The Brave and the Bold is the title shared by many comic book series published by DC Comics. The first of these was published as an ongoing series from 1955 to 1983. It was followed by mini-series in 1991 and in 1999 and was finally revived as an ongoing in 2007.
The focus of each version of the comic has varied over time but most commonly (and currently) features team-ups of characters from across the DC Universe.
Publication history
Volume 1
The first volume of the series ran for 200 issues from August 1955 to July 1983. Originally, Brave and the Bold was an anthology series featuring adventure tales from past ages with characters like Silent Knight, Viking Prince, Golden Gladiator, Robin Hood, and many others.
But with issue #25, the series got reinvented as a try-out title for new characters and concepts. Each were tried out in three issues at a time. The first in issues #25-27 was the Suicide Squad, following by the Justice League of America from issues #28-30, leading to the title of the same name and the team becoming DC's well-known superhero team. Other characters and teams that became well-known thanks to the book were Metamorpho, Nemesis, and the Teen Titans, among others.
The series' focus changed again with issue #50, becoming a venue for team-ups between established characters (except issues 57 and 58, which introduced Metamorpho in a solo story). From issue #67 until the title's end with issue #200 (except #72 and #73), all of these team-ups featured Batman. This final issue served as a preview of the title that replaced The Brave and the Bold in DC's schedule, featuring the origin of Batman and the Outsiders.
The title is known for being the first to feature Neal Adams' version of Batman, generating fan interest that led to his style becoming the then-modern, or currently modern, Batman image.
Volume 2 and Flash and Green Lantern: The Brave and the Bold
In December 1991-June 1992, The Brave and the Bold returned as a 6 part mini-series featuring Green Arrow, The Question, and the Butcher. The mini-series was written by Mike Grell.
Then in October 1999- March 2000, a second 6 part mini-series was published starring The Flash and Green Lantern titled Flash and Green Lantern: The Brave and the Bold. This mini-series was written by Mark Waid and Tom Peyer with art by Barry Kitson and Tom Grindberg. A trade paperback of this mini-series was published in 2001 (ISBN 1563897083).
The title was used again in 2001 for The Brave and the Bold Annual No. 1 1969 Issue, a one-shot special that reprinted selected Silver Age team-ups in the 1960s-style 80-Page Giant format, as a companion piece to the original comic book series, had an Annual issue been published at that time.
Volume 3
After years of fan interest since the cancellation of the first volume, DC resurrected the Brave and the Bold title as a second volume on-going series in April 2007. Deciding that it would be a random team-up book and not a Batman team-up book, the first writer was Mark Waid, who remained on the title from its first issue to its sixteenth. While the first arc involved Batman, in a team-up with Green Lantern Hal Jordan, the story had the two team-up with various others characters as well. Other characters included the likes of Supergirl, Lobo, Blue Beetle, and the Legion of Super Heroes. The second arc picked up threads from the first arc, but mainly focused on self-contained stories.
After Waid's departure, Marv Wolfman took over for a two part storyline, while David Hine and Doug Braithwaite did a four issue arc on the book featuring Hal Jordan and Phantom Stranger. Also Dan Jurgens is writing a issue (#23) with Booster Gold and Magog. Originally it was announced at WonderCon that writer J. Michael Straczynski would take over the book with Jesus Saiz on art. His run began in September of 2009 with issue #27, and featured a team-up between Batman and Dial H For Hero.
Collections
In 2005 an archive edition, The Brave and the Bold Team-Ups Archive, was published containing the first 'team-up' issues. Other issues have appeared in the following collections:
- Showcase Presents: Justice League of America vol 1. (#28-30)
- Showcase Presents: Hawkman vol 1. (#34-36, #42-43)
- Showcase Presents: Green Arrow vol 1. (#50, #71, #85)
- Showcase Presents: Haunted Tank vol 1. (#52)
- Showcase Presents: The Teen Titans vol 1. (#54, #60)
- Showcase Presents: Metamorpho vol 1. (#57-58, #66, #68)
- Showcase Presents: The Brave & The Bold - Batman Team-Ups vol 1. (#59, #64, #67, #69-71, #74-87)
- Showcase Presents: The Brave & The Bold - Batman Team-Ups vol 2. (88-109)
- Showcase Presents: The Brave & The Bold - Batman Team-Ups vol 3. (109-134)
Then in 2007, DC Comics started releasing hardcovers of the current Brave and the Bold series. Volume 1 was released on December 5, 2007, Volume 2 was released on August 5, 2008, Volume 3 was released in April 2009, and Volume 4 was released in July 2009.
- Brave and the Bold: vol 1. The Lords of Luck (#1-6)
- Brave and the Bold: vol 2. The Book of Destiny (#7-12)
- Brave and the Bold: vol 3. Demons and Dragons (#13-16, Brave & Bold v1 #181, Flash v2 #107 and Impulse #17)
- Brave and the Bold: vol 4. Without Sin (#17-22)
Awards
The series won Alley Awards in 1962 for Best Single Comic Book Cover (#42 by Joe Kubert), in 1965 for Best Comic Book Cover (#61 by Murphy Anderson), and in 1968 for Best Full-Length Story ("Track of the Hook" in #79 by Bob Haney and Neal Adams).
In other media
Justice League
The Brave and the Bold was used as the title for a two-part episode of the first season of Justice League. The title seems to refer to the The Flash and Green Lantern characters in connection to the second mini-series featuring Barry Allen and Hal Jordan in the roles.
Batman: The Brave and the Bold
An animated series based on the Brave and the Bold concept began airing on November 14, 2008. As the title suggests, the series features Batman teaming-up with various characters of the DC Universe, much like the first volume of the ongoing series. The tone of the series is markedly lighter than the previous Batman: The Animated Series, closer in tone to Justice League Unlimited.
Major characters who have appeared so far include:
- Heroes
Adam Strange, Aquaman, The Atom, Batman, Black Canary, Blue Beetle, Booster Gold, Deadman, Doctor Fate, Fire (she only appeared in the second episode), Flash, Green Arrow, The Green Lantern Corps, Guy Gardner, Jonah Hex, Kamandi, Huntress, Metamorpho, Red Tornado, Plastic Man, Hawk and Dove OMAC and Wildcat.
- Villains
Black Manta, Calendar Man, Cavalier, Clock King, The Joker, Gentleman Ghost, Gorilla Grodd, The Terrible Trio, Kite Man, Morgaine Le Faye, Kanjar Ro, Despero, Ocean Master, Shrapnel, Bat-Mite, Equinox, the Music Meister and Zebra-Man.
Notes
References
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