A BIRTHDAY TRIBUTE…
By JASON CZERNICH
The late Norm Breyfogle was born Feb. 27, 1960, and there has never been another Batman artist quite like him, before or since.
I remember Breyfogle as the first classic Batman artist to debut as I was reading comics growing up. From 1987 through 1993, he was a constant presence in the Bat-books and is considered by many to be the premier Bat-artist from that period. Here are 13 reasons Breyfogle wasn’t just a great artist, but a true Batman legend:
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1. His Debut and Early Fill-Ins. Norm Breyfogle’s first published Batman work was a Penguin story in 1987’s Batman Annual #11, followed by two Detective Comics fill-ins later that year. Right off the bat (no pun intended), Breyfogle showed a knack for dynamic action and superb visual storytelling — as well as an expressive style that fit well with DC’s late ’80s period of experimentation and reinvention.
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2. His Detective Comics Run. Detective Comics #583 from late 1987 started Breyfogle’s run on the Batman books in earnest. For most of his tenure on the Dark Knight, he was teamed with writer Alan Grant and inker Steve Mitchell, but he was also joined early on by scripter John Wagner.
It was often said back then that Detective Comics was supposed to be Caped Crusader’s nights off from the monthly Batman book. Robin wasn’t even in sight! The first story arc wasted no time establishing a weirder tone than the Jim Starlin/Jim Aparo creative team on the flagship, by introducing the bizarre Scarface and the Ventriloquist.
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3. Grant and Breyfogle Developed Their Own Rogues Gallery. Speaking of oddball villains, Grant and Breyfogle wasted no time creating their very own colorful bad guys, as the established Batman rogues were supposedly off-limits to them early on.
Within a year of starting their run, they introduced Scarface and the Ventriloquist, the Ratcatcher, Mortimer Kadaver, the Corrosive Man, Cornelius Stirk, and other deadly threats — some of which would go on to appear in media outside of comic books.
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4. He Was on a Batman Title in 1989. One of the best times to be a creative on a book starring the Caped Crusader was 1989: The Year of the Bat. Batman’s 50th anniversary and a blockbuster movie directed even more eyes toward the Bat-books — and by extension, Breyfogle’s wonderfully dynamic pencils.
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5. He Designed the ’90s Batmobile. In late 1989, Breyfogle finalized the design of what would be known as the first ’90s Batmobile — a version of the famous vehicle that would remain in play until mid-1994.
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6. Grant and Breyfogle Started Integrating Batman’s Mainstream. Also in 1989, the Grant/Breyfogle team started using more established Batman villains in the four-part Mud Pack storyline, where Breyfogle got to show off his draftsmanship skills on the Clayfaces and, in a memorable nightmare sequence, many other classic Bat-foes.
This was also the first arc in which the death of Jason Todd and the events of The Killing Joke were finally referenced by this creative team. Other factors — such as guest appearances by the Demon and the Penguin that same year, and the reintroductions of Catwoman, Catman, and Vicki Vale the following year — foretold great things to come for a writer-and-artist team that had been rapidly gaining buzz ever since taking over Detective two years prior.
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7. Grant and Breyfogle Took Over the Development of Tim Drake. With 1990’s Detective Comics #618, the Grant/Breyfogle team took on Tim Drake’s ongoing evolution as Batman’s new Robin — something that Marv Wolfman and Jim Aparo had been exclusively handling over in the Batman monthly.
Detective Comics #618–621 finally dealt with where Tim’s parents had been since he debuted in the Bat-books, and the Grant/Breyfogle team would soon continue charting the new Boy Wonder’s growth — but not in the pages of Detective.
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8. Grant & Breyfogle Were Switched Over to Batman’s Flagship Title. Right after Detective #621, Grant and Breyfogle moved over to Batman with Issue #455. If there was any doubt before that Breyfogle was now the Batman artist of his day, it was erased with this promotion. He even got to debut the new Neal Adams–designed Robin costume during his first arc!
Breyfogle also got to illustrate other important mythos changes, such as Batman employing Harold Allnut as his tech expert, Jim Gordon’s heart attack and subsequent engagement to Sarah Essen, and even the post-Crisis debut of Ace the Bat-Hound.
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9. Breyfogle’s Side Projects Elevated His Status. Breyfogle was now in demand. He illustrated the first official Elseworlds title, Batman: Holy Terror (1991), and in 1992 released his first fully painted work, Batman: Birth of the Demon, the long-awaited origin of Ra’s al Ghul.
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10. Batman: Shadow of the Bat. The Grant/Breyfogle team was so acclaimed by 1992 that a new monthly Bat-title in a better format was launched just for them. The improved paper and coloring offered a bolder way to show off Breyfogle’s intense imagery. By this time, his interpretation of Batman had come a long way from being a weird alternative to the mainstream version of the character — it was the mainstream version of the character.
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11. Breyfogle Kicked Off Knightfall. Being the top regular Batman artist earned Breyfogle the honor of illustrating the first three chapters of this game-changing story arc. It also gave him a chance to draw Bane, Film Freak, Mad Hatter, and revisit his own co-creations such as the Ventriloquist, Mr. Zsasz, and Amygdala.
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12. Batman Beyond… and Beyond. Soon after, Breyfogle exited the Bat-books but would occasionally return for Batman projects, including reunions with Alan Grant and a stint on Batman Beyond. By this time, Breyfogle’s style had fully evolved and was instantly recognizable.
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13. Collected Editions. Reprint series such as DC Finest, Batman: The Caped Crusader, and Legends of the Dark Knight keep Breyfogle’s legacy alive in print and digital formats. They offer a great opportunity to revisit one of Batman’s greatest creators of the Modern Age.
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MORE
— The TOP 13 NORM BREYFOGLE BATMAN Stories – RANKED. Click here.
— The TOP 13 NORM BREYFOGLE Covers — RANKED. Click here.
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JASON CZERNICH was born smack dab in the middle of the Bronze Age of Comics. Early memories of Power Records and other Batman merchandise, as well as watching reruns of the 1966 Batman series on TV38 in Boston, imprinted on him heavily. Today, he lives and works as a clinical social worker in central Massachusetts with his wife, child, cat, and beloved French bulldog.
