Batman in the Fifties #[nn]

This handsome 2002 DC trade paperback collects Batman adventures from the 1950s, and the cover by Sheldon Moldoff captures the era's sunny, adventure-serial spirit perfectly — Batman stands front and center in his grey-and-blue costume, flanked by Robin, Batwoman in her striking black-and-yellow outfit, and a tiny bat-costumed figure perched on Batman's arm, with a red-caped Batman looming large in the background. The collection features work by the talented team of writer David Vern Reed, artist Dick Sprang, and inker Charles Paris, including the story "The Batmobile of 1950!" — a title that alone promises retrofuturist fun. With an introduction by Michael Uslan, this is a warm and genuinely enjoyable window into a brighter, more wide-eyed era of the Dark Knight's history.