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Batman
Batman: Strange Apparitions
One of the true and unanticipated highlights on a dull and tepid comic book scene in the late 1970's, the Steve Englehart/Marshall Rogers/Terry Austin run in Detective Comics is one of the most memorable eras of the Dark Knight's adventures. Now available in a single volume, Batman: Strange Apparitions featuring an introduction by Englehart and a new cover by Marshall Rogers and Terry Austin. Reprinting Detective Comics #469-476, #478, and #479 (which also includes work by writer Len Wein and artist Walter Simonson), these stories chroniclize Batman's struggles with a corrupt city government headed by "Boss" Rupert Thorne along with battling classic villians such as Hugo Strange, the Penguin, Deadshot, Clayface, Dr Phosphorus, and the Joker. This classic run was the blueprint for the first Tim Burton Batman movie and Batman: The Animated Series.
Originally published in single magazine form as DETECTIVE COMICS #469-479.
Originally published in single magazine form as DETECTIVE COMICS #469-479.
175 pages, Paperback
First published October 1, 1978
8 people are currently reading
1075 people want to read
About the author
Steve Englehart
1,395 books97 followersSee also John Harkness.
Steve Englehart went to Wesleyan University in Middletown, Connecticut. After a stint in the Army, he moved to New York and began to write for Marvel Comics. That led to long runs on Captain America, The Hulk, The Avengers, Dr. Strange, and a dozen other titles. Midway through that period he moved to California (where he remains), and met and married his wife Terry.
He was finally hired away from Marvel by DC Comics, to be their lead writer and revamp their core characters (Superman, Batman, Wonder Woman, Flash, and Green Lantern). He did, but he also wrote a solo Batman series (immediately dubbed the "definitive" version) that later became Warner Brothers' first Batman film (the good one).
After that he left comics for a time, traveled in Europe for a year, wrote a novel (The Point Man™), and came back to design video games for Atari (E.T., Garfield). But he still liked comics, so he created Coyote™, which within its first year was rated one of America's ten best series. Other projects he owned (Scorpio Rose™, The Djinn™) were mixed with company series (Green Lantern [with Joe Staton], Silver Surfer, Fantastic Four). Meanwhile, he continued his game design for Activision, Electronic Arts, Sega, and Brøderbund.
And once he and Terry had their two sons, Alex and Eric, he naturally told them stories. Rustle's Christmas Adventure was first devised for them. He went on to add a run of mid-grade books to his bibliography, including the DNAgers™ adventure series, and Countdown to Flight, a biography of the Wright brothers selected by NASA as the basis for their school curriculum on the invention of the airplane.
In 1992 Steve was asked to co-create a comics pantheon called the Ultraverse. One of his contributions, The Night Man, became not only a successful comics series, but also a television show. That led to more Hollywood work, including animated series such as Street Fighter, GI Joe, and Team Atlantis for Disney.
Steve Englehart went to Wesleyan University in Middletown, Connecticut. After a stint in the Army, he moved to New York and began to write for Marvel Comics. That led to long runs on Captain America, The Hulk, The Avengers, Dr. Strange, and a dozen other titles. Midway through that period he moved to California (where he remains), and met and married his wife Terry.
He was finally hired away from Marvel by DC Comics, to be their lead writer and revamp their core characters (Superman, Batman, Wonder Woman, Flash, and Green Lantern). He did, but he also wrote a solo Batman series (immediately dubbed the "definitive" version) that later became Warner Brothers' first Batman film (the good one).
After that he left comics for a time, traveled in Europe for a year, wrote a novel (The Point Man™), and came back to design video games for Atari (E.T., Garfield). But he still liked comics, so he created Coyote™, which within its first year was rated one of America's ten best series. Other projects he owned (Scorpio Rose™, The Djinn™) were mixed with company series (Green Lantern [with Joe Staton], Silver Surfer, Fantastic Four). Meanwhile, he continued his game design for Activision, Electronic Arts, Sega, and Brøderbund.
And once he and Terry had their two sons, Alex and Eric, he naturally told them stories. Rustle's Christmas Adventure was first devised for them. He went on to add a run of mid-grade books to his bibliography, including the DNAgers™ adventure series, and Countdown to Flight, a biography of the Wright brothers selected by NASA as the basis for their school curriculum on the invention of the airplane.
In 1992 Steve was asked to co-create a comics pantheon called the Ultraverse. One of his contributions, The Night Man, became not only a successful comics series, but also a television show. That led to more Hollywood work, including animated series such as Street Fighter, GI Joe, and Team Atlantis for Disney.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 97 reviews
April 1, 2016
First off, I would like to state that I'm very torn about my rating for this graphic novel. On one hand I can acknowledge the influence and impact it has on the Tim Burton movie adaptations and the initial conceptual work for Batman: The Animated Series (which I am both a big fan of, most particularly of the latter). On another, I don't think the tonality and composition style of the Batman stories herein really appeal to my sensibilities, and that's mostly because I've been soaked with so much New 52 stuff this year that it's probably the only version of Batman that resonates with me at this point. I'm not saying it's a good thing, however, because there are a few major criticisms that I have for New 52 about some of its long-game decisions, especially when it comes to their treatment of Batman villains and tropes.
Still, if you'll make me choose, I'd still go for the most current material and continuity. I don't think that this 70's era Batman is also something I can recommend to everyone (even if a lot of quintessential Batman elements are present here), let alone to a novice whose primary recognition of Batman might come alone from the Christopher Nolan franchise.
That being said, the eleven stories featured in this collaborative work of Steve Englehart and Len Wein for Strange Apparitions is a fun-filled adventure that makes use of a roster of villains such as Dr. Phosphorous, Hugo Strange, Penguin, the Joker and Clayface. This collection also gives us Bruce Wayne's girlfriend Silver St. Cloud who I consider to be a well-written female character even if she's still subjected to certain glaring gender stereotypes back when this comic book was published.
Upon reading the first two issues of this volume, I was immensely entertained even when the narrative boxes are self-aware and cheesy in a lot of ways. I just pretend that there is an old-timey voice speaking in my head as I read. But as I progressed on, this linguistic style started to irritate me that I have to consciously block it out in order to invest myself in the stories themselves. If you don't take the prose into consideration, the stories can be very riveting, especially the way Batman does his investigative work and deduces the motivations and process of the crimes that were committed. Too often we became used to Batsy using state-of-the-art gadgetry and beating up the bad guys to a pulp. It's nice to see Batman be a detective since this is after all issues taken from Detective Comics. Another thing I liked about these stories is the way the villains are written which is thankfully composed of the right amount of sass, theatrics and snarling attitude. I will always despise Hugo Strange but his appearances for this collection didn't bother me as much as I expected.
My favorite story of the volume has to be the Joker-centered ones. If any of you read my review of The Man Who Laughs by Ed Brubaker last week, I made a startling confession there that I've been so sick to death with Jokermania. However, the story The Laughing Fish, which I first watched in Paul Dini's Batman: The Animated Series as an episode, was simply hilarious that I started to remember why the Joker is such an entertainingly diabolical villain in the first place. But my favorite aspect of Strange Apparitions has to be the character subplot concerning Silver St. Cloud and Bruce Wayne whose relationship problems were reflective and interesting enough for me to pay attention to. I like that Bruce back then can still have time for romantic relationships even if he has to put the woman he loves at arm length's. I also like that Silver is shrewd enough to figure out that Bruce Wayne is Batman; and that she's torn about telling him that she knows or keeping it all to herself and just wait for him to come around and tell her himself. Sadly, this was only a very small subplot and if an issue further tackling this plot thread was explored, it was never included for this volume.
I should also mention that Dick Grayson is still Robin here although he's definitely a grown man now so seeing him in that Boy Wonder costume is pretty dorky (especially when he and Bruce started wrestling in the bat-cave like a couple of nerdy chums). You will NEVER SEE New 52, post-Nolan Bruce EVER DOING THAT so it's quite a gem to be provided by that here.
It's worth noting that 70's era Batman comics was still experiencing the aftershocks of the 60's era when the Adam West and Burt Ward show was a national phenomenon which explains the tendency for campiness in this volume. But there is depth and maturity in the stories themselves as well if you consider the content alone; yet I consider the structure and delivery to be the reason why they can be grating in some moments. However, I think I'm going to be less generous with my rating and base it on my own personal preferences. In general, if we consider its objective importance to the Bat-verse, Strange Apparitions will be a solid 8. But I will remove one star in my final verdict because it's my own prerogative to do so. This is also something I cannot recommend to novices right away but should be explored for posterity's sake no less.
RECOMMENDED: 7/10
DO READ MY BATMAN COMICS REVIEWS AT:
Still, if you'll make me choose, I'd still go for the most current material and continuity. I don't think that this 70's era Batman is also something I can recommend to everyone (even if a lot of quintessential Batman elements are present here), let alone to a novice whose primary recognition of Batman might come alone from the Christopher Nolan franchise.
That being said, the eleven stories featured in this collaborative work of Steve Englehart and Len Wein for Strange Apparitions is a fun-filled adventure that makes use of a roster of villains such as Dr. Phosphorous, Hugo Strange, Penguin, the Joker and Clayface. This collection also gives us Bruce Wayne's girlfriend Silver St. Cloud who I consider to be a well-written female character even if she's still subjected to certain glaring gender stereotypes back when this comic book was published.
Upon reading the first two issues of this volume, I was immensely entertained even when the narrative boxes are self-aware and cheesy in a lot of ways. I just pretend that there is an old-timey voice speaking in my head as I read. But as I progressed on, this linguistic style started to irritate me that I have to consciously block it out in order to invest myself in the stories themselves. If you don't take the prose into consideration, the stories can be very riveting, especially the way Batman does his investigative work and deduces the motivations and process of the crimes that were committed. Too often we became used to Batsy using state-of-the-art gadgetry and beating up the bad guys to a pulp. It's nice to see Batman be a detective since this is after all issues taken from Detective Comics. Another thing I liked about these stories is the way the villains are written which is thankfully composed of the right amount of sass, theatrics and snarling attitude. I will always despise Hugo Strange but his appearances for this collection didn't bother me as much as I expected.
My favorite story of the volume has to be the Joker-centered ones. If any of you read my review of The Man Who Laughs by Ed Brubaker last week, I made a startling confession there that I've been so sick to death with Jokermania. However, the story The Laughing Fish, which I first watched in Paul Dini's Batman: The Animated Series as an episode, was simply hilarious that I started to remember why the Joker is such an entertainingly diabolical villain in the first place. But my favorite aspect of Strange Apparitions has to be the character subplot concerning Silver St. Cloud and Bruce Wayne whose relationship problems were reflective and interesting enough for me to pay attention to. I like that Bruce back then can still have time for romantic relationships even if he has to put the woman he loves at arm length's. I also like that Silver is shrewd enough to figure out that Bruce Wayne is Batman; and that she's torn about telling him that she knows or keeping it all to herself and just wait for him to come around and tell her himself. Sadly, this was only a very small subplot and if an issue further tackling this plot thread was explored, it was never included for this volume.
I should also mention that Dick Grayson is still Robin here although he's definitely a grown man now so seeing him in that Boy Wonder costume is pretty dorky (especially when he and Bruce started wrestling in the bat-cave like a couple of nerdy chums). You will NEVER SEE New 52, post-Nolan Bruce EVER DOING THAT so it's quite a gem to be provided by that here.
It's worth noting that 70's era Batman comics was still experiencing the aftershocks of the 60's era when the Adam West and Burt Ward show was a national phenomenon which explains the tendency for campiness in this volume. But there is depth and maturity in the stories themselves as well if you consider the content alone; yet I consider the structure and delivery to be the reason why they can be grating in some moments. However, I think I'm going to be less generous with my rating and base it on my own personal preferences. In general, if we consider its objective importance to the Bat-verse, Strange Apparitions will be a solid 8. But I will remove one star in my final verdict because it's my own prerogative to do so. This is also something I cannot recommend to novices right away but should be explored for posterity's sake no less.
RECOMMENDED: 7/10
DO READ MY BATMAN COMICS REVIEWS AT:
December 15, 2019
"The Penguin fears no sane man but the Joker is hardly that!"
The artwork is surprisingly good, it is detailed, awesome and solid in an old fashioned way, I like it!
The plots are just B-rated noir+hard-boiled cliches and the narration is always melodramatic ('it's a dark and stormy night', anyone?) still I really do think Hugo Strange, the Penguin and the Joker are pretty cool (on the other hand, Deadshot is a lot less cool) in this volume and Joker in his purple suit and green hair laughing glory! When he shows up with his joker-fishes it is so damn priceless!
PS: but can we just cut out the love interest? Silver St. Cloud is alright as a character at her own rights, but as a love interest, she is annoying!
October 21, 2023
Eleven fantastic stories from Detective Comics 1977-78 featuring an array of foes from arguably the best rogues gallery in comics. Batman faces off against the likes of The Joker, The Penguin, Clayface III, Hugo Strange, Deadshot, and even an appearance by The Riddler.
The best story is Englehart’s “The Laughing Fish” with one of the best drawn and inked Joker I have seen courtesy of Marshall Rogers and Terry Austin originally from Detective Comics #475 back in 1978.
But all the stories are solid Batman tarns and we get appearances from Robin, Silver St. Cloud, Chief O’Hara and even a few mysterious panels of Cat Woman. Classic Batman here!
The best story is Englehart’s “The Laughing Fish” with one of the best drawn and inked Joker I have seen courtesy of Marshall Rogers and Terry Austin originally from Detective Comics #475 back in 1978.
But all the stories are solid Batman tarns and we get appearances from Robin, Silver St. Cloud, Chief O’Hara and even a few mysterious panels of Cat Woman. Classic Batman here!
January 4, 2025
‘Year One’, ‘The Dark Knight Returns’, ‘The Killing Joke’, ‘Arkham Asylum’, ‘The Long Halloween’, ‘Hush’… These are likely the titles that come to mind for any casual reader of Batman graphic novels. However, there’s another title that deserves a place on that list—perhaps even more prominently than some of the others—but remains unfamiliar to many, even seasoned Batman readers. That title is ‘Strange Apparitions’, specifically the issues created by Steve Englehart and Marshall Rogers (later collected in ‘Legends of the Dark Knight: Marshall Rogers’, though this collection omits the opening issue of ‘Strange Apparitions’, which Rogers didn’t illustrate).
This late 1970s story captures the essence of Batman brilliantly and, alongside Frank Miller and Alan Moore’s work, heavily influenced Tim Burton’s 1989 'Batman' film. Englehart and Rogers’ Batman predates the brooding “Dark Knight” we’ve come to expect. Instead, their take combines grit with fun, recalling Batman’s 1930s pulp roots and the light-hearted detective adventures of the 1960s. The entire series reads as a labour of love for a character the creators clearly understood and cherished. If ever there was a quintessential Batman story, this is it—perfectly encapsulating a side of the character that most creators post-Frank Miller have overlooked.
The book is a collection of interconnected stories by various creators (primarily Englehart and Rogers, but also featuring contributions from other writers and artists). The stories are bound together by ongoing narratives involving Bruce Wayne’s romantic interest, Silver St. Cloud, and the Robert Thorne criminal empire. While these narratives are engaging, it’s important to approach the collection with its age in mind. If your Batman experience is rooted in the modern classics listed above or other newer graphic novels, the retro writing style might feel jarring. The dialogue can seem dated, the internal monologues excessive, and the character development less nuanced than contemporary standards. For example, the relationship between Bruce and Silver, a core element of the story, often feels contrived and unconvincing.
That said, if you can adjust to these quirks and appreciate the book in its historical and stylistic context, it’s an absolute delight. Englehart’s writing holds up remarkably well compared to many of his contemporaries, and the artwork by Marshall Rogers and Walter Simonson remains superb, showcasing a timeless quality.
Interestingly, the plotline involving Silver St. Cloud was left unresolved by future writers, prompting Englehart and Rogers to revisit the story 30 years later in ‘Batman: Dark Detective’, a sequel of sorts. Without diving into details, it’s a decent follow-up, though not an essential one.
For those willing to look past its retro charm, ‘Strange Apparitions’ is a must-read, offering a Batman story that is equal parts nostalgic and foundational.
This late 1970s story captures the essence of Batman brilliantly and, alongside Frank Miller and Alan Moore’s work, heavily influenced Tim Burton’s 1989 'Batman' film. Englehart and Rogers’ Batman predates the brooding “Dark Knight” we’ve come to expect. Instead, their take combines grit with fun, recalling Batman’s 1930s pulp roots and the light-hearted detective adventures of the 1960s. The entire series reads as a labour of love for a character the creators clearly understood and cherished. If ever there was a quintessential Batman story, this is it—perfectly encapsulating a side of the character that most creators post-Frank Miller have overlooked.
The book is a collection of interconnected stories by various creators (primarily Englehart and Rogers, but also featuring contributions from other writers and artists). The stories are bound together by ongoing narratives involving Bruce Wayne’s romantic interest, Silver St. Cloud, and the Robert Thorne criminal empire. While these narratives are engaging, it’s important to approach the collection with its age in mind. If your Batman experience is rooted in the modern classics listed above or other newer graphic novels, the retro writing style might feel jarring. The dialogue can seem dated, the internal monologues excessive, and the character development less nuanced than contemporary standards. For example, the relationship between Bruce and Silver, a core element of the story, often feels contrived and unconvincing.
That said, if you can adjust to these quirks and appreciate the book in its historical and stylistic context, it’s an absolute delight. Englehart’s writing holds up remarkably well compared to many of his contemporaries, and the artwork by Marshall Rogers and Walter Simonson remains superb, showcasing a timeless quality.
Interestingly, the plotline involving Silver St. Cloud was left unresolved by future writers, prompting Englehart and Rogers to revisit the story 30 years later in ‘Batman: Dark Detective’, a sequel of sorts. Without diving into details, it’s a decent follow-up, though not an essential one.
For those willing to look past its retro charm, ‘Strange Apparitions’ is a must-read, offering a Batman story that is equal parts nostalgic and foundational.
November 28, 2022
To put it simply, I've become totally fascinated with Batman by Steve Englehart & Marshall Rogers.
September 1, 2023
Whilst the importance of these stories cannot be understated, many don't hold up quite as well as one would hope. Much of it feels dated when it comes to narrative format, even though a lot of the ideas themselves remain cemented in Batman history. Iconic and rightly so, it's entries like these which helped to springboard and shape the Bat.
March 11, 2021
For me, the vast majority of comics from the '80s weren't very good. Batman: Strange Apparitions continues that vaunted tradition. It collects Detective Comics #469-#476 and #478-479.
The basis of the story is that Hugo Strange has found out who Batman is and everybody wants that information. Even the Mayor of Gotham acts like a mob boss. The collection of stories is underwhelming. The art is ok, but the cheesy stories didn't do it for me.
Batman fights Phosphorus Man, Huge Strange, Penguin and the Joker. That's about it. Not that great, but representative of the time.
The basis of the story is that Hugo Strange has found out who Batman is and everybody wants that information. Even the Mayor of Gotham acts like a mob boss. The collection of stories is underwhelming. The art is ok, but the cheesy stories didn't do it for me.
Batman fights Phosphorus Man, Huge Strange, Penguin and the Joker. That's about it. Not that great, but representative of the time.
October 20, 2017
3.5
Διάβασε όλο το review εδώ
Ομολογώ πως, εκ πρώτης αναγνώσεως, υποτίμησα οικτρά το Strange Apparitions. Βλέποντας το ψηλά σε διάφορες λίστες και περιμένοντας να είναι ποιοτικά αντάξιο του Dark Knight Returns, του Year One ή του Killing Joke, δεν μπορούσα παρά να νιώσω μια κάποια απογοήτευση τελειώνοντας το. Υπήρχαν αρκετά φανταστικά πράγματα εδώ, αλλά και αρκετό filler, ενώ τα πλαίσια αφήγησης σε πολλά panel ξένισαν και κούρασαν τις μοντέρνες απαιτήσεις μου.
Ξαναδιαβάζοντας την συλλογή των Steve Englehart και Marshall Rogers, όμως, βρήκα τον εαυτό μου να εκπλήσσεται θετικά με τη δουλειά των δύο δημιουργών. Αρχικά, ο Rogers αποτελεί έναν από τους κορυφαίους σκιτσογράφους που πέρασαν ποτέ από ιστορία του Batman και η δουλειά του έχει μείνει ανέγγιχτη από το πέρασμα του χρόνου: λεπτομερής, με μοναδικά design χαρακτήρων, ατμοσφαιρικά χρώματα, «κινητικότητα» και μια αισθητική που σίγουρα θα βοηθούσε τον Bruce Timm στο μέλλον, ο Marshall στέκεται επάξια στο ύψος old-school δημιουργών όπως ο Neal Adams και δεν έχει τίποτα να ζηλέψει από άλλους μεγάλους σκιτσογράφους όπως ο Norm Breyfogle ή ο Jim Aparo. Και καταλαβαίνεις το πόσο καλός είναι όταν αναλαμβάνει καθήκοντα από το τρίτο τεύχος, με την διαφορά ανάμεσα στο δικό του σκίτσο και του Walt Simonson να είναι χαοτική.
Ο Steve, από την άλλη, μπαίνει εξαιρετικά στο μυαλό του Σκοτεινού Ιππότη, γράφοντας τον με τον μοντέρνο τρόπο που καθιέρωσε ο Dennis O’Neil (δίνοντας έμφαση στην διπλή του προσωπικότητα και παρουσιάζοντας τον πιο σκοτεινό από ό,τι παλιότερα, αλλά όχι εντελώς ψυχάκια όπως ορισμένοι μοντέρνοι συγγραφείς), ενώ είναι ικανότατος στο να πλέκει ενδιαφέρουσες πλοκές. Το μόνο μειονέκτημα είναι πως σπάνια υπάρχει δυνατό θεματικό υπόβαθρο στις ιστορίες του, αφού οι περισσότεροι κακοί επιδίδονται σε «εγκλήματα της εβδομάδας» απλά για να πλουτίσουν και τίποτα περισσότερο. Ακόμη και όταν υπάρχει κάτι παραπάνω από μια απλή δίψα για χρήμα, όμως, ο Steve δεν φαίνεται να εκμεταλλεύεται την ευκαιρία: το arc με τον Dr. Phosphorus είναι απλά ένα αδιάφορο monster tale, ενώ το revenge story του Deadshot είναι αρκετά καλό σαν τεύχος, αλλά θα έχει impact μόνο αν έχεις διαβάσει παλαιότερες ιστορίες με τον Floyd Lawton.
Μπορεί, λοιπόν, οι ιστορίες να μην έχουν ιδιαίτερο βάρος, αλλά παραμένουν μικρές, ανάλαφρες απολαύσεις: η όλη παραπλάνηση στο «θεραπευτήριο» του Strange, τα παιχνίδια του Penguin, η μάχη πάνω στην γιγάντια γραφομηχανή και, φυσικά, οι αξέχαστες, εφιαλτικές σκηνές του “Laughing Fish”/”Sign Of The Joker” που λογικά γνωρίζεις από το υπέρτατο Batman: The Animated Series (στο οποίο ο Joker αποφασίζει να πουλήσει τη δική του μάρκα ψαριών, που θα φέρουν το χαμόγελο του), ολά φροντίζουν να φέρουν τις detective ικανότητες του Batman στο προσκήνιο και να δώσουν στον αναγνώστη ευχάριστες υποθέσεις.
Φυσικά, το Apparitions είναι γνωστό και ως ένα από τα πρώτα runs δημιουργικής ομάδας σε comics της DC με έντονο το στοιχείο του continuity. Παρά την αυτόνομη φύση των ιστοριών, οι δημιουργοί φρόντισαν να δώσουν μια αίσθηση μακροσκελούς αφήγησης, προοικονομώντας την εμφάνιση του Joker σε προηγούμενα τεύχη, φιγουράροντας τον Rupert Thorne στο παρασκήνιο των πλοκών και, φυσικά, έχοντας την St. Saint Cloud, το νέο ρομάντζο του Bruce, στην πλειοψηφία των τευχών. Η Cloud είναι κλάσεις ανώτερη από πολλά love interests της εποχής, με μια δυναμική, αυτόνομη προσωπικότητα και θεόρατη σεξουαλική ένταση και χημεία με τον Bruce. Και είναι και δέκα φορές πιο έξυπνη από την μέση κοπέλα υπερήρωα: καταλαβαίνει την απάτη του Strange και συνειδητοποιεί πως ο Bruce είναι ο Batman αφού αντικρύσει από κοντά τον δεύτερο. Πραγματικά, μια πολύ ενδιαφέρουσα περίπτωση love interest που αποφεύγει περίτεχνα όλα τα κλισέ της θέσης αυτής.
Διάβασε όλο το review εδώ
Ομολογώ πως, εκ πρώτης αναγνώσεως, υποτίμησα οικτρά το Strange Apparitions. Βλέποντας το ψηλά σε διάφορες λίστες και περιμένοντας να είναι ποιοτικά αντάξιο του Dark Knight Returns, του Year One ή του Killing Joke, δεν μπορούσα παρά να νιώσω μια κάποια απογοήτευση τελειώνοντας το. Υπήρχαν αρκετά φανταστικά πράγματα εδώ, αλλά και αρκετό filler, ενώ τα πλαίσια αφήγησης σε πολλά panel ξένισαν και κούρασαν τις μοντέρνες απαιτήσεις μου.
Ξαναδιαβάζοντας την συλλογή των Steve Englehart και Marshall Rogers, όμως, βρήκα τον εαυτό μου να εκπλήσσεται θετικά με τη δουλειά των δύο δημιουργών. Αρχικά, ο Rogers αποτελεί έναν από τους κορυφαίους σκιτσογράφους που πέρασαν ποτέ από ιστορία του Batman και η δουλειά του έχει μείνει ανέγγιχτη από το πέρασμα του χρόνου: λεπτομερής, με μοναδικά design χαρακτήρων, ατμοσφαιρικά χρώματα, «κινητικότητα» και μια αισθητική που σίγουρα θα βοηθούσε τον Bruce Timm στο μέλλον, ο Marshall στέκεται επάξια στο ύψος old-school δημιουργών όπως ο Neal Adams και δεν έχει τίποτα να ζηλέψει από άλλους μεγάλους σκιτσογράφους όπως ο Norm Breyfogle ή ο Jim Aparo. Και καταλαβαίνεις το πόσο καλός είναι όταν αναλαμβάνει καθήκοντα από το τρίτο τεύχος, με την διαφορά ανάμεσα στο δικό του σκίτσο και του Walt Simonson να είναι χαοτική.
Ο Steve, από την άλλη, μπαίνει εξαιρετικά στο μυαλό του Σκοτεινού Ιππότη, γράφοντας τον με τον μοντέρνο τρόπο που καθιέρωσε ο Dennis O’Neil (δίνοντας έμφαση στην διπλή του προσωπικότητα και παρουσιάζοντας τον πιο σκοτεινό από ό,τι παλιότερα, αλλά όχι εντελώς ψυχάκια όπως ορισμένοι μοντέρνοι συγγραφείς), ενώ είναι ικανότατος στο να πλέκει ενδιαφέρουσες πλοκές. Το μόνο μειονέκτημα είναι πως σπάνια υπάρχει δυνατό θεματικό υπόβαθρο στις ιστορίες του, αφού οι περισσότεροι κακοί επιδίδονται σε «εγκλήματα της εβδομάδας» απλά για να πλουτίσουν και τίποτα περισσότερο. Ακόμη και όταν υπάρχει κάτι παραπάνω από μια απλή δίψα για χρήμα, όμως, ο Steve δεν φαίνεται να εκμεταλλεύεται την ευκαιρία: το arc με τον Dr. Phosphorus είναι απλά ένα αδιάφορο monster tale, ενώ το revenge story του Deadshot είναι αρκετά καλό σαν τεύχος, αλλά θα έχει impact μόνο αν έχεις διαβάσει παλαιότερες ιστορίες με τον Floyd Lawton.
Μπορεί, λοιπόν, οι ιστορίες να μην έχουν ιδιαίτερο βάρος, αλλά παραμένουν μικρές, ανάλαφρες απολαύσεις: η όλη παραπλάνηση στο «θεραπευτήριο» του Strange, τα παιχνίδια του Penguin, η μάχη πάνω στην γιγάντια γραφομηχανή και, φυσικά, οι αξέχαστες, εφιαλτικές σκηνές του “Laughing Fish”/”Sign Of The Joker” που λογικά γνωρίζεις από το υπέρτατο Batman: The Animated Series (στο οποίο ο Joker αποφασίζει να πουλήσει τη δική του μάρκα ψαριών, που θα φέρουν το χαμόγελο του), ολά φροντίζουν να φέρουν τις detective ικανότητες του Batman στο προσκήνιο και να δώσουν στον αναγνώστη ευχάριστες υποθέσεις.
Φυσικά, το Apparitions είναι γνωστό και ως ένα από τα πρώτα runs δημιουργικής ομάδας σε comics της DC με έντονο το στοιχείο του continuity. Παρά την αυτόνομη φύση των ιστοριών, οι δημιουργοί φρόντισαν να δώσουν μια αίσθηση μακροσκελούς αφήγησης, προοικονομώντας την εμφάνιση του Joker σε προηγούμενα τεύχη, φιγουράροντας τον Rupert Thorne στο παρασκήνιο των πλοκών και, φυσικά, έχοντας την St. Saint Cloud, το νέο ρομάντζο του Bruce, στην πλειοψηφία των τευχών. Η Cloud είναι κλάσεις ανώτερη από πολλά love interests της εποχής, με μια δυναμική, αυτόνομη προσωπικότητα και θεόρατη σεξουαλική ένταση και χημεία με τον Bruce. Και είναι και δέκα φορές πιο έξυπνη από την μέση κοπέλα υπερήρωα: καταλαβαίνει την απάτη του Strange και συνειδητοποιεί πως ο Bruce είναι ο Batman αφού αντικρύσει από κοντά τον δεύτερο. Πραγματικά, μια πολύ ενδιαφέρουσα περίπτωση love interest που αποφεύγει περίτεχνα όλα τα κλισέ της θέσης αυτής.
November 16, 2014
These fun stories from the 1970's include appearances by Dr Phosphorus, Hugo Strange, The Penguin, Deadshot, The Joker, and ClayFace III. The lamest story was without a doubt the Penguin's but the rest were fun and full of over the top drama, love it! Bruce Wayne loves and loses, has an awkward wrestling match with Robin, and Alfred keeps butler-ing despite being a patient in the hospital.
I would not consider these must reads, but a great choice for Batman fans who want to see the best of what 1970's Batman had to offer. You are transported to a simpler time when it was acceptable to call women skirts and dumb broads and Bruce was living in a posh highrise instead of his mansion.
I would not consider these must reads, but a great choice for Batman fans who want to see the best of what 1970's Batman had to offer. You are transported to a simpler time when it was acceptable to call women skirts and dumb broads and Bruce was living in a posh highrise instead of his mansion.
February 15, 2013
A classic arc from the late 1970s run of Batman! This is pre-Frank Miller's Year One! And it's awesome! A slew of baddies come after Batman who has been declared persona non grata by a corrupt Gotham City council. Great art, great story, and oozing with that weird Seventies aesthetic that is somewhere between the Cheese of the Sixties and the grimness of the Eighties.
May 27, 2024
"Strange Apparitions" collects, in my humble opinion, one of the greatest stretches of Batman comics of all time. DC had lured away prominent Marvel writer Steve Englehart to write for Justice League of America, hoping to see a revival the way Englehart had done for Avengers. Englehart agreed, but also requested a stint on Detective Comics to write Batman. Paired up with Walt Simonson and Marshall Rogers, Englehart's run on 'Tec only lasted from #469-476, but it was nothing short of revolutionary. Marshall Rogers ended up taking on the majority of the penciling duties and ended up drawing as if his career depended on it. The Englehart and Rogers pairing is now considered one of the more underrated creative teams to have ever made Batman comics.
Though writers like Frank Miller and Denny O'Neil are often credited reframing comics featuring the Caped Crusader into more pulp-oriented film noir type stories, Englehart's contributions should not be overlooked. The central villain for much of this arc is the crime boss Rupert Thorne who has an iron grip over the Gotham City Council, while other villains like Doctor Phosphorus and Hugo Strange fill out some of the more "villain of the week" archetypes. Hugo Strange was a bit of a revival project for Englehart and Rogers, who capably reimagine the villain into the cerebral antagonist that is still popular today. Silver St. Cloud is also created for this run, and serves as a great love interest for Batman/Bruce Wayne.
The crux of their stretch on 'Tec comes in issues #475-476 with Joker returning as the homicidal maniac that he is more well known for being here. Detective Comics #475 begins the now famous "The Laughing Fish" two-part Joker story which is a perfect revision of the Clown Prince of Crime as a completely creepy, enigmatic, unpredictable but highly compelling figure that we're all familiar with. Indeed, most modern renditions of the Joker can trace their origin back to "The Laughing Fish", even to the point that this issue was almost entirely adapted word for word in Batman: The Animated Series. In this story, Joker boldly decides to disfigure the fish near Gotham's bay with a rictus grin and then applies for a trademark on them, killing any of Gotham's officials who decry the foolishness of such an action. It's a perfect encapsulation of the manic yet murderous energy that the Joker brings to the Batman mythos.
For his part, Marshall Rogers draws some truly incredible Batman comics with Gotham's gothic spires looming over the panels and characters like Doctor Phosphorus, Hugo Strange and the Joker all having distinctive and menacing designs to them. It does seem like Englehart was open to using the Marvel method with Rogers, but it doesn't hurt the storytelling whatsoever since Rogers' free rein on the visual storytelling makes this only better. For a team that had no experience working together, Englehart and Rogers end up delivering a true classic.
Though writers like Frank Miller and Denny O'Neil are often credited reframing comics featuring the Caped Crusader into more pulp-oriented film noir type stories, Englehart's contributions should not be overlooked. The central villain for much of this arc is the crime boss Rupert Thorne who has an iron grip over the Gotham City Council, while other villains like Doctor Phosphorus and Hugo Strange fill out some of the more "villain of the week" archetypes. Hugo Strange was a bit of a revival project for Englehart and Rogers, who capably reimagine the villain into the cerebral antagonist that is still popular today. Silver St. Cloud is also created for this run, and serves as a great love interest for Batman/Bruce Wayne.
The crux of their stretch on 'Tec comes in issues #475-476 with Joker returning as the homicidal maniac that he is more well known for being here. Detective Comics #475 begins the now famous "The Laughing Fish" two-part Joker story which is a perfect revision of the Clown Prince of Crime as a completely creepy, enigmatic, unpredictable but highly compelling figure that we're all familiar with. Indeed, most modern renditions of the Joker can trace their origin back to "The Laughing Fish", even to the point that this issue was almost entirely adapted word for word in Batman: The Animated Series. In this story, Joker boldly decides to disfigure the fish near Gotham's bay with a rictus grin and then applies for a trademark on them, killing any of Gotham's officials who decry the foolishness of such an action. It's a perfect encapsulation of the manic yet murderous energy that the Joker brings to the Batman mythos.
For his part, Marshall Rogers draws some truly incredible Batman comics with Gotham's gothic spires looming over the panels and characters like Doctor Phosphorus, Hugo Strange and the Joker all having distinctive and menacing designs to them. It does seem like Englehart was open to using the Marvel method with Rogers, but it doesn't hurt the storytelling whatsoever since Rogers' free rein on the visual storytelling makes this only better. For a team that had no experience working together, Englehart and Rogers end up delivering a true classic.
July 15, 2023
This is a definitive Batman run from the late 1970s by way of Detective Comics and the creative team of Steve Englehart, Marshall Rogers and Terry Austin. I find the art to be the stronger part of these stories, but we do get some good stories as well, such as the infamous "Joker Fish" story.
From what I understand Batman comics were at a low point around this time, so this run was a breath of fresh air back then. We've seen so many great Batman stories since this was published that this probably doesn't hold up quite as well as it was received at the time, but it's still very good.
From what I understand Batman comics were at a low point around this time, so this run was a breath of fresh air back then. We've seen so many great Batman stories since this was published that this probably doesn't hold up quite as well as it was received at the time, but it's still very good.
March 14, 2013
This is the quintessential Batman. Steve Englehart just tells a good, solid super-hero story arc here, and he does so with exceptional skill, aided by the fantastic art of Marshall Rogers and Terry Austin. They don't try to be edgy or shocking. This isn't some big "event" intended to shake up the status quo and get attention. It earns attention the old-fashioned way -- with strong storytelling skills, great characters, and inventive plots.
There are a lot of great interpretations of Batman out there, in print and in film, but this is the type of Batman I prefer. He's heroic, smart, strong, and not crazy. This Batman is capable of warmth and healthy relationships, while still being driven and utterly devoted to his mission. His adventures here can be enjoyed by adults and children alike.
Every Batman fan, young and old, should track down these issues.
There are a lot of great interpretations of Batman out there, in print and in film, but this is the type of Batman I prefer. He's heroic, smart, strong, and not crazy. This Batman is capable of warmth and healthy relationships, while still being driven and utterly devoted to his mission. His adventures here can be enjoyed by adults and children alike.
Every Batman fan, young and old, should track down these issues.
November 19, 2007
This collects the all-too-short Detective Comics run by Steve Englehart, Marshall Rogers, and Terry Austin, which for my money, is the best run of Batman stories ever. It's not particularly innovative or unusual, just very, very good. The stories follow a definite arc - experiences are had, characters grow and change - but it doesn't require an extensive knowledge of prior continuity to appreciate beyond the bare basics of who Batman is and what it is he does. And it feels like a complete tale, with a beginning, middle, and end, and in longform serialized comics, that's a rarity.
December 25, 2021
70s Batman is so good and this run might be its best. Top 5 favorite versions of Batman easily.
October 3, 2025
Rogers and Englehart’s 70s Batman run is held in high esteem. It gets some points for its obvious influence on better things, like the 90s animated series. I wanted to like it more.
But I have to admit I’m not a huge fan of Marshall Rogers’ face and figure drawings.
And unfortunately Engelhart wrote things like “The Joker’s laugh has been likened to raining ice-cubes.” Like… it SOUNDS like raining ice-cubes? You mean like hail? What?
I must be too dumb for this mature Batman for adults.
But I have to admit I’m not a huge fan of Marshall Rogers’ face and figure drawings.
And unfortunately Engelhart wrote things like “The Joker’s laugh has been likened to raining ice-cubes.” Like… it SOUNDS like raining ice-cubes? You mean like hail? What?
I must be too dumb for this mature Batman for adults.
January 29, 2023
Histórias interessantes do Batman, que se encerram no próprio encadernado, pois são compreendidas em 1 ou 2 edições.
As histórias possuem um tom noir, com batman sombrio, o que aumenta após ele sofrer uma perda amorosa.
Destaque para história do Coringa tentando registrar a patente dos seus peixes sorridentes, a qual foi adaptada até em Batman animated séries.
As histórias possuem um tom noir, com batman sombrio, o que aumenta após ele sofrer uma perda amorosa.
Destaque para história do Coringa tentando registrar a patente dos seus peixes sorridentes, a qual foi adaptada até em Batman animated séries.
February 19, 2021
Marshall Rogers is the great "lost" Batman artist of the 70's. This run of the stories, which begins with some uncharacteristic Walter Simonson art, showcases the retro-flavored but incredible Rogers' run of stories.
November 12, 2025
It's peak! It's melancholic but not to the extent it will take away your will to live. It features wonderful art and exciting apparitions from Hugo Strange and Penguin, but the real standout is a FANTASTIC Joker. The plots are tight and highly sensical while having some deep elements that moved me, and some comedic ones that made me laugh. There are cute moments between Bruce, Alfred and Dick. Silver St. Cloud is beautiful and a genuine and well-done example of the "oh no loving Batman is so hard" trope before it became overdone. I love this!
April 4, 2022
Fairly solid collection of stories that provide some great art and a few character moments I wasn't expecting. I love a lot of the Bruce Wayne stuff, specifically his relationship with Silver St. Cloud and how that unfolds.
It's chock full of action and interesting examinations into Batman's psyche, which I always love in any comic.
It's chock full of action and interesting examinations into Batman's psyche, which I always love in any comic.
January 7, 2025
Old classics
June 8, 2018
Lo reconozco, los comics con tantos años acostumbran a producirme urticaria tanto por una narrativa lenta y repleta de textos de apoyo como por un dibujo y un color que me hacen sangrar los ojos. Sé que debería ponerme en situación y saber de qué época estamos hablando, pero no puedo evitar tener los años que tengo y no tener suficiente background de comic clásico.
Extrañas apariciones me parecía que iba por el mismo camino, el de una historia de Batman excesivamente colorida: qué equivocado estaba!
En los números que recopila éste tomo tenemos una serie de tramas más o menos interesantes pero unidas por un denominador común: un Batman mucho más maduro sin llegar a la oscuridad excesiva que vendría después. Un personaje con un equilibrio raro de ver en sus historias, totalmente reconocible pero sin perder en ningún momento su lado humano.
Es un comic a medio camino entre dos mundos, pero cogiendo lo bueno de ambos, pecando de tramas poco trabajadas pero supliéndolo con unos personajes muy bien caracterizados y llevados a las viñetas.
Visualmente el comic también destaca dentro de su época, alejándose algunos de los colores que más daño han hecho y aportando cuerpos muy bien dibujados, posiciones anatómicamente perfectas y caras reconocibles y atractivas (algo que no se da ni tan sólo a día de hoy). Así, aunque el aroma es añejo, la calidad que destila hace que se disfrute sin problema.
Luego tenemos que no abusa tanto como otras obras de los textos de apoyo, algo que agradezco de forma infinita y hace que la lectura a día de hoy sea mucho más amena. A ver, los hay, pero en una cantidad tolerable y de una longitud medida.
Sorprende también la oscuridad en algunos puntos y cómo aguanta ese equilibrio con su herencia camp para hacer un comic muy bueno por el que el tiempo parece haber pasado de forma benevolente. De hecho, tiene una calidad tan notable que me ha picado la curiosidad por leer más de ésta etapa del personaje.
Vale la pena? Si queréis hacer arqueología sin iros otros 30 años atrás creo que es una opción muy válida (de las mejores que hay). Eso sí, tened en cuenta los años que tiene y lo valoraréis más (es más viejo que yo XD). Incluso os diría de darle una oportunidad con que os guste el personaje, aun a riesgo que me digáis que es una reliquia.
Se nota que me ha gustado? Sólo hace falta ver la longitud de la opinión para hacerse a la idea de si una obra me gusta o no XD.
Extrañas apariciones me parecía que iba por el mismo camino, el de una historia de Batman excesivamente colorida: qué equivocado estaba!
En los números que recopila éste tomo tenemos una serie de tramas más o menos interesantes pero unidas por un denominador común: un Batman mucho más maduro sin llegar a la oscuridad excesiva que vendría después. Un personaje con un equilibrio raro de ver en sus historias, totalmente reconocible pero sin perder en ningún momento su lado humano.
Es un comic a medio camino entre dos mundos, pero cogiendo lo bueno de ambos, pecando de tramas poco trabajadas pero supliéndolo con unos personajes muy bien caracterizados y llevados a las viñetas.
Visualmente el comic también destaca dentro de su época, alejándose algunos de los colores que más daño han hecho y aportando cuerpos muy bien dibujados, posiciones anatómicamente perfectas y caras reconocibles y atractivas (algo que no se da ni tan sólo a día de hoy). Así, aunque el aroma es añejo, la calidad que destila hace que se disfrute sin problema.
Luego tenemos que no abusa tanto como otras obras de los textos de apoyo, algo que agradezco de forma infinita y hace que la lectura a día de hoy sea mucho más amena. A ver, los hay, pero en una cantidad tolerable y de una longitud medida.
Sorprende también la oscuridad en algunos puntos y cómo aguanta ese equilibrio con su herencia camp para hacer un comic muy bueno por el que el tiempo parece haber pasado de forma benevolente. De hecho, tiene una calidad tan notable que me ha picado la curiosidad por leer más de ésta etapa del personaje.
Vale la pena? Si queréis hacer arqueología sin iros otros 30 años atrás creo que es una opción muy válida (de las mejores que hay). Eso sí, tened en cuenta los años que tiene y lo valoraréis más (es más viejo que yo XD). Incluso os diría de darle una oportunidad con que os guste el personaje, aun a riesgo que me digáis que es una reliquia.
Se nota que me ha gustado? Sólo hace falta ver la longitud de la opinión para hacerse a la idea de si una obra me gusta o no XD.
December 28, 2025
This starts off decent, with writing by Steve Englehart and artwork by Walt Simonson and Al Milgrom, and the kicks into high gear when Marshall Rogers and Terry Austin pick up the pencils and brushes. Len Wein wraps up with the final 3 issues in the book without missing a beat. I am not a huge Batman fan, but if every issue is of this caliber then maybe I will become one. I owned Issue 478 when my Mom bought it for me off the stands up north at some store when we stayed up north at my Grandpa's cottage one summer. The cover, with the lady melting out of her clothes, scared the crap out of me. I tracked down the issue via the Grand Comic Database's cover gallery feature and then went out and got a reader copy for like $3-4. I then did a search of The Trade Paperback List and found out that there was a trade for this arc, which I then acquired. My only gripes with this trade are A) I dislike the thin pulp-y paper that DC uses in trades that are priced the same as Marvel's, which have nicer paper and B) there are no issue covers provided and C) these issues are the re-colored versions from the reprint series Shadow of the Batman. This is a spectacular read otherwise.
November 1, 2017
Within just eight issues, Englehart, Rogers and Austin capture everything that makes Batman such a great character - and creates a few "new classic" stories along the way.
Batman is treated as a "grown-up" with a relationship with Silver St. Cloud (arguably Batman's greatest love interest) as he battles classic foes Joker, Penguin, Deadshot and newcomer Clayface III. The art is beautiful, graphic and was ahead of its time. There are lots of nods to classic Batman tales and tropes while feeling new and fresh. And unlike other comic books, it holds up quite well for stories written in the late 70's.
Bar none, this is the best "story arc" ever written about Batman.
Batman is treated as a "grown-up" with a relationship with Silver St. Cloud (arguably Batman's greatest love interest) as he battles classic foes Joker, Penguin, Deadshot and newcomer Clayface III. The art is beautiful, graphic and was ahead of its time. There are lots of nods to classic Batman tales and tropes while feeling new and fresh. And unlike other comic books, it holds up quite well for stories written in the late 70's.
Bar none, this is the best "story arc" ever written about Batman.
August 20, 2018
Cada vez que leo un comic de más de 30 años espero encontrarme un desafío, que es encontrar la historia detrás de los textos excesivos y el drama cursi y sobreactuado. En este caso me llevé una grata sorpresa, este comic está mucho mas cercano a un comic moderno que otros que he leído de su época, balanceando muy bien las personalidades de Batman y Bruce Wayne, y usando una buena variedad de enemigos, con historias medio trágicas y un poco de drama romántico. No es la mejor interpretación de Batman que he leído, pero si una muy buena.
May 5, 2010
This run set a whole new standard of what Batman could and should be, unfortunately no one seems to care. Batman prior and since this book has been one of the great train wrecks in comics. Dennis O'Neil's 70's run, Doug Moench's run on Batman and Detective in the early 80's, Year One (Miller), Batman Adventures (Pucket, Dini and Templeton) being brief exceptions to the rule.
December 6, 2012
I didn't expect a 70's Batman stories to be so... modern. Yes - the narration is sometimes awkward ("Don't worry amigo - Batman will take care of that!") but the underlying themes, art style and the feeling made me realize what inspired much later "Shadow of the Bat" series.
I'm not a fan of DC and not a huge Bat-fan either, but I recommend this volume purely because of its historical value.
I'm not a fan of DC and not a huge Bat-fan either, but I recommend this volume purely because of its historical value.
February 1, 2019
No he leído mucho de Batman, pero se nota que no es de sus mejores obras, sin embargo resulta entretenido, tiene varios villanos y se puede ver un aspecto más maduro en la historia, aunque sea muy simplista.
October 20, 2011
this is THE Batman, the best written, drawn, inked, lettered sequence of all.
February 16, 2021
Batman: Strange Apparitions is a collection of ten issues from the original run of Detective Comics. It was mainly written by Steve Englehart and mostly illustrated by Marshall Rogers. Batman: Strange Apparitions collect ten issues (Detective Comics #469–476, 478–479) from the 1937 series run.
The narrative deals with a number of elements coming to a head at one point in Batman's life. A new villain appears in Gotham City, Doctor Phosphorus, who terrorizes the town by contaminating the water supply. He also blackmails the city council, demanding that they remove Batman from his path. This political pressure is fronted by Rupert Thorne, local corrupt boss. Along with the two new ones, an older, forgotten Batman foe appears, the nefarious Hugo Strange, who both discovers Bruce Wayne's identity, and usurps it. Batman also comes into conflict with Deadshot and The Joker. All of this is made much more complicated by Wayne's introduction to Silver St. Cloud, a local socialite who just might be the first person to truly penetrate his emotional barriers.
Steve Englehart (Detective Comics #469–476) and Len Wein (Detective Comics #478–479) penned the trade paperback. For the most part, it is written rather well. The trade paperback is notable for reintroducing forgotten Golden Age characters like Hugo Strange and Deadshot, while also introducing new and relevant characters to the Batman mythos like Doctor Phosphorus, Rupert Thorne, Preston Payne as Clayface III and what could be considered one of the best romantic partners of the Batman – Silver St. Cloud.
Marshall Rogers (Detective Comics #471–476, 478–479) and Walt Simonson (Detective Comics #469–470) penciled the trade paperback. For the most part, the penciling styles complement each other rather well, a tad dated, but given the publishing date of the issue it is understandable.
All in all, Batman: Strange Apparitions is a wonderful collection of some of the best classical Batman stories.
The narrative deals with a number of elements coming to a head at one point in Batman's life. A new villain appears in Gotham City, Doctor Phosphorus, who terrorizes the town by contaminating the water supply. He also blackmails the city council, demanding that they remove Batman from his path. This political pressure is fronted by Rupert Thorne, local corrupt boss. Along with the two new ones, an older, forgotten Batman foe appears, the nefarious Hugo Strange, who both discovers Bruce Wayne's identity, and usurps it. Batman also comes into conflict with Deadshot and The Joker. All of this is made much more complicated by Wayne's introduction to Silver St. Cloud, a local socialite who just might be the first person to truly penetrate his emotional barriers.
Steve Englehart (Detective Comics #469–476) and Len Wein (Detective Comics #478–479) penned the trade paperback. For the most part, it is written rather well. The trade paperback is notable for reintroducing forgotten Golden Age characters like Hugo Strange and Deadshot, while also introducing new and relevant characters to the Batman mythos like Doctor Phosphorus, Rupert Thorne, Preston Payne as Clayface III and what could be considered one of the best romantic partners of the Batman – Silver St. Cloud.
Marshall Rogers (Detective Comics #471–476, 478–479) and Walt Simonson (Detective Comics #469–470) penciled the trade paperback. For the most part, the penciling styles complement each other rather well, a tad dated, but given the publishing date of the issue it is understandable.
All in all, Batman: Strange Apparitions is a wonderful collection of some of the best classical Batman stories.
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