Volume: 1
Price: 19.99 USD; 26.99 CAD
Pages: 196
On-sale Date: 2005-04-20
Editing: Anton Kawasaki (editor - collected edition)

Issue Data

Indexer Notes

Collects stories from:
Batman #5, 156, 250-251
Detective Comics #33, 439, 574 (plus a Dick Sprang illustration from #572)
DC Special Series #15, 21
Batman: Legends of the Dark Knight #79
Batman: Gotham Knights #32

No covers are included.

[Title Page]

Batman / credits, title page / 1 page

Pencils:
Alex Ross (painting)
Inks:
Alex Ross (painting)
Colors:
Alex Ross (painting)
Letters:
?

  • Genre:superhero
Characters:
Batman [Bruce Wayne]

Indexer Notes

Title page with illustration taken from the cover.

[no title indexed]

credits, title page / 1 page


Characters:
Batman [Bruce Wayne]

Indexer Notes

Indicia and publisher information with illustration from Batman #251.

table of contents / 1 page

Letters:
typeset

Nobody Knows Who Batman Is.

foreword, introduction, preface, afterword / 4 pages


Characters:
Batman [Bruce Wayne]; Robin [Dick Grayson]; Catwoman [Selina Kyle]; Robin [Jason Todd]; Leslie Thompkins; The Joker

Indexer Notes

Introduction by Les Daniels, dated 2005. Includes illustrations from DC Special Series #21, Detective Comics #574, Batman #62, Batman #156 Cover, Detective Comics #574, Detective Comics #439, Batman #251, and Batman #156.

Batman / comic story / 2 pages


  • Genre:superhero
Characters:
Batman [Bruce Wayne] (origin); Thomas Wayne (Bruce's father, death); Martha Wayne (Bruce's mother, death); Joe Chill (villain, un-named)
Synopsis:
Batman's origin.
Reprints (1)

Indexer Notes

Reprints the first 2 pages of "The Batman Wars against the Dirigible of Doom". This is the original version with the original splash from that story, not the version reprinted in Batman #1 with a different splash.

Inker and letterer credits from GCD index for original issue. The table of contents for this collection lists Bob Kane as the only artist for this story.

The Case of the Honest Crook!

Batman with Robin the Boy Wonder / comic story / 13 pages


  • Genre:superhero
Characters:
Batman [Bruce Wayne]; Robin [Dick Grayson]; Joseph Sands (introduction); Ann Sands [nee Ann Davis] (Joe's wife, introduction); un-named shopkeeper; un-named doctor; Smiley Sikes (villain, introduction); Matty Link (villain, introduction, death)
Synopsis:
Batman helps out a young convict released from prison who is having trouble getting an honest job to support his new, but sick wife. The Caped Crusaders then vow to help track down the rats who set him up to be arrested originally, but Robin is nearly beaten to death, and the Batman swears vengeance on those responsible.
Reprints (1)

Indexer Notes

Inker and letterer credits from GCD index for original issue, which were verified by Robinson and Roussos. The table of contents for this collection lists Bob Kane as the only artist for this story.

The Secret Life of the Catwoman

Batman with Robin the Boy Wonder / comic story / 12 pages


  • Genre:superhero
Characters:
Batman [Bruce Wayne]; Robin [Dick Grayson]; Commissioner James Gordon; The Catwoman [Selina Kyle] (villain, origin); Mister X [Mousey] (villain, introduction); Dipper (henchman); unnamed police officer; unnamed singer; unnamed studio executive; unnamed guards; Joe (henchman); Al (henchman)
Synopsis:
While working with the mystery crime boss Mister X, Catwoman risks her life to save Batman and receives a blow to the head. Upon waking, Selina Kyle has no memory of her criminal life as Catwoman, and agrees to work with Batman and Robin to capture Mister X.
Reprints (1)

Indexer Notes

Catwoman reforms.

Robin Dies at Dawn

Batman with Robin the Boy Wonder / comic story / 16.33 pages


  • Genre:superhero
Characters:
Batman [Bruce Wayne]; Robin [Dick Grayson]; Alfred Pennyworth; Ace the Bat-Hound; Commissioner James Gordon; un-named Army doctor; Gorilla Gang [Pete; Luke; one un-named] (villains, introduction for all)
Synopsis:
Batman undergoes a test simulation for a situation that astronauts may one day face alone in outer space, and during that simulation he sees Robin dies. After the test is over, Batman faces the terrible side-effects of his simulation, believing that Robin will actually die, and it so complicates his fight against crime, he decides to retire!
Reprints (2)

Indexer Notes

Story told in two chapters, Chapter 1 8.67 pages, Chapter 2 7.67 pages.

The Batman Nobody Knows!

Batman / comic story / 6 pages


  • Genre:superhero
  • Job Number:S-1473
Characters:
Batman; Willie the Horse
Reprints (1)

The Joker's Five-Way Revenge!

Batman / comic story / 22.5 pages


  • Genre:superhero
  • Job Number:S-563
Characters:
Joker (villain); Batman; James Gordon; Packy White; Philly Jack Barton; Bigger Melvin; Bing Hooley
Reprints (1)

Night of the Stalker!

Batman / comic story / 14 pages


  • Genre:superhero
  • Job Number:L-241
Characters:
Batman [Bruce Wayne] (4-page origin); Thomas Wayne; Martha Wayne; Joe Chill; Cannon; Rick
Reprints (1)

Indexer Notes

Contains origin recap. Story is based on an incident described by Neal Adams.

Death Strikes at Midnight and Three

Batman / text story / 15 pages


  • Genre:superhero
  • Job Number:S-2916
Characters:
Batman [Bruce Wayne]; Alfred Pennyworth; Anthony Toombs; Milo Lewes; Gimp Malone; Boilerplate Thomas; Bernie Sorrel; Benjamin
Reprints (1)

Indexer Notes

Prose story with illustrations.

Wanted: Santa Claus -- Dead or Alive!

Batman / comic story / 10 pages


  • Genre:superhero
  • First Line of Dialogue or Text:Christmas Eve in Gotham: First, a layer of pale snow had touched the city, and now sleet slants across the streets from the North...
Characters:
Batman [Bruce Wayne]; Matty Lasko; Boomer Katz; Mister Jackson; "Fats" Morgan; Al; Louie
Synopsis:
Batman stops a mob from stealing the day's receipts from a department store with the help of Boomer Katz, a paroled robber, and the light from a Nativity star.
Reprints (1)

Indexer Notes

Set in Gotham City at Christmas Eve.

Dick Sprang Remembers ...

Batman / illustration / 2 pages


  • Genre:superhero
Characters:
Batman [Bruce Wayne]; Robin [Dick Grayson]; Alfred Pennyworth; Commissioner James Gordon; Cavalier [Mortimer Drake]; Scarecrow [Jonathan Crane]; Penguin [Oswald Cobblepot]; Two-Face [Harvey Dent]; Joker
Reprints (1)

Indexer Notes

Double page pin-up by Dick Sprang.

"...My Beginning... and My Probable End."

Batman / comic story / 22 pages


  • Genre:superhero
Characters:
Batman [Bruce Wayne] (origin); Robin [Jason Todd]; Leslie Thompkins; Thomas Wayne (flashback); Martha Wayne (flashback); Alfred Pennyworth
Synopsis:
Leslie Thompkins is shown to know Batman's secret ID.
Reprints (1)

Indexer Notes

Spurred on by the acclaim for the treatment of Batman: The Dark Knight, O'Neil starts to re-write the Batman legend. This issue features an origin re-cap.

Favorite Things

Batman / comic story / 24 pages


  • Genre:superhero
Characters:
Batman; Chessmen gang; Alfred Pennyworth; Captain James Gordon
Synopsis:
Wayne Manor is broken into and Batman tracks down the Chessmen gang without resting. He tracks them down and recovers what was stolen - a train engine that was the last present from his parents.
Reprints (1)

Indexer Notes

Christmas story.

Batman / comic story / 22 pages


  • Genre:superhero
Characters:
Bruce Wayne [Batman]; Alfred Pennyworth; Dr. Leslie Thompkins; Tanya; Robin [Tim Drake]; Two-Face; Oracle [Barbara Gordon]
Reprints (1)

text article / 2 pages


Characters:
Batman [Bruce Wayne]

Indexer Notes

Biographies of the writers/artists whose stories are included here. Includes an illustration of Batman from DC Special Series #15.

Batman Collections

promo (ad from the publisher) / 1 page

He Is the Original Dark Vigilante of Justice

Batman / illustration / 1 page

Script:
?
Pencils:
Alex Ross (painting)
Inks:
Alex Ross (painting)
Colors:
Alex Ross (painting)
Letters:
typeset

  • Genre:superhero
Characters:
Batman [Bruce Wayne]

Indexer Notes

Back cover with text on contents of collection, includes illustration taken from the front cover.

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