The Bronze Age artist and fan-favorite gets the notice he deserves…

I’ve long said that the highest praise I can give an artist is that I’d want to see them on Batman full time. Trevor Von Eeden, the pioneering Bronze Age illustrator, was one of those guys. He did some Bat-work here and there — most notably, the superb Batman Annual #8 from 1982 — but I would have loved to see him over a long haul.
Of course, Black Lightning is where he made his mark, and putting all of it together, TwoMorrows’ Comic Book Creator #53 will give the artist the cover spotlight.
Dig the solicitation info:

COMIC BOOK CREATOR #53
Said to be the first-ever Black — and possibly youngest — DC Comics hire, amazing artist and co-creator of Black Lightning Trevor Von Eeden basks in the spotlight of CBC #53, where we talk about his early years at DC Comics on “Green Arrow” and co-creation of the ground-breaking Thriller series, Heavy Metal contributions, and more. In the “thriller” spirit, we look at the Harvey Comics “Thriller” line edited by Joe Simon, with the wonkiest ’60s super-heroes ever to see print, plus chat with ’70s comics writer Lark Russell, gal pal of comics’ young Turks and scribe of Crazy magazine and many a Gold Key title. In addition, we showcase the great Peter Poplaski, Eisner-winning best buddy (and next-door neighbor) of Robert Crumb, whose astonishing artwork for Kitchen Sink traverses the lifespan of the publisher, and whose dedication to Zorro will impress! There’s a talk with Dick Arnold, son of Quality Comics’ “Busy” Arnold, by intrepid investigator Shaun Clancy, and the second portion of a 1990 British interview with fabled writer/editor Robert Kanigher, and the story of the unpublished underground, Skull Vol. 2 #1. All this and Hembeck, too! Edited by Jon B. Cooke.
$10.95
$4.99
12/15/27
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Buncha thoughts:

Lynn Varley colors
— Von Eeden also did a fantastic Batgirl. She was always cool, but he was the first artist who ever made her intimidating.
— The ish will be available in comics shops, but you can also pre-order it right now directly from publisher TwoMorrows. For the fully updated 2027 catalogue, click here. For the 2027 update flyer, click here. Each is interactive and allows you to place orders. Dates are tentative and subject to change.
— There’s a lot more from TwoMorrows set for the second half of 2027 (and into 2028), so check out the links below — and head on back here across the next few days!
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MORE
— GERRY CONWAY Tribute Issues Leads SIX BACK ISSUE Editions Added to 2027 Slate. Click here.
— TwoMorrows Adds a SECOND Spotlight on DON NEWTON for 2027. Click here.
— TwoMorrows’ Complete AMERICAN COMIC BOOK CHRONICLES to Be Offered as an EIGHT-BOOK SET. Click here.
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EVEN MORE
— Go Inside the MARVEL BULLPEN With TwoMorrows in 2027. Click here.
— JACK KIRBY: Here’s What TwoMorrows Has Added to Its Schedule for 2027. Click here.
— A Deep Dive Into MARK WAID’s Expansive Career Coming in 2027. Click here.
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STILL MORE
— HARRY LUCEY and ARCHIE? Sure — But What About the Superheroes? Click here.
— CRYPTOLOGY: TwoMorrows Adds Four More Issues, Reaching Into 2028. Click here.
October 3, 2026
It took a while to warm up to Comic book Creator, but I have to say this has become my favorite TwoMorrows publication. It is no quick read but it is time well spend with illuminating interviews and articles that glean information I was aware of despite six plus decades of reading.
October 3, 2026
It is well deserved, as is referring to him as BL’s co-creator.
October 3, 2026
I LOVE Von Eeden’s work so much! Definitely picking this up!
October 3, 2026
I remember being struck by Von Eeden’s Batman in World’s Finest 287 in 1982 because he was lot darker, edgier and more angular than anything I had ever seen before at that time. Since then, I often thought that Miller’s early Dark Knight concept sketches owed quite a bit to Von Eeden’s unique take on the Batman, but I have never seen any reference to that. I recently re-read WF 287 and was just as impressed with the artwork and appreciated much more the depth of the line work. But I noticed in my re-read that the colouring was done by the equally brilliant Lynn Varley, the colorist who a few years later became famous as the colourist for the Dark Knight Returns. And it made me wonder again if there was any connection between Von Eeden’s renderings of Batman and Frank Miller’s. If anyone has any insights into this, please let me know. Thanks.
October 3, 2026
Love Von Eeden especially his Green Arrow mini series and Thriller. Wish he had stayed on Thriller and completed the whole series.
I read somewhere that Frank Miller originally offered him Batman year one to draw but he turned it down.