*DC: A further 50 issues added of the Caped Crusader’s main title in our Batmania Max event this week, from #150-199. A period of change this for Batman in the mid-late 1960’s. The aliens and monster dominated stories were fading out as the editorial tenure of Jack Schiff came to a close and #164 ushered in a new ‘more serious’, crime/mystery orientated phase with Julius Schwartz at the helm, with foes old and new more heavily featured. This tied into the spirit of the phenomenally popular Batman TV show which aired at the time, although the comic itself was hardly ever played for laughs or sent up the characters as on the small screen. It was also the period when DC experimented with 80 Page Giants in the regular numbering run, and several times a year we were treated to an evocative mix of classic reprint material from the 1940’s and 1950’s. So, this run has much to recommend it. Sadly, a couple of the most significant issues are not at their best: #171, the 1st Silver Age Riddler, is GD+ only with both staples off; #181 the 1st Poison Ivy, apart from being very low grade, also has the Batman & Robin pin-up missing from the centrefold and, while Ivy’s debut story is complete, the 2nd story is not so. Nevertheless, nice gap fillers for the budget conscious. Many Joker cover and stories in both the old look and new look phases, and of particular note is #168 (pictured), blessed with the binding defect of a double cover, the outer being a sparkling VF/NM (pence) and the inner a totally pristine NM (cents). A true investment copy at £155. All grades and prices may be viewed in our catalogue and next week, Batmania Max continues…