Brave and the Bold #96 - Batman meets Sgt Rock in, "The Striped Pants War!"

XTC once claimed that, "Sgt Rock is going to help me."

Well, he certainly didn't help me.

He didn't help me remember I'd once read a comic which featured him.

That comic is Brave and the Bold #96, and it was one of that small batch of books I got from that legendary indoor market on Lytham Road, Blackpool, in the summer of 1972, when I was first starting out on my career as a super-hero fan.

But this one was different. While I had at least some memories of those other comics; for years, the only thing I could recall about this one was that it featured the word, "Bolas."

Needless to say, this made it a somewhat difficult comic to identify. But, at last, after 47 years, I've finally discovered its identity and have got my hands on a copy of it.

But, now that I have it, will it be revealed that my total inability to recall its contents was justified?

The US ambassador to a South American country's been kidnapped by terrorists and, now, Bruce Wayne's been sent there, as stand-in ambassador, to sort out a somewhat undefined treaty. Not only that but, by an incredible coincidence, Batman has also been sent there, to try and rescue the real ambassador.

But Wayne and Batman aren't the only United Statesians present, because Sgt Rock is currently working in the embassy, as head of security.

There's only one problem. It quickly becomes apparent that Rock has turned traitor and is involved in the kidnapping.

Needless to say, it's not long before Batman is on the case, nearly getting himself killed at every opportunity and leaping to all the wrong conclusions - because, in a shock revelation, it turns out Rock isn't a traitor at all and that the real bad guy is exactly who you knew it was going to be the moment you clapped eyes on him.

The ambassador is safe, Batman is happy and Sgt Rock's reputation is restored.

I do have to say it's pretty obvious why I remembered all but nothing of this comic for almost fifty years because it's easily the least memorable of that handful of books I got from that market. The script is mostly devoid of Bob Haney's usual madness, while Nick Cardy's artwork feels both unrefined and workmanlike.

Cardy is one of my favourite cover artists of all time but the few examples I've seen, over the years, of his interior artwork have totally lacked the magic he managed to imbue into his covers. In this case, it feels like he's trying to draw like Joe Kubert but is struggling with it, mostly because of tackling the endeavour with too thick a brush.

As for Sgt Rock, the reality is that he comes across like he may be intellectually subnormal, as well as a complete and total jerk. I've never read an issue of his own comic and, so, have no idea if this is how he was always written or if it's unique to this tale, but it's very difficult to warm to him here.

And, no, I don't have a a clue why the tale is called The Striped Pants War.

Anyway, I do believe I've now reviewed all the comics I got on that summer holiday. This, therefore, is my ranking of them:

1. Captain America #135.
2. X-Men #44.
3. Action Comics #402.
4. Teen Titans #33.
5. The Flash #195.
6. Brave and the Bold #96.

Batman comics I have owned.

Holy smoke, Batman! In recent days, we've looked at the Superman comics I owned as a child. But, as we all know, Superman without Batman is like cow heel without tripe.

And that can only mean one thing.

It's time to look at the caped crusader's comics I once owned as a child.

Batman meets Man-Bat, again.

As a child, I was very taken with the fact that each tale in this collection represented a different decade - especially that one could represent the future, which hadn't even happened yet.

It was my one childhood taste of Neal Adams' Batman, as Bruce takes on a werewolf.

And you can read my review of that story, right here.

It's the first one hundred page comic I ever owned.

While investigating a murder at a circus, Batman and Robin find themselves up against the Catwoman and her tigers.

But the highlight of the issue for me was the dynamic duo finding themselves up against an island populated by robot dinosaurs. It was silly, it was corny and it was old but it had super-heroes and dinosaurs. What more could you want from a piece of fiction when you're ten?

I got this one in Blackpool and have fond memories of it.

At least, I have fond memories of the second tale in the issue, as it introduced me to the concept of fixative, the phrase, "Round Robin," and it mentioned the Battle of Hastings.

Sadly, I recall nothing of the tale that features the Scarecrow.

There's mayhem on a film set and, as the bodies pile up, Batman seems to be losing his touch. He even gets told off by Commissioner Gordon for not catching the perpetrator fast enough.

That's Commissioner Gordon who's never caught a criminal in his entire life.

It's the only issue of The Brave and the Bold I ever owned, as Batman and the de-powered Wonder Woman team up to do something or other.

To be honest, I don't recall much about the tale other than that it had some fairly spiffing Jim Aparo art that I remember taking the time to copy with my pencil and sketchbook. I learned much about drawing torsos from it.

This is the Tomb of the Unknown Batman.

The first Batman comic I ever owned was bought from an indoor market in Blackpool in 1972. Sadly, I have no idea what issue it was or what title it was.

I recall Batman climbing a tree and using bolas on some bad guys.

It also introduced me to his utility belt.

I remember being very taken with the bendy spikes on his gloves.

Straight after buying this one, I went into Timsons shoe shop.

Thankfully, the comic was more exciting than Timsons.

Well, I say that but, for all I know, Timsons was selling Clarks Wayfinders, which - with their built-in compass and animal-track recognition system - were the most exciting shoes ever made.

This was the mag that introduced me to Manhunter, a man who I have no doubt had a compass and animal-track recognition aids in his very own footwear, as he seemed to have everything else in the world concealed somewhere about his person.

You can read my review of this issue's main tale, right here.

One of my all-time favourite comic book covers, as Jim Aparo gives us a life or death struggle in the wilderness.

As in the issue above, there's a monster on the loose and it turns out not to be a monster. Clearly the spirit of Scooby-Doo was strong with the caped crusader at this point in history.

This comic introduced me to the Golden Age Manhunter.

Speaking of the Manhunter, Walt Simonson, the artist who revived that very strip, gives us a tale of a waxworks and a rich man who'll stop at nothing to own Batman's cape.

You can read my review of this issue, right here.

There's a killer tattooist on the loose and only Batman can stop him.

You can read my review of this issue, right here.

It's that issue of World's Finest again, as our intrepid heroes still fail to capture Capricorn.

I'm pretty sure there's a scene in this where Superman declares he can't break into a house because it's illegal and Superman can't do things that are illegal.

So, what does he do?

He gets Batman to do it for him.

Erm, isn't that illegal too?

Sheffield's Most Wanted. Part 8: Batman meets the Spectre. Brave and the Bold #116.

Once more Steve Does Comics casts off the icy grip of the grave, whips out its Ouija and returns from beyond the veil to look at another comic I always wanted as a kid but never owned.

This time it's the meeting of DC's two finest men of mystery, as Batman teams up with the Spectre to fight whatever forces it is they're up against.

As a kid, I loved Batman and I loved the Spectre. Thanks to The Golden Voyage of Sinbad, I also loved murderous multi-armed goddesses. I loved Jim Aparo and I loved 100 page comics. So, when you put all that together on one cover, how was I ever not going to be drawn to The Brave and the Bold #116?

Although I never had it as a kid, I read this tale a few months ago, online, and was somewhat disappointed with it, as Batman and the Spectre acted like old buddies and even knew each other's secret identities. It has to be said the Spectre presented here seemed far removed from the totally unknown Vengeance of God character I knew from the Michael Fleisher Adventure Comics tales.

But then, I don't suppose that version of the character would even have wasted his time teaming up with Batman.