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Showcase Presents: Batman #2
Showcase Presents: Batman, Vol. 2
Over 500 pages of classic adventures are included in this value-priced volume collecting Silver Age tales of Batman and Robin as they face their most enduring enemies, including Poison Ivy, the Riddler and many others. These are the stories that inspired the Dynamic Duo's 1960s TV series, which featured Batman's astonishing detective skills and impressive array of Bat-gadgets
512 pages, Paperback
First published June 6, 2007
4 people are currently reading
149 people want to read
About the author
Gardner Francis Fox
1,192 books90 followersGardner Francis Cooper Fox was an American writer known best for creating numerous comic book characters for DC Comics. Comic book historians estimate that he wrote more than 4,000 comics stories, including 1,500 for DC Comics.
Fox is known as the co-creator of DC Comics heroes the Flash, Hawkman, Doctor Fate and the original Sandman, and was the writer who first teamed those and other heroes as the Justice Society of America. Fox introduced the concept of the Multiverse to DC Comics in the 1961 story "Flash of Two Worlds!"
Pseudonyms: Gardner F. Fox, Jefferson Cooper, Bart Sommers, Paul Dean, Ray Gardner, Lynna Cooper, Rod Gray, Larry Dean, Robert Starr, Don Blake, Ed Blake, Warner Blake, Michael Blake, Tex Blane, Willis Blane, Ed Carlisle, Edgar Weston, Tex Slade, Eddie Duane, Simon Majors, James Kendricks, Troy Conway, Kevin Matthews, Glen Chase
Fox is known as the co-creator of DC Comics heroes the Flash, Hawkman, Doctor Fate and the original Sandman, and was the writer who first teamed those and other heroes as the Justice Society of America. Fox introduced the concept of the Multiverse to DC Comics in the 1961 story "Flash of Two Worlds!"
Pseudonyms: Gardner F. Fox, Jefferson Cooper, Bart Sommers, Paul Dean, Ray Gardner, Lynna Cooper, Rod Gray, Larry Dean, Robert Starr, Don Blake, Ed Blake, Warner Blake, Michael Blake, Tex Blane, Willis Blane, Ed Carlisle, Edgar Weston, Tex Slade, Eddie Duane, Simon Majors, James Kendricks, Troy Conway, Kevin Matthews, Glen Chase
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Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews
May 28, 2010
In a lot of ways, I prefer the Batman comics of this era (this book contains comics originally printed in 1965-66) to the modern comics. Firstly, the art is clean and bold without ever being simple. Unlike some contemporary comic book art, there has been an obvious pride and effort taken in this work. What stood out to me most was that every face was rendered individual, even if it was a character only appearing for a few panels, they would have their own unique facial features. It's also nice to see the first steps towards experimenting with the layout of the panels and perspectives.
I also love how the comics in this collection are written. There is a touch of the tongue-in-cheek in the way the most bizarre plots always come neatly together at the end. And where else would I ever get to read - written in the most innocent of senses - Batman being described as 'aroused'? I love the uncensored glee that Batman and Robin take in the prospect of fighting with their fists against a gang of gun-toting maniacs, I love the over-the-top descriptions ("Like a leaping tiger hurrying to the aid of his cub...", "As the steely muscles behind the Manhunter's neck react with tremedous power..."), but most of all I love the corny jokes and obscure puns which don't always make complete sense.
The only bad thing was that sometimes reading this, I was aware that I was reading something that had been written for the target audience of children. With the comic book industry seeming to take itself more seriously these days, there has been a definite move towards the more intellectual type of story and character development, but it's still good to be able to look back on earlier work and enjoy it.
I also love how the comics in this collection are written. There is a touch of the tongue-in-cheek in the way the most bizarre plots always come neatly together at the end. And where else would I ever get to read - written in the most innocent of senses - Batman being described as 'aroused'? I love the uncensored glee that Batman and Robin take in the prospect of fighting with their fists against a gang of gun-toting maniacs, I love the over-the-top descriptions ("Like a leaping tiger hurrying to the aid of his cub...", "As the steely muscles behind the Manhunter's neck react with tremedous power..."), but most of all I love the corny jokes and obscure puns which don't always make complete sense.
The only bad thing was that sometimes reading this, I was aware that I was reading something that had been written for the target audience of children. With the comic book industry seeming to take itself more seriously these days, there has been a definite move towards the more intellectual type of story and character development, but it's still good to be able to look back on earlier work and enjoy it.
September 25, 2007
I don't have much to say except that it's not hard to tell when the original Batman live-action television series started; the quality of the comics takes a serious nose-dive as it tries to conform more tightly to the campiness of the show. In volume one, not once did Robin use the phrase "Holy (insert noun here) Batman!" as was his catch phrase in the show. After about the middle of volume two, it's in damn near every issue at least once.
Continuity makes an appearance, though: throughout volume one and most of volume two, there is a mystery surrounding a villain known only as The Outsider. We see that story come to a head near the end of volume two. I thought the ending to that arc was anticlimactic, but then again i already knew how it would end (viva la Wikipedia). I imagine it was rather surprising back in the 60s when this storyline took two or three years to come to a close, but in the issue where it's finally wrapped up, the twist ending is revealed too soon and in a less than exciting way. Hell, i think that if you shuffled some of the early pages of the issue to the back of it, it would have read better and been a more exciting conclusion.
I hate Aunt Harriet.
In conclusion, volume one was better, but it's still Batman. Batman just can't go wrong unless he's directed by Joel Schumacher.
Continuity makes an appearance, though: throughout volume one and most of volume two, there is a mystery surrounding a villain known only as The Outsider. We see that story come to a head near the end of volume two. I thought the ending to that arc was anticlimactic, but then again i already knew how it would end (viva la Wikipedia). I imagine it was rather surprising back in the 60s when this storyline took two or three years to come to a close, but in the issue where it's finally wrapped up, the twist ending is revealed too soon and in a less than exciting way. Hell, i think that if you shuffled some of the early pages of the issue to the back of it, it would have read better and been a more exciting conclusion.
I hate Aunt Harriet.
In conclusion, volume one was better, but it's still Batman. Batman just can't go wrong unless he's directed by Joel Schumacher.
February 5, 2014
These books are just so much fun to read. I love the artwork; every panel is worth spending time with. Batman is not my favorite "superhero", but on the other hand, he is, for the most part, a regular guy, albeit one who is a multimillionaire! I guess what I am trying to say is that all his powers come from within: his will, his intelligence, his physical prowess were all earned through hard work and dedication. And I love bad guys getting their comeuppance.
My only bone to pick with the book, and it is rather minor, is that during the time of the writing of these stories, the Batman TV series came along, and a handful of the stories resort to the awfully campy dialogue used in the series. Reading Robin say, "Holy mashed potatoes", or something similar, a dozen times in a story gets really annoying. Otherwise, I had a great time reading this book.
My only bone to pick with the book, and it is rather minor, is that during the time of the writing of these stories, the Batman TV series came along, and a handful of the stories resort to the awfully campy dialogue used in the series. Reading Robin say, "Holy mashed potatoes", or something similar, a dozen times in a story gets really annoying. Otherwise, I had a great time reading this book.
September 16, 2025
I dimly remember reading in an introduction to a Greatest Batman Stories Ever Told volume as a kid that the New Look era & the campy television era were two separate eras for Batman, & as I read the first Showcase of the New Look era & was getting into the television era with this volume, I didn’t think there was such a strong distinction between those two alleged eras. Then, I got to the penultimate issue in this collection, “The Eraser Who Tried to Rub out Batman!” & had to concede the perhaps there was a separate campier era, indeed. Regardless, I like this Showcase much more than the first New Look Batman, even though the art’s probably better in the first Showcase. The difference? So many delightful villains in this one. 1965-6 gems include Elongated Man stretches out of the Batplane, Blockbuster debuts, Atom & Elongated Man mask as Bat, Monarch of Menace, Lord Death Man, Cluemaster, Poison Ivy, Dragonfly, Silk Spider, & Tiger Moth debut, Weather Wizard comes to Gotham, Ivy leashes Bat, & Dr. Tzin-Tzin, Hooded Hangman, Outsider, Gaggy, Eraser, & Spellbinder debut
May 15, 2023
3.5 stars.
This takes us from late 1965 through the end of 1966. Surprisingly the Batman TV show hasn't affected the comics much: a number of "Holy xx, Batman!" quips but that's about it.
So basically more of what worked in V1: Batman vs. crooks with a gimmick., Batman vs. old costumed crooks, Bats vs. new ones. Overall not quite up to the level of the first book and the end of the Outsider storyline is disappointing. Fun, though, with the usual YMMV warning for Silver Age Comics — they aren't for every taste.
This takes us from late 1965 through the end of 1966. Surprisingly the Batman TV show hasn't affected the comics much: a number of "Holy xx, Batman!" quips but that's about it.
So basically more of what worked in V1: Batman vs. crooks with a gimmick., Batman vs. old costumed crooks, Bats vs. new ones. Overall not quite up to the level of the first book and the end of the Outsider storyline is disappointing. Fun, though, with the usual YMMV warning for Silver Age Comics — they aren't for every taste.
April 30, 2014
DC Comics in the 1960s are a hot mess. In their silver age, their comics were all one-shots (no ongoing continuity) in which criminals were always easily defeated within 10 pages or so.
Batman has these issues and a lot more. Holy Batman becoming a crappy TV show simultaneously, Batman! As the back cover points out, the TV show "Batman" debuted during this book's 1965-1966 run. So Batman and Robin more and more hung around goofy dudes as villains. Robin himself uses the word camp at one point (and almost in its modern usage!)
It's supposed to be funny, but it's often not really. You want the action, and the changing dynamic at home. Alfred, who was apparently missing, does come back, to tag team with the annoying Robin's Aunt Harriet. But otherwise, and most often, Batman winks and gives a bad joke on a panel that says THE END, and it's Gillgan's Island esque every time.
Cheesy bad guys, who often lose continuity after they're defeated in one issue(how many bad guys like "Rackets Rick" and "Tommy Johnson, the rackets guy" can there be?) Even a guy like the Eraser, who can erase things and people, it turns out he actually has complex gadgets that allow him to clean up after criminals.
And the titles are more exciting than the stories within, like "THE STRANGE DEATH OF BATMAN" or "THE JOKER'S ORIGINAL ROBBERIES" (the latter is a dumb name, meaning that he intentionally starts being even more weird in his attempts). The stories are very convoluted and stupid in practice.
All this rambing adds up to that Aside from pretty drawings here and there, this is pretty forgettable, aside from comic book buffs like me.
Batman has these issues and a lot more. Holy Batman becoming a crappy TV show simultaneously, Batman! As the back cover points out, the TV show "Batman" debuted during this book's 1965-1966 run. So Batman and Robin more and more hung around goofy dudes as villains. Robin himself uses the word camp at one point (and almost in its modern usage!)
It's supposed to be funny, but it's often not really. You want the action, and the changing dynamic at home. Alfred, who was apparently missing, does come back, to tag team with the annoying Robin's Aunt Harriet. But otherwise, and most often, Batman winks and gives a bad joke on a panel that says THE END, and it's Gillgan's Island esque every time.
Cheesy bad guys, who often lose continuity after they're defeated in one issue(how many bad guys like "Rackets Rick" and "Tommy Johnson, the rackets guy" can there be?) Even a guy like the Eraser, who can erase things and people, it turns out he actually has complex gadgets that allow him to clean up after criminals.
And the titles are more exciting than the stories within, like "THE STRANGE DEATH OF BATMAN" or "THE JOKER'S ORIGINAL ROBBERIES" (the latter is a dumb name, meaning that he intentionally starts being even more weird in his attempts). The stories are very convoluted and stupid in practice.
All this rambing adds up to that Aside from pretty drawings here and there, this is pretty forgettable, aside from comic book buffs like me.
February 15, 2020
500 pages of Batman comics from the Silver Age. While there are some appearances by Batman's famous rogues, mostly he's dealing with typical non-costumed crooks. What stands out is the first appearances of Poison Ivy and establishing her place as a villain to be reckoned with. In addition, we also get the Outsider plot, which is actually really nicely handled. Reader curiosity is raised throughout the saga and it pays off nicely.
The Outsiders story was of several stories in this book that would be later adapted and expanded into Manga by Jiro Kuwata and it was nice to see the American origins of these stories.
The Outsiders story was of several stories in this book that would be later adapted and expanded into Manga by Jiro Kuwata and it was nice to see the American origins of these stories.
January 16, 2013
Lots of dumb Batman stories from the early/mid sixties—during the tv show days. Some nice Infantino art but mostly very lame stories; the "best" involves a plot to turn Batman and Robin into coffins. Really.
February 7, 2010
A few interesting villains (the Outsider, the Blockbuster, etc) and some craziness but mostly forgettable.
At this point the comic was often trying to ape the camp of the TV show.
At this point the comic was often trying to ape the camp of the TV show.
Want to read
May 3, 2013Bought: April 12, 2013
Location: PowerBooks (Greenbelt 4)
Price: P200
Location: PowerBooks (Greenbelt 4)
Price: P200
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October 8, 2013ghkbhhgkjmlkjjhj
Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews