Showcase Presents: Batgirl, Vol. 1 (2025 Comic Book & Graphic Novel Reading Challenge)

It's Spring of 1967. The novelty of ABC's live-action comic book, Batman, is beginning to wane. Producer William Dozier is desperate for a third season. Clocking in at 94 episodes, Batman is just inches away from the 100 episode golden parachute that will, at the time, guarantee that the show will live on in syndication. 

DC Comics is also hoping for a third season. The live action series starring Adam West and Burt Ward sparked a renewed interest in DC Comics, which had been seeing Marvel Comics nipping at their heels in recent years. Bat-mania had become the source of a licensing boom of everything from toy cars to trading cards for DC. 

The idea of a new character offered hope for that third season. During initial planning stages, editor Julius Schwartz suggested that the new character be female in order to attract new female viewers. Schwartz and Dozier agreed that the new character continues with the Bat theme of the show and be known as Batgirl. However, there had already been a Bat-Girl in the pages of Batman back in the 1950s and Schwartz had buried the character for being too corny. Thus a new Batgirl would need to be created.

Legend has it that it was William Dozier who decided that Batgirl would be Barbara 'Babs' Gordon, daughter of police commissioner Jim Gordon. After viewing a concept sketch of the new Batgirl by Carmine Infantino, Dozier optioned the character for use on the series and a 7-minute long intro pilot was filmed. Along with cutting the number of shows from twice per week to just one, ABC was excited with the new character and green-lit a third season.

Batgirl was to be portrayed by actress Yvonne Craig, a veteran of a pair of Elvis films. Dressed in a sparkling purple catsuit, Craig's Batgirl debuted first on the airwaves in the September 14th episode titled 'Enter Batgirl, Exit Penguin.' In that episode's closing credits, sole ownership of Batgirl was attributed to DC Comics.

To build up hype, DC Comics introduced the new Batgirl in the pages of Detective Comics #359, albeit with a new origin story. Like in the intro pilot, the first main villain Batgirl tangles with is Killer Moth. However, instead of rescuing Batman and Robin from the fiend's cocoon trap, comic book Batgirl arrives on the scene stumbling upon Bruce Wayne being kidnapped by the foe while on her way to a costume ball dressed as a female version of the Caped Crusader. Good thing she knows judo and other methods of physical defense!

Despite being advised by Batman to hang up her cowl as it's not ladylike fighting crime and all that, Batgirl eventually becomes one of the Dynamic Duo's most trusted allies. But not before testing the romantic waters with Batman! Early on, Catwoman eyes Batgirl as a barrier to her affections with Batman, turning into a heroine in hopes of wooing the vigilante. Batman then recruits both Batgirl and Wonder Woman to pretend to fall head over heels in love for the hero, in a bizarre plot to trap the serpentine for, Copperhead. 

This book sees the foundation of a decades long relationship with perhaps her true love, Dick Grayson in a 2-part murder mystery with an Edgar Allan Poe theme. Soon after, a new paramour is introduced in Babs' life; the amateur sleuth Jason Bard. Gordon will solve crimes with the young man as both an expert librarian and as Batgirl. While Bard won't put 2-and-2 together that the two fiery redheads in his life are the same woman, an important person in Barbara's life will make the connection; her father, Jim Gordon. 

While investigating the murder of a Gotham City police officer, Batgirl uncovers a plot to murder the Commissioner by framing a known radical cop-hater. When a sniper sneaks up upon Gordon, Batgirl accidentally calls out a warning to 'Dad', leading the commissioner to deduce the true identity of Batgirl. A couple stories later, Barbara reveals her secret identity to dear old dad before taking his place as candidate for US Congress. 

When Babs wins the congressional race, it's assumed that Batgirl will go in retirement. However, a year later in the pages of Superman, of all places, Batgirl returns to save reporter Clark Kent from a Washington DC based spy ring. This massive volume of Showcase Presents ends with a Batgirl/Man of Steel reunion in Metropolis before Batgirl and her BFF, Supergirl team up for the fourth time to stop a girl claiming to be Cleopatra from becoming the new queen of the United States of America.

Had DC not shut down the fan favorite Showcase Presents line of reprints, fans would have gotten to see more of Batgirl's life in the nation's capitol before beginning a series of team-ups with Robin, now a college aged man. These Batgirl adventures would appear in the anthology title Batman Family before returning to the backup feature status in Detective Comics. With 1985's Crisis, Batgirl wasn't retconned. But her importance was lessened. Many of her adventures were now retooled to have taken place with Power Girl instead of Supergirl. 1988's The Killing Joke would redefine Barbara Gordon's importance in the Bat Family, when she's left a paraplegic from a bullet fired by the Joker. Now operating in the shadows, Babs would become Batman's eyes and ears as the tech-savvy Oracle before being granted the ability to walk once again thanks to an experimental surgery using nanobot implants.

Worth Consuming!

Rating: 9 out of 10 stars.

Completing this review completes Task #25 (With a Female Lead Character) of the 2025 Comic Book and Graphic Novel Reading Challenge.

Superman #411 (2024 Comic Book & Graphic Novel Reading Challenge)

It's the summer of 1985. You go to the local Fast Fare in hopes of the newest issue of Superman. Last issue saw the beginning of a 3-part 'Luthor Trilogy' that promises to cap the age old conflict between the Man of Steel and his greatest arch enemy right before Crisis on Infinite Earths changes everything. You scour the spinner rack where you find issue #411. Only instead of the 2nd part of Superman's battle with Luthor, you're faced with a special birthday issue devoted to DC editor Julius Schwartz!?

Elliot S! Maggin, Curt Swan, Murphy Anderson, John Costanza, Gene D'Angelo, Paul Levitz and Bob Rozakis crafted this September 1985 issue intended to be an oversized birthday to the beloved Superman editor known affectionately as Julie. This issue was planned as a surprise for Schwartz months before. Though you might be wondering how you can keep such an issue secret from the editor of DC's flagship hero. Enter Dick Giordano, who in his role as Vice President-Executive Editor, managed to keep everything under wraps until publication. 

'The Last Earth Prime Story' begins on Earth-One where that world's Julius Schwartz is down on his luck and homeless. Because of the existence of superheroes on that earth, interest in fictional stories about super-powered beings has waned. Hoping to change his fortune on his 70th birthday, Schwartz goes over to the Daily Planet building to ask old friend Perry White for a job but is turned away by White's secretary for his sloven appearance. 

Later in the day, Perry is alerted to Julie's visit and goes out with his wife to find him. When the White's run into Superman, Perry informs the Man of Steel about how Schwartz helped him get into publishing during the early days of Science Fiction pulps. Superman agrees to continue the search when he discovers Julie being held captive at the hands of a deranged member of a spy network who is literally half human/half machine! 

The book ends on Earth Prime at DC Comics headquarters. The Julie Schwartz of Earth Prime, our earth, is in the office enjoying his 70th birthday party. A number of DC talent make cameos in the scene including publisher Jeanette Kahn, Curt Swan and Dick Giordano. Astute fans of Superman history should also note the presence of former Superman editor Mort Weisinger, who appears as a decorative bust in Clark Kent's apartment. Superstars of the golden age of science fiction such as Ray Bradbury, Frederik Pohl and John W. Campbell cameo during the scene where Perry White explains his personal history with Julius Schwartz to Superman.

Julie retired from comics in 1986 after 42 years at DC Comics. In retirement, Schwartz would be a regular guest at comic cons nationwide. Schwartz was DC's editor emeritus until his death in 2004 at age 88.

Completing this review completes Task #44 (A Book Featured in a FB Group Post) of the 2024 Comic Book and Graphic Novel Reading Challenge.

Worth Consuming!

Rating: 7 out of 10 stars.

Detective Comics #627

From 1991, this deluxe sized issue commemorates the 600th appearance of the Dark Knight in Detective Comics. The idea of this issue is pretty novel. To begin, it reprints the very first story of which Batman appeared in Detective Comics #27. In a story titled 'The Case of the Chemical Syndicate', Bruce Wayne is alerted to the death of a pair of businessmen while accompanying Commissioner Gordon on a case. In the guise of the Bat-Man, the vigilante hero determines who the killer is, ushering forth a gritty sense of justice with dark undertones unparalleled in comicdom. 

Readers then are gifted with a reprint of a story from Batman's 30th anniversary appearance in Detective Comics (#387), circa 1968. Editor Julius Schwartz commissioned Mike Friedrich, Bob Brown and Joe Giella to retool that first appearance to reflect the more modern time period. This reboot includes Robin the Boy Wonder in a story that focuses on the generation gap, which was a subject that DC Comics seemed to have very little knowledge in. It's an odd tale in which Robin is sure that the son of one of the deceased is the killer' to the point that it's Batman who keeps a level head while the teen sidekick literally says 'Kids these days...'

There are 2 more stories in this anniversary issue. Both of which retell 'The Case of the Chemical Syndicate' to reflect the early 90s. The first story introduces a new character called Pesticyde. Unfortunately, it's the character's only appearance. But it was a darn good one! Written by Marv Wolfman, with art by Jim Aparo, it blows that 60s reboot out of the water!

90s retool #2 is a bit more complex. Half of the story focuses on Batman trying to solve the murders of those businessmen; half focuses on a drunken homeless man claiming that his buddies have been killed. You might think that the two plots have nothing to do with each other. Yet, Alan Grant does a masterful job stringing both story lines together. This story has some great art by Norm Breyfogle, who along with letterer Todd Klein, sneaks in the names of dozens of past Batman artists and writers. The cool thing about all this is how each matches the art style or signature of the creators. 

I'm co-leading a comic book club this school year. Our first assignment is to read a Batman comic book. Any Batman work is allowed. I was going to read an issue of Detective from 1970 that reprinted several of Batman and Robin's most unusual cases. Unfortunately the book was coming apart at the seams. At first I thought I had bought the book without a back cover. Then I saw that the missing section was still inside the bag. I then began seeing how the front cover and other back pages were beginning to peel as well. As much as I really wanted to read that book, I didn't want to bring it to school and let it get further damaged. Hopefully I'll read it sometime in the future. 

Detective #627 was an interesting experiment. It started in the 60s and continued 30 years later. I wonder if this test was ever continued in another anniversary issue? If yes, I'd be really interested in getting those issues if DC ever did. And if they haven't, maybe it's time to do it again! I'd buy it!

As much as I wanted to show my students an old comic book, I'll have to do with this book. Though if you were to ask those guys, they'd probably comment that 32 years of age is old. 

Sheesh...

Worth Consuming!

Rating: 8 out of 10 stars.

DC Super-Stars Giant (Presents... Strange Sports) #10

As a kid, a favorite of mine was this DC Blue Ribbon Digest filled with strange stories set in the world of sports. I've forgotten the number of but the contents have never left me. In it, a boxer was forced to spar with cement gloves, a hockey match set by a waterfall became a death match, and a basketball team faced off against a group of athletes without faces.

But the story that interested me the most in that book was the cover story of this very issue. A baseball game between heroes and villains! Batman, Joker, Lex Luthor, Green Arrow, Amazo- all of your favorite heroes were there.

The game started as the result of a domestic dispute between Sportsmaster and his wife Huntress (not the superhero who later becomes a Bird of Prey, but the leopard-print wearing villainess.) Anyways, Huntress wants to go straight but her hubby won't have it. So the pair recruit teams of heroes and baddies to play a round of baseball to decide her fate.

This was a very odd story. There's been tales of good guys and their arch- enemies using athletics to decide the outcome of some skirmish, such as the Green Lantern reprint in the back of this issue. But usually one side or the other is reluctant to play or they cheat like crazy.

Here everybody is willing to participate in America's past time and the baddies seem to really be enjoying themselves. It's rather odd that nobody, even the Man of Steel, uses their powers or bag of tricks until  the last inning. In the ninth, it's no holds barred! What's even odder is in the last inning, it's the heroes who win by cheating- not the bad guys!

This story is a classic example of the sort of stories editor Julius Schwartz was noted for. Unusual, off-the-wall but thrilling and fun as well as original! Above all, the story had to be original with Julie! I love it.

There's also a story that I've read somewhere before but have forgotten when and where I've done so. It's a Gil Kane story in which a human track and field coach meets a bunch of alien athletes. Unfamiliar with the gravity on earth, the aliens need the coach's help if they are to win their upcoming track meet. Another odd story but quite enjoyable and ORIGINAL!

That must mean it's another Schwartz helmed masterpiece.

Worth Consuming!

Rating: 9 out of 10 stars.

Showcase Presents: Justice League of America, Volume 6

Another great collection of Justice League of America issues.

This one introduces Earth-X; the earth in which Hitler and the Nazis won World War II. Back are Golden Age great like Uncle Sam, The Human Bomb, and the Phantom Lady.

Plus witness the return of several founding members of the Justice League. While most of these returns are just for an issue or two temporary team-up, there is one exciting return that actually sticks around! 

Featuring some of the most interesting and creative story lines of the Justice League, such as when writers Cary Bates, Elliot S. Maggin, and editor Julie Schwartz become the stars of one of their very own Justice League story. 

And for one very short period of time, witness the beginnings of Dick Giordano's amazing run on this title. He only pencils a couple of issues (and the art is so freakin' good), but it's a hint of what's in store for later issues of this series, one of my all-time favorites. 

Speaking of later issues, this volume ended quite sadly for me. Or at least bittersweet. This is the final volume of Showcase Presents: Justice League of America. Since this is a later edition, unless DC would ever consider revitalizing this dynamic series, the publisher more than likely is going to start over at issue #1. 

The good thing is that there's well over a hundred individual issues out there for me still to read. But it will take time (and I suspect a nice chunk of change) in order to obtain them all. Oh, don't worry, their now on my wish list and I'm ready for the hunt to begin.

A much better collection than volume 5. 

Worth Consuming!

Rating: 9 out of 10 stars.

DC Retroactive Justice League America The 70s: #1

    In the lost tale, Adam Strange is accidently zeta-beamed to Earth Prime, where there are no superheroes, except the one’s published by DC Comics. Thankfully, a little-known editor named Julie Schwartz is there to help save the day.

   Then in the reprint, writer Cary Bates is teleported to Earth-2, where his writing skills have turned him into the Justice Society’s worst nightmare. But don't expect to know how this story finishes as you'll need the following issue to read what happens next as this tale ends on a cliffhanger.

   Both tales are great and they reflect DC’s tradition of tying the real and fake worlds together. The lost tale was so good, it should have been used in the Schwartz JLA tribute instead of Harlan Ellison’s awful tale. Still, why would you include a two-part story in a one-shot when you only include part I? 

   Great stuff- Worth Consuming. But, I am a little steamed on the editors for leaving us with a cliffhanger and no affordable options for resolution. 

   Rating: 9 out of 10 stars.

  

 

Ambush Bug #4

  

   It’s the final issue of the Ambush Bug miniseries and the star of our show is finally going into a Battle Royale with Darkseid. Only, this death wish must be postponed until story’s end. Instead, the Bug is targeted for death by a villain who accidently wound up in the wrong book. As this villain realizes he’s been placed in the wrong title with another character who is completely aware he’s in a comic book too (AB!), the walls of continuity come crashing down. Plus, it seems that writer and creator, Keith Giffen, has broken into editor Julie Schwartz’ liquor cabinet and is holding the ending of this book hostage until Ambush Bug becomes a monthly title.

 Sadly, Ambush Bug never got a monthly title. But, he did get several more one-shots and a couple more mini-series. I look forward to them as they surely are as wicked fun as this one, right?

 Normally, I don’t do this, but there’s a Showcase Presents that collects every appearance of the Bug and I might just have to get it. Some back issues are really expensive, especially, his first appearances in DC Comics Presents and Action Comics. I just must read every Ambush Bug story and I don’t mind buying a book that has some previously read and owned material in it in order to accomplish this feat.

 Worth Consuming.

DC Comics Presents: Mystery in Space #1

A tribute issue in honor of the passing of the great Julius Schwartz, long-time Editor In Chief of DC Comics. Schwartz was known for having concept covers drawn up and then would assign writers to use that idea for use in a forthcoming issue of said title.

In this issue, the First story is a team-up of Adam Strange and Ralph (Elongated Man) & Sue Dibny. I love the Dibnys, God rest their souls. So, to have them pop up here is awesome. That story involves a chance meeting in a remote African nation and the terrible consequences of Strange’s Zeta beam having on global defense in the wrong hands.

The second story is by Batman scribe, Grant Morrison. That should be a great issue. Sadly, it delves into some metaphysical metaphor for how Adam Strange was a catalyst for American’s fear of the bomb and the generation gap in terms of Vietnam. It’s really a stretch and a very confusing and awful tale.

Thankfully, the first story totally makes up for that drivel and makes this book very much Worth Consuming.

Rating: 8 out of 10 stars.

DC Comics Presents - The Flash #1

A tribute issue in honor of the passing of the great Julius Schwartz, long-time Editor In Chief of DC Comics. Schwartz was known for having concept covers drawn up and then would assign writers to use that idea for use in a forthcoming issue of said title. It's also fitting that the Flash is used as one of the heroes to pay respect to Julie as it was Schwartz who was solely responsible for the Speedster's 'return' to comics in the 1950s.

The first take has Barry Allen testifying against a mob boss. But before he can testify, an assassin marks the criminologist for death. Cameos abound with Iris West, Martian Manhunter, Deadshot & more.

The second tale features some of the Flash’s Rogue’s Gallery. However, the story is rather flat.

Worth Consuming if for just the first story alone.

Rating: 7 out of 10 stars.

DC Comics Presents Batman #1

A tribute issue in honor of the passing of the great Julius Schwartz, long-time EIC of DC Comics. Schwartz was known for having concept covers drawn up and then would assign writers to use that idea for use in a forthcoming issue of said title.

Here, Len Wein, Geoff Johns, and Carmine Infantino explore Batman’s relationship with the TV. In the first tale, the actor playing Robin on TV’s hit Batman is found murdered. Now, it’s up to the Dynamic Duo to solve the crime.

The second tale is even better in which a reality TV show’s producer always seems to know when Batman is going to strike fear in the hearts of Gotham’s underworld. Once the Dark Knight finds out is going on, he may be to late to stop Two-face from exacting revenge on the media mogul.

Two great tales, very much Worth Consuming.

   Rating: 10 out of 10 stars.

DC Comics Presents Atom #1

A tribute issue in honor of the passing of the great Julius Schwartz, long-time EIC of DC Comics. Schwartz was known for having concept covers drawn up and then would assign writers to use that idea for use in a forthcoming issue of said title.

Here, Dave Gibbons, Mark Waid, Dan Jurgens, and others devise 2 different takes in which the Atom is required to “ride a deadly grenade!”

The first tale incorporates the classic motif that writer Gardner Fox got his ideas by his dreams tapping into the Earth-1 universe. Along with Schwartz and what I assume is pitcher Whitey Ford, the Atom must find a way to go back to Earth-1 after some criminals strand him in the “real world.”

The second tale isn’t quite as charming. Atom still must take a ride on a grenade, but that tale doesn’t hold a candle to the first tale. It does feature 60s super-criminal Chronos, which uses ideas from an imaginative writer, a thinly veiled Schwartz, to stage a series of super crimes.

Worth Consuming.

Rating: 8 out of 10 stars.

DC Comics Presents: Justice League of America #1

A tribute issue in honor of the passing of the great Julius Schwartz, long-time EIC of DC Comics. Schwartz was known for having concept covers drawn up and then would assign writers to use that idea for use in a forthcoming issue of said title.

In this issue, Harlan Ellison, Marv Wolfman, and Peter David contribute 2 tales surrounding a cover in which the Justice League is plagued by their super powers and weapons. The first tale is awesome. It has the future JLA going back in time to stop the newly formed League from getting decimated by a time travelling villain from the 30th century.

Sadly, Harlan Ellison’s tale really sucks rocks. Here, Schwartz is a character in his own tale, in which he dreams that his characters have taken over his life and he hates them for that! I really think that’s hogwash. Ellison, good a writer he may be, tends to embellish facts AND likes to restructure characters into more controversial subjects than they really are. Case in point: his first draft for City of the Edge of Forever in which Scotty was to become a drug addict.

Thankfully, the first tale makes this issue worth consuming, but just barely.

Worth Consuming!

  Rating: 7 out of 10 stars.

DC Comics Presents: Green Lantern #1

A tribute issue in honor of the passing of the great Julius Schwartz, long-time EIC of DC Comics. Schwartz was known for having concept covers drawn up and then would assign writers to use that idea for use in a forthcoming issue of said title.

Here, artists and writers such as Brian Azzarello, Brian Bolland, and Scott McDaniel devise two potential tales in which Green Lantern might have reason to sell copies of his power rings for only a buck each. (That my friends is a steal.)

The best of the two stories is the first, which is set during the 60s and has the Emerald Warrior on the hunt for Gorilla Grodd. The second tale has Green Lantern and Green Arrow teaming up to stop a renegade toy seller from profiting on fake Lantern rings using shoddy work conditions and child labor. The internal conflict of Hal Jordan just doesn’t seem plausible. In just about everything I’ve read on GL, Jordan loved his dad. But in this tale, Mr. Jordan is a boozer and has led to Hal having rage issues. I just don’t see that. Maybe the writer got Jordan confused with Guy Gardner?

Worth Consuming.

Rating: 7 out of 10 stars.