The Batman and Robin Adventures #1
The Batman and Robin Adventures #1 marks a clean editorial reset for DC's animated-universe tie-in line, relaunching The Batman Adventures under a new banner that mirrored the TV show's own rebrand to The Adventures of Batman & Robin — spotlighting Robin as a genuine co-lead rather than a supporting player. Written by series-architect Paul Dini, the inaugural issue drops readers into a tightly plotted Two-Face story that showcases the animated line's defining strength: psychologically grounded villain arcs delivered in all-ages form. Crucially, this issue also carries a very early Harley Quinn appearance in comics — her sixth across both animated-universe print and the animated show's spin-off titles — continuing to build the character's printed footprint years before she would cross into mainstream DC continuity. As the first chapter of a 25-issue run that would go on to introduce animated-universe takes on Deadman and Huntress, issue #1 established the creative template — Dini's character-first plotting, Templeton's clean animation-faithful linework, Burchett's precise inks — that defined every issue that followed.
Sell my copy
Have this issue — or a whole collection? Get a fair offer from us, skip the marketplace fees and the hassle.
We Buy Collections ▸History
The series emerged directly from DC's policy of mirroring its animated tie-in comics to whatever branding the television show carried at any given moment: when Batman: The Animated Series was retitled The Adventures of Batman & Robin on Fox Kids to emphasize Robin's expanded role, The Batman Adventures was correspondingly relaunched as The Batman and Robin Adventures with a fresh #1. Paul Dini, one of the animated series' core writers and Harley Quinn's co-creator alongside Bruce Timm, scripted the debut issue, with Ty Templeton handling both pencils and cover art and Rick Burchett providing inks — the same art team that would become the series' backbone. The series ran for 25 issues and 2 annuals before ending in 1997, at which point the animated-universe comic line pivoted again to follow The New Batman Adventures.
Trivia · 8 facts
- Cover date: November 1995; on-sale date approximately September 28, 1995. Published by DC Comics.
- Script by Paul Dini; pencils and cover by Ty Templeton; inks by Rick Burchett. The story is titled 'Two Timer,' Part 1 of 2.
- The issue is a direct continuation of The Batman Adventures (1992–1995), relaunched as a new #1 to align with the animated series' rebrand as The Adventures of Batman & Robin.
- Harley Quinn appears in this issue — her sixth comics appearance in the animated-universe line, following Batman Adventures #12 (1993), Batman Adventures: Mad Love (1994), Batman Adventures Annual #1 (1994), Batman Adventures #28 (1994), and Batman Adventures Holiday Special #1 (1995). She would not enter main DC continuity until Batman: Harley Quinn (1999).
- The story involves the Joker and Harley Quinn conspiring to sabotage Harvey Dent's recovery at Arkham Asylum by manufacturing false evidence of an affair between his fiancée Grace Lamont and Bruce Wayne, ultimately triggering Two-Face's relapse and escape.
- The issue exists in at least three print formats: direct edition, newsstand edition, and a DC Universe Logo UPC multi-pack edition (the latter distributed in DC's collector 'brick' multi-packs).
- The entire series ran 25 issues and 2 annuals (1995–1997); Ty Templeton was the regular writer across most of the run, with Rick Burchett as the primary artist.
- Issues #1–10 were collected in The Batman and Robin Adventures Vol. 1 trade paperback, published by DC Comics on December 14, 2016 — the first time these stories were collected in book form.