American Update: Batmania Max – Watching the Detectives: #271-279; Second Bat-Mite, and Martian Manhunter ‘Comes Out!’
*DC: This week’s selection from Batman’s parent title, Detective Comics, runs from #271 consecutively to #279, and straddles the breach between issues that were pre- and post-distribution in the UK – though all of these numbers, it must be averred, are unstamped Cents-priced copies. The usual tropes of the time – wacky bodily transformations (“The Zebra Batman!”), strange alien visitors (“The Jigsaw Creature!”) and wannabe crimefighters with an agenda (“The Crimson Knight!”) are very much in evidence. Significant issues include #273, in which the Martian Manhunter, having previously operated in secret, reveals his existence to the world at large; #274, the first appearance of the Human Flame, a villain who notoriously killed J’Onn J’Onzz (temporarily, as it transpired) in Grant Morrison’s Infinite crisis series; and #276, with not only the second ever appearance of Bat-Mite, but – hold on to your hats, pilgrims – his first Titanic Team-Up with that Battling Babe, Batwoman! (Sorry, it all went a bit Stan Lee for a minute; time for a cup of tea and a biscuit. The excitement’s all too much…) As always, full details of grades and prices to be found in our online catalogue.