Data courtesy of the Grand Comics Database under Creative Commons license.

Issue Details

Issue #1
Published June 1992
Cover Price 39.95 USD; 47.95 CAD
Pages 232
Editing Michael Charles Hill (Collected Editions); Bob Kahan (Collected Editions)
Notes Striking fear in the hearts of criminals, Batman is a mythical creature of the night who protects the streets of Gotham with his own form of dark justice. Through the years, as this legendary character has evolved, he has also gained in popularity and prominence. BATMAN: THE DARK KNIGHT ARCHIVES VOL. 1 reprints the early adventures from Batman's past, which now serve as the foundation for his worldwide appeal. Featured in this book are the first appearances of his archnemesis the Joker and his feline adversary, Catwoman. [per solicitation]. Reprints Batman #1-#4 (1940). Black and white reconstruction on interior covers and selected stories by Rick Keene. Color reconstruction by Bob Le Rose; Special thanks to Joe Desris, Martin O'Hearne and Richard Morrissey.

Cover Details

Characters Batman
Genre Superhero
Pencils Bob Kane; Rick Arthur (art reconstruction)
Inks Bob Kane; Rick Arthur (art reconstruction)
Colors Bob LeRose
Notes Striking fear in the hearts of criminals, Batman is a mythical creature of the night who protects the streets of Gotham with his own form of dark justice. Through the years, as this legendary character has evolved, he has also gained in popularity and prominence. BATMAN: THE DARK KNIGHT ARCHIVES VOL. 1 reprints the early adventures from Batman's past, which now serve as the foundation for his worldwide appeal. Featured in this book are the first appearances of his archnemesis the Joker and his feline adversary, Catwoman. [per solicitation]. Reprints Batman #1-#4 (1940). Black and white reconstruction on interior covers and selected stories by Rick Keene. Color reconstruction by Bob Le Rose; Special thanks to Joe Desris, Martin O'Hearne and Richard Morrissey.

2 page credits "Table of Contents"

Letters Typeset

4 page foreword, introduction, preface, afterword "Foreward"

Script Patrick Leahy, United States Senator
Letters Typeset

1 page Batman cover reprint (on interior page) "Batman #1"

Characters Batman; Robin
Genre Superhero
Pencils Bob Kane
Inks Jerry Robinson
Colors Bob LeRose
Editing Whitney Ellsworth
Reprinted from Batman (DC, 1940 series) #1 (Spring 1940)

2 page Batman story "The Legend of the Batman - Who He Is and How He Came to Be!"

Characters Batman [Bruce Wayne]; Thomas Wayne; Martha Wayne
Synopsis Origin of Batman
Genre Superhero
Script Gardner Fox
Pencils Bob Kane
Inks Bob Kane; Sheldon Moldoff
Colors Bob LeRose
Letters Sheldon Moldoff
Editing Vincent Sullivan
Reprinted from Detective Comics (DC, 1937 series) #33 [splash panel]; from Detective Comics (DC, 1937 series) #34 [remainder of story]; from Batman (DC, 1940 series) #1 [story in this form]

13 page Batman story "The Joker"

Characters Batman [Bruce Wayne]; Robin [Dick Grayson]; Joker
Synopsis Batman and Robin versus the Joker
Genre Superhero
Script Bill Finger
Pencils Bob Kane
Inks Bob Kane; Jerry Robinson
Colors Bob LeRose
Letters Jerry Robinson
Editing Whitney Ellsworth
Reprinted from Batman (DC, 1940 series) #1 (Spring 1940)

12 page Batman story "Professor Hugo Strange and the Monsters"

Characters Batman [Bruce Wayne]; Professor Hugo Strange
Synopsis Batman battles Professor Hugo Strange and his monster men.
Genre Superhero
Script Bill Finger
Pencils Bob Kane
Inks Bob Kane; Jerry Robinson
Colors Bob LeRose
Letters Jerry Robinson
Editing Whitney Ellsworth
Reprinted from Batman (DC, 1940 series) #1 (Spring 1940)

13 page Batman story "The Cat"

Characters Batman [Bruce Wayne]; Robin [Dick Grayson]; The Cat [Selina Kyle; renamed Catwoman in Batman #2]
Synopsis Batman and Robin versus Catwoman
Genre Superhero
Script Bill Finger
Pencils Bob Kane
Inks Bob Kane; Jerry Robinson
Colors Bob LeRose
Letters Jerry Robinson
Editing Whitney Ellsworth
Reprinted from Batman (DC, 1940 series) #1 (Spring 1940)

13 page Batman story "The Joker Returns"

Characters Batman [Bruce Wayne]; Robin [Dick Grayson]; Commissioner James Gordon; Joker
Synopsis Batman and Robin once again take on the Clown Prince of Crime.
Genre Superhero
Script Bill Finger
Pencils Bob Kane
Inks Bob Kane; Jerry Robinson
Colors Bob LeRose
Letters Jerry Robinson
Editing Whitney Ellsworth
Reprinted from Batman (DC, 1940 series) #1 (Spring 1940)

1 page Batman cover reprint (on interior page) "Batman #2"

Characters Batman; Robin
Genre Superhero
Pencils Bob Kane
Inks Jerry Robinson
Colors Bob LeRose
Editing Whitney Ellsworth
Reprinted from Batman (DC, 1940 series) #2 (Summer 1940)

13 page Batman story "Joker Meets Catwoman"

Characters Batman [Bruce Wayne]; Robin [Dick Grayson]; Commissioner James Gordon; Joker; Catwoman [Selina Kyle]
Synopsis Joker and Catwoman both attempt to steal the Pharaoh's gems.
Genre Superhero
Script Bill Finger
Pencils Bob Kane
Inks Jerry Robinson; George Roussos
Colors Bob LeRose
Letters George Roussos
Editing Whitney Ellsworth
Reprinted from Batman (DC, 1940 series) #2 (Summer 1940)

13 page Batman story "Wolf, the Crime Master"

Characters Batman [Bruce Wayne]; Robin [Dick Grayson]; Adam Lamb [The Crimemaster]; Cyrus Craig
Synopsis A new master of evil rises to pluck the fruits of crime, only to be stopped by Batman and Robin.
Genre Superhero
Script Bill Finger
Pencils Bob Kane
Inks Bob Kane; Jerry Robinson
Colors Bob LeRose
Letters Jerry Robinson
Editing Whitney Ellsworth
Reprinted from Batman (DC, 1940 series) #2 (Summer 1940)

13 page Batman story "The Case of the Clubfoot Murderers"

Characters Batman [Bruce Wayne]; Robin [Dick Grayson]; Commissioner James Gordon
Genre Superhero
Script Bill Finger
Pencils Bob Kane
Inks Bob Kane; Jerry Robinson
Colors Bob LeRose
Letters Jerry Robinson (except pages 1 and 2)
Editing Whitney Ellsworth
Reprinted from Batman (DC, 1940 series) #2 (Summer 1940)

13 page Batman story "The Case of the Missing Link"

Characters Batman [Bruce Wayne]; Robin [Dick Grayson]
Genre Superhero
Script Bill Finger
Pencils Bob Kane
Inks Jerry Robinson; George Roussos
Colors Bob LeRose
Letters George Roussos
Editing Whitney Ellsworth
Reprinted from Batman (DC, 1940 series) #2 (Summer 1940)

12 page Batman cover reprint (on interior page) "Batman #3"

Characters Batman; Robin
Genre Superhero
Pencils Bob Kane
Inks Jerry Robinson
Colors Bob LeRose
Editing Whitney Ellsworth
Reprinted from Batman (DC, 1940 series) #3 (Fall 1940)

13 page Batman story "The Strange Case of the Diabolical Puppet Master"

Characters Batman [Bruce Wayne]; Robin [Dick Grayson]; Puppet Master [Dmitri]; Dr. Craig
Synopsis Batman and Robin versus the Puppet Master.
Genre Superhero
Script Bill Finger
Pencils Bob Kane
Inks Jerry Robinson; George Roussos
Colors Bob LeRose
Letters George Roussos
Editing Whitney Ellsworth
Reprinted from Batman (DC, 1940 series) #3 (Fall 1940)

13 page Batman story "The Ugliest Man in the World"

Characters Batman [Bruce Wayne]; Robin [Dick Grayson]; Commissioner James Gordon; Carlson; Detective McGonigle; Larry Larrimore
Genre Superhero
Script Bill Finger
Pencils Bob Kane
Inks Jerry Robinson; George Roussos
Colors Bob LeRose
Letters George Roussos
Editing Whitney Ellsworth
Reprinted from Batman (DC, 1940 series) #3 (Fall 1940)

13 page Batman story "The Crime School For Boys"

Characters Batman [Bruce Wayne]; Robin [Dick Grayson]; Big Boy Daniels; Pockets
Genre Superhero
Script Bill Finger
Pencils Bob Kane
Inks Jerry Robinson; George Roussos
Colors Bob LeRose
Letters George Roussos
Editing Whitney Ellsworth
Reprinted from Batman (DC, 1940 series) #3 (Fall 1940)

13 page Batman story "The Batman Vs. the Cat-Woman"

Characters Batman [Bruce Wayne]; Robin [Dick Grayson]; Catwoman [Selina Kyle]; Commissioner James Gordon; Detective McGonigle
Genre Superhero
Script Bill Finger
Pencils Bob Kane
Inks Jerry Robinson; George Roussos
Colors Bob LeRose
Letters George Roussos
Editing Whitney Ellsworth
Reprinted from Batman (DC, 1940 series) #3 (Fall 1940)

1 page Batman public service announcement "The Batman Says:"

Characters Batman; Robin
Genre Superhero
Script Whitney Ellsworth
Pencils Jerry Robinson
Inks Jerry Robinson
Colors Bob LeRose
Editing Whitney Ellsworth
Notes This is a one-page illustrated text feature in which Batman and Robin give the readers a law-and-order message.
Reprinted from Batman (DC, 1940 series) #3 (Fall 1940)

1 page Batman cover reprint (on interior page) "Batman #4"

Characters Batman; Robin
Genre Superhero
Pencils Bob Kane
Inks Jerry Robinson
Colors Bob LeRose
Editing Whitney Ellsworth
Reprinted from Batman (DC, 1940 series) #4 (Winter 1941)

1 page Batman illustration

Characters Batman; Robin; Joker
Genre Superhero
Pencils Bob Kane
Inks Jerry Robinson; George Roussos
Colors Bob LeRose
Editing Whitney Ellsworth
Reprinted from Batman (DC, 1940 series) #4 (Winter 1941)

13 page Batman story "The Case of the Joker's Crime Circus"

Characters Batman [Bruce Wayne]; Robin [Dick Grayson]; Joker; The Crime Circus
Synopsis Batman and Robin take on the Joker and his Crime Circus.
Genre Superhero
Script Bill Finger
Pencils Bob Kane
Inks Jerry Robinson; George Roussos
Colors Bob LeRose
Letters George Roussos
Editing Whitney Ellsworth
Reprinted from Batman (DC, 1940 series) #4 (Winter 1941)

13 page Batman story "Blackbeard's Crew and the Yacht Society"

Characters Batman [Bruce Wayne]; Robin [Dick Grayson]; Blackbeard [Thatch]
Synopsis Batman and Robin go against pirates.
Genre Superhero
Script Bill Finger
Pencils Bob Kane
Inks Jerry Robinson; George Roussos
Colors Bob LeRose
Letters George Roussos
Editing Whitney Ellsworth
Reprinted from Batman (DC, 1940 series) #4 (Winter 1941)

13 page Batman story "Public Enemy No. 1"

Characters Batman [Bruce Wayne]; Robin [Dick Grayson]; Jimmy "Red" McCoy; "Big" Costello
Genre Superhero
Script Bill Finger
Pencils Bob Kane
Inks Jerry Robinson; George Roussos
Colors Bob LeRose
Letters George Roussos
Editing Whitney Ellsworth
Reprinted from Batman (DC, 1940 series) #4 (Winter 1941)

13 page Batman story "Victory for the Dynamic Duo"

Characters Batman [Bruce Wayne]; Robin [Dick Grayson]; Stockton
Genre Superhero
Script Bill Finger
Pencils Bob Kane
Inks Jerry Robinson; George Roussos
Colors Bob LeRose
Letters George Roussos
Editing Whitney Ellsworth
Reprinted from Batman (DC, 1940 series) #4 (Winter 1941)

1 page biography (nonfictional) "Biographies"

Script Joe Desris
Notes Creator biographies. Biographical material researched and written by Joe Desris.

1 page Batman (backcovers) *do not use* / *please fix*

Characters Batman; Robin
Genre Superhero
Pencils Bob Kane
Inks Jerry Robinson
Colors Bob LeRose
Editing Whitney Ellsworth
Notes Four cover reproductions
Reprinted from Batman (DC, 1940 series) #1; from Batman (DC, 1940 series) #2; from Batman (DC, 1940 series) #3; from Batman (DC, 1940 series) #4