DETECTIVE COMICS

An 80-year retrospective shows
the fraught and fascinating evolution of the beloved caped crusader.

Spanning nearly a century, this
sprawling anthology traverses Batman’s Detective Comics history,
starting with “The Crimson Avenger,” a precursor to Batman from 1938. Later
issues from the 1940s introduce Boy Wonder Robin and Two-Face but also lesser-known
characters like the Boy Commandos. Throughout the 1950s and 1960s, Batwoman and
Batgirl make their first appearances. As the collection reaches the present
day, readers encounter a recognizable cast of characters and the ongoing
exploration of Batman’s tortured psyche. Detective Comics is separate
from the stand-alone Batman line, and both exist concurrently within the
DC Universe. Seeing how the styles, use of color, and text bubbles evolve
throughout the decades is compelling; in the early volumes, the issues burst
forth with a bright, almost psychedelically hued palette; they later fade to
the shadowy palette now associated with the Dark Knight. Narratively, however,
readers can see how overt racism and casual misogyny were bandied about in
earlier decades and have now changed. Despite past offenses, this look back at
an iconic hero is intriguing not only for devout fans, but also for those
interested in comics history. In addition to the comics, there are
contributions written by fans, including Neil Gaiman and Cory Doctorow, and
short biographies of many of the creators who contributed to the collected
works.

Engrossing on many levels. (biographies,
cover galleries) (Graphic fiction. 13-adult)