The first time I saw Batman — at least I think so — I was 5 years old, at a newsstand in April, looking at the cover of World Finest 110 (June 1960).
I was intrigued to see that Superman wasn’t the world’s only superhero, and by the fact that Batman and Robin seemed remarkably effective and undaunted despite lacking Superman’s vast array of powers.
I was also delighted by the bright, contrasting colors of all their costumes. I would be thrilled to learn shortly thereafter that Batman and Robin had their own solo adventures in two comic book titles.
The story was cleverly written by Jerry Coleman. Let’s say you’re some creepy octopoid invading the planet Earth to shrink and steal buildings for your outer space amusement park. How do you stop the unstoppable Superman, who is sure to interfere? By siphoning off Robin’s life force so that every blow delivered against the alien invader harms the Boy Wonder.
Behind the handsome Curt Swan cover was the gorgeous interior art by Dick Sprang, the famed Batman artist who actually preferred doing these team-up stories with Superman because of the wilder freedom of action they offered.
“Best of all, though, World’s Finest was drawn from 1955 to 1961 by one of the last giants of the Golden Age, Dick Sprang,” noted Gerard Jones and Will Jacobs in their book The Comic Book Heroes.
“Although he worked in the same small-figured, childlike style as Kane and his ghosts, Sprang brought into his panels a unique wit and dynamism capable of breathing life into the most far-fetched story. To that he added a caricaturist’s talent for giving all his miniature figures character and charm, and a miniaturist’s touch for the exquisitely detailed background.”
Sprang, Superman, Batman, Robin, Tommy Tomorrow, and Green Arrow — all in color for a dime. I had no way of knowing how lucky I was.
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