DETECTIVE COMICS #496 Title Splash Artwork by DON NEWTON - The Batman

Spectacular Title Splash page for Detective Comics #496 (DC, 1980) by one of the most definitive Batman art teams - Don Newton (pencils) and Dan Adkins (inks). I've always felt that Newton's remarkable artwork never looked better than when Adkins was doing the finishing and this excellent example of both their talents is certainly no exception to that rule.

This splash simply has it all with the Batman in full swing, descending out from the gloom of night to save a beautiful damsel in distress, brilliantly accented by writer Michael Fleisher with his introduction to the action, "It is the Call to Arms of the Dread Batman." Fleisher's intriguing tale re-introduced one of Batman earliest "name" villains, the original Clayface (Basil Karlo), which hearkened all the way back to Detective Comics #40 (June, 1940). And to top it all off, this splash features the timeless and classic Bob Kane signature, completing the classic Golden-Age ambiance with a touch of genteel class and sophistication. Simply WONDERFUL!

Signed by Newton with indicia added by James Pascoe.