Posted By Dan Greenfield on Mar 26, 2024 | 8 comments

BATMAN WEEK: A side-by-side look that shows how the Caped Crusader was radically altered, seemingly overnight…

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Welcome to BATMAN WEEK 2024 — celebrating the 85th anniversary of the release of Detective Comics #27, on March 30, 1939. Over seven days, you can look forward to all sorts of groovy and offbeat columns, features and cartoons that pay tribute to the greatest comics character in the history of mankind. Click here for the rest of the BATMAN WEEK features. You’ll be glad you did! — Dan

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By PETER BOSCH

1964. It was an amazing year by this time 60 years ago, Captain America had already been reintroduced in The Avengers #4. Daredevil had debuted. The Doom Patrol and Hawkman had graduated to their own titles. The Black Widow had been introduced in Tales of Suspense #52 and Mysterio, likewise, in The Amazing Spider-Man #13. And it was only March!

Oh, and there was one other little thing that happened: Detective Comics #327 — released March 26, 1964 — introduced the “New Look” for Batman, just in time for his 25th anniversary. The title went from looking like this the month before (left) to that (right).

IMAGE 1 – CAPTION: Left, Detective Comics #326 (Apr. 1964) cover art by Sheldon Moldoff. Right, Detective Comics #327 (Cover-dated May 1964) cover art by Carmine Infantino (pencils) and Joe Giella (inks).

The logo was different. The art was definitely different. And inside, the costume, too. The writing took place in Gotham, not with an alien race taking Batman to another planet to be enslaved. And, dare it be said, the art on Batman was sophisticated. Everything was new.

Left, Detective Comics #326 (Apr. 1964) page art. Script: Dave Wood. Pencils: Sheldon Moldoff. Inks: Charles Paris. Right, Detective Comics #327 (May 1964) page art. Script: John Broome. Pencils: Carmine Infantino. Inks: Joe Giella (inks).

The editorial inside the issue spoke of the differences.

But one thing that was not mentioned was why it was changed. Unknown to the reader, DC Executive VP Irwin Donenfeld had called editor Julius Schwartz to his office, along with Carmine Infantino, and laid it out quite simply. Sales of Batman and Detective Comics were down. He wanted Schwartz and Infantino to resuscitate them.

The opening splash of Detective Comics #327 by Broome, Infantino and Giella

It was a challenge, but they did it, along with writer John Broome. The trio were part of The Flash comic’s success (and, not to be forgotten, inker Joe Giella came over, too). There wasn’t much actually new, storywise, that went into the first tale in Detective Comics #327. It was more a letting go of what had filled up the pages of the previous Batman tales. Gone were aliens, Batwoman, the original Bat-Girl, Ace the Bat Hound, time-travel stories, Batmen from the future, and Bat-Mite. And, soon in another issue, Alfred, too. (Though the latter… well, no spoilers.)

Batman Annual #7 (Summer 1964) back cover. Art: Sheldon Moldoff.

Another change happened (as noted in the DC editorial), the Martian Manhunter was out, after having been in the comic for nearly nine years (since Detective Comics #225, Nov. 1955). He was transferred to House of Mystery, where he got to be the star of the comic. Until Robby Reed came along.

Detective Comics #327 (May 1964). Art: Carmine Infantino.

In the place of the Manhunter, the Elongated Man was brought over from The Flash. And it was a very welcome addition. Drawn again by co-creator Infantino, the stretchable sleuth was absolutely the perfect fit for a title called Detective Comics. Though his tales here were not immediately put under the hands of John Broome, his other creator, they were written by the very capable Gardner Fox.

Infantino admitted later that the sales of Detective Comics and Batman did go up slightly, thanks to the “New Look,” but that it was the TV show in 1966 that really increased the numbers. But, sales notwithstanding, in the minds of many comic fans Schwartz, Broome, and Infantino really did save Batman!

Several years later, another “new look” of sorts would come to the world of Batman, still under the care of Schwartz, but with the conversion to writer Dennis O’Neil and artist Neal Adams.

Detective Comics #395 (Jan. 1970). Art: Neal Adams.

But that’s another story.

Here is a 60th anniversary gallery salute to the “New Look” (plus a quartet of covers published just months prior that show why it was needed).

Left, Detective Comics #320 (Oct. 1963). Right: Detective Comics #322 (Dec. 1963). Art for both: Sheldon Moldoff.

Left: Batman #162 (Mar. 1964). Right: Batman #163 (May 1964). Art for both: Sheldon Moldoff.

Detective Comics #328 (June 1964). Pencils: Carmine Infantino. Inks: Joe Giella.

Detective Comics #329 (July 1963). Pencils: Carmine Infantino. Inks: Murphy Anderson.

Detective Comics #347 (Jan. 1966). Pencils: Carmine Infantino. Inks: Murphy Anderson.

Batman #175 (Nov. 1965). Pencils: Carmine Infantino. Inks: Joe Giella.

Batman #183 (Aug. 1966). A cover that ties directly into the “New Look.” Pencils: Carmine Infantino. Inks: Joe Giella.

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MORE

— The BATMAN WEEK 2024 INDEX! Click here.

— BATMAN: OLD AND NEW — Dig RON FRENZ’s Fab Artwork Celebrating the Caped Crusader’s History. Click here.

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13th Dimension contributor-at-large PETER BOSCH’s first book, American TV Comic Books: 1940s-1980s – From the Small Screen to the Printed Page, was published by TwoMorrows. He is currently at work on a sequel, about movie comics. Peter has written articles and conducted celebrity interviews for various magazines and newspapers. He lives in Hollywood.