This volume collects mostly issues mostly issues of The Brave and the Bold (DC's team-up title) plus a couple stories from Detective, all from the mid-1970s. I didn't read much DC back then, but Batman was very prominent in pop culture and, though I love many other artists' interpretations of the character, it's Jim Aparo's version that remains definitive to me. The stories, however, leave something to be desired. On a month by month basis they are okay, but collected in a volume they quickly start to feel very samey. The plot usually revolves around an international incident, or a criminal gang taking hostages and threatening to blow things up. Don't expect too many "name" villains, either. Joker and Two-Face team up for the rare two-part story, but the way they are written they could be anyone. Likewise Catwoman. Mostly it is foreign warlords, or local crime bosses. Finally, there is always at least one ludicrous plot device or twist. They're not "bat-shark-repellent" level, but they come close. This was a time when Superman would display a new "super" ability on a regular basis to get himself out of a fix and you'll see a lot of that sort of thing here. I'm not disappointed I read this, but I had to read it in very small doses over a long period of time in order to tolerate it. 2.5 stars. ( )