Descrizione
BATMAN
prima storica testata italiana finalmente tutta dedicata al pipistrello nababbo self-made-man nonchè giustiziere fai-da-te: il personaggio era già conosciutissimo ai lettori italiani fin dall’ immediato dopoguerra con nomi alternativi, bizzarri e terrificanti come Ala d’Acciaio o Fantasma, e negli ultimi tempi aveva svolazzato (inizialmente sotto le consuete mentite spoglie, stavolta di Pipistrello) nei periodici a fumetti Mondadori facendo da spalla a Superman/Nembo Kid negli Albi del Falco e relativi spin-off
ALBO ORIGINALE DEL 1968, ARNOLDO MONDADORI EDITORE
il Bat-ritratto all’ interno : GIULIANO PICCOLOMINI di Bolzano
CONDIZIONI : MOLTO BUONE, DISCRETA USURA IN COSTOLA, SEGNI A BIRO IN RETROCOPERTINA, COPERTINA FRONTALE DECISAMENTE SCIUPATA CON UN TIMBRO DI RIVENDITA AL CENTRO, UN FRAMMENTO MANCANTE NEL BORDO INFERIORE ED UN PAIO DI SEGNETTI A BIRO, L’ INTERNO DELL’ ALBO E’ INVECE SOSTANZIALMENTE COMPLETO ED INTEGRO, CON UN ALTRO TIMBRO DI RIVENDITA A PAG.5 ED ALCUNE PICCOLE MACCHIOLINE CHE NON PREGIUDICANO LA LETTURA DELLE STORIE
La pubblicazione delle storie di Batman da parte di Mondadori non segue rigorosamente l’ ordine cronologico, ma è in ordine sparso, abbastanza frammentata e a random, in una confusione caotica e poco giustificabile pur con l’ attenuante che all’ epoca le storie non erano caratterizzate da una continuity referenziale e vincolante ; in questo numero troviamo :
Featured Characters:
Supporting Characters:
Villains:
- The Scarecrow
- Larry
- Mr. Raybourne
- Roberts
- Biljo
- The Joker (Cameo)
- The Penguin (Cameo)
- Killer Moth (Cameo)
Other Characters:
- Thomas Wayne (Flashback only)
- Martha Wayne (Flashback only)
- Joe Chill (Flashback only)
- Flying Graysons (Flashback only)
- John Grayson (Flashback only)
- Mary Grayson (Flashback only)
- Boss Zucco (Flashback only)
Locations:
Items:
- Batrope
- Giant Penny
- Mechanical T-Rex
- Scarecrow’s Fear Toxin (First appearance as Pills)
Vehicles:
Synopsis
The Scarecrow
is once more at large, and is out testing a new pill that makes a
victim deathly afraid of a specific thing. Testing it out by having one
of his thugs dress up as Batman convinces the Scarecrow that it is ready
to be used against his foe Batman.
When they brazenly attempt to rob Gotham City’s jewelery row, Batman and Robin
arrive to stop them. However, they are soon subjected to the
Scarecrow’s fear chemical causing them to become so deathly afraid of
the Scarecrow that they cower in fear, allowing the crooks to escape. As
usual, the Scarecrow leaves behind a clue to his next crime, this time
in the form of colored straw: two red, four white and five blue.
Batman and Robin then fearfully return to the Batcave where they tell Alfred
that they fled the Scarecrow in abject fear. Soundly defeated, Batman
and Robin admit to Alfred that they are considering giving up their
careers as crime fighters. However, Alfred reminds the Dynamic Duo that
part of the reason they became Batman and Robin was due to both heroes
having their parents murdered by criminals. Alfred recounts how Bruce’s
parents were murdered by Joe Chill, while Dick’s parents were murdered by Boss Zucco.
Inspired to take on crime fighting once more, Batman and Robin thank
Alfred for convincing them to not give up their endless crusade against
crime.
While still tracking down the Scarecrow, Batman and Robin go on a crime fighting blitz, busting the Joker, Killer Moth, and the Penguin.
Reading the press, the Scarecrow’s gang becomes worried that Batman
might bust them next, however the Scarecrow is convinced that Batman
will not be a threat to them and begins to plan their next heist.
The Scarecrow and his men break into Flagg Furriers, a fur coat
shop to find that Batman and Robin are waiting for them, the Dynamic Duo
having deduced the Scarecrow’s clue. Batman and Robin manage to control
their fear of the Scarecrow until the Scarecrow reveals a row of
mirrors. The sight of a half dozen Scarecrows cause the Caped Crusaders
to give into their fear and pass out in sheer fright.
When they awaken, they find themselves in chairs and their limbs
rigged to pistols that will go off if they try to move out of their
seats. Batman and Robin do manage to break free, and easily defeat the
Scarecrows men. When the Scarecrow attempts to flee, Batman chases after
him, having fully shaken off the effects of the fear drug. The
Scarecrow, ironically, becomes so fearful of Batman he surrenders to the
Dark Knight.
After the Scarecrow has been defeated, Batman and Robin explain
to Alfred how the deduced the location of the Scarecrow’s robbery from
the clue he had left: The colors of the straw indicated the location
while the number of the straws identified the date and time of the
scheduled robbery.
“Untold Tales of the Bat-Signal!” / STORIE DEL BAT-SEGNALE
October, 1950
Featured Characters:
Supporting Characters:
Villains:
- Big Red (Flashback only)
- Tiger Bishop
Other Characters:
- Dave Purdy
Locations:
Items:
Vehicles:
Synopsis
The editor of the Gotham Gazette assigns his top crime reporter to create a series of stories about the Bat-Signal
and how it has changed people’s lives. The reporter starts a crusade to
find a story in which the Bat-Signal had been instrumental in saving
someone’s life, without any external help. In this way, the reporter
gets exclusive interviews with Commissioner Gordon and Vicki Vale, who provide him with great stories, but none quite like the one he is looking for.
The reporter finally gets to meet Batman and Robin
and he learns of the upgrades done to the Bat-Signal and how helpful it
has proved for the Dynamic Duo’s crime-fighting career. However, all
the stories aren’t the exact story he is looking for. Lastly, the
reporter visits an exhibition in which the Bat-Signal is being held when
Batman informs him of an assassin that has escaped from jail. The
criminal soon enters the place and shoots Batman. The reporter helps
Batman take cover behind the Bat-Signal and then he decides to turn the
searchlight on to blind the killer. The reporter’s plan works and he
finally has found a story in which the Bat-Signal has saved somebody’s
life without exterior help.
After the story is printed on the newspapers, Bruce tells Dick
that he was responsible for plugging the Bat-Signal to the electric
power during the moment of truth. Finally, the Bat-Signal’s story is not
completely accurate as Bruce had to activate it in the first place.
“Mr. Freeze’s Chilling Deathtrap!” / LA GELIDA TRAPPOLA MORTALE
March, 1968
Featured Characters:
Supporting Characters:
Villains:
- Mr. Freeze (First appearance as Mister Freeze)
Other Characters:
- Dr. Nostrand
Locations:
Items:
Vehicles:
Synopsis
Bruce Wayne, Dick Grayson, and Alfred are being rushed to Gotham City hospital in an ambulance to take Aunt Harriet for a much needed cryogenic operation to save her life. At the same time, Batman’s old foe Mr. Zero — rechristening himself Mr. Freeze
— is breaking into a mansion in the Clayton Woods region of the city.
The simultaneous use of the cryogenic device and Mr. Freeze’s freeze ray
causes both devices to short out.
The surgeons tell Bruce, Dick and Alfred that if the device isn’t
repaired or replaced in the next few hours Aunt Harriet will die. Just
then the Bat-Signal
appears in the sky prompting Dick and Bruce to leave and go into action
as Batman and Robin. Rushing to a payphone, Bruce calls Commissioner Gordon
and learns that Mr. Freeze has stolen priceless paintings from the home
of Ralph Porter. After terminating the call, Bruce tells Dick that he
is good friends and that Ralph put a duplicate on display while the
original, just recently shipped in from Europe is really in his safe.
Bruce correctly deduces that Ralph’s phone was bugged by Mr. Freeze, and
so he places a number of calls to Ralph (disguising his voice as other
well wishers each time) praising Ralph’s forethought for putting the
real painting in his safe at his office, in an attempt to lure Mr.
Freeze into a second attempt to steal the real painting.
Sure enough, Mr. Freeze is listening in and is compelled to do
just that, and when he begins to break into the Porter Import Company to
steal it Batman and Robin are there to meet them. Batman and Robin’s
efforts are hindered by Mr. Freeze’s cryogenic weapon, however when Mr.
Freeze attempts to freezer them in solid blocks of ice the Dynamic Duo
are prepared with special heating units built into their utility belts
that counteract the cold.
However, the two heroes are overpowered and Batman’s heating
device is seemingly turned off. Mr. Freeze then seals Batman in a block
of ice and pushes him off the roof of the building hoping that the Dark
Knight will die upon impact with the ground. Batman manages to break
free of the ice and save himself, resuming his attack on Mr. Freeze.
Caught off guard, Mr. Freeze and his men are easily felled by the Caped
Crusader. As Batman turns Mr. Freeze and his gang over to Commissioner
Gordon, Robin races back to the hospital where in his civilian guise of
Dick Grayson turns over Mr. Freeze’s weapon to the surgeons to use to
complete Aunt Harriet’s operation.
Returning to the hospital as Bruce Wayne, Batman learns that Aunt
Harriet is going to pull through. When Dick inquires as to how Bruce
managed to break free of the ice with his heating device turned off,
Bruce explains that while the crooks were busy he rewired the device and
instead of switching it off, they had actually turned it on.
Trivia
- This is the second appearance of Mr. Freeze and the first in 10
years time. It is also the first time he uses the moniker, “Mr.
Freeze’. It is hinted in the story that the name change was in part due
to the Batman TV program of the 60’s, which used the name in three
different two-part episodes for the villain.
“The Merman Batman” / OPERAZIONE ACQUARIO (Parte II)
September, 1958
Featured Characters:
Villains:
- Vince Kenton
- Smarte
- Marty
Locations:
Items:
Synopsis
Continued from last issue…
Obeying
the strange orders he receives, Robin has a truck pull Batman out of the
bay in a water-filled tank. It transpires that the electrical charge
and the chemicals in his utility belt combined to change Batman into a
human “fish,” able to extract oxygen from water but not from air.
Communicating with via a voice amplifier, he vows to go ahead with his
work.
Batman wears a water-filled helmet to enable him to work on dry
land, and, using the torn card as a clue, traces Kenton to the offices
of Carl Smarte, head of the Marine Construction Corporation. The heroes
give battle, but Smarte figures out the use of the water-filled helmet
and smashes it, leaving Batman gasping in the air. As the crooks escape,
Robin saves Batman by holding a match close to the ceiling and
activating the sprinkler system. In a new helmet, Batman checks out a
hunch and finds the crooks’ new lair below the floor of an aquarium. In
the midst of the fight, Batman keels over and breaks his helmet.
Amazingly, he gets back up and finishes off the criminals. Later, Batman
explains to Robin that he felt the change wearing off and he pretended
to faint in order to throw the crooks a curve. They prepare to haul in
their catch to Commissioner Gordon.
