I was 9 when this originally came out and I remember not liking the cover. Now as I'm (much) older, I have an appreciation for Sienkiewicz's work. Funny how as you age your tastes evolve with time.
This issue is included in the Joker: The Bronze Age Omnibus hardcover collection. It's still in print and unlike DC's other omnibuses they used matt construction-type paper which really suits the art rather than the thick glossy paper they use on other omnibuses.
Great episode, guys! I remember when this issue came out. I was 16 at the time. That amazing Bill Sienkiewicz cover sucked me in. Took it home, read it and was just blown away by all the gorgeous art inside. DC Comics has always done a wonderful job with their anniversary issues, particularly the ones that came out in the 80s. The anniversary font that they used looks beautiful. I still have my copy of this issue. Unfortunately, after I bought it, my step-dad used it as a flyswatter. Folded the damn comic right in half. I hope he killed that fly! lol Oh, I was NOT a happy camper that day. Anyways, know what would be really nice? An IDW artist edition of this comic. Now that would be a treat!
I have fond memories of this book, picking it up on release. Superb Sienkiewicz and Bolland work. A golden time for Batman. Dark Knight Returns would have just wrapped up and Year One would be just a few months away.
What an incredible issue Batman #400 truly was! From Stephen King's heartfelt intro comprising both interior back covers to Bill Sienkiewicz's gorgeous wraparound cover to the incredible, mindblowing roster of legendary artists--John Byrne, Joe Kubert, George Perez, Bernie Wrightson, Mike Grell, Mike Kaluta, Brian Bolland, Tom Yeates, and Art Adams to name a few--who contributed a page or two (or three) for this amazing, double-sized milestone issue! And Doug Moench's script was fabulous! I'm not ashamed to admit to all of you that I have this issue downloaded and archived on my Kindle!
That buzz at 9:22 really got me hahah. I wasn’t expecting to get spooked by a Cartoonist Kayfabe video, you guys really know how to keep a fella on their toes lol.
Since you asked for it, from around the same time (1983) is a great Kubert superhero turn in DC Presents # 66: Superman and the Demon. Kubert does some amazing scene dissolves and montages.
I agree,@@johnv3623! DC Comics Presents was truly an underrated nugget of a title, with amazing covers by Jose Luis Garcia-Lopez! Seems like everyone in the DC Universe rubbed elbows with Superman during its eight-year run; hell, even He-Man crossed paths with the Man of Steel in Eternia in issue #47! One of my all-time favorite issues of DC Comic Presents is issue #85 (a Superman/Swamp Thing team-up, entitled "The Jungle Line"), written by the legendary Alan Moore! I read "The Jungle Line" for the very first time last year in the now-out-of-print trade paperback compilation The Greatest Team-Up Stories Ever Told, and it was also reprinted in the deluxe edition of Moore's Superman: Whatever Happened To The Man Of Tomorrow? along with another of my favorite Moore-scripted Superman stories "For The Man Who Has Everything" (from Superman Annual #11)!
I was surprised Kirby didn't script or illustrate that issue, considering the fact that he created Etrigan more than a decade earlier. Though Kubert's art in that aforementioned issue was brilliant, it would've been awesome to see Kirby return to his roots.
Batman 400 was one of those comics to take to conventions to collect as many autographs as you could. Heroes For Hope/Heroes Against Hunger were the same kind of deal, a comic to get signed by as many creators as possible.
The issue with the other Stephen King piece in is Detective Comics #600 from 1989. It was the third and final part of a story called Blind Justice. As well as having Batman in a wheelchair it also has a villain design that is very proto-Bane! It is included in the softcover collection Batman: The Dark Knight Detective Vol. 3.
@@wtk6069 Yeah it's such an odd story. Intense serious character work melded to a goofy Silver Age style mindswap plot! Sam Hamm is writing the forthcoming Batman 89 comic that is out soon.
@@johnv3623 it's such an underrated story. Dead Reckoning from Tec #777-782 is another Batman gem that flies under the radar and has never been collected.
This was a cavalcade of Dark goodness, with oceans of ink lavished by Bolland and Bill S.! Bruce & Co. never looked better! Also: speaking of Steacy, a look at Comico's NIGHT AND THE ENEMY, which he produced with the late, great Harlan Ellison, covering the Kyben War (also, also : DEMON WITH A GLASS HAND, adapted by Marshall Rogers) would be kewl! 🖖♾
I swiped this from my older brother’s collection solely based on that cover. I was a huge Elektra Assassin fan. Promptly returned it when I saw the limited number of Sienkiewicz pages. I was like, who are these other crappy artists… I was kinda stupid back then.
Thanks guys. Just got this as a gift from my brother and I didn’t want to open it. Thanks for giving me a good glimpse!
I was 9 when this originally came out and I remember not liking the cover. Now as I'm (much) older, I have an appreciation for Sienkiewicz's work. Funny how as you age your tastes evolve with time.
This issue is included in the Joker: The Bronze Age Omnibus hardcover collection. It's still in print and unlike DC's other omnibuses they used matt construction-type paper which really suits the art rather than the thick glossy paper they use on other omnibuses.
I actually own this comic and have for decades. it's beautiful.
Great episode, guys! I remember when this issue came out. I was 16 at the time. That amazing Bill Sienkiewicz cover sucked me in. Took it home, read it and was just blown away by all the gorgeous art inside. DC Comics has always done a wonderful job with their anniversary issues, particularly the ones that came out in the 80s. The anniversary font that they used looks beautiful. I still have my copy of this issue. Unfortunately, after I bought it, my step-dad used it as a flyswatter. Folded the damn comic right in half. I hope he killed that fly! lol Oh, I was NOT a happy camper that day. Anyways, know what would be really nice? An IDW artist edition of this comic. Now that would be a treat!
I have fond memories of this book, picking it up on release. Superb Sienkiewicz and Bolland work. A golden time for Batman. Dark Knight Returns would have just wrapped up and Year One would be just a few months away.
What an incredible issue Batman #400 truly was! From Stephen King's heartfelt intro comprising both interior back covers to Bill Sienkiewicz's gorgeous wraparound cover to the incredible, mindblowing roster of legendary artists--John Byrne, Joe Kubert, George Perez, Bernie Wrightson, Mike Grell, Mike Kaluta, Brian Bolland, Tom Yeates, and Art Adams to name a few--who contributed a page or two (or three) for this amazing, double-sized milestone issue! And Doug Moench's script was fabulous! I'm not ashamed to admit to all of you that I have this issue downloaded and archived on my Kindle!
That buzz at 9:22 really got me hahah. I wasn’t expecting to get spooked by a Cartoonist Kayfabe video, you guys really know how to keep a fella on their toes lol.
Bisley was definitely studying those sienkiewicz pages.
I see shades of Jae Lee and Sam Keith in some panels
That Bolland panel with the messed up fingers haunted me my whole life. Love it, it probably shaped my mind without me even knowing.
Since you asked for it, from around the same time (1983) is a great Kubert superhero turn in DC Presents # 66: Superman and the Demon. Kubert does some amazing scene dissolves and montages.
I agree,@@johnv3623! DC Comics Presents was truly an underrated nugget of a title, with amazing covers by Jose Luis Garcia-Lopez! Seems like everyone in the DC Universe rubbed elbows with Superman during its eight-year run; hell, even He-Man crossed paths with the Man of Steel in Eternia in issue #47! One of my all-time favorite issues of DC Comic Presents is issue #85 (a Superman/Swamp Thing team-up, entitled "The Jungle Line"), written by the legendary Alan Moore! I read "The Jungle Line" for the very first time last year in the now-out-of-print trade paperback compilation The Greatest Team-Up Stories Ever Told, and it was also reprinted in the deluxe edition of Moore's Superman: Whatever Happened To The Man Of Tomorrow? along with another of my favorite Moore-scripted Superman stories "For The Man Who Has Everything" (from Superman Annual #11)!
I was surprised Kirby didn't script or illustrate that issue, considering the fact that he created Etrigan more than a decade earlier. Though Kubert's art in that aforementioned issue was brilliant, it would've been awesome to see Kirby return to his roots.
Art Adams also has an unpublished Batman story floating around online.
Wow you took the King Arthur thought right out of my head when I saw those hanging trees
Batman 400 was one of those comics to take to conventions to collect as many autographs as you could. Heroes For Hope/Heroes Against Hunger were the same kind of deal, a comic to get signed by as many creators as possible.
The issue with the other Stephen King piece in is Detective Comics #600 from 1989. It was the third and final part of a story called Blind Justice. As well as having Batman in a wheelchair it also has a villain design that is very proto-Bane!
It is included in the softcover collection Batman: The Dark Knight Detective Vol. 3.
@@wtk6069 Yeah it's such an odd story. Intense serious character work melded to a goofy Silver Age style mindswap plot! Sam Hamm is writing the forthcoming Batman 89 comic that is out soon.
@@johnv3623 it's such an underrated story. Dead Reckoning from Tec #777-782 is another Batman gem that flies under the radar and has never been collected.
What a great comic! I’d never seen this before- thanks for the tip chaps!
That cover always caught my eye such a nice 60s Gothic paperback novel cover style
Fantastic video, guys! I use to own that issue and somehow it got lost. That is All-Star Batman!
This Issue is bonkerS! Thank you for INtroducing me to so much new OLD GOOD STUFF! I want to study this comic!
really selling me on the newsprint texture and "flatter" coloring
I re-bought this a few years ago. That cover has inspired me since I was a kid.
Thanks, fellas, this comic was very important to 16 year old me.
This was a cavalcade of Dark goodness, with oceans of ink lavished by Bolland and Bill S.! Bruce & Co. never looked better!
Also: speaking of Steacy, a look at Comico's NIGHT AND THE ENEMY, which he produced with the late, great Harlan Ellison, covering the Kyben War (also, also : DEMON WITH A GLASS HAND, adapted by Marshall Rogers) would be kewl! 🖖♾
You guys just pick the best of the best every day 🤛🤛🤛🤛🤛🤛
The splash page by Byrne is pretty nice too.
I love the George Perez villain spread.
I swiped this from my older brother’s collection solely based on that cover. I was a huge Elektra Assassin fan. Promptly returned it when I saw the limited number of Sienkiewicz pages. I was like, who are these other crappy artists… I was kinda stupid back then.
First video I have watched! You guys are awesome!
This was the last pre-crisis Batman story. I love how it ends on the last page you know that’s the last time you’ll see the precrisis Batman.
I love Bill Sienkiewicz's cover for this issue, but I could never help thinking that Batman is struggling to free himself from a giant envelope.
love this book - have like 4 copies, ha!
You know it’s an all star cast when John Byrne gets skipped right over without a mention
Beatrix Kiddo