With the Facsimile Edition coming in December, the beloved issue’s editor takes you inside… By PAUL LEVITZ Detective Comics #500 — which will be re-released as a Facsimile Edition in December — was pretty much my farewell to comics editing, after eight years as an assistant editor and editor. I was about to shift to the business side of the company, and I really wanted to go out with a bang. I already had enough control over our publishing plans that I was able to schedule it for 80 pages — the largest original anniversary issue DC had ever celebrated (Superman Annual #7 was themed to the Man of Steel’s Silver Anniversary, but that was all reprint). And every page was going to be special… Here are 13 THINGS I LOVED ABOUT PUTTING TOGETHER DETECTIVE COMICS #500: — 1. It even had a spine! I loved comics with “perfect binding” spines, back to DC’s old 80-Page Giants that introduced me to so many classic stories, and the early Marvel annuals with their milestone stories like the wedding of Sue and Reed. — 2. The lead story was by Alan Brennert, an old friend and award-winning television writer and novelist. “To Kill A Legend,” with art by Dick Giordano, my about-to-be successor as editor of the title, became the most often reprinted and praised story in the issue. It also gave the Phantom Stranger a moment in the book — the first character whose series I got to write. — 3. It was always a pleasure to work with Len Wein, my old poker buddy. Reuniting him with Jim Aparo, his collaborator on a great run of Phantom Stranger issues that established Len’s reputation as an important comics writer, was an extra treat. And they jammed a squad of detectives who had filled the comic’s pages over the years into a 13-page mystery — everyone from Roy Raymond to Pow-Wow Smith. — 4. Speaking of Len, he borrowed from Snoopy (or Charles Schulz) for a sweet, swift two pager with Walt Simonson, whose reputation was made with is award-winning Manhunter run in Detective. — 5. Mike W. Barr contributed a tale of Edgar Allan Poe, considered to be the father of the detective story, and the Elongated Man, whose more than 50 appearances in Detective stretched through most of my...
With art by Batman: The Animated Series director Kevin Altieri… The Joker and Christmas go together like strychnine and hot cocoa, and who better to bring you a special issue from DC this holiday season than writer Paul Dini? Not just that, Dini will be joined by his Batman: The Animated Series colleague, artist Kevin Altieri, the director of the first episode that went into production, On Leather Wings. Dini and Altieri’s tale will be downright Dickensian — a spin on A Christmas Carol. Dig the official solicitation: THE JOKER’S CHRISTMAS CAROL Written by PAUL DINI Art and cover by KEVIN ALTIERI Variant covers by DUSTIN NGUYEN and TY TEMPLETON It’s the night before Christmas, and only one man is stirring—The Clown Prince of Crime, and he’s all out of time. He’s visited by three spectral forms, but he’d rather they be food for worms. Will these ghosts show The Joker the error of his ways, or will the villain see the end of his days? Paul Dini reunites with one of his longtime Batman: The Animated Series collaborators, Kevin Altieri, to tell this timeless tale of holiday hilarity! $7.99 US (card stock) | 64 pages | One-Shot | Variant $8.99 US (card stock) ON SALE 12/2/26 — DC hasn’t revealed Nguyen and Templeton’s variants, but stay tuned on that. In case you’re wondering, Christmas With the Joker was BTAS’ second episode produced, written by Eddie Gorodetsky and directed by Kent Butterworth. But if you want to prep for this issue with another great Dini Joker Christmas story, track down 2006’s Detective Comics #826, featuring Slayride, illustrated by Don Kramer and Wayne Faucher, with a cover by Simone Bianchi. It’s, um, a killer. — MORE — 1980’s Beloved DETECTIVE COMICS #500 to Get FACSIMILE EDITION. Click here. — DC Adds FOUR FACSIMILE EDITIONS to Its DECEMBER Schedule. Click...
A cover that reaches into the mists of the past …
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That’s an awfully familiar-looking helmet …
