Monday, May 4, 2015

In Which We See Batman Bop a Rhino

Starting the week with a look at the super-cool cover of Batman #227:


This particular tale appears in the Batman from the 30's to the 70's hardcover book that cost me ten weeks' allowance back in the day.  But I didn't get to see the cover in any detail until today.  I'm not sure how Neal Adams got that effect, but it's super-cool.

I also never realized the similarities between that cover and this one:



Not that I haven't seen both covers and could instantly recognize them for the past 40 years.  I just never put the two together because... well, I'm just not that observant.

One other thing of note about Batman #227 is that the letters column changed from "Letters to the Batcave" to "Letters to the Batman."  It also sported this pic:


What's awesome about this pic is that it's a sketch submitted (along with the suggested  new name) by reader Anthony Kowalik.  Neal Adams inked it and ... well, Anthony Kowalik gets to say he had his art inked by Neal Freakin' Adams.  Amazing!

And here's an amusing shout-out from Batman #229:


Heh.  That's kinda funny.

And I know you're just waiting for the promised footage of Batman bopping a rhino, so here you go:


By golly, we deliver around here.  If I say you're going to see Batman bop a rhino, you will see Batman bop a rhino.  You can take that to the bank.

Check it out!


Hand shadows... the only thing girls find more of a turn-off than magic tricks.

See you tomorrow!



5 comments:

Unknown said...

I'd certainly like to see some proof that you can "make money" from hand shadows.

Wayne Allen Sallee said...

The cover reminds me of those first issues of FORBIDDEN TALES FROM DARK MANSION or SECRETS OF SINISTER HOUSE. On a side note, the current issues of THE CHILLING ADVENTURES OF SABRINA read and are illustrated very much like those other DC books.

Sea-of-Green said...

I've seen those two covers a gazillion times, too, and NEVER noticed the similarity. Well spotted, sir!

Adam Barnett said...

Wish I could take the credit, Sea, but someone in a message board pointed it out. I never would have noticed it, myself! :-)

Patrick McEvoy said...

For the effect, it looks like Adams somehow got the production people to let him do the background Batman and mist gray tones - Batman and some clouds were done in ink wash, and then he drybrushed white paint over him for the misty effects. I'm guessing, based on what I know about the process back in the day, that the traditionally-inked foreground was pasted up on top. It's a great picture!