Batman #255
☆ Be the first to review + Add to your collection — Join freeBatman #255 closes one of the most transformative creative partnerships in DC history: it marks the final Batman interior story Neal Adams drew for DC Comics before a gap of nearly four decades, capping a run that fundamentally redefined the Dark Knight as a gothic, physically credible figure after the campy 1960s TV era. The issue introduces Anthony Lupus, Batman's first fully realized werewolf antagonist, embedding monster-horror DNA into the Bronze Age Batman mythos in a way that proved durable enough to be adapted directly for Batman: The Animated Series eighteen years later. As a 100-Page Super Spectacular it also packages that new lead story alongside historically significant Golden Age reprints — including the Bill Finger/Sheldon Moldoff tale 'The First Batman,' which establishes Thomas Wayne as the original Bat-Man — making the issue a self-contained capsule of the character's creative evolution from 1939 to 1974.
In "Moon of the Wolf," a mysterious Batman-type costume found in Bruce Wayne's attic stirs long-buried memories, leading him to question the truth behind his parents' murder. Written by Bill Finger and illustrated by Bob Kane with inks by Stan Kaye, this 1974 classic reopens the case with a chilling twist—Joey Chill may have been a pawn, and the real killer still walks free. The cover, a striking collaboration by Neal Adams and Nick Cardy, captures the story’s eerie, suspenseful tone.
In "Moon of the Wolf," Batman intercepts a violent attack on a young woman, only to face a terrifying assailant who moves with the ferocity of a werewolf. As both Bruce Wayne and the Dark Knight pursue the mystery, they uncover a chilling connection to Anthony Lupus, a man transformed by a dangerous serum from the reclusive Professor Milo. The hunt leads to a confrontation that tests Batman’s resolve as he faces a foe caught between man and monster.
In "The First Batman," a mysterious costume found in Bruce Wayne’s attic stirs long-buried memories, leading him to reconsider the truth behind his parents’ murder—revealing that Joey Chill was just a hired hand, and the real mastermind behind the crime may still be out there, untouched by justice.
In "The Duped Domestics!", Alfred finds himself tangled in a web of mistaken identity when he tries to win the heart of a charming new acquaintance—unaware she’s actually the Catwoman in disguise. Posing as Batman to impress her, the loyal but misguided butler stumbles into a scheme far more complicated than he ever expected.
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The lead story, 'Moon of the Wolf,' was scripted by Len Wein, penciled by Neal Adams, and inked by his longtime business partner Dick Giordano, all under the editorial stewardship of Julius Schwartz — credits confirmed directly from Schwartz's editorial records preserved by DC Comics. The cover is a composite: Adams painted the primary werewolf-vs-Batman image while Nick Cardy supplied four smaller vignette illustrations representing the issue's reprint features. Batman and Detective Comics were both being published on a bimonthly schedule at this point in 1974, a sign that the title was not at a commercial peak, making Adams's bravura swansong on the character all the more striking in retrospect.
Trivia · 8 facts
- First appearance of Anthony Lupus (a.k.a. the Werewolf), a former Olympic Decathlon champion turned into a werewolf by Professor Milo's serum, created by writer Len Wein and writer/plotter Dennis O'Neil with art by Neal Adams.
- Final Batman interior story drawn by Neal Adams for DC Comics before a gap of approximately 37 years; Adams would not return to draw interior Batman pages until Batman: Odyssey (2010–11).
- Lead story 'Moon of the Wolf' scripted by Len Wein, penciled by Neal Adams, inked by Dick Giordano; cover by Neal Adams with vignettes by Nick Cardy; colored by Tatjana Wood; lettered by Gaspar Saladino.
- Edited by Julius Schwartz; credits for script, pencils, and inks confirmed from Schwartz's own editorial records provided by DC Comics.
- Published February 28, 1974 (cover-dated April 1974) as a 100-Page Super Spectacular, retailing for 50 cents.
- Includes a reprint of 'The First Batman' (scripted by Bill Finger, penciled by Sheldon Moldoff, originally from Batman #47, 1948), which introduces Lew Moxon and presents Thomas Wayne as a proto-Batman — a foundational piece of Bruce Wayne's origin mythology.
- Also reprints 'The Duped Domestics!' (featuring Catwoman and Alfred, scripted by Alvin Schwartz, art by Jerry Robinson) and 'The Outsider Strikes Again!' (scripted by Gardner Fox, art by Sheldon Moldoff).
- The 'Moon of the Wolf' story was adapted as the 43rd produced / 36th aired episode of Batman: The Animated Series (Season 1, 1992), with Len Wein — the original comic scripter — also writing the teleplay; the episode features the animated debut of Anthony Romulus (the Lupus analog), voiced by Harry Hamlin.
Full credits
Reprints
↩ Reprints Batman #22 (1944), Star Spangled Comics #123 (1951), Detective Comics #235 (1956), Detective Comics #340 (1965), Detective Comics #363 (1967)
Reprinted in Comic Reader #102 (1973), Superman #13/1974 (1974), Superman #15/1974 (1974), Batman Classics #60 (1975), Batman Classics #61 (1975), Batman Classics #64 (1975), Lynvingen #3/1975 (1975), Läderlappen #4/1975 (1975), Lynvingen #4/1975 (1975), Batman Classics #79 (1976), Läderlappen #10/1976 (1976), Lynvingen #10/1976 (1976), Batman Extra #7 (1983), Federal Comics Starring Batman and... #6 (1984), Batman #2 (1984), Batman #3 (1989), Batman Illustrated by Neal Adams #3 (2006), Batman: Demoniske møter [Alle Tiders Superhelter] #[nn] (2006), Batman Collection: Neal Adams #4 (2010), Batman Illustrated by Neal Adams #3 (2013), Tales of the Batman: Len Wein #[nn] (2015), Batman by Neal Adams Omnibus #[nn] (2016), DC Comics - The Legend of Batman #44 (2019), Batman by Neal Adams #3 (2020)
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