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Publishers / DC / Batman (1940) / #251
251September 1973
$0.20

Batman #251

DC · September 1973 · on sale June 21, 1973

Buy it now on eBay ›Graded copies ›
How to read this file
  • Every claim on this page traces to a public bibliographic record; the sources are listed at the bottom of the file.
  • A first-appearance badge means this is the earliest non-flashback appearance on record in this database.
  • Buy links are eBay affiliate links. They never change what the record says.

Identification plate

Series
Batman (DC, 1940 series)
Issue
#251
Publication date
September 1973
Key date
September 1973
On-sale date
June 21, 1973
Indicia publisher
National Periodical Publications Inc.
Price
$0.20
Pages
36
Rating
Approved by the Comics Code Authority

Match the book in your hand against this plate before paying an edition-specific price.

Why this issue matters

From the editorial file The Joker's Five-Way Revenge, September 1973. Not a first appearance: this is the issue where O'Neil and Adams return the Joker to lethal form after years of capers, behind one of the most reproduced Batman covers ever drawn. Landmark status, fully earned.

The evidence

Claims here come from the story records for this issue, listed under Sources at the bottom of the file. Character hubs with full evidence tables are coming to this site.

Contents

SeqStoryTypePagesCreditsCharacters
0Look Out, Gotham! The Joker's Back in Town!cover1pencils: Neal Adams; inks: Neal Adams; letters: Gaspar SaladinoBatman, Joker, Bruce Wayne
2The Joker's Five-Way Revenge!comic story22.5script: Denny O'Neil; pencils: Neal Adams; inks: Neal AdamsBatman, Commissioner James Gordon, Joker, Bruce Wayne
7Just Put an X Next to the Comics You Want!promo (ad from the publisher)0.5letters: typeset
8The New Magazine of Weird Humor!promo (ad from the publisher)0.5pencils: Basil Wolverton; inks: Basil Wolverton"Arms" Armstrong
12The Scoreboards Don’t Tell All!promo (ad from the publisher)0.5pencils: Jerry Grandenetti; inks: Creig Flessel
13-letters page1script: Julius Schwartz; pencils: Anthony Kowalik; inks: Neal Adams

Plus 10 pages of advertisements and other matter across 11 sequences, as published.

Where to read it

CollectionYear
The Best of DC #21979On eBay ›
The Greatest Joker Stories Ever Told #[nn]
ISBN 0-930289-36-6		1989On eBay ›
Batman Illustrated by Neal Adams #3
ISBN 1-4012-0407-4		2006On eBay ›
Batman: The Greatest Stories Ever Told #1
ISBN 1-4012-0444-9		2005On eBay ›
Stacked Deck: The Greatest Joker Stories Ever Told #[nn]
ISBN 0-681-41015-9		1990On eBay ›
The Greatest Joker Stories Ever Told #[nn]
ISBN 0930289-36-6		1989On eBay ›

Reading the story costs a fraction of owning the issue. Both routes are on every file.

Before you buy

  • Canadian and Whitman editions exist for many bronze books; match the barcode area to the plate.
  • Look for Mark Jewelers inserts and date stamps - they affect collector preference, not authenticity.

Series context

‹ #250251 of 715#252 ›

Sources

Found an error in this file? corrections@comicrecord.com