TALES OF THE BATMAN: ARCHIE GOODWIN

A Hardcover collection that reprints for the first time the celebrated artwork of Archie Goodwin on Batman. This volume collects stories from Detective Comics #437,438 and #440-443, Detective Comics Annual #3, Showcase '95 #11, Batman Black and White #1 and #4, Batman: Legends of the Dark Knight #132-136 and Batman: Night Cries.

Comics veteran Goodwin (1937-98) was a respected editor for Warren Publishing, Marvel, and DC, but he did much writing as well, including 1970s Star Wars comics and newspaper strips. This classy volume collects his Batman stories from 1973 through 1974 and 1990 through 2000. The entries are notable for accomplished storytelling, a variety of top-notch artistic collaborators, and a near-complete absence of Batman's traditional supervillains. Highlights include a vintage aviation-themed story drawn by Golden Age great Alex Toth and two excellent black-and-white shorts: a jazz trumpeter's tale boldly cartooned by José Muñoz and a story of pre-World War II Nazi kidnapping illustrated with realistic detail and expert hatching by Gary Gianni (Prince Valiant). Also included is Night Cries, a striking and moving 1992 graphic novel about child abuse, with dark painted artwork by Scott Hampton, and the multi-award-winning 1970s "Manhunter" serial (guest-starring Batman only at its conclusion), a tale of worldwide conspiracy and martial arts with great art by Walt Simonson.