THE BRAVE AND THE BOLD EASTER EGG TOUR

Back in 1967, right when the Batman TV show was everywhere, The Brave and the Bold locked into a simple formula: Batman plus whoever else showed up that month. Starting with issue #74 and running all the way to the final issue #200 in 1983, the Dark Knight shared every page with a rotating cast of DC heroes (and the occasional villain). Sixteen straight years of team-ups.

In issue #177 (1981), longtime B&B artist Jim Aparo started slipping a quiet visual hint into each story. No big announcement, just a little Easter egg pointing to who would guest-star next. This tour is me hunting down every single one of those clues.

Grab a seat and enjoy the ride!

THE RED KRYPTONITE TOUR (Part 9 - 2000 through 2024)

The last installment of this tour guided us through the Red Kryptonite stories published from 1972 through 1999. Here's a link in case you missed it!

The Red Kryptonite Tour - Part 8 (1972 through 1999)

Now, we bring this mega-entry tour to its conclusion. Looking back over the first eight parts of this little Red K catalogue, it’s been a wild ride.  Now we bring our coverage of red kryptonite to its conclusion.

THE RICHIE RICH TOUR OF CHARACTERS

When I first started reading comic books, I was wide open to just about every genre you could name. Superheroes, humor, westerns, you name it, and I dove in. Over time, I settled mostly into the cape-and-cowl stuff, especially the DC side of things. But in the mid-1970s I still had a soft spot for that poor little rich boy who, at the time, was Harvey Comics’ number-one seller. So open this blog, travel back a few decades with me, and take a tour through the many fun characters who made up the world of Richie Rich.

THE HEROES OF CHARLTON COMICS TOUR

DC Comics has a long history of picking up characters from other publishers and folding them into its universe. Quality Comics and Fawcett Comics are two of the better-known examples, but they’re not the only ones. Charlton Comics published from the mid-1940s until the mid-1980s, and in 1983, it sold its Action Heroes line to DC. This tour is going to focus on the former Charlton heroes that DC actually decided to bring into its own books and make part of the DCU.  Click through if you'd like the full story!

THE BETTY/BETTE KANE TOUR

I started my comic reading and collecting hobby back in 1971 when I was just seven years old. It was a fantastic time for it because reprints were everywhere, either in their own titles or stuffed into those big giant-size issues. I loved it. It was the perfect way to catch up on all the history I’d missed.

Within my first year of reading, I already knew about Batwoman (Kathy Kane), the Silver Age Bat-family member who used to team up with Batman. But it wasn’t until my parents gave me the book Batman: From the 30s to the 70s for Christmas a few years later that I discovered there had also been a Bat-Girl! Not Barbara Gordon’s Batgirl... this was a totally different character, a spunky young girl who was basically the Robin to Batwoman’s Batman. I was instantly hooked and started digging around for every scrap of info I could find on her.

This tour is all about the original Bat-Girl, Betty Kane, a character who’s been reinvented several times over her 60+ years of publication history.

THE RED KRYPTONITE TOUR (Part 8 - 1972 through 1999)

The last installment of this tour guided us through all the Red Kryptonite stories published in 1968 through 1971. Here's a link in case you missed it!

The Red Kryptonite Tour - Part 7 (1968 through 1971)

A quick reminder: in Superman #233 (January 1971). An experimental explosion conveniently transformed all kryptonite on Earth, including red kryptonite, into iron. The decision to take this too-convenient plot device away from writers was intentional as Superman's adventures transitioned into the Bronze Age. But let's be serious, it was inevitable that this glowing mineral would eventually return! Let's carry on!

THE ADVENTURE COMICS TOUR

Buckle up!  We're about to set off on a tour that will provide a front-row seat to some important DC history as we review Adventure Comics through the years. From its very beginning all the way into the modern era. This is the book that started life as a goofy humor anthology in 1935, then slowly morphed into one of the most important superhero titles DC ever published. Along the way you’ll discover how the series slowly found its title, how the explosive Silver Age era turned it into a "must-read" for many years, and revelations about format changes, cancellation, revivals, and creative risk.

Whether you’re a longtime fan or just curious, this tour shows how Adventure Comics was one of the books that helped build DC.