The Brave & the Bold #200
Published and © by DC, July 1983
Title: “Smell of Brimstone, Stench of Death!”
Synopsis: A villain defeated by the original Batman escapes a coma – and Earth-2 – to seek revenge on the Bronze Age Batman.
Writer: Mike W. Barr
Penciler: Dave Gibbons
Inker: Gibbons and Gary Martin
Review: Another sign of the Bronze Age’s impending end: The cancellation of the era’s original team-up book, The Brave & the Bold. DC tries to send the series out with a bang, but, despite an interesting premise, this story falls a little flat. Particularly, the Golden Age homage offers little new.
•••
Title: Untitled
Synopsis: Batman and his new superteam, The Outsiders, try to keep a hospitalized terrorist from killing himself and becoming a martyr.
Writer: Mike W. Barr
Artist: Jim Aparo
Review: A nice mix of characters and decent art from veteran Bat-penciler Jim Aparo gives this new superteam a fighting chance.
Grade (for the entire issue): B
Second opinion: “About as exciting as a new loaf of white bread.” – Amazing Heroes #21, March 1983 … “The final double-sized issue made it go out with a bang and no apologies.” – Michal Jacot, Comic Effect #27, Summer 2001 … “A nice epitaph to both an era and a series.” – The Slings & Arrows Comic Guide (second edition), 2003 … “A very satisfying mag, all in all.” – Martin Skidmore, Worlds Collide #7, 1983
Cool factor: The end of one era gives birth to another.
Not-so-cool factor: Dave Gibbons is great, but Jim Aparo really should have drawn the lead story, too.
Notable: First appearance of The Outsiders. … Also includes a one-page Bat-Mite strip, “Bat-Mite Speaks His Mind,” by Stephen DeStefano.
Collector’s note: According to the Grand Comics Database, there is a $2.00 Canadian variant of this issue.
Character quotable: “They – we call ourselves The Outsiders …” – The Batman, team leader
Editor’s note: This review was originally published by Comics Bronze Age on Jan. 18, 2010.
