Who could forget! Hold your teeth. I have found an appearance of Batman Jones that predates Batman #108 in Batman #92.
Before we dive in, I want to credit this all to Bill Finger, who's sheer genius allowed for this to happen.
Now! In Batman #92 our first story is about Batman receiving too much fan mail. Boy do I know a thing or two about that.
"My long lost egyptian half cousin is dyeing, and needs me to claim his inheritance! Oh wait i'm already rich."
I don't want to get into the entire story, so it's easier if you just read the first 2 pages:
ANY Batman comic that has the Gotham Gazette can receive a score of no less than 6/10 in my book. So any ways, they go sorting through some interesting lettters:
Wow lady. No need to call the police. Just send Batman mail! Which he is clearly so famous for answering. It's been what, at least 3 days since you sent that letter? Sorry lady, your kid is probably fish food by now.
So after the last letter, Batman saves the kid and it becomes news that Batman reads his mail. And would you know it, people all over the world decide to write in:
According to Google Translate: Drat Arga Na Batman = Thread Price of Batman (indonesian to english)
The letters continue:
But I bet you're all wondering how Batman Jones ties into this. Well, here it is. Batman reads this one letter that stuck out like a sore thumb to any golden age geek:
"..."
You can literally see the moment Batman knew his fan club is more extreme than any other. Not MLP, Superman, Spiderman, Marvel, or anything. The Batman fan club is NOT to be trifled with.
But it's time to point out the sheer genius of this moment. This comic issue took place in the first story in Batman #92. Batman Jones debuted in Batman #108. Except Batman #108 came out in 1957, while this issue came out in 1955.
That means Bill Finger wrote this little Easter Egg in 2 years before it was even a thing. No one ever noticed (except me). THAT is how you write comics, by developing a world around it. Grant Morrison would be drooling at this find, although so was I.
This does introduce a continuity flaw though, because Batman saved infant Batman Jones before Dick was Robin. Here, the letter refers to him just being born. Then later in Batman #108, Batman Jones is at least 8. that would make Robin 20 in that issue, when he is only about 14. But this was written in 2 years before #109, so my guess is it's just an unsolved error.
Oh yeah, and Batman gets a Giant Letter too:
There is no description to explain the shock that is racing through their minds. they try to find reason but there is none in a world of World Wide Batman Clubs and Giant letters.
...Dear God. Excuse my breaking of a commandment but what do you say about something that leaves Batman himself speechless? They just look at each other for something, anything, to explain what in the **** is going on. There is none. No explanation.
The Batman Fan-Club is NOT to be trifled with.
And then the final thing to make Batman lose it:
"That's too much!" Really? I that's pretty normal so far compared to what you've seen.
I might as well show you how it ends:
So that's that, Batman #92. The Batman Jones moment for my really helps defines Bill Finger's work, which is so uncredited and unrealized. I'm not one of the guys who say that Bob Kane stole Batman and took the credit, but I think it's actually a fair 50/50 on who created what.
Well, my ride's here:
Actually they seem to be stuck in traffic:
So in the meantime, a preview of Bat-Hound Week!:
Also from Batman #92! What an epic and historic issue!
What mysterious enthralling story details Ace the Bat-Hound's past? Find out next time on Batman Archives! Join us Sunday for Bat-Hound Week; Day 1: A Swimming Pooch!
Still in traffic...
Almost here...
Well, my ride's here (finally):
See you on Sunday for Bat-Hound Week!
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