Batman Family
{{Short description|1975–78 DC Comics anthology series}}
{{about|the DC Comics series|the group of characters loosely known as the "Batman family"|List of Batman supporting characters}}
{{Infobox comic book title|
|image = Batman Family vol 1 17.png
|caption = Various members of the Batman Family on the cover of Batman Family #17 (May 1978). Art by Michael Kaluta and Tatjana Wood.
|schedule = Bi-monthly
|format = Ongoing series
|publisher = DC Comics
|date = September–October 1975 – October–November 1978
|issues = 20, then 15 more in Detective Comics #481–495 (December 1978/January 1979 – November 1980)
|main_char_team = Batman
Batgirl
Robin
|writers = {{List collapsed|Batman Family: Cary Bates, Gerry Conway, Paul Levitz, Elliot S. Maggin, Dennis O'Neil, David Vern Reed, Bob Rozakis
Batman: Family: John Francis Moore}}
|pencillers = {{List collapsed|Batman Family: Jim Aparo, Bob Brown, Danny Bulanadi, Howard Chaykin, José Delbo, Lee Elias, José Luis García-López, Michael Golden, Mike Grell, Don Heck, Pablo Marcos, Don Newton, Irv Novick, Juan Ortiz, Carl Potts, Marshall Rogers, Joe Staton, Curt Swan
Batman: Family: Stefano Gaudiano, Rick Hoberg, Steve Lieber}}
|inkers = {{List collapsed|Batman Family: Jim Aparo, Terry Austin, Tex Blaisdell, John Celardo, Vince Colletta, Joe Giella, Michael Golden, Dave Hunt, Bob Layton, Frank McLaughlin, Bruce Patterson, Josef Rubinstein, P. Craig Russell, Bob Smith, Romeo Tanghal, Bob Wiacek
Batman: Family: Stefano Gaudiano, Rick Hoberg, Steve Lieber}}
|letterers =
|colorists =
|editors = {{List collapsed|Batman Family:
Julius Schwartz #1–16
Al Milgrom #17–20
Batman: Family:
Matt Idelson #1–8}}
|creative_team_month =
|creative_team_year =
|creators =
}}
Batman Family is an American comic book anthology series published by DC Comics which ran from 1975 to 1978, primarily featuring stories starring supporting characters to the superhero Batman. An eight-issue miniseries called Batman: Family was published from December 2002 to February 2003.
The term "Batman Family" is most commonly used as the informal name for Batman's closest allies, generally masked vigilantes operating in Gotham City or simply "Gotham".
Publication history
The Batman Family comic book series ran for 20 issues from September–October 1975 to October–November 1978{{gcdb series|id= 2213|title= Batman Family}} and featured solo and team-up stories starring Batgirl and Robin.{{cite book|last=McAvennie|first= Michael|last2=Dolan|first2=Hannah, ed.|chapter= 1970s|title = DC Comics Year By Year A Visual Chronicle|publisher=Dorling Kindersley|year=2010|location= London, United Kingdom|isbn= 978-0-7566-6742-9 |page= 164 |quote = DC launched Batman Family with its memorable debut of the Batgirl-Robin team. Scribe Elliot S! Maggin and artist Mike Grell unleashed 'The Invader From Hell'.}} The lead story in the first issue teaming Batgirl and Robin was originally intended for publication in an issue of 1st Issue Special.{{cite journal|last= Abramowitz|first= Jack|title= 1st Issue Special It Was No Showcase (But It Was Never Meant To Be)|journal= Back Issue!|issue= #71|page= 44|publisher= TwoMorrows Publishing|date= April 2014|location= Raleigh, North Carolina}} The series additionally featured reprints of Golden Age and Silver Age stories. Many issues of Batman Family featured Batman supporting characters such as Alfred Pennyworth, Vicki Vale, the Elongated Man, the Huntress, and Ace the Bat-Hound. Writer Bob Rozakis introduced the Duela Dent character in issue #6 (July–August 1976){{cite comic | writer= Rozakis, Bob | penciller= Novick, Irv | inker= McLaughlin, Frank | story= The Joker's Daughter! | title= Batman Family | issue= #6 | date= July–August 1976}}{{cite book|last= Manning|first= Matthew K.|last2=Dougall|first2=Alastair, ed.|chapter= 1970s|title= Batman: A Visual History|publisher= Dorling Kindersley|year= 2014|location= London, United Kingdom|page= 123|isbn= 978-1465424563|quote= It would be Robin's story [in Batman Family #6] that was destined to go down in Batman's history with its introduction of the Joker's Daughter.}} and revived the original Batwoman in issue #10 (March–April 1977).{{cite comic | writer= Rozakis, Bob | penciller= Brown, Bob | inker= Colletta, Vince | story= Those Were The Bad Old Days! | title= Batman Family | issue= #10 | date= March–April 1977}}Manning "1970s" in Dougall, p. 125: "The original Batwoman, Kathy Kane, made her first appearance in the Bronze Age of comics...in this story by writer Bob Rozakis and artist Bob Brown". The series began featuring only new material as of issue #11 (May–June 1977)Manning "1970s" in Dougall, p. 125: "With this issue, Batman Family stopped printing back-up reprints. However, instead of reducing its page count, it continued as a 50-cent title but included even more new stories". and the Man-Bat began appearing as a regular feature.{{cite journal|last= Stroud|first= Bryan|title= A History of the Man-Bat|journal= Back Issue!|issue= #73|pages= 22–23|publisher= TwoMorrows Publishing|date= July 2014|location= Raleigh, North Carolina}} Batman Family converted to the Dollar Comics format with issue #17 (April–May 1978).{{cite journal|last= Romero|first= Max|title= I'll Buy That For a Dollar! DC Comics' Dollar Comics|journal= Back Issue!|issue= #57|pages= 39–41|publisher= TwoMorrows Publishing|date= July 2012|location= Raleigh, North Carolina}}Manning "1970s" in Dougall, p. 129: "With this issue Batman Family included more new material than ever before".
DC published several other ... Family titles concurrent with Batman Family. These included The Superman Family (1974–82), Super-Team Family (1975–1978) and Tarzan Family (1975–76). As a rule, DC's ... Family titles contained mostly reprints, and featured a higher page count (and higher price) than DC's normal books. Its final issue, #20 (Oct.–Nov. 1978),Manning "1970s" in Dougall, p. 129: "The Batman Family title had reached its end". was published without any advertisements.
= Merger with ''Detective Comics'' =
In 1978, after the DC Implosion, it was decided that DC Comics' long-running flagship title Detective Comics was to be terminated with #480. The decision was overturned, following strenuous arguments on behalf of saving the title within the DC office.
Despite being the better-selling title, Batman Family was instead merged with Detective, converting that series into a $1.00 68-page giant as of Detective Comics #481 (Dec. 1978-Jan. 1979).{{Citation|last = Wells|first = John|title = 'Lost' DC: The DC Implosion|newspaper = Comics Buyer's Guide|issue = #1249|page = 132|date = October 24, 1997|location= Iola, Wisconsin}}Manning "1970s" in Dougall, p. 130: "With this issue, [Detective Comics] adopted the popular multi-story format of Batman Family, spotlighting many of Batman's supporting cast". This arrangement lasted 15 issues. With issue #496 (Nov. 1980) Detective Comics reverted to its traditional size and price — thus effectively cancelling Batman Family for good.
= 2002–2003 series =
Batman: Family was an eight-issue miniseries published from December 2002 to February 2003 and written by John Francis Moore. Issues #1-6 were illustrated by Stefano Gaudiano and Rick Hoberg.Manning "2000s" in Dougall, p. 263: "After teasing the character Tracker in Detective Comics #773 (October 2002), and Bugg in Detective Comics #774, writer John Francis Moore and artists Rick Hoberg and Stefano Gaudiano launched this eight-issue miniseries". Steve Lieber replaced Hoberg on issues #7 and 8.{{gcdb series|id= 12109|title= Batman: Family}}
Collected editions
- Batgirl: The Greatest Stories Ever Told includes Batgirl stories from Batman Family #1 and 9, 160 pages, December 2010, {{ISBN|978-1401229245}}
- Huntress: Dark Knight Daughter includes the Huntress stories from Batman Family #18–20, 224 pages, December 2006, {{ISBN|978-1401209131}}
- Batgirl : The Bronze Age Omnibus Volume 1 includes stories from Batman Family #1, 3-7 and 10-11, 504 pages, December 2017, {{ISBN| 978-1401276409}}
- Batgirl : The Bronze Age Omnibus Volume 2 includes stories from Batman Family #12-20, 576 pages, April 2019, {{ISBN| 978-1401288419}}
- Robin : The Bronze Age Omnibus includes stories from Batman Family #1, 3, 4-9 and 11-20, 912 pages, March 2020, {{ISBN| 978-1779500854}}
See also
References
{{Reflist}}
External links
- {{comicbookdb|type=title|id=4271|title=Batman Family}}
- {{comicbookdb|type=title|id=4272|title=Batman: Family}}
- [http://www.mikesamazingworld.com/mikes/features/series.php?seriesid=241 Batman Family] and [http://www.mikesamazingworld.com/mikes/features/series.php?seriesid=242 Batman: Family] at Mike's Amazing World of Comics
{{Batman publications |state=collapsed}}
Category:Comics by Dennis O'Neil
Category:Comics by Gerry Conway