Heading: Section I: BATMAN in His Own Mag
Title: BATMAN No. 1 * 1st Joker and Catwoman Appearances
Publisher:DC [Indicia: Detective Comics, Inc.]
Date Published: Spring, 1940
Description: CGC certified: VG/Fine (5.0). Purple Label: Restored (B-4: Fine quality, moderate quantity). Cream to off-white pages. Grader notes: "Name stamp top of back cover; centerfold reinforced; cleaned; color touch on cover; cover reinforced; pieces added spine B-4." Provenance: The DC UNIVERSE COLLECTION.
 
CGC Census: 301 graded copies (144 Universal, 7 Qualified, 147 Restored).
 
GPAnalysis: A restored 5.0 (A-3) sold for $72,000 in 7/21; a restored 6.0 (B-4) sold for $39,600 in 1/21.
 
For comparison purposes, here are recent Universal sales: A 5.0 sold for $360,000 in 4/21; a 6.0 sold for $552,000 in 1/23.
 
Credits: Cover: Bob Kane and Jerry Robinson (Jerry Robinson backgrounds). Scripts: Bill Finger, Bob Kane (signed as Ted Raye). Art: Bob Kane, Jerry Robinson. Overstreet: "Origin The Batman reprinted (2 pgs.) from Det. #33 w/ splash from #34 by Bob Kane, see Det. #33 for 1st origin; 1st app. Joker; splash pg. to 2nd Joker story is similar to cover of Det. #40 (story intended for #40); 1st app. The Cat (aka Catwoman, 1st villainess in comics)."Bat-Bibliography: The DC Universe Collection copy of Detective Comics #31 is given a multi-page coverage in Taschen's 75 Years of DC Comics: The Art of Modern Mythmaking (pp. 112, 114, 119), with the following commentary: "The introduction of Robin had a transformative effect on Batman, humanizing the character and adding depth to the series' straightforward stories. The notion of a reader-identification character proved a remarkably canny business move, as well, that doubled sales and moved Batman into the same orbit as Superman.... Published amid three Batman and Robin adventures in Batman No. 1 was a leftover story prepared before the Boy Wonder was introduced. A key sequence involved the Dark Knight mounting a machine gun in his plane and using it to kill several marauding giants terrorizing the city. Bill Finger recalled editor Whitney Ellsworth emphatically instructing him never to have the hero take a human life again. With Robin's presence attracting a younger audience, Ellsworth believed a stronger code of honor was called for.... Remarkably, Bill Finger had intended to kill the Joker at the end of the second story in this issue. Recognizing that the white-faced villain with the perpetual smile had enormous long-term potential, editor Whitney Ellsworth insisted that the story be revised so that the character would survive to return again."
 
Bat-cyclopedia: "In Spring 1940 Batman's origin is recapitulated; Batman and Robin battle the JOKER; Batman matches wits with PROFESSOR HUGO STRANGE, , Batman and Robin meet the CATWOMAN, and Batman and Robin renew their battle with the Joker." — Michael L. Fleisher, The Encyclopedia of Comic Book Heroes Vol. 1: Batman. Macmillan: 1976, p. 115.
 
Batman Goes Big: "Soon after Batman was launched, it became clear that the character was going to be too big for [one title] to handle.... [resulting in the launch] of a publication devoted solely to the Caped Crusader: Batman #1 (Spring 1940). Just getting a comic named after him was quite an accomplishment for Batman, since in the early days comic books generally contained four or five stories featuring several different characters. Going solo was a sure sign of success.
 
"The highlight of Batman #1 was undoubtedly the introduction of the Joker, who broke precedent by showing up in the first story and then again in the fourth. This new villain was originally going to die at the end of the issue, accidentally stabbing himself while lunging at Batman, but [editor] Whitney Ellsworth stepped in and saved him.... he recognized that this character was too valuable to throw away. The Joker's purple suit, crimson lips, and green hair contrasted with clown-white skin to make an unforgettable first impression, reinforced by the fact that the villain's idea of a joke was to leave his poisoned victims with hideous grins frozen on their dead faces....
 
"The Catwoman was the second classic villain introduced in Batman #1, but she was a work in progress. At first she was merely called the Cat, an obvious reference to the recently coined term 'cat burglar,' used to describe an especially sneaky and sophisticated thief. She had no other name and no costume (although she did spend most of this first story disguised as an old lady), but Batman was smitten and actually let her escape after recovering her loot. 'We'd make a great team,' she suggested at one point, and many a fan shared the sentiment." — Les Daniels, Batman: The Complete History. Chronicle Books: 1999, pp. 41-42.
 
Batman's Kill Count: This ish features a classic panel depicting Batman machine-gunning a gaggle of goons from the cockpit of the Batplane: "But out of the sky, spitting death -- the Batman!" Batman then strangles one crook with a rope and sends another plummeting from a roof to his doom. Les Daniels's Batman: The Complete History repeats the often-told but apparently inaccurate story that editor Whitney Ellsworth, distressed by Batman's murderous antics in this mag, "decreed that in the future Batman would be forbidden to use a gun or kill by any other means." In fact, although he did forgo the use of firearms after this ish, Batman would go on to kill dozens of criminals in the pages of both Batman and Detective Comics by various other methods in the months to come.
 
A Note on Restoration: Restored books have gotten short shrift from comic book collectors for years. But as Golden Age keys get rarer and more expensive, and awareness of the benefits of professional conservation continues to spread, many collectors are starting to give professionally-restored books a second look. An increasingly vocal contingent of savvy collectors is now touting professionally restored comics as an ideal choice for collectors and investors looking for books with outstanding eye-appeal that would otherwise be far out of reach. 
 
It makes sense for collectors to hold out for unrestored copies of most Silver, Bronze and Modern Age keys, as unrestored copies outnumber restored copies by a huge margin. Golden Age keys are a different matter altogether. The ratio of restored to unrestored copies approaches or exceeds 50:50 for certain Golden Age keys, including Batman #1 (144 Universal copies vs 147 Restored copies). This means that the chances of finding attractive, accessible unrestored copies of these books are slim, and becoming slimmer every year. As more and more Golden Age mags fall prey to the ravishes of time, comic book collectors will come to understand what fine art collectors have known for years: that the careful professional restoration of endangered treasures can be a tremendous boon to posterity. As Susan Ciccone, the most esteemed restorer in the business, has remarked: "Unfortunately without correct preservation, these books are going to cease to exist in the not too distant future."The DC UNIVERSE COLLECTION comprises over 40,000 comic books, including a copy of every single DC comic published for retail sale from 1934 to 2014. The collection was amassed by British music producer Ian Levine over the course of several decades, and it's been hailed as the single greatest collecting accomplishment in comic book history. This collection served as the basis for former DC Comics president Paul Levitz's monumental book 75 Years of DC Comics: The Art of Modern Mythmaking, published by Taschen in 2017. PBA is proud to present this epic collection in a series of themed sales over the next two years. To join the DC Universe Collection notifications list, contact pba@pbagalleries.com.
Enjoying PBA's Batman sale? A very small number of softcover and limited edition hardcover auction catalogues are available for purchase. The catalogues are fully illustrated, thoroughly researched, and make excellent reference works for Batman fans. To order a copy, or to inquire about consignment opportunities, contact Ivan Briggs, PBA's Director of Comics: ivan@pbagalleries.com.