Cover: Neal Adams

Batman #225

Sep 1970 · DC · 0.15 USD

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About this Issue

Batman #225 sits squarely in the creative heart of DC's Bronze Age reinvention of the Dark Knight, when editor Julius Schwartz, writer Denny O'Neil, and cover artist Neal Adams were systematically stripping away the campy, television-influenced Batman of the 1960s and restoring the character as a brooding, street-level detective. The lead story — in which Batman is framed for murder and must clear his own name while operating outside the law — embodies the grittier, morally complex storytelling that defined this era and foreshadowed Batman's long-running tension with institutional authority. While not a milestone first-appearance issue, it represents the O'Neil/Adams/Novick assembly line at full productive speed just months before the landmark Ra's al Ghul saga began with Batman #232. The issue also marks the first appearance (noted with some uncertainty in the record) of Arthur Reeves, a supporting character who would recur in the Gotham City political landscape.

In "Wanted for Murder-One, the Batman," Commissioner Gordon is forced to confront a chilling possibility: his longtime ally, Batman, might be guilty of murder. Written by Denny O'Neil and illustrated by Irv Novick, with inks by Dick Giordano and letters by John Costanza, this 1970 issue delivers a tense, character-driven mystery that tests the limits of trust. The cover, by Neal Adams, captures the gravity of the moment with a striking, moody portrait of Batman under suspicion.

Contains 2 stories

Wanted for Murder-One, the Batman

14.5 pp · Superhero

Batman [Bruce Wayne]Commissioner James GordonArthur Reeves (introduction?)Jonah Jory"Squeaky" PiperSy SempleAnderson P. Forsythe

Shutdown on York Street!

9 pp · Superhero

Batman [Bruce Wayne]Art SaddowsAlex SaddowsChris PikeJack Donaldson

ComicBooks.com Value

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Raw (Fine) $30

CGC 9.8 · 3 in census $2,802

CGC 9.6 · 6 in census $509

CGC 9.4 · 31 in census $275

CGC 9.2 · 23 in census $179

CGC 9.0 · 20 in census $175

CGC 8.5 · 27 in census $88

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CGC 8.0 · 14 in census $88

CGC 7.5 · 12 in census $88*

CGC 7.0 · 6 in census $58

CGC 6.5 · 7 in census $58*

CGC 6.0 · 7 in census $58*

CGC 5.5 · 4 in census $56*

CGC 5.0 · 5 in census $49

CGC 4.5 · 4 in census $49

CGC 4.0 none in existence

CGC 3.5 none in existence

CGC 3.0 · 1 in census $34*

* estimate — limited direct-sales data at this grade

Our model’s value — refined as new sales data arrives · CGC census counts shown where available

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GD $14.99 GD $17.99 VG $20 VG $23 VG $24 FN $24 VG $25 FN $28

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History

The issue was produced under the tight creative infrastructure that Julius Schwartz assembled after taking over the Batman titles in 1964 and pushing the character toward darker, more naturalistic stories from 1969 onward. Schwartz paired staff and freelance talent deliberately: Denny O'Neil scripted the lead story, Irv Novick drew it, Dick Giordano inked it, and Neal Adams — who had become DC's premier cover artist by this period — supplied the cover entirely in pencils and inks, a pairing confirmed by Schwartz's own editorial records held at DC. The back-up story was written by Mike Friedrich, with Novick again penciling and Mike Esposito on inks, reflecting the anthology format still standard for Batman's monthly title at the time.

Trivia · 8 facts

Cover date September 1970; actual on-sale date July 16, 1970 — published by National Periodical Publications Inc. (DC Comics).
Cover penciled and inked entirely by Neal Adams, confirmed from Julius Schwartz's editorial records provided to DC Comics researchers.
Lead story: 'Wanted for Murder-One, the Batman' — script by Denny O'Neil, pencils by Irv Novick, inks by Dick Giordano, letters by John Costanza; features Batman framed for the murder of a talk-show host who publicly attacked him and Commissioner Gordon.
Back-up story: 'Shutdown on York Street!' — script by Mike Friedrich, pencils by Irv Novick, inks by Mike Esposito; centers on a drag-racing incident and the son of recurring character Art Saddows.
First appearance (listed with some uncertainty in source records) of Arthur Reeves, a Gotham City supporting character.
Edited by Julius Schwartz with Carmine Infantino serving as DC's Executive Editor.
The Neal Adams cover was reprinted in at least eight separate collected editions, including Batman Illustrated by Neal Adams Vol. 2 (2004), Batman by Neal Adams Omnibus (2016), and Batman by Neal Adams #2 (2019).
The lead story 'Wanted for Murder-One' was reprinted in The Best of DC #30 (November 1982), indicating early recognition of its quality within DC's own editorial retrospectives.