Today in Comics History, December 31, 1999, New Year's Eve: Wow, they sure wrote a whole lotta comics stories about Y2K, didn't they

from Batman 80-Page Giant #3 (DC, July 2000), script by Chuck Dixon, pencils by Mike Deodato, inks by David Roach, colors by Glenn Whitmore, letters by John Costanza

365 Days of DC House Ads, Day 344: They hate these posters!

House ad for Our Army at War #203 [Sgt. Rock's Prize Battle Tales,
a.k.a. 80-Page Giant #G-56] (February-March 1969); printed in Batman #209 (February 1969)
Comic cover art: pencils and inks by Joe Kubert
Ad designed and lettered by Gaspar Saladino

365 Days of DC House Ads, Day 302: Happy 25th Anniversary, Batman

Here's a double-header...or is that a two-face???...of house ads pitching the Batman 25th anniversary issue! Which is full of glittery, silver reprints. Hey, in those days there weren't trade paperbacks, so this was a dandy gift from Batman to us! No cake was included, sadly.



House ads for 80-Page Giant #5 [Batman's Silver Anniversary] (December 1964); top ad printed in Detective Comics #334 (December 1964), bottom half-page ad printed in The Atom #16 (December 1964)
Comic cover art: pencils and inks by Win Mortimer
Ad designed and lettered by Ira Schnapp

365 Days of DC House Ads, Day 223: Comics Oughta Be 160 Pages of Fun

House ad for 80-Page Giants Batman #185 (October-November 1966)
and World's Finest Comics #161 (October 1966) printed in Detective Comics #356 (October 1966)
Ad designed and lettered by Ira Schnapp

365 Days of DC House Ads, Day 132

House ad for 80-Page Giant Magazine #G-73 [aka Batman #223]
(July-August 1970); printed in Teen Titans v.1 #28 (July-August 1970)
Comic cover art: pencils by Curt Swan, inks by Murphy Anderson
Ad designed and lettered by Gaspar Saladino

Today This Month in Comics History, March 2000: Oh, it's a jolly holiday with Julian

The story you read in a previous Batman comic book is true. The names were not changed to protect the guilty. Trial was held in Section 22, Superior Court in and for the County of Kane in the municipality of Gotham City. In a moment, the results of that trial.


The suspect was found guilty of committing Calendar Crime. Calendar Crime is punishable by an extended sentence in Blackgate Prison.


Panels from "Chapter Two: Harsh Monday" in Batman 80-Page Giant #3, script by Chuck Dixon, pencils by Manuel Gutierrez, inks by Bud LaRosa, colors by Glenn Whitmore, letters by John Costanza
Alas, poor Julian Day, he won't even be able to see his cousin Jess and all her wacky loftmates when the Millennium switches over. On the bright side, he'll totally miss Y2K. Count your blessings, Julian!

And before you know it (a couple pages later), it is March 2000, and Jules is getting parole! Just in time to pick up the new NSYNC album No Strings Attached. C'mon, you know he's gotta be a fan.


At last! Sweet Gotham City Freedom!

Oh Gotham City freedom, shine on me, I love you
Shine the light, through the eyes of the ones left behind
Shine the light, shine the light
Shine the light, won't you shine the light
Gotham City freedom, I kill kill kill you with calendars, yes I will



Panel from "Chapter Three: The Terrible Tuesdays", script by Chuck Dixon, pencils by Mike Deodato, inks by David Roach, colors by Glenn Whitmore, letters by John Costanza
Well, goodie! Now at last Julian Day can get out of prison, stretch his legs, smell the fresh air, carpe that diem, and at last just have a pleaceful, quiet night's slYAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHH!


The moral of the story is: don't do the crime without a calendar that tells you the time. Or, it might be, don't give your extra house key to Batman. I dunno.

365 Days of DC House Ads, Day 15

House ad for 80 Page Giant #8 ([More Secret Origins]) (March 1965); printed in Batman #170 (March 1965)
Comic cover art: pencils and inks by Murphy Anderson
Ad designed and lettered by Ira Schnapp