Posted By Dan Greenfield on Nov 21, 2024 | 1 comment

PLUS: A SNEAK PEEK at TwoMorrows’ new American Comic Book Chronicles: 1945-1949…

I was perusing TwoMorrows’ new American Comic Book Chronicles: 1945-1949, edited by Keith Dallas and John Wells, and naturally I went down a rabbit hole. It’s easy to do with the ACBC books: You can read them linearly or you can jump around from year to year and subject to subject. I tend to do the latter.

Anyway, I was looking for an excerpt to run here at 13th Dimension when I happened upon a small segment on Robin the Boy Wonder’s time as the headliner of Star Spangled Comics. It occurred to me that it’s a period — late 1946 to fall 1948 — I’ve only barely touched on over the years (which is weird, considering my Bat-obsession).

So, I figured hey, let’s do the Reese’s thing and give you two great tastes that taste great together — 13 COVERS from Robin’s original run as a solo star, combined with Dallas and Wells’ take on that time (edited slightly for this format). Plus, here’s the cover of the book and table of contents for the terrific series’ final installment.

Swell!

By KEITH DALLAS and JOHN WELLS

National Comics needed a solid replacement for the lead feature in the Star Spangled Comics anthology. The Guard ian and the Newsboy Legion had been the cover feature headliners since 1942, but after the end of the war, Simon & Kirby went on to other ventures for other companies. National’s powers-that-were decided to give the book a dose of the Dynamic Duo’s sales figures.

The success of Superboy over in Adventure Comics had shown that a juvenile superhero lead could carry an anthology title, especially if it was closely tied in with one of National’s top sellers. What could be more logical than to try a similar youthful angle from another of the publisher’s biggest titles? So Robin was given a solo spot starting in Star Spangled Comics #65 (cover date Feb. 1947, street date Dec. 1946).

Win Mortimer, who just might be my favorite Golden Age Bat-artist

This venture wasn’t quite as rock solid as Superboy’s adventures, and it was clear from the cover, illoed by Win Mortimer, that Robin’s mentor Batman (shown only in shadow) wouldn’t be too far away if he was needed. Superboy, of course, could never have an adult Superman for support, but Robin could and eventually did have a hard time getting out from under Batman’s shadow.

The first story — “The Teen-Age Terrors!” — has Robin telling Alfred about an adventure he had dealing with boys from the Boyville Reform School who continue to commit crime. As it turned out, the children were being manipulated by adults.

True to the idea of a solo series, Batman leaves Robin to his own devices on the covers throughout 1947. Although the writers of these initial stories are unknown, most of the stories were penciled by Mortimer and inked by Charles Paris. However, Jim Mooney, Curt Swan and Dick Sprang also provided the art for a story or two.

Mortimer

One of the best covers of Robin’s run appeared on Issue #70 (July 1947). Advertising the story “The Clocks of Doom!”, the cover features Robin and his adversary squaring off against each other while sitting on the hands of a giant clock.

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Now, dig these other 11 covers. (NOTE: Robin continued as a feature in the series until May 1952, but had been moved to a back-up position by then.)

The best cover of them all. Jim Mooney pencils, John Giunta inks. Plus, I love that Robin had his own archenemy — the Clock.

Mortimer

Mooney

Mortimer

Mooney

Curt Swan pencils, Stan Kaye inks

Mortimer

Mortimer

Mooney

Mooney

Mooney

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American Comic Book Chronicles: 1945-1949, a 264-page hardcover, lists for $49.95 and is due Nov. 27, 2024. It will be available at comics shops and through booksellers but you can also order it directly from TwoMorrows. Click here.

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MORE

— 13 COVERS: ROBIN in the Golden Age. Click here.

— The TOP 13 Most Iconic BATMAN AND ROBIN Images — RANKED. Click here.