The Battle for the Cowl tells about a world without Batman - but that's nothing new. One of the earliest issues of Detective Comics I can remember reading was this one from March 1962, and it was all about the end of Batman's career.
The lead story, credited only to "Bob Kane" (wink, wink), is titled "The Condemned Batman." While chasing some criminals through a factory that creates artificial gems, Batman is knocked out and left beneath the glow of mysterious rays.
He awakens to find his body is glowing red and radiating incredible heat. A quick examination shows he must spend the rest of his time in a capsule, breathing methane gas (which seems an odd choice since he's radiating intense heat, but let's not let science get in the way, kids).
Rather than ending his career, Batman devises a flying capsule that allows him to continue fighting crime until fate resolves the whole problem in a tidy and dramatic way.
The second part of the issue is devoted to John Jones, Manhunter From Mars. In a particularly delightful story, he finds himself facing several other Martians, and discovers they have teleported from Mars. He follows them back to his home planet, where we see a sweet family reunion with his parents, including wrinkly dad and white-haired mom.
Then he has to face the ultimate menace to Mars - a human with a box of matches! (Martians, of course, become powerless when confronted with fire. Yes, it's lame. What can I tell you - it was the '60s!)
So both stories in this issue are mostly silly - but I have nothing but fond memories of reading this comic over and over as a kid, and I maintain that any young reader would enjoy it just as much today.
The art is professional and clearly tells the story. The writing is crisp and efficient. Your mileage may vary, but for me - it's a classic!
Grade: B
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