Adams, Neal - Batman, issue 235, cover (Sept 1971)
Artists: Neal Adams (Penciller) , Dick Giordano (Inker)
41 Comments - 7,116 Views - 8 Likes
Artwork Details
|
DescriptionNeal Adams (born 1941) helped create some of the definitive modern imagery of the DC Comics characters Superman, Batman, and Green Arrow. In 1959, after graduating from the School of Industrial Art high school in Manhattan, he unsuccessfully attempted to find freelance work at DC Comics. He instead landed at Archie Comics, where he worked on the publisher's fledgling superhero line being edited by Joe Simon.In 1962, Adams’ comics career gained momentum as he was given the opportunity to draw Jerry Capp’s (brother of Li'l Abner creator, Al Capp) Ben Casey comic strip, based on the popular television medical-drama series. The first daily strip, which carried Adams' signature, appeared November 26, 1962 – the beginning of a 3½-year run. The ABC series, which ran five seasons, ended March 21, 1966, with the final comic strip appearing Sunday, July 31, 1966. While Adams' goal at this point was to be a commercial illustrator, it was in the world of comics that he was making his money. Adams found work at Warren Publishing (Creepy #14 in April 1967, Eerie #9 in May 1967 and Creepy #15 in June 1967) and DC Comics (Our Army at War #182 in July 1967). He did a smattering of additional horror and war stories for the two publishers in addition to work on licensed titles starring fictional versions of TV and film properties. It was near the end of the Silver Age of comic books that Adams was assigned his first superhero covers, illustrating Action Comics #356 (November 1967) and the same month's Superman's Girl Friend, Lois Lane #79 (November 1967). That same month, Adams drew his first superhero story, teaming with writer Gardner Fox on the lighthearted backup feature ‘The Elongated Man’ in Detective Comics #369. Shortly afterward, he drew Batman himself, along with the supernatural superhero the Spectre, on the cover of The Brave and the Bold #75 (January 1968) - the first published instance of Adams' work on what would become two of his signature comics characters. The first instance of Adams drawing Batman in an interior story was ‘The Superman-Batman Revenge Squads’ in World's Finest Comics #175 (May 1968). Adams’ most significant Batman collaborator was writer Dennis O'Neil. The duo, under the direction of editor Julius Schwartz, would revitalize the character with a series of noteworthy stories reestablishing Batman's dark, brooding nature and taking the books away from the campy look and feel of the 1966-68 ABC TV series. Their first two stories were ‘The Secret of the Waiting Graves’ in Detective Comics #395 (January 1970) and ‘Paint a Picture of Peril’ in issue #397 (March 1970), with a short Batman backup story, written by Mike Friedrich, coming in-between, in Batman #219 (February 1970). Adams introduced new characters to the Batman mythos beginning with Man-Bat, which he co-created with writer Frank Robbins in Detective Comics #400 (June 1970). O'Neil and Adams' creation Ra's al Ghul was introduced in the story ‘Daughter of the Demon’ in Batman #232 (June 1971). The Joker was revitalized in ‘The Joker's Five-Way Revenge!’ in Batman #251 (September 1973), a landmark story bringing the signature villain back to his roots as a homicidal maniac who murders people on a whim and delights in his mayhem. Overall, beginning with issue #200 (March 1968), Adams would create the covers for Batman #200, 203 (his inks over Carmine Infantino layouts), 210, 217, 219-222, 224-227, 229-232, 235 (Giordano inks), 236-238, 239 (Giordano inks), 240, 241, 243-245, 251 and 255 (Nick Cardy inks, April 1974). During the 1970s, Adams was politically active in the industry, and attempted to unionize its creative community. His efforts, along with precedents set by Atlas/Seaboard Comics' creator-friendly policies and other factors, helped lead to the modern industry's standard practice of returning original artwork to the artist. He won a significant creator’s rights battle in 1987, when Marvel returned original artwork to him and industry legend Jack Kirby, among others. Adams also notably and vocally helped lead the lobbying efforts that resulted in Superman creators Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster receiving decades-overdue credit and some financial remuneration from DC. Adams was inducted into the Eisner Award's Will Eisner Comic Book Hall of Fame in 1998, and the Harvey Awards' Jack Kirby Hall of Fame in 1999. Social/Sharing |
About the Owner
|
 |
Contact the OwnerUse can use a contact form to send an email to this gallery owner,
|
Comments on this Artwork
You must be logged in to make comments.
Earl Hamilton
Member Since 2009
Posted on 2/25/2013
"GRAIL" IS NOT A STRONG ENOUGH WORD :) LOVE IT!! CONGRATS!!
Alex Johnson 
Member Since 2006
Forum Moderator
Posted on 2/25/2013
Not bad for your first Adams piece, but what will you do for an encore? Congratulations - Adams, Batman, Talia, good stuff!
Wesley Liu
Member Since 2009
Posted on 2/25/2013
You can't beat Neal Adams on Batman and Talia! I love everything about this cover.
J L
Member Since 2005
Posted on 2/26/2013
This is a wonderful pick up. It's a great cover of course!!!! Congrats!!!!
Gal Schwartz
Member Since 2005
Posted on 2/26/2013
This is simply spectacular !! Easily one of my all-time favorite Neal Adams covers !! Congrats on adding such a grail piece to your impressive collection !
Chris C
Member Since 2004
Posted on 2/26/2013
Nice, covers from the flagship Batman title by Neal are as rare as they come. Nice pick up.
Suat Tong Ng
Member Since 2009
Posted on 2/26/2013
Have always had a soft spot for Adam's version of Talia. Congrats on this cool cover!
Gene Park
Member Since 2004
Posted on 3/4/2013
AWESOME! Always liked this cover and even thought about buying it at one point. Glad it's found a good home!
Matthew Weimer
Member Since 2013
Posted on 10/13/2013
Very nice. I was wondering who Albert had sold this to.
Nicolaj Borch
Member Since 2012
Posted on 2/3/2014
One of the best Adams covers for sure. Huge Congrats!
Timothy Finney
Member Since 2006
Posted on 11/2/2014
Neal's Batman is still the best and, not only did you get one of his best covers with great design and content, it's got Talia on it(!) and that makes it even better.
- Artemaria
Member Since 2007
Posted on 3/14/2017
First I notice a Byrne/Austin double paged X-Men spread, and now an Adams Batman cover. I just can't keep looking at your amazing collection, it is too depressing to know that none of these are hanging on my walls. Although, after awhile, looking at great art becomes uplifting. Congratulations on a spectacular cover.
Terry Doyle
Member Since 2004
Posted on 11/28/2017
Not quite sure why I haven't commented on this one before, but I have to say that it's one of the best Neal Adams covers ever to grace CAF. Haunting and unforgettable, wow! Thanks for sharing.
Latest Updates
All |
|
 |
|
 |
|
 |
|
|
|
 |
|
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
Auctions ADVERTISEMENT
Auctions
| John Buscema and Marie Severin Epic Illustrated #1 |
Auctions
 |
STEVE DITKO AMAZING SPIDER-MAN MARVEL MASTERWORK PIN-UP ORIGINAL ART (SOLD FOR $590K) |
Auctions
 |
John Byrne - Iron Fist #11, Page 17 |
Hakes Auctions
 |
STAR WARS #4 COMIC BOOK PAGE ORIGINAL ART BY HOWARD CHAYKIN. |
Subscribe to the YouTube Channel.. FREE!
TDArt Gallery
12 Accepting Commissions
Commission an Artist
For Sale Updates
Classified Updates |
|
Monty B9/5/2025 3:53:00 PM |
|
Saxa Luna Galianan9/5/2025 1:01:00 PM |
|
Will Gabri-El9/5/2025 12:25:00 PM |
|
Michele M9/5/2025 12:05:00 PM |
|
Tim J9/5/2025 12:04:00 PM |
|
Keith Veronese9/5/2025 11:09:00 AM |
|
Dealer Updates |
|
Coollines Artwork9/5/2025 9:24:00 PM |
|
Koch Comic Art9/5/2025 7:54:00 PM |
|
Anthony's Comicbook Art9/5/2025 6:43:00 PM |
|
Will's Comic Art Page9/5/2025 12:25:00 PM |
|
Essential Sequential9/5/2025 12:15:00 PM |
|
Achetez de l'Art9/5/2025 12:15:00 PM |
|
|
Become a Premium CAF Gallery Owner & you'll be supporting CAF and also gain access to many services and features not available to standard members.
|