Cover: Jim Aparo

Batman #307

Jan 1979 · DC · 0.40 USD

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“Dark Messenger of Mercy!”

★ 1st appearance — Lucius Fox

About this Issue

Batman #307 (January 1979) marks the debut of Lucius Fox, one of the most consequential supporting characters in Batman's entire supporting cast — a brilliant Black businessman who stepped in to manage the failing Wayne Enterprises and quietly became the financial and logistical backbone of Bruce Wayne's war on crime. Fox's introduction gave the Bruce Wayne side of the dual identity genuine narrative weight, adding corporate intrigue and a civilian ally whose competence matched Batman's own. The character's enduring importance was cemented decades later when Morgan Freeman portrayed him across Christopher Nolan's entire Dark Knight Trilogy, bringing the role to global audiences. Within the comics, the Fox family tree has continued to expand well into the 2020s, with Lucius's children — Luke, Tiffany, and Jace — each taking on their own costumed legacies.

In "Dark Messenger of Mercy!", Superman finds himself trapped by the villain Big Dome, who uses a Kryptonite beam to neutralize the Man of Steel. With help from two unexpected allies—children armed with Hostess Twinkies—the hero manages a clever escape, turning a moment of absurdity into a pivotal advantage. Art by Curt Swan and Vince Colletta brings the action to life, while Jim Aparo's cover captures the chaotic energy of the showdown.

writer Len Wein · artist John Calnan · inker Dick Giordano · colorist Glynis Wein · letterer Ben Oda · cover Jim Aparo

ComicBooks.com Value

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Raw (Fine) $20

CGC 9.8 · 24 in census $495

CGC 9.6 · 70 in census $167

CGC 9.4 · 35 in census $145

CGC 9.2 · 33 in census $57*

CGC 9.0 · 19 in census $57

CGC 8.5 · 20 in census $57

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CGC 8.0 · 20 in census $51*

CGC 7.5 · 6 in census $48*

CGC 7.0 · 9 in census $41*

CGC 6.5 · 6 in census $37*

CGC 6.0 · 6 in census $35

CGC 5.5 · 2 in census $28*

CGC 5.0 · 3 in census $26*

CGC 4.5 · 3 in census $24*

* estimate — limited direct-sales data at this grade

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

More listings for this title

Newsstand $14.15 FN $18 VG · Newsstand $18 VG $18 VG $21 VERY GOOD $21.99 FN · Newsstand $22.5 FN · Newsstand $24.99

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History

This issue was Len Wein's very first as the ongoing writer of the Batman title, making it a double debut: a new supporting character and a new creative steward arrived in the same issue. Wein scripted the story 'Dark Messenger of Mercy!' with penciller John Calnan, inker Dick Giordano, colorist Glynis Oliver-Wein (Len's wife at the time), letterer Ben Oda, and longtime Batman editor Julius Schwartz — who would retire from the title just two issues later with #309. The DC Database notes that credits for script, pencils, and inks were confirmed directly from Julius Schwartz's editorial records provided by DC Comics, giving the creative attribution unusually firm documentation. Wein's run on Batman, starting here, has been characterized by historians of the title as an early signal of the transition away from the Bronze Age's standalone stories toward a more serialized, subplot-driven approach.

Trivia · 8 facts

First appearance of Lucius Fox — Bruce Wayne's new Wayne Enterprises executive, who becomes one of Batman's most important long-term supporting characters.
Written by Len Wein (his debut issue on the Batman ongoing series); pencilled by John Calnan; inked by Dick Giordano; colored by Glynis Oliver-Wein; cover art by Jim Aparo.
Edited by Julius Schwartz, one of DC's most storied editors, in what would be among his final issues shepherding the Batman title (he departed with #309).
The main story is titled 'Dark Messenger of Mercy!' — a self-contained detective mystery in which Batman pursues a killer who murders Gotham's homeless by giving them poisoned gold coins.
A curious in-story Easter egg: Bruce and Lucius discuss 'Roxxon Stock,' a direct reference to the Marvel Comics corporate villain Roxxon — a playful cross-company nod.
The issue also contains a Fred Hembeck humor strip featuring the Elongated Man and the Justice League of America, plus a Hostess Twinkies Superman advertisement.
The main story has been reprinted multiple times: in DC Retroactive: Batman–The '70s #1 (2011), the hardcover Tales of the Batman: Len Wein (2014/2015), and internationally in German, French, Spanish, Dutch, and Scandinavian editions as early as 1979–1981.
Lucius Fox — introduced here as a secondary Wayne Enterprises executive — grew over decades into the CEO of Wayne Enterprises and the patriarch of an entire family of DC heroes including Batwing (Luke Fox), Jace Fox (Batman), and Tiffany Fox (Batgirl).