The Batcave Companion: Highly Recommended!!!

[Earth 2 Chris]

This book has FINALLY been released after a wait of over a year (DC asked them to hold off so as not to compete with WB's onslaught of DK movie-related books), and man was it worth the wait. The best reference book on Batman so far. It focuses on the "New Look" era of the mid to late 60s (including the TV series) and the "Creature of the Night" phase of the 70s. By the always great Michael Eury (editor of BackIssue!, my favorite mag) and Michael Kronenberg, and published by an old comic fans best friend, TwoMorrows.

Even this old Bat-fan is learning new things about his favorite hero. This book is jam-packed with info, art, interviews. And some more damning evidence against Bob Kane. I don't think the man put pencil to paper after 1940 by this point!

Again, HIGHLY recommended to any and all Bat-fans, and fans of Silver and Bronze Age comics. Use the Amazon link above and help the museum out to boot.

Chris

[samurainoir]

Love the Two Morrows library. Definitely picking this one up.

[kingdom warrior]

Oooooh I gotta pick it up I just finished reading Kane's Batman and me book from 1989. Would love to hear more about his role with Batman.....

[Earth 2 Chris]

Oooooh I gotta pick it up I just finished reading Kane's Batman and me book from 1989. Would love to hear more about his role with Batman.....

Well, are you in for quite a shocker. I think it's possible that Kane's autobiography is the most fantastical Batman story ever written. Pink bug-eyed aliens and zebra-striped Batmen have nothing on "Batman and Me" when it comes to out there fiction, according to "The Batcave Companion" (and numerous other sources).

I read Kane's book and liked it as well. I knew he was omitting more credit to Finger and ghost artist mentions then, but it runs MUCH deeper than that.

Chris

[kingdom warrior]

I always thought Kane was more of an art director for Batman than the artist. Somewhat like the Artist Mark Kostabi. Kane had a studio type system to pump out the art and he'd get all the credit. He seemed a bit full of himself. But can you blame him. Batman was a money maker and it made a name for him.

[Earth 2 Chris]

I always thought Kane was more of an art director for Batman than the artist. Somewhat like the Artist Mark Kostabi. Kane had a studio type system to pump out the art and he'd get all the credit. He seemed a bit full of himself. But can you blame him. Batman was a money maker and it made a name for him.

I used to think along those lines too, but it goes beyond that. I don't want to spoil the revelations for you, but Kane defended his "secret identity" as a non-artist to the hilt. The extremes that he went to to keep up his masquerade are quite shocking.

I will give Kane credit for creating a moody, mysterious atmosphere in the earliest Batman stories, but he swiped a lot in those too. In later years, he seemed unable to put pencil to paper and draw anything worth publishing.

Chris

[kingdom warrior]

That sounds Good a defo pick up for me.

It's amazing how he took a little bit from numerous sources of the time and was able to come up with a character that was so Unique. In part a lot of credit has to go to Bill Finger who was the writer and made it all work.

Since comic books at the time were so looked down on I guess no one cared that he had swiped so many ideas..........

[livingdead70]

Ill be checkin this out too, sounds great.
trey

[Riffster]

Just got mine yesterday, will start reading it later today

[cptaction]

Btcave Companion andCaptain Action too!

[QUOTE=Earth 2 Chris;320208]This book has FINALLY been released after a wait of over a year (DC asked them to hold off so as not to compete with WB's onslaught of DK movie-related books), and man was it worth the wait. The best reference book on Batman so far. It focuses on the "New Look" era of the mid to late 60s (including the TV series) and the "Creature of the Night" phase of the 70s. By the always great Michael Eury (editor of BackIssue!, my favorite mag) and Michael Kronenberg, and published by an old comic fans best friend, TwoMorrows.

AND, Eury and Kronenborg have done it again with the Expanded edition of Captain Action, The Original Super Hero Action Figure, due out in July from Twomorrows. I've seen a preview and it looks great in living color with loads of new additions!

Joe