Brave & the Bold #101 (DC/1972)

 

Brave & the Bold #101 (DC)

Bob Haney (w) Jim Aparo (a)

One of my favourite titles from back in the day was Brave & the Bold which was (mostly) a team up comic featuring Batman with one of DC's more minor characters getting a well deserved outing. Sometimes these team ups were quite bizarre as Bruce found himself fighting alongside the Joker or Kamandi but those are stories for another day.

This issue features one of DC's most under-rated superheroes, Metamorpho. I recall picking up copies of his short lived comic back in the sixties which along with the action was actually quite educational. Oh yest the stories were quite absurd and Rex's supporting cast somewhat eccentric to say the least but they were a good read.

This team-up is no exception as Batman faces the return of a dangerous opponent in the for of The Bounty Hunter. A murder is committed and a list found which includes not just Bruce Wayne but Sapphire Stagg who just happens to be Metamorpho's girlfriend. 

Metamorpho is revived early by Sapphires duplicitous father in order to protect her from being murdered. Immediately Rex blows his top and fights ensue but Sapphire is his hearts desire so as usual Rex complies.

The story itself is a simple set piece murder mystery around the sale of an estate and a conflict between two brothers. One needs the money, the other slightly deranged wishes to to retain his inheritance and has hired the villain to remove all the bidders.

With wonderful stylish art from Jim Aparo the adventure leads to it's obvious conclusion as Batman and Metamorpho save the day though the Bounty Hunter makes his escape.

This is also one of those 52 page editions that DC mistakenly launched in the early seventies that contributed to companies decline in market share against Marvel. The extra pages feature a story of The Viking Prince which was of no interest to me at the time nor now. Not worth the extra cost in pocket money.

However the main story is a great read and is 25 pages long and complete in one issue. I miss those types of comics. Everything is an on-going story arc these days which makes random pick ups impossible. No wonder they no longer sell anywhere but specialist shops. Comics are no longer for the masses it seems. 

And DC never seems to learn as it runs into trouble again with a disastrous distribution decision by breaking with Diamond. They couldn't have picked a worse moment for the industry.

Still there will always  be back issues....