Batman #257
(July-August 1974)

DC, 1940 Series
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Volume
35
Price
0.60 USD
Pages
100
Indicia Frequency
bi-monthly
On-sale Date
1974-04-30
Publisher's Age Guidelines
Approved by the Comics Code Authority
Indicia / Colophon Publisher
National Periodical Publications Inc.
Brand
DC [circle]
Editing
Julius Schwartz; E. Nelson Bridwell (assistant editor)

Issue Notes

On-sale date from Comic Reader #105.

[no title indexed] (Table of Contents)

Batman / cover / 1 page (report information)

Pencils
Nick Cardy
Inks
Nick Cardy
Colors
Tatjana Wood
Letters
Joe Letterese

Job Number
S-1754
Genre
superhero
Characters
Batman [Bruce Wayne]; Robin [Dick Grayson]; Penguin [Oswald Cobblepot]; Talia al Ghul; the Joker (inset); Alfred Pennyworth (inset); Ally Babble (inset)
Reprints

Indexer Notes

Cardy's credits for pencils and inks confirmed from Julius Schwartz's editorial records, provided by DC Comics. His credits are also found on the contents page. Previous indexer also listed Neal Adams as contributing to the cover, but Nick Caputo sees no evidence of Adams art on the cover. Colors credit provided by Anthony Tollin.

The Batman and Robin in Tales of Comedy and Tragedy (Table of Contents: 1)

table of contents / 1 page (report information)

Script
E. Nelson Bridwell ?
Pencils
Pat Broderick (signed as Broderick)
Inks
Pat Broderick (signed as Broderick)
Colors
?
Letters
Ben Oda

Job Number
N-998
Characters
Batman [Bruce Wayne]

Hail Emperor Penguin! (Table of Contents: 2)

Batman / comic story / 20 pages (report information)

Script
Denny O'Neil (credited)
Pencils
Irv Novick (credited)
Inks
Dick Giordano (credited)
Colors
?
Letters
Ben Oda

Job Number
S-1666
Genre
superhero
Characters
Batman [Bruce Wayne]; Robin [Dick Grayson]; King Peeble IV (Kingdom of Swawak ruler); Talia al Ghul; Penguin [Oswald Cobblepot; aka Forster Aptenodytes] (villain); Ras al Ghul (image); Catwoman [Selina Kyle] (image)
Synopsis
When a young King is kidnapped by the Penguin, it takes the efforts of Batman, Robin and Talia to free him from the madman's clutches.
Reprints

Indexer Notes

Credits for script, pencils and inks confirmed from Julius Schwartz's editorial records, provided by DC Comics, and listed in the book.

The Penguin's Unique Umbrellas! (Table of Contents: 3)

Penguin / comic story / 2 pages (report information)

Script
E. Nelson Bridwell ?
Pencils
Pat Broderick; Bob Kane; Carmine Infantino; ? (illustrations)
Inks
Pat Broderick; Bob Kane; Murphy Anderson; ? (illustrations)
Colors
?
Letters
Ben Oda

Job Number
N-989
Genre
superhero
Characters
Batman [Bruce Wayne]; Robin [Dick Grayson]; Penguin [Oswald Cobblepot] (villain)
Reprints

Indexer Notes

Consists of panels reprinted from earlier Penguin appearances along with new material by Pat Broderick. Citations for Batman #14, #21, #33, #36, #38, #169, #190 and Detective Comics #58.

[no title indexed] (Table of Contents: 4)

Bat-Puzzle / activity / 1 page (report information)

Script
Bob Rozakis
Letters
typeset

Job Number
P-7

Hunt for a Robin-Killer! (Table of Contents: 5)

Batman and Robin / comic story / 13.67 pages (report information)

Script
Gardner Fox (credited)
Pencils
Gil Kane (credited)
Inks
Sid Greene (credited)
Colors
?
Letters
Milt Snapinn ?

Job Number
N-934
Feature Logo
Batman with Robin - The Boy Wonder [50's face]
Genre
superhero
Characters
Batman [Bruce Wayne]; Robin [Dick Grayson]; Commissioner James Gordon; Jim Condors (villain); Ed Condors (villain)
Synopsis
After finding the Boy Wonder nearly dead from a brutal beating, a vengeful Batman hits the streets to find the man responsible.
Reprints
Keywords
Bat-Cave; Batmobile; Gotham City

Indexer Notes

Credits for script, pencils and inks confirmed from Julius Schwartz's editorial records, provided by DC Comics, and are listed in the book.

[no title indexed] (Table of Contents: 6)

Casey the Cop / comic story / 1 page (report information)

Script
Henry Boltinoff (credited)
Pencils
Henry Boltinoff (credited)
Inks
Henry Boltinoff (credited)
Colors
?
Letters
Henry Boltinoff

Job Number
N-999
First Line of Dialogue or Text
I arrested this man, Sarge...
Genre
humor
Characters
Casey the Cop
Synopsis
Casey arrests a camera fiend, whom the Sergeant misinterprets as a person who likes to take pictures.
Reprints

Man Without Fingerprints! (Table of Contents: 7)

comic story / 1 page (report information)

Script
?
Pencils
Sheldon Moldoff ?
Inks
Sheldon Moldoff ?
Colors
?
Letters
?

Job Number
N-1000
Genre
crime
Characters
Roscoe Peters
Synopsis
The FBI has little trouble in identifying a criminal who found a way to rid himself of his fingerprints after a crime.
Reprints

Ally Babble and the Fourteen Peeves! (Table of Contents: 8)

Batman and Robin / comic story / 12 pages (report information)

Script
Bill Finger
Pencils
Dick Sprang (signed as Bob Kane)
Inks
Dick Sprang (signed as Bob Kane)
Colors
?
Letters
Ira Schnapp

Job Number
N-932
Feature Logo
Batman with Robin - The Boy Wonder [30's face]
Genre
superhero
Characters
Batman [Bruce Wayne]; Robin [Dick Grayson]; Ally Babble (introduction); Jasper Quinch (rich man, introduction); Thomas Traff (introduction); Hoiman (villain, introduction); Shoiman (villain, introduction)
Synopsis
Ally Babble accepts the offer of $5000 from a rich man to eliminate 14 peeves he has against others, but is soon charged with ripping off the man who paid him.
Reprints

Indexer Notes

Pencils and inks credits verified by Dick Sprang. Index for the reprint source lists letters as "Pat Gordon ?"

Conversational Clue! (Table of Contents: 9)

Alfred / comic story / 4 pages (report information)

Script
Mort Weisinger
Pencils
Jerry Robinson
Inks
Jerry Robinson
Colors
?
Letters
George Roussos

Job Number
N-933
Feature Logo
The Adventures of Alfred
Genre
detective-mystery
Characters
Alfred Pennyworth; Bruce Wayne (guest-star); Dick Grayson (guest-star)
Synopsis
When Alfred accidentally hears some unsettling conversation in a local library, he follows the clue up...which nearly costs him his life!
Reprints

Indexer Notes

Writer and letterer credits added and art credits confirmed by Craig Delich.

Die Small -- Die Big! (Table of Contents: 10)

Batman / comic story / 14.34 pages (report information)

Script
Robert Kanigher (credited)
Pencils
Bob Brown (credited)
Inks
Joe Giella (credited)
Colors
?
Letters
Milt Snapinn

Job Number
N-935
Genre
superhero
Characters
Batman [Bruce Wayne]; Dick Grayson; Alfred Pennyworth; Commissioner James Gordon; Barbara Gordon; Herbert Small
Synopsis
The appearance of a man dressed as the Batman at a party at Wayne Mansion and carrying a death threat for the Caped Crusader spurs Batman to attack the problem alone without the aid of Robin.
Reprints

Indexer Notes

Credits for script, pencils and inks confirmed from Julius Schwartz's editorial records, provided by DC Comics, and listed in the book.

Pages 6 and 15 are 2/3-pages.

[no title indexed] (Table of Contents: 11)

Bat-Puzzle / activity / 0.33 page (report information)

Script
?
Pencils
?
Inks
?
Colors
?
Letters
?

First Line of Dialogue or Text
Here's the answer to the puzzle...

Indexer Notes

Answer to the Bat-Puzzle earlier in the issue. Located on the bottom 1/3 of page 6 of the previous sequence.

[no title indexed] (Table of Contents: 12)

Letters to the Batman / letters page / 2 pages (report information)

Script
Guy Lillian (signed as GHLIII)
Pencils
Anthony Kowalik (illustration)
Inks
Neal Adams (illustration)
Colors
?
Letters
typeset

Job Number
S-1761

Indexer Notes

Letters of comment from Clint Thomas, Roger Orth, William Nutt, Alan Lankin, Bob Ortega, David Dasch, The Guitar Man (Donwyn Newsome) and Bob Rodi.

Rackety-Rax Racket! (Table of Contents: 13)

Batman and Robin / comic story / 12 pages (report information)

Script
Don C. Cameron
Pencils
Dick Sprang (signed as Bob Kane)
Inks
Dick Sprang (signed as Bob Kane)
Colors
?
Letters
Ira Schnapp

Job Number
N-931
Feature Logo
Batman with Robin - The Boy Wonder [30's face]
Genre
superhero
Characters
Batman [Bruce Wayne]; Robin [Dick Grayson]; The Joker (villain); Aces (villain)
Synopsis
A series of crazy college initiations are actually a blind for daring thefts masterminded by the Joker.
Reprints
Keywords
Eta Beta Pi Fraternity; Gotham City; Gotham City Gazette

Indexer Notes

Pencils and inks credits verified by Dick Sprang. Index for the reprint source lists letters as "Pat Gordon ?"

Editing
Related Scans
Series Information
Table of Contents
  1. 0. [no title indexed]
    Batman
  2. 1. The Batman and Robin in Tales of Comedy and Tragedy
  3. 2. Hail Emperor Penguin!
    Batman
  4. 3. The Penguin's Unique Umbrellas!
    Penguin
  5. 4. [no title indexed]
    Bat-Puzzle
  6. 5. Hunt for a Robin-Killer!
    Batman and Robin
  7. 6. ["I arrested this man, Sarge..."]
    Casey the Cop
  8. 7. Man Without Fingerprints!
  9. 8. Ally Babble and the Fourteen Peeves!
    Batman and Robin
  10. 9. Conversational Clue!
    Alfred
  11. 10. Die Small -- Die Big!
    Batman
  12. 11. ["Here's the answer to the puzzle..."]
    Bat-Puzzle
  13. 12. [no title indexed]
    Letters to the Batman
  14. 13. Rackety-Rax Racket!
    Batman and Robin
This issue was modified by, among others
  • Nick Caputo
  • CTGarry
  • Craig Delich
  • Jan Roar Hansen
  • Matthew Head
  • Jerry Hillegas (R.I.P.)
  • Lou Mazzella
  • Mike Nielsen
  • Matthew Peets
  • Tony R. Rose
  • J.D. Sebastian
  • Daniel Thingvold
  • Jim Van Dore