Batman #256 for Sale - First Appearance of The Iron Knight - Where to Buy

Identification plate

Series: Batman (DC, 1940 series)
Issue: #256
Publication date: May-June 1974
Key date: 1974-05-00
On-sale date: 1974-02-28
Indicia publisher: National Periodical Publications Inc.
Price: $0.60
Pages: 100
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

First appearance of The Iron Knight - the earliest non-flashback appearance on record for this character.

First appearance of The Scorpion - the earliest non-flashback appearance on record for this character.

First appearance of The Stingray - the earliest non-flashback appearance on record for this character.

First appearance of The Shooting Star - the earliest non-flashback appearance on record for this character.

First appearance of The Owl - the earliest non-flashback appearance on record for this character.

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.

Seq	Story	Type	Pages	Credits	Characters
0	-	cover	1	pencils: Nick Cardy; inks: Nick Cardy; colors: Tatjana Wood; letters: Gaspar Saladino	Batman, Catwoman, Dick Grayson, Selina Kyle, Robin, Bruce Wayne
1	Batman Issue No. 256	table of contents	1	script: E. Nelson Bridwell; pencils: Pat Broderick; inks: Pat Broderick; letters: Ben Oda	Batman, Bruce Wayne
2	Catwoman's Circus Caper!	comic story	20	script: Denny O'Neil; pencils: Irv Novick; inks: Dick Giordano; colors: Jerry Serpe; letters: Ben Oda	Batman, Catwoman, Dick Grayson, Selina Kyle, Alfred Pennyworth, Robin, Bruce Wayne
3	-	letters page	1	script: Martin Pasko
4	Dinosaur Island!	comic story	12	script: Bill Finger; pencils: Paul Cooper; inks: Ray Burnley; letters: Ira Schnapp	Batman, Dick Grayson, Robin, Bruce Wayne
5	-	statement of ownership	0.33	letters: typeset
6	If Bruce Wayne Had Not Become the Batman	comic story	2	script: Martin Pasko; pencils: Pat Broderick; inks: Pat Broderick; letters: Ben Oda	Batman, The Iron Knight First, The Owl First, The Scorpion First, The Shooting Star First, The Stingray First, Bruce Wayne
7	The Penny Plunderers!	comic story	13	script: Bill Finger; pencils: Bob Kane; inks: Ray Burnley; letters: Ira Schnapp	Batman, Dick Grayson, Robin, Bruce Wayne
8	Bat-Puzzle	activity	1	script: Bob Rozakis
9	Brothers in Crime!	comic story	13	script: Don C. Cameron; pencils: Jerry Robinson; inks: George Roussos, Jerry Robinson; letters: George Roussos	Batman [Bruce Wayne]; Robin [Dick Grayson]; Rafferty Brothers [Peter (death); Steve (death); Mike (death)] (villains)
10	The Thousand and One Trophies of Batman!	comic story	12	script: Edmond Hamilton; pencils: Bob Kane; inks: Charles Paris	Batman, Commissioner James Gordon, Dick Grayson, Joker, Robin, Bruce Wayne
11	The Secret of Batman Island!	comic story	7.67	script: Bill Finger; pencils: Sheldon Moldoff; inks: Charles Paris; letters: Pat Gordon	Batman, Catwoman, Oswald Cobblepot, Dick Grayson, Joker, Selina Kyle, Penguin, Robin, Bruce Wayne
12	Bat-Puzzle	activity	0.33	script: Bob Rozakis	Batman, Bruce Wayne
13	The Catwoman!	character profile	1	pencils: ? (various); inks: ? (various)	Catwoman, Selina Kyle
14	Letters to the Batman Extra!	letters page	1	script: Martin Pasko

Where to read it

Collection	Year
The Greatest Batman Stories Ever Told #2 ISBN 1-56389-037-2	1992	On eBay ›

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

Before you buy

Check the price box: Marvel ran 30-cent and 35-cent test-market price variants in 1976-77.
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

‹ #255256 of 715#257 ›

Sources

Grand Comics Database, issue record (CC BY-SA 4.0)

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