Batman in the 80's before Crisis revamp

[theMan-Bat]

My favourite from the early 80's is Batman Annual #8 (1982) by Mike W. Barr and Trevor Von Eeden. Trevor Von Eeden actually had Batman's cape and cowl black rather then blue. Batman actually used the Batplane. I love the Batplane.

 

[theMan-Bat]

Batman Special "The Player on the Other Side" (1984) by Mike W. Barr and Michael Golden is very good.
The best Michael Golden Batman is in the Batman Family issues #18-20 (1978) written by Denny O'Neil, David V Reed and Bob Rozakis.

 

[theMan-Bat]

Gene Colan had done Tomb of Dracula and brought his own horror style to Batman and even turned Batman into a vampire in Batman #350 and 351 (1982) written by Gerry Conway.

Of course Kelley Jones and Doug Moench went much further with Batman as a vampire in the very graphic Vampire Trilogy: Red Rain, Bloodstorm and Crimson Mist. I see the Conway/Colan issues in a mysterious Christopher Lee 60's Hammer horror film kind of way. The Moench/Jones books are a mix of 30's gothic horror and modern graphic gore. Gerry Conway returned Dr. Death in Batman #345 and Detective #512 (1982).

Gene Colan with Klaus Jason's inks created a fairly shadowy horrorish mood.

The best Catwoman story in my opinion is "Never Scratch a Cat" Batman #355 (1983) by Gerry Conway and Don Newton.

Detective #519 (1983) is a good issue by Gerry Conway and Don Newton where the Batplane is actually used.

 

[souloffire]

I am the opposite. I came back to the mainstream Batman title because of Kelley Jones. I love his classic style and Batman actually looked like "a creature of the night. Black. Terrible." As Batman wanted to look. I was already into Kelley Jones from his Deadman series, Swamp Thing, Sandman Dream Country and Seasons of Mist. Then the Batman vampire trilogy. When Kelley Jones became the artist on the mainstream title in 1995 with Doug Moench, I came back. I had not gotten the mainstream Batman title regularly since 1986. The last issue was Batman #400 by Doug Moench and Bill Sienkiewicz.

I've not bothered to buy the mainstream Batman title since the awesome Doug Moench/Kelley Jones 1995-1998 run.

I LOVE Bill Sienkiewicz's art. Freakin' great.

 

[theMan-Bat]

I LOVE Bill Sienkiewicz's art. Freakin' great.

Yeah, it's to bad he only did that one issue of Batman in 1986. Bill Sienkiewicz wrote, drew and inked "Bent Twigs" in Batman Black And White #3 (1996). He drew the modern parts of DC1st: Batgirl/Joker #1 (02). Bill Sienkiewicz has done a few Batman covers.

 

[batmaluco]

I am the opposite. I came back to the mainstream Batman title because of Kelley Jones. I love his classic style and Batman actually looked like "a creature of the night. Black. Terrible." As Batman wanted to look. I was already into Kelley Jones from his Deadman series, Swamp Thing, Sandman Dream Country and Seasons of Mist. Then the Batman vampire trilogy. When Kelley Jones became the artist on the mainstream title in 1995 with Doug Moench, I came back. I had not gotten the mainstream Batman title regularly since 1986. The last issue was Batman #400 by Doug Moench and Bill Sienkiewicz.

I've not bothered to buy the mainstream Batman title since the awesome Doug Moench/Kelley Jones 1995-1998 run.

The same thing happened with me. I wasn't reading the regular Batman comics for some time as well and was brought back to Bats because I loved his works.
And Batman #400 had a really great team, so many talented artists.

 

[Lazlo Panaflex]

My favourite from the early 80's is Batman Annual #8 (1982) by Mike W. Barr and Trevor Von Eeden. Trevor Von Eeden actually had Batman's cape and cowl black rather then blue. Batman actually used the Batplane. I love the Batplane.

I have this book too, very creepy and the batplane looks cool.

 

[Kurosawa]

My favourite from the early 80's is Batman Annual #8 (1982) by Mike W. Barr and Trevor Von Eeden. Trevor Von Eeden actually had Batman's cape and cowl black rather then blue. Batman actually used the Batplane. I love the Batplane.

Von Eeden was a very good and underrated artist. His stuff had class. He did a Green Arrow mini around that time that was really great.

And Done Newton...can't say enough great stuff about him. Awesome Batman artist, and his drew some beautiful Marvel Family stuff as well.

 

[souloffire]

Here's the GA mini.

 

[Kurosawa]

Here's the GA mini.

GA is awesome. One of my fave DC heroes.

 

[Brian Braddock]

This here story by Mike W. Barr and Michael Golden is really good, starts out that James Gordon has a death warrant because back when he was a rookie he shot a criminal who's son now as an adult calls himself the Wraith and to top it off the event happened the very same that the Waynes were murdered, and so Batman must deal with a villina who's almost his opposite, kick ass story with cool Michael Golden artwork.

Yup. This one was a classic. The Golden artwork rocked!!

Maybe it was because I was a kid and all, but dont the comics from this era seem alot more , i dunno, 'fun' ?

What a great thread.

 

[souloffire]

Maybe it was because I was a kid and all, but dont the comics from this era seem alot more , i dunno, 'fun' ?

What a great thread.

I agree. It seems that today everything has to be some big earth shattering, status quo changing event, which would be fine once and a while, but Marvel and DC seem to have several of these "events" one right after the other. I also miss the look of the comics from back then. The paper, the coloring, the smell, etc. But those "Jason Todd and Bucky are dead days" are long gone.

 

[Lazlo Panaflex]

It's takes me at least 20 minutes reading those old comics, whereas today I'll read any All-Star Batman in 2 minutes and that takes the fun out of it.

And it was cool having ink print on my fingers from reading old comics.

 

[souloffire]

I know what you mean.

 

[Brian Braddock]

ditto.

 

[souloffire]

Here's a nice 80's shot.

 

[theMan-Bat]

Looks like Jim Aparo's art.

 

[Brian Braddock]

Here's a nice 80's shot.

Ahh, those where the days! I think it's because I was a kid then, but comics just seemed more fun (?)

 

[Lazlo Panaflex]

In these Batman issues 402 and 403 right before the Year One arc, tells the tale of a wannabe vigilante type who uses Batman's methods, word gets out to Gordon that some looney dressed as Batman is going out killing the criminals and so Batman does his best to bring him down, it's been a while since I've read it so my memory ain't so good.

There is a funny bit in which the fake Batman somehow finds the Batcave and steals the Batmobile, the real Batman then informs Gordon about the stolen Batcar and so Gordon sarcastically replies "You didn't leave it at a no parking zone did you?"

 

[The Dark Guybrush]

this thread is great!

 

[Brian Braddock]

In these Batman issues 402 and 403 right before the Year One arc, tells the tale of a wannabe vigilante type who uses Batman's methods, word gets out to Gordon that some looney dressed as Batman is going out killing the criminals and so Batman does his best to bring him down, it's been a while since I've read it so my memory ain't so good.

There is a funny bit in which the fake Batman somehow finds the Batcave and steals the Batmobile, the real Batman then informs Gordon about the stolen Batcar and so Gordon sarcastically replies "You didn't leave it at a no parking zone did you?"

Oh man. I Vaguely remember this - looks like i'll have to go on ebay to get them.!

 

[Lazlo Panaflex]

I found this article that talks about the early 80's Batman tales with writer Gerry Conway and artists Don Newton and Gene Colan, now THIS is the stuff I grew up reading and sure brings back memories.

http://www.geocities.com/SoHo/Study/4273/saga/bat_thorne.html

 

[MaskedManJRK]

I am the opposite. I came back to the mainstream Batman title because of Kelley Jones. I love his classic style and Batman actually looked like "a creature of the night. Black. Terrible." As Batman wanted to look. I was already into Kelley Jones from his Deadman series, Swamp Thing, Sandman Dream Country and Seasons of Mist. Then the Batman vampire trilogy. When Kelley Jones became the artist on the mainstream title in 1995 with Doug Moench, I came back. I had not gotten the mainstream Batman title regularly since 1986. The last issue was Batman #400 by Doug Moench and Bill Sienkiewicz.

I've not bothered to buy the mainstream Batman title since the awesome Doug Moench/Kelley Jones 1995-1998 run.

I agree and disagree with you.

Sienkiewicz is fantastic--loved his work on The Cult and his B&W story. Jones, on the other hand, is, to be perfectly frank, f**king terrible.

The difference is this:

Sienkiewicz looks frightening. Jones looks hilarious.
Sienkiewicz looks like a creature of the night. Jones looks like a clown on his day off.

 

[The Empire Ape]

PreCrisis Batman >>>>>> Post-Crisis Batman
heck, pre-crisis dc >>>>>>>>>> post-crisis dc

 

[hulkamania85]

You wanna talk about Batman before the revamp well this series gives the whole pre-crisis history of Batman.

It's a three issue series by Len Wein and John Byrne called "The Untold Legend of Batman". Loved the series as a kid but some of the pre-crisis history seems a little goofy now. Still a great read if your interested in the pre-crisis history.

I used to have Part 2 of this series. It came with a cassette tape too. I ended up losing it though.