- Batman (comic strip)
The "Batman" comic strip began a few years after the creation of the
comic book "Batman ". At first titled "Batman and Robin", a later incarnation was shortened to "Batman". Thecomic strip had three major and two minor runs in Americannewspaper s."Batman and Robin", 1943–1946
The first series was written by
Bob Kane and others. It was published as both adaily strip and aSunday strip . This series has been reprinted byDC Comics andKitchen Sink Press in one Sunday and three daily volumes."Batman and Robin", 1953
The second series was written by
Walter B. Gibson and was published on Sunday only. This short-lived attempt to revive the "Batman" comic strip ran only in "Arrow, the Family Comic Weekly ", which was edited by Gibson. A few of these very rare strips are reprinted in the book "Batman: The Sunday Classics 1943–46"."Batman and Robin", 1966–1974
Although it was credited to "Bob Kane", this series was actually ghostwritten, as noted below. The strip ran on Sunday from 1966 to 1968 and daily from 1966 to 1974. At first, this series was a camp revival drawing on the popularity of the "Batman" TV show, with a guest appearance by
Jack Benny . Later, it told more serious Batman stories, and featured guest appearances byBatgirl ,Superman , andAquaman .Episode Guide
Daily only stories, written by
Whitney Ellsworth :
* "Catwoman ", drawn by Shelly Moldoff
* "Joker", drawn byJoe Giella
* "Jolly Roger", drawn by GiellaSunday only stories, written by Ellsworth
* "Penguin", drawn by Moldoff
* "Nasty Napoleon", drawn by Moldoff followed byCarmine Infantino
* "Batchap and Bobbin", drawn by GiellaSunday and daily stories, drawn by Giella, written by Ellsworth
* "Poison Ivy"
* "The Collector"
* "Batgirl"
* "Pretty Boy Floy"Sunday and daily stories, drawn byAl Plastino , written by Ellsworth
* "Superman's Missing Powers"
* "Aqua-Batman"
* "Plastic Surgery"The Sunday strip ended either on July 13 or on July 20, 1968. The daily strips continued, and were drawn by Plastino through Jan. 1, 1972, with
Nick Cardy assisting on the art toward the end. They were written by Ellsworth until July 1970, and then byE. Nelson Bridwell . A new artist and writer took over the strip on January 3, 1972. Batman disappeared from the strip, althoughBruce Wayne continued as a character. The strip featured a hero calledGalexo until it ended in 1974."The World's Greatest Superheroes", 1978–1985
From 1978 to the late 1980s, Batman appeared in a strip variously titled "
The World's Greatest Superheroes ", "The World's Greatest Superheroes Presents Superman", and "The Superman Sunday Special". For information on writers and artists, see "Batman: the Sunday Classics 1943–46"."Batman", 1989–1991
The most recent revival of the strip, titled simply "Batman", ran Sunday and daily from November 6, 1989 to August 3, 1991. The first story was written by
Max Allan Collins and drawn byMarshall Rogers . All of the other stories were written byWilliam Messner-Loebs and drawn byCarmine Infantino andJohn Nyberg . All of these strips were reprinted in "Comics Revue ".Episode Guide
* "Catwoman"
* "The Penguin"
* "The Joker"
* "Two-Face "
* "Robin"
* "The Riddler"
* "The Mad Hatter"
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