In this blog, I will track the comic book development of the characters Superman and Batman, the “World’s Finest Team”. Yes, my intent is to read every comic book appearance of these two iconic fictional characters in chronological order. These appearances will include stories printed in Action Comics, Adventure Comics, All Star Comics, Batman, Detective Comics, New York World’s Fair, Superman, World’s Finest Comics, and many more! While I may at times refer to their appearances in other media (radio, newspaper strips, cartoons, movie serials, television shows, feature films, et cetera), those will not be the focus of this blog.
As I work through the early years, I will plan to do one post per every calendar month of appearances, based upon the cover dates of the comic books, beginning with June, 1938. Of course, this means that there will be several posts before we get any Batman-centric information. I may need to amend this plan as I traverse further into their rich histories, when the characters were appearing simultaneously in nearly a dozen different comic book series. When series are published by frequencies other than monthly, such as bi-monthly or quarterly, I will do my best to fit them in where they make the most sense.
These posts will be commentary and reflections by a long-time comic book and superhero fan. I am not an industry professional or insider, so please do not be disappointed if “behind the scenes” exposés are few and far between. I will comment on character portrayals, supporting casts, settings, gadgets, tropes, and the like. When appropriate, I may also follow extra appearances of supporting or spin-off characters (for example, Robin’s solo series in Star-Spangled Comics, although I believe Batman appears in many of those stories anyway). Undoubtedly, creators will be referenced, but they also will not be the focus of the blog. Most creator information that does appear will be informed by the wonderful website, www.comics.org, however I accept responsibility for any errors.
And if anyone does find errors, such as incorrect information or missed stories, please let me know and I will do my best to correct them.
All comic-related images are the copyright of DC Entertainment.
