Batman Family

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.

This article is about the DC Comics series. For the group of characters loosely known as the "Batman family", see List of Batman supporting characters.
Batman Family
Various members of the Batman Family on the cover of Batman Family #17 (May 1978).
Art by Michael Kaluta and Tatjana Wood.
Publication information
PublisherDC Comics
ScheduleBi-monthly
FormatOngoing series
Publication dateSeptember–October 1975 – October–November 1978
No. of issues20, then 15 more in Detective Comics #481–495 (December 1978/January 1979 – November 1980)
Main character(s)Batman
Batgirl
Robin
Creative team
Written by
Penciller(s)
Inker(s)
Editor(s)

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[1] and featured solo and team-up stories starring Batgirl and Robin.[2] The lead story in the first issue teaming Batgirl and Robin was originally intended for publication in an issue of 1st Issue Special.[3] 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)[4][5] and revived the original Batwoman in issue #10 (March–April 1977).[6][7] The series began featuring only new material as of issue #11 (May–June 1977)[8] and the Man-Bat began appearing as a regular feature.[9] Batman Family converted to the Dollar Comics format with issue #17 (April–May 1978).[10][11]

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),[12] 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).[13][14] 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.[15] Steve Lieber replaced Hoberg on issues #7 and 8.[16]

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

See also

References
  1. Batman Family at the Grand Comics Database
  2. McAvennie, Michael; Dolan, Hannah, ed. (2010). "1970s". DC Comics Year By Year A Visual Chronicle. London, United Kingdom: Dorling Kindersley. p. 164. ISBN 978-0-7566-6742-9. 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'.CS1 maint: extra text: authors list (link)
  3. Abramowitz, Jack (April 2014). "1st Issue Special It Was No Showcase (But It Was Never Meant To Be)". Back Issue!. Raleigh, North Carolina: TwoMorrows Publishing (#71): 44.
  4. Rozakis, Bob (w), Novick, Irv (p), McLaughlin, Frank (i). "The Joker's Daughter!" Batman Family #6 (July–August 1976)
  5. Manning, Matthew K.; Dougall, Alastair, ed. (2014). "1970s". Batman: A Visual History. London, United Kingdom: Dorling Kindersley. p. 123. ISBN 978-1465424563. 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.CS1 maint: extra text: authors list (link)
  6. Rozakis, Bob (w), Brown, Bob (p), Colletta, Vince (i). "Those Were The Bad Old Days!" Batman Family #10 (March–April 1977)
  7. 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."
  8. 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."
  9. Stroud, Bryan (July 2014). "A History of the Man-Bat". Back Issue!. Raleigh, North Carolina: TwoMorrows Publishing (#73): 22–23.
  10. Romero, Max (July 2012). "I'll Buy That For a Dollar! DC Comics' Dollar Comics". Back Issue!. Raleigh, North Carolina: TwoMorrows Publishing (#57): 39–41.
  11. Manning "1970s" in Dougall, p. 129: "With this issue Batman Family included more new material than ever before."
  12. Manning "1970s" in Dougall, p. 129: "The Batman Family title had reached its end."
  13. Wells, John (October 24, 1997), "'Lost' DC: The DC Implosion", Comics Buyer's Guide, Iola, Wisconsin (#1249), p. 132
  14. 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."
  15. 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."
  16. Batman: Family at the Grand Comics Database
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