These come from a land Down Under… Whenever I travel abroad, I make it a point to go comics shopping. Not buy current comics that are merely imported from here in the States, but do a deep dive into a country’s publishing past to see how they differed from their American counterparts. Generally speaking, countries like Australia — where I just visited — Italy, the Netherlands and many others, would reprint American stories but repackage them for their own markets. (In 1960s Japan, they got the bonus of Jiro Kuwata’s famed Batman manga adaptations, as well as reconfigured U.S. content.) I’ve written about this many times in the past, but having just been Down Under, I was reminded how often foreign publishers did a better job with their covers than the American companies — in this case, K.G. Murray and DC, specifically Batman. Not always, mind you. Usually, in fact, the American covers are tighter, sharper and much more professional looking. But many times — typically when a cover used art that was truncated on a U.S. edition or in a different form — the foreign versions are superior. (On the other hand, black-and-white interiors were common.) So here are 13 examples, along with their American editions and publication dates. (Also, if you want to get lost in the world of Australian comics, check out the website AusReprints.) — Batgirl and Robin (circa Feb. 1982). I put this one-off first because I like it the most; the rest are in chronological order. (I’ve also scored a copy.) It’s based on a back-page pin-up by Dick Giordano from 1979’s Detective Comics #495. Besides the image being a fave, I love that the Aussies put out a magazine-size one-shot straight up called Batgirl and Robin, using stories from Detective and Batman Family. — Superman Presents Tip Top Comic Monthly #101 (circa Oct. 1973). This catch-all title, like the other non-mags on this list, had larger dimensions than its American counterpart. This cover is based on Bernie Wrightson’s Detective Comics #425 (July 1972). I was never a big fan of the boxy Detective cover layout of the early ’70s, so it’s nice to see the image breathe. That said, you could argue it’s a little too loose. — Superman Presents Tip Top Comic Monthly #109 (circa May 1974). A more effective version...