The Batman Family #18 for Sale - First Appearance of Arthur Cranston - Where to Buy

Identification plate

Series: The Batman Family (DC, 1975 series)
Issue: #18
Publication date: June-July 1978
Key date: 1978-06-00
On-sale date: 1978-03-14
Indicia publisher: DC Comics Inc.
Price: $1.00
Pages: 84
Barcode: 0709893165507
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 Arthur Cranston - the earliest non-flashback appearance on record for this character.

First appearance of Roger Demarest - the earliest non-flashback appearance on record for this character.

First appearance of Councilman Franklin Gresham - 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: Jim Starlin; inks: Jim Starlin; colors: Tatjana Wood	Batman [Bruce Wayne]; Robin [Dick Grayson]; Man-Bat [Kirk Langstrom]; Batgirl [Barbara Gordon]; Huntress [Helena Wayne] (inset)
1	-	illustration	1	pencils: Joe Staton; inks: Joe Staton	Batman [Bruce Wayne]; Man-Bat [Kirk Langstrom]; Huntress [Helena Wayne]; Robin [Dick Grayson]; Batgirl [Barbara Gordon]
2	The Monstrosity Chase!	comic story	20	script: Denny O'Neil; pencils: Michael Golden; inks: Craig Russell; colors: Jerry Serpe; letters: Clem Robins	Batman [Bruce Wayne]; Barry Dark (radio personality); Tabitha Blatant; Jami Lewin (Tabitha's secretary); The Gargoyle Gang; Commissioner James Gordon; Harry Noah (dressed as Batman, death); Alfred Pennyworth
3	The Fine Art of Murder	comic story	12	script: Bob Rozakis; pencils: Juan Ortiz; inks: Dave Hunt; colors: Mario Sen; letters: Todd Klein	Robin [Dick Grayson]; Lori Elton; Chief Frank McDonald; Herbie Agar; Lt. Tatem; Dave Corby
5	-	letters page	1	script: Bob Rozakis
6	Assault on the Pentagon!	comic story	12	script: Bob Rozakis; pencils: Juan Ortiz; inks: Vince Colletta; colors: Jerry Serpe; letters: Ben Oda	Batgirl [Barbara Gordon]; Senator Thomas Cleary; Madame Zodiac
7	Man-Bat No More!	comic story	9	script: Bob Rozakis; pencils: Danny Bulanadi; inks: Romeo Tanghal; colors: Jerry Serpe; letters: Milton Snapinn	Man-Bat [Kirk Langstrom]; Sunset Gang; Francine Langstrom; Rebecca Langstrom; Pat Cabollo; Jerry Cascio; Mike Babble; SNAFU (villain)
8	A Choice of Destinies	comic story	10	script: Paul Levitz; pencils: Joe Staton; inks: Bob Layton; colors: Adrienne Roy; letters: Todd Klein	The Huntress, Helena Wayne, Arthur Cranston First, Roger Demarest First, Councilman Franklin Gresham First
9	-	letters page	1	script: Bob Rozakis
10	Special Effects	promo (ad from the publisher)	1	letters: typeset

Plus 1 page of advertisements and other matter across 1 sequence, as published.

Where to read it

Collection	Year
Huntress: Darknight Daughter #[nn] ISBN 1-4012-0913-0	2007	On eBay ›
Batgirl: The Bronze Age Omnibus #2 ISBN 978-1-4012-8841-9	2019	On eBay ›
Legends of the Dark Knight: Michael Golden #[nn] ISBN 978-1-4012-8961-4	2019	On eBay ›
The Huntress: Origins #[nn] ISBN 978-1-77950-072-4	2020	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

‹ #1718 of 20#19 ›

Sources

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

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