Rating: 
Summary: Batman-Now you know
Review: As a long time Batman fan (the 1970's) I found this book very enjoyable. Though it could have added a few more details in some areas, it did deliver as promised. The amount of reserch Mr.Daniels put in is respectable. The artwork of the varrios eras is a treat.A favorite section is the insperation for the Darkknight Detective, which led to the Batman I am so found of today. As another fan once said "Batman is the hero we could have become." And it seems his creators knew this. I hope Mr.Daniels does as good a job with his other work with DC Heros.
Rating:
Summary: Everything about the Dark Knight and then some..
Review: Highest recommendation possible. I thought the the Batman Collected and Batman: Animated books were enough but I was wrong. The abudance of information on the Batman mythos is unbelievable. An added bonus on the hardcover book is Alex Ross' (Marvels, Kingdom Come, Earth X, Batman: War on Crime) take on the artwork that is shown on the front and back dust cover. Great book for new and/or long-time fans.
Rating:
Summary: Everything about the Dark Knight and then some..
Review: Highest recommendation possible. I thought the the Batman Collected and Batman: Animated books were enough but I was wrong. The abudance of information on the Batman mythos is unbelievable. An added bonus on the hardcover book is Alex Ross' (Marvels, Kingdom Come, Earth X, Batman: War on Crime) take on the artwork that is shown on the front and back dust cover. Great book for new and/or long-time fans.
Rating:
Summary: Excellent
Review: I don't know if Batman is easier to identify with because he's just a normal man in a cape instead of an alien with superhuman powers, but there's obviously something human and provoking about the character that has lasted for upwards of 60 years. This book covers it all. It's a great history, particularly the early chapters which illustrate various influences and inspirations on the characters we all grew up with. Particularly fascinating (or freaky, depending on your point of view), is the development of the Joker and his evolution into Batman's perfect foil. The artwork is, of course, top notch and it's great to take a trip back to revisit whatever point in time you started reading the comics. Keep this one on your coffee table and I guarantee every visitor you have will not be able to resist picking it up.
Rating: 
Summary: Overrated
Review: I love Les Daniel's books on Marvel and DC, but I don't think Batman: The Complete History is very good as a stand-alone Batman guide. I think it tried to cover too much of every aspect of Batman for the length of the book. There are not nearly enough examples of actual comic book panels and artwork, and a lot of pages seem wasted to me. For example, full-page shots of Batman bobblehead dolls. The three reprinted stories are nice, but wouldn't it have made more sense to use excerpts from a wider variety of Batman issues? I think so. Another thing that bothers me is that there is no artwork at all from longtime Batman penciller Norm Breyfogle. Breyfogle is the best artist to ever draw Batman, and he's barely mentioned in this book. At 206 pages, this book is far too short and could have benifitted from another 40 or 50 page cover gallery or something. Then at least we could have gotten some of Breyfogle's amazing covers from the 80s and 90s. Three stars. It's still a great book for Batfans, but to me it's lacking.
Rating:
Summary: Bats in the Belfrey
Review: I really think Les Daniel's books on Superman, Batman, and Wonder Woman are invaluable. However, I think Daniels has a strange attitude about the Batman movie serials. I own both the 1943 Batman with Lewis Wilson and Douglas Croft, as well as the 1949 Batman and Robin with Robert Lowery and John Duncan, and I enjoy them both. Admittedly, my Wilson version was edited of anti-Japanese remarks, and only referred to gangsters, but of all the version of Batman I've seen I prefer Wilson's. He seemed somewhat British, and played a Batman with the self-awareness that it's silly to be dressed like a giant bat. Essentially, Wilson's Bruce Wayne/Batman really worked well as a single character. Bruce Wayne acted like a bored millionaire, because he was one, and Batman was his excitement, instead of booze and women. Wilson's Wayne was a cross between a typical big game hunter, and Count Zaroff in the Most Dangerous Game. Douglas Croft's Robin actually appeared to be a teenager, and neither of these characters seem to be able to sit still when it was time to turn into their heroic alter-egos. Robert Lowery's Batman and John Duncan's Robin were more bland and staid. John Duncan seemed too old for Robin, but at least he wasn't dressed like a junior version of an adult, with the hat and tie that Croft's Dick Grayson sometimes wore. Duncan's main function as Batman's sidekick seemed to be to maintain the car, a believably teen-aged interest. The one big improvement was in the costume. Wilson's bat suit didn't quite fit, and was in shades of grey, although he had a nice looking metal utility belt. Lowery's Batman had a better fitting suit, a much larger bat on his chest, and the colors were grey and black, which looked much more dramatic. Unfortunately, his utility belt was more like a sash. People have written much about the lack of the Batmobile in the serials, and like most I prefer Lewis Wilson's black limousine. However, Lowery drove a 1949 convertible which was probably hot off the assembly line and although no Batmobile, had interesting doo-dads. One was with the push of a button being able to open and close the convertible top, he had another button that sounded a siren, and another that radioed whatever was said inside the car back to the Batcave. But of the two I prefer Lewis Wilson, and am somewhat mystified at Les Daniels referring to Wilson's Batman as an upper-class twit.
Rating:
Summary: Bats in the Belfrey
Review: I really think Les Daniel's books on Superman, Batman, and Wonder Woman are invaluable. However, I think Daniels has a strange attitude about the Batman movie serials. I own both the 1943 Batman with Lewis Wilson and Douglas Croft, as well as the 1949 Batman and Robin with Robert Lowery and John Duncan, and I enjoy them both. Admittedly, my Wilson version was edited of anti-Japanese remarks, and only referred to gangsters, but of all the version of Batman I've seen I prefer Wilson's. He seemed somewhat British, and played a Batman with the self-awareness that it's silly to be dressed like a giant bat. Essentially, Wilson's Bruce Wayne/Batman really worked well as a single character. Bruce Wayne acted like a bored millionaire, because he was one, and Batman was his excitement, instead of booze and women. Wilson's Wayne was a cross between a typical big game hunter, and Count Zaroff in the Most Dangerous Game. Douglas Croft's Robin actually appeared to be a teenager, and neither of these characters seem to be able to sit still when it was time to turn into their heroic alter-egos. Robert Lowery's Batman and John Duncan's Robin were more bland and staid. John Duncan seemed too old for Robin, but at least he wasn't dressed like a junior version of an adult, with the hat and tie that Croft's Dick Grayson sometimes wore. Duncan's main function as Batman's sidekick seemed to be to maintain the car, a believably teen-aged interest. The one big improvement was in the costume. Wilson's bat suit didn't quite fit, and was in shades of grey, although he had a nice looking metal utility belt. Lowery's Batman had a better fitting suit, a much larger bat on his chest, and the colors were grey and black, which looked much more dramatic. Unfortunately, his utility belt was more like a sash. People have written much about the lack of the Batmobile in the serials, and like most I prefer Lewis Wilson's black limousine. However, Lowery drove a 1949 convertible which was probably hot off the assembly line and although no Batmobile, had interesting doo-dads. One was with the push of a button being able to open and close the convertible top, he had another button that sounded a siren, and another that radioed whatever was said inside the car back to the Batcave. But of the two I prefer Lewis Wilson, and am somewhat mystified at Les Daniels referring to Wilson's Batman as an upper-class twit.
Rating:
Summary: Beautifully Produced, Fun to Play With
Review: Les Daniels has written and Chip Kidd has created visually a wonderful book about that wonderful character Batman. It is a complete history and each decade is shown in its origianl bright colours or dark hues or some gorgeous combination of both. Batman is served very well as the author lovingly (yet often critically) looks at the many changes this character has gone through and survived. A particular joy is the first chapter and its look at pulps, the real roots of Batman. The book is also useful in its examination of other media, such as TV, movies and the weird and witty range of merchandise produced to cash in on various Batman crazes. This book is pure pleasure and will result in a joyous nostalgic sugar rush for the lucky reader. A great read.
Rating:
Summary: Beautifully Produced, Fun to Play With
Review: Les Daniels has written and Chip Kidd has created visually a wonderful book about that wonderful character Batman. It is a complete history and each decade is shown in its origianl bright colours or dark hues or some gorgeous combination of both. Batman is served very well as the author lovingly (yet often critically) looks at the many changes this character has gone through and survived. A particular joy is the first chapter and its look at pulps, the real roots of Batman. The book is also useful in its examination of other media, such as TV, movies and the weird and witty range of merchandise produced to cash in on various Batman crazes. This book is pure pleasure and will result in a joyous nostalgic sugar rush for the lucky reader. A great read.
Rating:
Summary: Darned Close to Definitive, and Great Looking!
Review: There's probably more history to the Batman than one mass market book could ever handle, but Les Daniels comes as close as anyone is ever likely to get to telling the whole story. While Les does race through huge chunks of Batman's career - barely mentioning such important writers as Doug Moench and Marv Wolfman, and not mentioning Don Newton and many other artists - he presents the big picture very well. The wide array of interviews are impressive - how often does Michael Keaton talk about Batman? - and the honest assessment of Batman's mucked-up life during the 1950s and 60s makes Daniels' appreciation of what came later all the more convincing. Credit is also due to designer Chip Kidd, and to the myriad who helped make the book possible. Want to see Batman collectibles? They're all here, from the early days to the present. How about a story? Three classic Batman tales, including one by Bruce Timm, are here, too. This book is a treat for Batman fans, and will fill in the blanks for those who just tuned in, and who wonder why us "old-timers" keep talking about Kathy Kane and Ace the Bathound. No-fans will get a kick out of the art and should enjoy the glimpse into what makes a legend most.
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