World's Finest Comics #176: "The Superman-Batman Split!" (Neal Adams art)

Download World's Finest #176





Among the new heroes introduced in World's Finest were Lando, yet another magician, and Drafty, a humorous soldier, drawn first by Ed Moore and then by Stan Kaye. Henry Boltinoff did just about his only serious comic-book work on Young Doctor Davis. Others who frequented World's Finest in its early years were the Star Spangled Kid, the Green Arrow, the Boy Commandos, the Wyoming Kid, and Tommy Tomorrow.

With the seventy-first issue (July-August 1954) the magazine, which had long since shed its cardboard covers, dropped its price to ten cents and cut its page count. In another innovation, it teamed its headliners, Batman and Superman-- "Your two favorite heroes together in one adventure!" Robin also joined in. The initial artist for these amalgamated yarns was Dick Sprang, who held on until 1963.

World's Finest continued until its 323rd issue (January 1986), fluctuating in price, page count, and lineup. As the magazine grew older, the Superman-Batman combo did not always appear, and considerable reprint material was used. In 1990 DC used the title for a three-issue series teaming Batman and Superman once again. This was written by Dave Gibbons, illustrated by Karl Kesel and Steve Rude. There was also a World's Finest one-shot published in 2001.

Note: this was originally posted on 9/24/09, but a software glitch forces me to repost this.

Spotlight on the Million Dollar Debut of Batgirl

Download Detective Comics #359





Barbara "Babs" Gordon, the daughter of Batman supporting character Police commissioner James Gordon — debuted in Detective Comics #359 (cover-dated January 1967, but released in November 1966). In her debut, Gordon is on her way to a masquerade ball dressed as a female version of Batman when she disrupts a kidnapping attempt on Bruce Wayne by the villainous Killer Moth. This attracts the attention of Batman and leads to her establishing a crime-fighting career. This new character, jointly created by Editor Julius Schwartz, artist Carmine Infantino and author Gardner Fox, was a collaboration between DC Comics and the Batman television series of the late 1960s which aired on ABC. When television producer William Dozier sought to renew the Batman program for a third season, he asked Schwartz for a new female character to be introduced in the comic book medium, which could be adapted into the television series in order to attract a female audience. The new version of Batgirl was written as an adult, having earned a doctorate in library science and maintaining a career as head of Gotham City Public Library.
























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