Comics UK

Anyone read this it looks like something I like as I love the silver age of comics

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Batman-66-Volum ... =batman+66

By 1966 Marvel were becoming more availible in my region (West Midlands) but I did have some Batman & JLA around that period! Pride of my collection is Marvel's `Avengers` titles Nos #54, 55, 57 & 58. These feature the first ever appearance of `Ultron-5` (As the `Crimson Cowl` in issue 54, `Ultron` thereafter) and of the `Vision` who Ultron `contstructed` for issue #57. (July to November 1968)

I have this issue currently listed on eBay:



Listing

Peter Gray wrote:Anyone read this it looks like something I like as I love the silver age of comics

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Batman-66-Volum ... =batman+66

I bought the first issue as a digital copy. It's based on the style of the 1966 TV series but the one I read didn't seem to get that the TV show was a spoof of the comic. It just read like a sixties Batman comic drawn in a quirky modern style. Don't let me put you off though. It may have pulled its act together with subsequent issues. I only read the first one.

You might enjoy this book more. It reprints some classic Batman strips that inspired to TV episodes: http://www.amazon.co.uk/Batman-The-TV-S ... TV+stories

love the rubbing out of Batman and Robin...

Thanks Lew that does look good...

Batman 66 is the only DC comic I still buy. Every story is by a different creative team so it can be a bit hit and miss, but most of them have captured the feel of the TV show pretty well, I think. I'd recommend it to anyone.

alanultron5 wrote:By 1966 Marvel were becoming more availible in my region (West Midlands) but I did have some Batman & JLA around that period! Pride of my collection is Marvel's `Avengers` titles Nos #54, 55, 57 & 58. These feature the first ever appearance of `Ultron-5` (As the `Crimson Cowl` in issue 54, `Ultron` thereafter) and of the `Vision` who Ultron `contstructed` for issue #57. (July to November 1968)

I have every issue of Avengers. It's the one and only long running Silver Age Marvel title that I've managed to collect in its entirety (as well as every subsequent avengers series). My copy of #57 is a particular highlight of my collection: it was one of the copies originally given by Stan Lee to his nephew as a kid, which he sold off a few years ago, and comes with a certificate of authenticity signed by Stan himself (I actually have a couple from the "Uncle Stan Collection", but I can't recall what number the other issue is without checking).

Wasn't that the one where Ultron got so angry, he threatened to eat the Vision for breakfast, with the immortal line "...even an android can fry..."

Something like that anyway

I loved George Klein's inking on those issues of Avengers; it's such a shame that he died so soon after deciding to jump ship from DC where he'd been Mort Weisinger's top Superman inker for years.

On Batman '66 I agree that it can be a bit hit and miss. As Lew says it imitates the superficial style of the sixties TV show while missing the unselfconsciously eccentric charm of the original comics - and like the TV show it can seem a bit formulaic after a few episodes (though the film is brilliant imho!).

- Phil Rushton

philcom55 wrote:like the TV show it can seem a bit formulaic

Formulaic maybe, Phil, but I found that TV series unmissable, and so funny. And what a great name they came up with for that inventor ---- Pat Pending. Genius!

Phoenix wrote:

philcom55 wrote:like the TV show it can seem a bit formulaic

Formulaic maybe, Phil, but I found that TV series unmissable, and so funny. And what a great name they came up with for that inventor ---- Pat Pending. Genius!

The '66 TV series was my introduction to Batman and although I've followed the comic on and off ever since I still prefer the deadpan comedy of the TV show version. It became the inspiration for my Brickman comics.

I know a lot of comic fans absolutely hate the Adam West series because they say it set back the general public's attitude to superhero comics. Frankly, I doubt the public's attitude to superheroes would be much different before that anyway. The TV show held up a mirror and showed how daft the concept was. Roll with it, enjoy it. Plus, I think it brought in new readers to American comics and I'm sure it must have boosted the circulation of Batman comics.

I understand there's to be a DVD set of the Batman TV show released at last, later this year, now that legal complications have allegedly been sorted out.

Peter, if you like silver age Batman, here's another upcoming book that may interest you:

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Tales-Batman-Ca ... 232&sr=8-2

Price will probably come down a bit when it's published and other sellers compete.

starscape wrote:Wasn't that the one where Ultron got so angry, he threatened to eat the Vision for breakfast, with the immortal line "...even an android can fry..."

Something like that anyway

Not quite, but you're close.

So I'm the dissenting voice. The t. v. show never was unmissable for me, nor were the Batman comicsfrom when DC brought in the spotlight. Having been accustomed to Worlds Finest, Batman, Detectve comics of the late 1950's and early 1960's, and loving the art, especially Sprang and Paris, the new art was a huge letdown. It still amuses and surprises me that many collectors disparage the aliens, dimension travel and weird changes that happened to Batman in the years prior to the changes, yet seem to admire the poor storylines and downright daft, corny versions of the characters on the show, and in the "new" look comic. I think I said it previously on the site but I think it's worth repeating, imo, the best thing about the t. v.show was the Green Hornet appearance. And, the Green Hornet show appealed to me much, much more than the Batman show. But then, I am an awkward old sod.

Well done Tony! Great collecting! Issue 58 reveals Ultron's origin- he looked a bit like a salt-seller on tractor tracks when he became `sentient` Pity the new film totally ignores Ultrons true origin!

paw broon wrote:So I'm the dissenting voice. The t. v. show never was unmissable for me, nor were the Batman comicsfrom when DC brought in the spotlight. Having been accustomed to Worlds Finest, Batman, Detectve comics of the late 1950's and early 1960's, and loving the art, especially Sprang and Paris, the new art was a huge letdown.

I agree re: the comics. I don't like 1960s Batman strips much. I prefer the Sprang and Paris ones. Although I'm not a great fan of any Batman strips to be honest. I prefer silver age Superman. I've just bought the third Man of Tomorrow archives. 420 pages of Superman strips from 55 years ago. Completely daft, lightweight stuff, from when Superman was fun to read. Nice art by Boring, Plastino, and Swan.