Detective Comics # 471 - Page 5 : Marshall Rogers – Terry Austin.

¤¤ Marshall Rogers – Terry Austin – Steve Englehart ¤¤
This is page # 5 from “The Dead Yet Live” published in Detective Comics # 471 – 1977.
The II Batcave (complete with giant penny), the Wayne Foundation, the Batmobile, Batman / Bruce Wayne and Alfred all appear on this page.
I almost gave up finding a Detective Comics original page from the famous Marshall Rogers / Terry Austin / Steve Englehart six-part tale that ran in detective Comics # 471 – 476.
..And then suddenly, just out of nowhere - BANG !!
The dream of finding a page from the run that for a whole generation has gone down in comic book history as “The Essential Batman story” has finally come true.
As always from this important period the page is very well constructed by Marshall Rogers and Terry Austin - and I simply love their stylish angular art and crisp architectural backgrounds that really brought something new to Detective Comics at the time.
Not only are Rogers drawings first rate, but the use of color in those issues-- for which Rogers is also responsible-- is almost without peer.
And of course, not to forget the superior scripting by Steve Englehart, which makes the run so well remembered to this day.
I very rarely use the term “Grail Page”. But in this certain case I believe I must make an exception as this page really means something very special to me.
Also – at the same time I can`t help feeling a bit moody and sad knowing that Marshall Rogers left us at the age of only 57 – the exactly same age as myself when I purchased this page.
The clean-lined classic team up of Rogers' pencils and Austin's inks unfortunately lasted for just a few issues but made a major impact and would become one of the renowned storylines of the era and, forty-five years later still, inspires.
Signed by Marshal in 1978.
MANY THANKS goes to Eric for letting me be the next caretaker of this page.