The Best of 1980-1984

[Jim Kelly]

I liked the three issue THE UNTOLD LEGEND OF THE BATMAN Nos. 1 - 3 (July '80 - September '80). But there were a few things that bugged me about it.

Let's start with the title. Well, it wasn't really an "untold legend." Most of the series was simply bringing together stories that had already been told in other comics--and stories that had been reprinted at least once and not that long before this comic came out. So it was a bit of false advertising that was aimed at young readers who were new to Batman and wouldn't know that these facts and these stories were already available. More about that later.

Next, the art in the first issue was by John Byrne, pencils, with Jim Aparo inking. The next two issues were Jim Aparo doing the full art. I would have been satisfied with either alternative, but losing Byrne in the second issue felt like a bait and switch. I think this is the first thing Byrne ever did for DC, so I wonder what happened and why he didn't complete the whole series.

Another thing that really bugged me was that even though the story covers Batman's early days, his chest logo always has the yellow spot through the whole series. Now in the entire time that Julie Schwartz edited Batman, from 1964 to 1979, we always had the original bat symbol in flashbacks to the early days of the Dark Knight. Yet with Schwartz gone and Paul Levitz editing this series, we didn't have that acknowledgement of past continuity. Levitz answered this complaint from fans by saying that it wasn't worth confusing new readers by showing the old chest symbol. That answer bugged me more than the change itself--I always thought the changes in Batman's costume were a nice detail of continuity and part of the legend. Levitz didn't seem to respect the intelligence of the reader. And he was a comic book fan who knew a lot about DC continuity. In fact, he was the DC Continuity Cop. This change made me apprehensive about having Paul Levitz in control of Batman, one of my favourite DC characters.

Another quibble I had with all these mini-series that DC was doing at that time--where they created a 411 story on some hero, world or group--was that they didn't do a lot to acknowledge all the writers and artists who created the original material on which these seres were based. In fact, DC still does this. I may know where a lot of these plots and concepts come from and I'm sure other readers do, as well. But I get the feeling that a lot of new readers think this is all new stuff. Just as a matter of respect, I believe the past creators need to be recognized--but it would also help readers who are interested in these stories to find the original material, either in back issues, digital content or reprint books.

Don't get me wrong. I was really excited by this mini-series when it came out--but these annoying glitches blunted some of my excitement.

[Lee Stone]

[Jim Kelly]

Super-hero teams were all the rage in the early '80s.

[Lee Stone]

Super-hero teams were all the rage in the early '80s.

1984 would also be the year that DC's younger heroes became a major force.



Three of the above launched as new titles in 1984, while the Outsiders would follow suit in 1985 (however, they were still being featured in their original title at the time).
And JLA was given new blood with its own younger heroes: Vixen, Steel, Vibe and Gypsy.

That gave DC five teams in 1984 that were focused on young heroes.
And Young All-Stars would arrive later in 1987, but by then the fad was winding down.

[Air Wave]

Though it would be revived later, Adventure Comics, DC's second title, would come to an end in 1983.

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[Air Wave]

The Brave and the Bold would come to an end in 1983 after 200 issues.

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[Air Wave]

Two of your favorite logos came from this period.

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[Jim Kelly]

I was sad to see THE BRAVE AND THE BOLD go. I think it was still doing well enough in the sales, but they cancelled it to launch BATMAN AND THE OUTSIDERS. And I never liked BATO as a result--even though it still had Jim Aparo art. That team never felt natural to me like the Legion or the Titans. I could see the corporate forces at work behind the scenes manufacturing the title.

[Air Wave]

You have some favorite logos from this era:

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[Air Wave]

Adventure Comics #467 from 1980. Plastic Man stars in "Carlton Canary." This issue also features the first appearance of Prince Gavyn as Starman in a backup entitled "First Encounter."

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[Air Wave]

If you could revive one title from this era that no longer exists, what would it be?

[Air Wave]

I'm going to say WORLD'S FINEST, which I haven't mentioned yet. It's a classic, long-lived title and we should always have a Superman/Batman team-up book. Or at least Super- & Bat-family members. I liked how the recent run featured Power Girl & Huntress.

[Air Wave]

Aaaaargh! Why won't this let me upload pics to random threads??

Anyway, any more revival suggestions?

[Air Wave]

http://dcinthe80s.tumblr.com/

[Air Wave]

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Infinity,_Inc.