesandhiresLobototakehertoRann.

#4.August2007(whydidtheyskipJuly?).Supergirl&Lobo;“LordsofLuckChapter4:TheGardenofDestiny”;sameteam.SupergirlandLoboaretakentoDestiny’shome(we’vemetDestinyinDC’shorrorbooksandin the Sandman series), where Destiny tells them the background. Hewasgoingtogivethebookuntothecareoffourhumanswholiveoutsidethe Book of Destiny, but the Lords of Luck are attempting to steal thebook by hiring the two Venturans. Lobo takes Supergirl to Rann andmeetsGreenLanternandAdamStrangeinthemidstofthecivilwarwithThanagar.Meanwhile,Batman/TharokisshotbytheHaruspexandlandsinaholdingcell–prisonersoftheLegionofSuperheroes!

#5.September2007.Batmanvs. theLegionofSuperheroes; “LordsofLuckChapter5:TheBatmanofTomorrow”;same team.TheLegion

separate Batman and Tharok. Batman, embued by temporal energy,unleashes monsters and villains throughout time. He escapes and theLegionchaseshimthroughouttheMetropolisofthe31stcentury.

#6.October2007.GreenLantern&Batman;“LordsofLuckChapter6: The Girl Who Knew Too Much”; same team. In the future, BatmanseestheLordsofLuckwintheirthousand-yearbattletotakeoverearth.Adam Strange’s zeta beam andGreen Lantern’s ring bring Batman to21stcenturyRannwheretheyandSupergirldefeattheLordsofLuckandrecovertheBookofDestiny.TheygivethebooktotheChallengersoftheUnknown–thefourmenwhoaremissingfromtheBookofDestiny.

#7.December2007(whydidtheyskipNovember?).WonderWoman& Power Girl; “Scalpels and Chainsaws”; same team. Dr. AlchemybrainwashesPowerGirl intohelpinghimkillSuperman.PGremembersonly a vagueword:Magistus. Supergirlmuttered that name last issue,too.WWstopsPowerGirlfromkillingSupes.ThisstoryisbookendedbytheChallengersreadingtheBookofDestiny.

#8.January2008.Flash& theDoomPatrol; “Wally’sChoice”;sameteam. The Challengers keep looking for more references to Magistus.Flashtakeshistwosuper-poweredchildrentoDr.Caulder–hecanhelpcontrol their super-metabolism. Metamorpho acts as the controllingagent,butdisappears.Flashand theDoomPatrol save theyoungstersfrombeingdestroyed.WhereMetamorphooncestood isetched inacidonename–Magistus!

This team-upwas one of the stranger andmost fun from the title’soriginalrun(#65)!ItisnicetoseeB&BalumMetamorpho,too!

#9.February2008.Blackhawk&theBoyCommandoes,MetalMen&Dial H for Hero, and Hawkman & the Atom; “Changing Times”; sameteam.TheChallengerskeeplookingthroughhistoryformorecluesaboutMagistus. A “Magistus”-chantingmetallic flying dinosaur is after RobbyReed’s“H”Dial,cantheMetalMenhelpRobby?BlackhawkandtheBoyCommandoes must protect the Orb of Ra from the Nazis - and frommummies revived byMagistus, too! TheWizard of Ys tries to steal anancient star chart for Magistus at a science conclave attended byHawkmanandtheAtomintheircivilianidentities.Thisteam-upharkensbacktotheirsilveragejointtitle.

#10.April 2008 (whathappened toMarch?).Superman& theSilentKnight,TeenTitans&AquamanandAqualad;sameteam.Notitle.The

WizardofYsexits theBookofDestiny toattack theChallengers!TheyseeotherstoriesofMagistusduringthebattle:takingplacejustafter#54of the original B&B, the not-yet Teen Titans reunite at Aquaman’swedding.Oceanus, underMagistus’s control, kidnaps Aqualad to forcehis latent powers to reveal Atlantean alchemical secrets. Merlin asksSuperman to protect the Silent Knight as he fights an ice dragon torecovertheGoldenEye.ItwastheSilentKnight’sfirstappearanceonthecoverofacomicbooksinceTheBestofDC#26-adigestfrom1982ofB&Breprints.Otherwisewehavetogobackto#112oftheoriginalseriesdated April 1974 - and then it was only a corner blurb hyping anotherreprint.HislastcoverappearanceonanoriginalstorywasB&B#20fromOctober1958-fiftyyears!YoungBrianKent(whoselastnamestunnedSuperman - now he knows why Merlin summoned him to protect theknight!)hadacameoinB&B#144fromNovember1978beingfelledbyanarrow...doesthatcount?

#11.May2008.Superman&Ultraman;MarkWaid(w),JerryOrdway(a).No title.TheEarth-3 (goodversion)ofMxyzptlk sendsUltraman toEarth-1tohelpfightMagistus.

#12.June2009.OnlytheB&Btitleappears–nostars’logoisonthecover, but it features darn near everybody that has appeared so far!“Sunstroke”, same team. Superman, Ultraman, the Challengers, GreenLantern,SupergirlandPowerGirl fightMagistusandsaveMetamorphoFirestormbeforeMagistuscanturnearthintoanalchemicalhell!

#13.July2008.Batman&Flash;sameteam.“AmericanSamuroids”.TO Morrow and the Penguin plan to sell Samurai robots to terroristnationsbut first theyneedcertainnanite tech toempower their robots-techheldsecretbyFlash/JayGarrick’sfriendandWayneEnterprises.

#14. August 2008. Deadman & Green Arrow; “The Ghost Killers ofNanda Parbat, part one”. Mark Waid (w), Scott Kolins (a). A demoncaptures Rama Kushna and uses her powers to created an army ofghostswhokilltheirhosts!DeadmanenliststheaidofGreenArrowbutiscapturedinNandaParbat!Part1of2.

#15. September 2008. Nightwing & Hawkman; “Wings and Arrows,parttwo”,sameteam.DeadmanenlistsNightwingandHawkman’saidinrescuingGreenArrowanddefeating^.

#16.October2008.Superman&Catwoman;“Tempted”,sameteam.Superman andCatwoman infiltrate an underworld auction in which the

mapofacertaincaveinGothamCity isforsale!But is it thecavetheyTHINKitis?

#17. November 2008. Supergirl & Raven; “Fathers, part one: PastTense”,MarvWolfman (who co-createdRaven) (w), PhilWinslade (a).Supergirl is taunted in her nightmares by her father Zor-El,who raisedhersinceababywithonepurpose–tokillKal-El(ifyoudon’tknowwhothatishowhaveyoumadeitthisfarintothisbook?).Sheenliststheaidofanotherherowithdaddyissues–Raven–tohelp.Meanwhile,thesonofanunknownmetahumanbreaksintoanuclearpowerresearchbuildinginsearchofweapons.

#18. December 2008. Supergirl & Raven; “Fathers, part two:Controls”,sameteam.Ah,endedupthebuildingwastheresearchlabofBeast Boy’s father. The boy’s power manifests – he is the son ofTriumph,a trumpedup“original”memberof theJLAretconned intoDCcontinuity.SupergirlandRavenfoilhisplans.

Somewhattelling–whenIwasre-readingthisseriesafteralmostfiveyearsIaccidentallyfinished#18beforeIrealizeditwasparttwooftwo.The storymade perfect sense (I assumedSupergirl asked forRaven’shelpbefore the issuestarted– Iwas familiarwith thecharactersdaddytroubles…)Kindasad,really.

#19.January2009.GreenLantern&thePhantomStranger;“WithoutSin, part one”, David Hine (w), Doug Braithwaite (a), Bill Reinhold (i).Childrenbornwithmutant powers (a result ofmedicines takenby theirpregnant mothers) and hidden away in a special hospital. One of thechildren, Cora, writes journal after journal of jibberish. The PhantomStrangerenlistsGreenLanterntohelp–CoraalsowriteGL’soathonawall.Shewrites inalien languages–all civilizations that haveall beendestroyed.Exceptone–Kahlo.TheygotoKahlotoinvestigate.

#20.GreenLantern&thePhantomStranger;“WithoutSin,parttwo”,same team. Kahlo’s world is a pleasure planet. It’s world-being emitsdreamfantasiestoeveryonewillingtoforkoutenoughmoneytosustaintheplanetaryculture.Toobad theplanet is the latest targetofPurge–whocleansestheuniverseofsinoneplanetatatime.

This issuehasa full-pagead forBatman:TheBraveandTheBold,thecomicbookbasedontheanimatedcartoon(seebelowforitsindex)

#21.GreenLantern&GreenArrow; “WithoutSin, part three”, sameteam.PurgetakesoverthebodyofKahlo’sGreenLanternandwelearn

Purge’s origin – he was the student of the Sage – a savior of an oldancientplanet.Whenshedisappeared,Purgeusedhispowersto…um… purge the planet. The first of many. Meanwhile, the owners of thehospitalhousingthemutantchildrendecidetofinallycuttheirlossesand…um…purgetheplace.PhantomStrangersendsGreenArrowtostopthem.

#22. Green Lantern & Green Arrow; “Without Sin, part four”, sameteam.Purgetakesover thebodyofHalJordanasheandthePhantomStrangerracetoearthtohelpGreenArrow.PurgefindsasinlessbeingforthefirsttimeinCora.ThePhantomStrangerexorcisesPurgefromGLand intoCora. InsideCora’s soul,we find theSage– she trapsPurgeandtheymoveontotheirfinalreward.GreenArrowstopsthekillersfromdestroyingthehospitalandthedoctorinchargevowstorevealalltotheauthorities..

Thelastpageusuallycontainsateaseofnextissue’scover.Thistimetheblurbread“ComingSoon…”andfeaturedBatmanswoopingdowntoahandholdingtheDialHforHerodial.

#23.July2009.BoosterGold&Magog;“ShadowsofTomorrow”,DanJurgens(w),NormRapmund(a);BoosterGoldrescuesRipHunter,TimeMaster from being pummeled in the time stream byMagog, the latestbrutishthugoftheDCpantheon.SomeoneatDChadthebrightideatoestablishthefutureeventsoftheotherwiseexcellentKingdomComeasDCcanon.Magogwasthechiefvillainofthatseries.

Booster confronts Magog in Kahndaq where each in his own wayresolveahostagesituation involvingchildren.BoosterGoldrescuesthechildren;Magogripsthearmofftheterrorists’leader.Anyquestions?

And…whereareBatmanandDialH forHero?Remindsmeof theSilverAgeB&B#51hypingtheFlashandtheAtomteamingupthenextissueandnotappearinguntil#53.

#24.August2009.Static&BlackLightning;“LastTimeISawParis”,Matt Wayne (w), Howard Porter (a). Starting the first of three issuesintroducing various characters from the Milestone imprint into the DCUniverse.Likelynotcoincidentally,theseDCguestswerealsoso-calledminorities. I suppose teaming up Milestone characters with CaucasianDCcharacterswouldbe…what?

Issue #16 stated that the Archie/MLJ line of superheroes would beintroducedinB&B,butotherthanabrief“preview”oftheacquiredline’s

charactersinthisissue,thoseteam-upsdidnotcometopass.Former Secretary of Education Jefferson Pierce speaks at a high

school graduation in Dakota. Holocaust attacks! Static, in his civilianidentityrecordingthespeech,helpsout.

#25. September 2009. Hardwire & Blue Beetle; “SystemCompatibility”,AdamBeechen(w),RogerRobinson(a),HilaryBarta(i).High tech equipment, weapons and armor from Hardware’s enemySystem are being smuggled into America through El Paso, unlessHardwareandBlueBeetlecanstopthem!

#26.October2009.Xombi& theSpectre; “AnnihilatingAngel”, JohnRozum(w),ScottHampton(a).TheSpectrejudgesaserialkiller,buthisghostgoesonkilling–otherghosts,vampires,etc.CanXombiconvincetheSpectretojudgesomeonehehasalreadyjudged?

#27.November2009.Batman&DialHforHero;“DeathofaHero”,J.Michael Straczynski (w), Jesus Saiz (a). While visiting Gotham City,RobbyReed’sHEROdial is stolen! Theburglar becomes theStar andfights crime under Batman’s suspicious eyes. This was a team-uprequestedfromtimetotimeintheoriginalrun.

#28.December2009.Flash&Blackhawk; “FiringLine”,same team.While helping with an experiment near the speed of light, Flash findshimselfjoiningupwiththeBlackhawksattheBattleoftheBulge.

#29.January2010.Batman& theGeek; “LostStoriesofYesterday,Today and Tomorrow”, same team. Brother Power emerges from aburnedtoyfactoryandhelpsBatmanfightacorporatearsonist.

Anotherteam-upthatwasrequestedintheoriginalrun.Thisspecificrequest was answered by the editor as follows: “The Geek? Yeek!”NearlyfortyyearslaterIstillrememberthat…

#30. February 2010. Green Lantern & Dr. Fate; “The Green andGold”, same team. After the events of Justice League #7, Dr. Fatepondershis…fate.HemagicallyplacesapartofhisessenceinGreenLantern’s ring. In thepresent,GL’spower ring runsoutofenergyonahostileabandonedplanet.GLrevealsKentNelson’s…well,fate…Cantheysaveeachother?

#31.Atom&theJoker;sameteam.TheJokerisdyingfromaneurologicaldisorder.Onlythe

Atomcanadministertheantidoteinhisneuralcortex.Atomisblastedby

neural synapsesandshares the Joker’sboyhoodmemories. Is the linknowpermanent?

Can’tbeB&BserieswithoutatleastoneJokerteam-up!#32.Aquaman&theDemon;Thesolesurvivorofanattackonaship

byelderthingsjoinsAquamanandtheDemoninresealingthedeep-seaentrypointofaCthulhu-esquegod!

#33.WonderWoman,Zatanna&Batgirl;Zatanna receives premonition of something horrible happening to

Batgirl.TheyandWonderWomanspendaneveningclubbingthetown!Yousee,thenextmorningweretheeventsofTheKillingJoke...

#34.DoomPatrol&theLegionofSuperheroes;TheLSHwatchesablackholedestroytheearth!Theygobackintime

toconvinceNegativeMan tohelpLightningLaddestroy theblackholebeforeitgetstoearth!

#35.InferiorFive&theLegionofSubstituteHeroes;A tale done purely for comic effect - although it answers some

mysteriesfromthelastissue-movingtimebubbles,blackholesshiftinginspace (going fromJupiter toearth),etc.TheSubsare jealousof theLSH’s success from last issue and decide to steal the time bubble toconvincetheDoomPatroltohelpdestroytheblackhole...etc.ThiswaytheSubswillgetthecreditinsteadoftheLSH.Toobadtheydon’tknowhow to drive the time bubble all that well and end up in 1972 andrecruitingtheInferiorFiveinstead...

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***

Batman:TheBraveandTheBold

Ohhow Iadored thiscartoon. Itwasanimated in thesamestyleaspreviousBatmananimatedseries,butwithamuchlightertone.Thiswasnot thebroodingsociopathemulated in thecomics.ThisBatmanhadalight touch - a senseof humorandhonor.Hehelpedhis fellowheroeswhencalledupon. Itwasas if theBatmanof the1960shadnotgrowndarker.

The opening credits were done in that sixties style, too. The showlastedforthreeseasonsfrom2008-2011.

As the title implies, each episode featuredBatman teaming upwithoneormoreotherheroes.Someofthestorieshadathreadfinishingintheseasonfinale(Starroattacks!),butmostweredone-in-onestories.

And it co-starred everyone! From Superman to the Justice Society,from Kamandi to Space Ghost! There were no stories taken from theoriginal comic. Iwas hoping for a few - the first episodeof the JusticeLeague cartoon from years before was taken from an issue of JusticeLeagueofAmerica.

Some characters varied greatly from their comic-book counterparts:Green Arrow harkened back to his pre-Neal Adams look and enjoyedcompeting with Batman. Aquaman had the blond beard of his then-current comic book incarnation, but was an OUTRAGEOUS braggart.Despitethishewasaloyalfriendandagoodhero.WelearnedhissonArthur died just as he did in the comics – to add a bit of pathos andreasonbehindthebraggadocio.

The series was followed by a comic book of the same name thatlasted 22 monthly issues; done in the same animated style. It wasrenamedAllNewBatman:TheBraveandTheBold,restartedat#1andwentanother16issues.ThecomicwaspartofDC’syoungerreaderlinealongsideScoobyDooandtheTinyTitans.

Idonothaveanyofthesetitles,butWikipedialiststhem(ahcomeon,givemeabreak-I’vereadalmost250comicsdoingthislittleexercise;ifsomeone else has done thework forme you bet I’m going to cut andpasteit!).Sorry,nowriter/artist/editorlisted:

1. The Panic of the Composite Creature - After teaming up withAquaman todefeatCarapax,BatmanandPowerGirl fightacompositemonster (under the control of Lex Luthor) which is on a rampage inEngland.

2.Attackof theVirtualVillains -After teamingupwithSuperman totake down Toyman, Batman and Blue Beetle fight Thinker when trollsandogresemergefromavideogameandattacktherealworld.

3.PresidentBatman-AfterteamingupwithWonderWomantodefeatDoctor Psycho (who is accompanied by Clock King, Killer Croc,Scarecrow,andTwo-Face),BatmanandGreenArrowmustprotect thePresidentfromUltra-Humanite.

4.MenaceoftheTimeThief-AfterteamingupwithSugarandSpiketo defeat Felix Faust, Batman and Aquaman team up to stop DoctorCyberwhensheplanstocollapsethetimestream.

5. The Case of the Fractured Fairy Tale - After teaming up withHauntedTanktodefeattheKey,BatmanandCaptainMarvelteamuptostoptheQueenofFablesfromabductingchildren.

6. Charge of the Army Eternal - After teaming up with Hourman todefeattheCalculator,BatmanandKidEternityteamuptofightGeneralImmortus(assistedbytheRoyalFlushGang).G.I.Robot,ShiningKnight,Vigilante,andVikingPrincemakeappearancesasspirits.

7. The Secret of the Doomsday Design - After helping Olympiandefeat Circe, Batman helps the Doom Patrol fight Mad Mod when hestealssomeoftheDoomPatrol'ssignatureclothesinaplantointegratetheminto"suitsofdoom."

8. Batman Vs. The Yeti - After helping Rising Sun fight a gang ofninjas,BatmanteamsupwiththeGreatTentofightanarmyofyetis.

9.TheTaleoftheCatman-AfterteamingupwithDoctorFate,DoctorOccult,SargontheSorcerer,andZatannatodefeattheVoid,Batmanhasanunlikelyteam-upwithCatmantostopthePenguin,Riddler,Joker,andTwo-Face.

10. Attack of the Colossal Bat-Monster - Hugo Strange has turnedBatman intoagiantmonster that rampages throughGothamCity.NowGreen Arrow and Atom must stop the Bat-Monster, restore it back toBatman,anddefeatHugoStrange.Soundsabitlike“AliastheBat-Hulk”storyfromB&B#68.

11.TheFearsomeFangsStrikeAgain-AfterdefeatingSportsmasterwith the help of the Huntress, Batman and Green Arrow team up toprevent the Terrible Trio from obtaining a totem that will give themultimatepower.GreenArrow’ssecondappearance in less thanayear?Anunknowingnodtotheoriginalrun!

12.FinalChristmas -WhilestoppingCalendarMan's latestscheme,Batman is teleported toRann tohelpAdamStrangesave theuniverse,andChristmas,fromimminentdestructionatthehandsofthePsions.

13. Night of the Batmen - When Batman breaks his leg during amission with Angel and the Ape, Aquaman, Captain Marvel, GreenArrow, and Plastic Man cover for Batman to stop Bane, Killer Croc,Deadshot,Penguin,Catwoman,Joker,etc.fromtakingtheopportunitytocommit crimes. This comic's story was adapted into a 3rd Seasonepisode.

14.CapturedbyMisterCamera-AfterteamingupwithPlasticMantotakedowntheScarecrow,BatmanteamsupwithHuntresstobattleMr.Camera.

15. Minute Mystery - After teaming up with Super-Hip and BrotherPower theGeek to stopMadMod,BatmanandTheFlash compete toseewhoisthe"world'sfastestdetective."

16.EggHuntor:TheEvilofEgghead-BatmanmustrescuetheTeenTitans fromNocturna.WhenWonderGirl reveals thatWonderWomanhas been trying to contact her afterwards, Batman joins her to fightEggheadandEggFu.

17.ABatman'sWork isNeverDone -Aweek in the lifeofBatmantakes him on adventures with Metamorpho (against Mr. Element), theGreen Lantern Corps (against Mongul), Merry, Girl of 1,000 Gimmicks(againstToyman),JonahHexandBatLash,HawkmanandEtrigan theDemon (against Gentleman Ghost), the Inferior Five, and the Creeper(againstScarecrow).

18. All in the Mind - Batman teams up with Martian Manhunter topreventaninvasionfromMarsbytheWhiteMartians.

19.EmeraldKnight-BatmanteamsupwiththeGreenLanternCorpstopreventCyborgSupermanfromkillingHalJordanandtakingovertheuniverse.

20. Solving this Mystery... ...Will Take aMiracle - Big Barda seeksBatman'shelpwhenMisterMiraclegoesmissingandtheFemaleFuries

attackNewGenesis.21.TheMenaceKnownasRobert -After teamingupwith theLady

BlackhawkstotakedownKingRexandhisDinosaurGang,BatmanandHalJordanteamuptostopacreaturewhocallshimselfRobertthatemitsyellowenergyandcanmutatelivingthings.

22.AtlantisAttacked-BatmanteamsupwithAquamanwhenOceanMasterattacksAtlantis.

TheAll-NewBatman:TheBraveandTheBold:

1.BottleofthePlanets-AfterteamingupwithBlackCanarytodefeatJoker,BatmanandSupermanshrink to investigateastringof robberiesinsidetheBottleCityofKandorandsoondiscoverthattherobberiesarecommittedbyEt-Rog.

2. That Holiday Feeling - Batman and Captain Marvel fight thePsycho-Pirate.

3.Mirror,Mirror...-BatmanandFlashfighttheMadHatterandMirrorMasterinamirrorworld.

4.TheBrideandtheBold-BatmanandWonderWomangetmarried?ThisiscausedbyAphroditeinordertomakethetwoofthemfallinlove.Even though a wedding is set up, Batman, Wonder Woman, and thesuperheroguestshavetodealwithsomesupervillainweddingcrashers.

5. Manhunted - Batman and Guy Gardner team up to fight theManhunters.

6.NowYouSeeMe-BatmanandMartianManhunterteamuptofightClayface.

7.Shadows&Light -The teaser featuresBatmanhelping theTeenTitansagainstTimeTrapper.Atthestartofhiscareer,BatmanendsuprunningintoGothamCity'soriginalprotector,GreenLantern.

8.UnderTheSea-BatmanandAquamanteam-uptosearchforanartifact that will redeem the pirate Captain Fear's ghost and mustovercomeanyobstacleswhichalsoincludeBlackMantaandFisherman.

9. (the title reverted back toBatman: TheBrave andTheBoldwiththisissue)3:10ToThanagar-WhenBatmanandHawkmantakedownacriminal, theymust transfer thecriminal toThanagarwhilepreventingthecriminal'sgangfromfreeingtheirleader.

10.HelpWanted-AllJoewantedwasajobandendsupworkingfordifferentvillains(consistingofCalculator,ClockKing,OceanMaster,and

Toyman) where he has encounters with Batman, Superman, GreenArrow,andAquaman.

11. Out of Time - Batman and Jonah Hex end up in 19th CenturyGothamCity.

12. Trick or Treat - On Halloween, Batman and Zatanna solve abreak-inattheHouseofMystery.TheymeetKlariontheWitchBoywhosummons Blockbuster, Dala, Doctor Destiny, Hugo Strange and hisMonster Men, Man-Bat, Monk, Professor Milo's Werewolves, andSolomonGrundy.

13.BatmanDiesatDawn-AfterNightwinghelpsRoyHarperdefeattheRoyalFlushGang,heisteleportedawaybyPhantomStrangerwhohasreachedthroughspaceandtime inordergathereveryonewhohaseverbeencalled"BoyWonder"likeJasonTodd,TimDrake,CarrieKelly,andDamianWayne. SeemsBatmanwaswounded inCrimeAlley andthe different Boy Wonders have to infiltrate the League of Assassins'hideoutinordertogainaccesstotheLazarusPits.

14.SmallMiracles-AfterteamingupwithBlueBeetletofightCrazyQuilt,DoctorSpectroandRainbowRaider,Batmancomes to theaidofRagmanwhenthereisunrestinGothamCity'sslumsduringHanukkah.

15.NoExit -MisterMiraclecomes to theaidofBatmanwho is inadeathtrapdevisedbyDesaadandDoctorBedlam.

16. Love at First Mite (Final issue) - On Valentine's Day, Bat-MitedevelopsacrushonBatgirl.Afterwards,Bat-Mitefindsoutthatthecomiciscanceledandreflectson the teamupshe'llneversee(which includeDingbats of Danger Street, Super-Turtle and Space Cabbie). Batmanreassureshimbypointingoutthathecanstillreadthebackissues.

FreeComicBookDayistouscomicbookcollectorswhattherunning

of thebulls is to theASPCA.DuringFreeComicBookDay2011, therewasa “SuperSampler” featuringseparatestoriesofYoungJusticeandBrave & Bold. TheB&B story featured Batman and the Flash fightingHeatwaveandFirefly.

Thanks to the contributors to Wikipedia for the info: http:

//en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Batman:TheBrave_and_the_Bold_(comics)

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Reruns

ThestoriesthroughouttheentirerunofBrave&Boldcanbeenjoyedwithoutbankruptingyoursavings.ItispossibletofindreprintsofallerasofB&BinthevariousotherDCcomicsoverthepastfiftyyears.

DCSpecial#9containsadventuresoftheVikingPrince(includinghisfirststoryfromissue#1withanewsplashpage),aswellastheGoldenGladiator’sandSilentKnight’sstoriesfromissue#1.

Therewere twoBrave&Bold “specials” featuring reprintedmaterial.ThedigestsizeBestofDCBlueRibbonDigest#26(July1982)featuresaBatman-Deadmanreprintandalsoreprintsseveralstoriesfromthefirst50 issues of the comic. Super DC Giant #S-16 (September-October1970) reprints the firstBatman-Flash team-upandMetamorpho’sorigintale.TheBestofTheBraveandTheBoldalsoreprintsthestoriesfromB&B’s first issues as well as the wonderful Haney-Aparo era stories.B&B’s 100-page giant issues also featuremany reprints, but those aregettingasexpensiveastheoriginalissues!

Whilenotacomprehensivelist,thefollowingisagoodguideline:Notethat“entirestory”meansitwastheonlyfeatureinthatissue,thereprintsmayhavebeenedited.

Key: Issue number of the original story, the character featured and

whereitwasreprinted.Notethatthesereprintsmaynotbeompleteandmayhavehadafewpanels(orpages)choppedofffromtheoriginal.

#1.AllthreefeatureswerereprintedinDCSpecial#12VikingPrincetaleBestoftheBrave&Bold#1GoldenGladiatortale:BestoftheBrave&Bold#1#2.SilentKnight:B&B#116VikingPrincetale:BestoftheBrave&Bold#3GoldenGladiatortale:BestoftheBrave&Bold#3#5.VikingPrince:DCSpecial#12SilentKnighttale:BestoftheBrave&Bold#1

#6.RobinHoodtale:DCSpecial#22andBestoftheBrave&Bold#3SilentKnighttale:World’sFinest#182#7.RobinHoodtale:DCSpecial#25#8.VikingPrincetale:DCSpecial#25#9.RobinHood tale:DCSpecial #12,DCSpecial #23, Best ofDC

BlueRibbonDigest#26(musthavebeenapopularstory!)#11.RobinHoodtale:DCSpecial#24#15.SilentKnighttale:B&B#112,DCSpecial#25VikingPrincetale:DCSpecial#24#16.RobinHoodtale:DCSpecial#12#18.VikingPrincetale:BestofDCBlueRibbonDigest#26#19.VikingPrincetale:B&B#101#21.SilentKnighttale:BestofDCBlueRibbonDigest#26#23.“Figurehead…”:B&B#115“Origin…”:B&B#99#24.“TrailoftheBlackFalcon”:B&B#117#28. Justice League of America #39, Justice League of America

Archives Volume 1, Justice League of America Super-Spectacular #11975(1999),B&B#28MilleniumEdition

#29. Justice League of America #48, Justice League of America

ArchivesVolume1

#30. Justice League of America #39, Justice League of AmericaArchivesVolume1

#31.BestofDCBlueRibbonDigest#26#33. Hawkman trade paperback 1989, Hawkman Archives, Even

MoreSecretOriginsLost80-pageGiant(2003)#34. both stories: Hawkman trade paperback 1989, Hawkman

Archives#35.“ShadowThief…”stpry:DCSpecial#5,DCSpecial#8,bothstories:Hawkmantradepaperback1989,HawkmanArchives#38.BestofDCBlueRibbonDigest#26#42. both stories: Hawkman trade paperback 1989, Hawkman

Archives#43. both stories: Hawkman trade paperback 1989, Hawkman

Archives,DCBlueRibbonDigest:SecretOrigins#44. both stories: Hawkman trade paperback 1989, Hawkman

Archives#45.“ChallengeoftheHeadlessBaseballTeam”:DCSpecial#1,DC

Special#9“GoliathoftheGridiron”:DCSpecial#7#46.“HotShotHoopsters”:DCSpecial#7“DangerontheMartianLinks”:DCSpecial#9#47.“ThePhantomPrizeFighter”:DCSpecial#9“SagaoftheSecretSportsmen”:DCSpecial#13#48.“TheManWhoDroveThroughTime”:DCSpecial#7“DueloftheStarChampions”:DCSpecial#9

#49.“GorillaWondersoftheDiamond”:DCSpecial#7“Warriorof theWeightlessWorld”:DCSpecial#13,DCBlueRibbon

Digest#13.DC Blue Ribbon Digest #13 reprinted several “Strange Sports

Stories”,butmostly fromtheself-titledcomicbookfromthe1970s,onlyoneB&Bwasincluded.

#50.B&B#114,Annual1969(2001)#52.B&B#112,BattleClassics#1#53.ActionComics#406#54.GreatestTeam-UpStoriesEverToldtradepaperback*#57.SuperDCGiant#S-16,Annual1969(2001)#59.B&B#112#64.Super-TeamFamily#4#67.SuperDCGiant#S-16#75and#76. (Batman IllustratedbyNealAdams but likely only the

cover)Volume1#78.B&B#116#79. Batman Illustrated by Neal Adams Volume 1, Super-Team

Family#2#80.BestoftheBrave&Bold#4,BatmanIllustratedbyNealAdams

Volume1

#81.BestoftheBrave&Bold#2,BatmanIllustratedbyNealAdamsVolume1

#82.BestoftheBrave&Bold#3,BatmanIllustratedbyNealAdams

Volume1#83.BestoftheBrave&Bold#6,BatmanIllustratedbyNealAdams

Volume1#84.BatmanIllustratedbyNealAdamsVolume1#85. Best of the Brave & Bold #1, B&B #85 Millennium Edition,

BatmanIllustratedbyNealAdamsVolume1#86.BestofDCBlueRibbonDigest#26#93.“Batman’sStrangestCases”tabloid,BestoftheBrave&Bold#5#115.TheStrangeDeathsofBatmantpb(Batman-Atomteam-up)#158.SuperHeroesAnnualVolume1,1982(ABritishreprintseries)#195.I...Vampiretbp.#197.TheGreatestBatmanStoriesEverToldVol.1TheAmericaAtWar (Fireside books) trade paperback advertised a

SuicideSquadstory,butnosuchstoryappearedinthebook-excellentthoughitotherwiseis!

DC released various books under the Showcase Presents title

reprinting full runsofseveralof their titles - includingBrave&Bold. It’sthreevolumesreprintissues#59,64,67,68-71and74-134.

Legendsof theDarkKnight:JimAparoVolumes1&2 reprintsmany

Brave&Bold issues(#98-151,minustheveryfewissueshedidNOTdraw).

Wikipediahasathoroughlistofotherreprintedmaterialaswell:http:

//en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Brave_and_the_Bold

returntotableofcontents

Australian-RulesBrave&Bold

OneofthedelightsofmycollectionisanAustraliancopyofB&B#3.It

wasdistributedbyGordon&GotchofMelbournebyColourComicsPtyLtdinSydney.Noyearwaslisted–itcouldhavebeenanytimeinthelate1950s. Itwaspublished inblackandwhite–except for thecolorcoverfeaturingtheGoldenGladiator(heneverappearedasthesolestaronaUScover!).

The cover is unique – made from the same pulpish paper as theinteriorratherthantheslickglossycoverweareusedto!

AswiththeUSversion,thisissuefeaturesthreestories–oneeachofthe Golden Gladiator, the Viking Prince and the Silent Knight. But theGoldenGladiatorstoryisfrom#3!TheSilentKnighttaleisfromB&B#2and the Viking Prince story comes from #5! This would make theAustralianversionofthecomicdateatleastfourmonthsaftertheUS.

Printing in black and white very much helps the Golden Gladiator

story. Russ Heath’s dark, thick lines are very well suited to black and

white.Somehowitgavethestorymoredepththatthefour-colorversion!BlazingAdventuresforonly9D!!JoeKubert’sVikingPrincelookedfantasticinblackandwhite!Itonly

confirmsbybeliefthat ifKubertdrewinthe1920sand1930s,hewouldrank with Alex Raymond as one of the best comic artists ever. Whoneedscolor?

Well,theSilentKnightdoes.Withoutthebrightandvibrantcolorsonthestrip,IrvNovick’sworklooksthincomparedtothedetailsoftheothertwo features. To be fair, if it weremeant to be published in black andwhite,Novickwouldhaveprobablydrawnthestripdifferently(lookathisexcellentblack-and-whiteGIJoeadvertisements in themid-1960s).Butasistheartworkmakesthistheweakestfeatureofthethree.

Imagine if the comic was black and white in the US, following theexample of the Australians. Without a change in style, Silent Knightwould have been the one dropped after four issues instead of GoldenGladiator.Following the chaos theory to its illogical conclusion: like thebutterfly flapping itswingsandeventuallycausingahurricane;becauseof droppingSilentKnight;Kennedywouldnot havebeenassassinated,the US would have won Viet Nam, Watergate would have beendismissedasathird-rateburglaryandinvestigatednofurther!Theworldwould now be in a nirvana of unbridled peace and prosperity, withAustralia prominent as a world power because of their foresight! PaulHogan andYahooSeriouswould bewinningOscars for their films;AirSupply,AC-DCandMenAtWorkwouldcontinuetodominatethemusiccharts,withKylieMinogueandNatalieUmbrugliorightbehind!

G’daymate!Putanothershrimponthebarbee!Dodgedabulletthere,didn’twe?

returntotableofcontents

Thank you for readingmybook. If you enjoyed it,won’t you please

takeamomenttoleavemeareviewatyourfavoriteretailer?Thanks!

MichaelCurry

AbouttheAuthor

MichaelCurryisanattorneylivinginsouthernIllinoiswithhisbelovedwife and daughter. Michael plays a poor guitar and enjoys listening toBritishInvasionrock.Healsocollects-andreads-comicbooksfromthe1960sand1970s.Groovy.Hewrites-andreads-sciencefiction,fantasyandhorror(thriller)shortstoriesandnovels.

Michael is also the author of Abby’s Road, the Long and WindingRoad to Adoption; and how Facebook, Aquaman and TheodoreRooseveltHelpedandToddlerTV:ABefuddledFather’sGuidetoWhattheKidisWatching.

ConnectwithMe:FollowmeonTwitter:http://twitter.com/currymichaelgFriendmeonFacebook:MichaelCurrySubscribetomyblog:http://michaelgcurry.blogspot.comFavorite me at Smashwords:

https://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/Kendal64

***

OtherbooksbyMichaelCurry

HereisasnippetfrommySmashwordsbookAbby’sRoad,theLongand Winding Road to Adoption; and how Facebook, Aquaman andTheodoreRooseveltHelped!Ihopeyouenjoyit:

(thisexcerptbeginswhenwefinallysettleonaname...)Ourson’snamewillbeArthurCurry.DoyouknowwhoArthurCurry

is?ArthurCurryisAquaman’ssecretidentity.BruceWayneisBatman,ClarkKentisSuperman,PeterParkerisSpider-Man,PhyllisDilleristheJoker.ThusisArthurCurry,Aquaman.

SincechildhoodI’vealwayslovedthecomicbookcharacterifonlyforthatreason–theartandstorieswereprettydecenttoo.IfwenamedasonArthur,thenerdswillloveitandthebullieswillhavenoideaandnotpickonhim(they’llfindanotherreasonIamsure…).ItoldEstherwhyIlikedArthur.

ThenameArwenIletdie;butIwouldfightforArthur…“Okay,”shesaid.I was elated! Arthur Curry! How wonderful was that! And Arthur

SheldonCurrysoundedgoodtoo!Ifmysonwasn’tgoingtobethemasmachoHarleyBriscoCurry,atleasthecanbeAquaman!WecandecoratehisroomwithpicturesanddrawingsoftheMonarchof theDeep–Istillhavemyold1970sMegoactionfigurewecanputhighhighhighoutof reachonashelf.Hisroomwillbepaintedtolooklikethebrinydeep–lightanddarkblueswithbubbles,seahorses,seaweed…

“We can’t do that,” Esther said, “underwater scenes in a child’sbedroomcanleadtoasthma.”

What?We’ll use paint brushes, not rag weed. Nautical themes cause

asthma? Really? Do western themes cause a kid to be allergic tobarbeque?Would a snowy/winter motif cause hyperthermia? Did WesCravenhaveMunsch’s“TheScream”paintedoverhisbed?Okay,Iwon’targue,Estherisusuallyrightaboutthesethings.“CanweputupapictureofAquaman?”

“Ohsure.”ThankGodforthatatleast....

***

Here is an excerpt from my Smashwords book Toddler TV: A

BefuddledFather’sGuidetoWhattheKidsAreWatching!“PBSKids:Thegrand-daddyofchildren’sprogramming

BeforePBS, therewere lotsof thingsfor thekids towatch.Mostof itwas

crap,buttherewasalotofit!In the early morning you could watch, say, The Lone Ranger. Here we

learned that good shall always overcome evil in less than thirty minutes.Problemscanbesolvednotthroughgunplay,butbyfistfights.TheonlyproblemtheLoneRangercouldn’tsolvewasthedegradationofNativeAmericans.Ikid-IlovedTheLoneRanger.Iamprobablythelastgenerationwhostillgetsachilldown their spine when they hear the opening notes of his theme song (theWilliamTellOverture).IgetthesamereactionwhenIheartheopeningfanfareofStarWars.Themusicstartsandforone-tenthofasecondIamtwelveyearsoldagain.Howcanthatbeabadthing?

OronecouldalsowatchLassieorFury.Hereanabove-average intelligentdogorhorseisraisedbyalovingteenagerandhiswidowedparent.Theparent’scantankerousfather-in-laworuncle-in-lawisalsoonhandtohelpraisetheboy.Lassie/Furyisawonderfulandlovingpetunlessyougetonhisbadside.

“Ruff!Ruff!”(translation:”Feedme!”)“What’sthematter,girl?”“Ruff!Ruff!(“IsaidI’mhungry,feedme!”)“Where’sTimmy?”“Ruff!Ruff!(“Idon’tknow;let’slookforhimafterdinner.”)“Ishecaughtinawell?”“Ruff!Ruff!(“Whywouldyoueverthinkthat?Just‘causeIpushed–er–he

fellinonelastweek…”)“Andthere’safire?”“Ruff!Ruff!(“No,no,thesmoke?TheFinnegansarebarbequingagain…”)“Wehavetogorescuehim!”“Ruff!Ruff!(“Wait,comeback!I…damn!Allright!I’lltakeyoutohim!I

didn’tpushhim inoranything!{races toTimmy}Got toget to that littlebratfirstincasehefinksonme!”)

Then came the cartoons.Heckle& Jeckle, PopeyewithBrutus (notBluto,Brutus), and for a time they even showed the old Beatle cartoons with (if Iremember correctly) Krazy Kat and Beetle (coincidence?) Bailey cartoonssandwiched between themop top’s adventures. I rememberBeanie andCecil,TennesseeTuxedoandtheThreeStooges…

… and of course the mac-daddy of all pre-PBS kid shows – CaptainKangaroo.

Therewere also the Saturdaymornings – hours and hours of superheroes,wascallywabbitsandmeddlingkids.

And thenPBS,when itwascalledNET (NationalEducationalTelevision),decided it should create its own version of children’s television programs.ChildrencanbeentertainedandstilllearntheirABCsand123s.Theycanlearnaboutfeelings–beingangry,sadorhappy.

They picked a show whose producer/writer/host had recently moved hisshow from Canada to Pittsburgh. He was making an impression with hispuppetryandlessonsaboutbeingyourselfandnotbeingafraidofyourfeelings.

Theyalsopickedashowwithanurbantheme,butalsoincludedamasterfulpuppeteerwhose characters included a talking frog, amonsterwho lived in atrashcanandanothermonsterwholovedtoeatcookies.

Theshowsweresuccessful–sosuccessfulthatnon-PBSstationsfilledtheirprogrammingwith similar children’s shows.GonewasRaceBannon shootingneo-Nazis;insteadwewatchedTheNewZooReview,TheBigBlueMarbleand(inthe1980s)TheGreatSpaceCoaster.

Even the beloved Saturday Morning orgy of violence and idiocy showedsigns of teaching and learningwith In theNews (shown in segments betweenshows),CuriosityShopandTalkingWithaGiant.

AndSchoolhouseRock.Whodoesn’tstarthummingthejinglewhilereadingthe preamble to the constitution? “We the People, in order to form a moreperfectunion…”