BRONZE AGE MINUTE: Batman #300

DC; June 1978
Cover uncredited

Title: “The Last Batman Story — ?”
Synopsis: In a future Gotham City, an older Batman and Robin team to battle a color-themed secret society of nostalgia thieves.

Writer: David V. Reed
Penciler: Walter Simonson
Inker: Dick Giordano

Review: This “special 300th issue” of Batman was cruising to an A- grade – at least until a “we’re-out-of-pages-so-the-end!” conclusion blows the whole affair out of the water. From its first pages, David V. Reed’s story confounds. Instead of a gritty final showdown against a member of his legendary rogue’s gallery, the Dark Knight Detective is teamed with Robin for a face-off against a high-tech secret society in a futuristic DCU. It’s a fine tale, but doesn’t address the “last Batman story” angle until the hastily tacked-on epilogue. The result is a cliffhanger that’s not resolved – and a conclusion that’s terribly unsatisfying.

Grade: C+

Cool factor: The story bristles with potential.
Not-so-cool factor: Unfortunately, the story does little with its potential. … Also, the teaming of Walter Simonson and Dick Giordano – two very talented Bronze Age artists – doesn’t work nearly as well as one might expect.

Character quotable: “And when do I get the answers?” – Robin, the post-teen wonder (asking the question readers still have all these years later)

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