This collection includes several classic Batman tales from the early '80s. The penciller Gene Colan is the man featured here, but it's worth noting that the writing by Gerry Conway and Doug Monech is similarly excellent. The villains and adventures here tend toward the more fantastical, so if you prefer the no-nonsense style of The Dark Knight movie, you may be put off by all the vampires, monsters and bright colors seen here. But fans of the Batman animated series will surely like this one, as it includes many of the characters seen in that series, including Mayor Hill, Boss Rupert Thorne, and Detective Bullock. We also see early appearances of the character Jason Todd, who would later become the second Robin.

It's also a pretty thick volume, unlike a lot of trades out there. If you're a Batman fan, this is definitely worth the price of admission. ( )