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Sunday, February 22, 2026

Favourite comics: Batman Family # 19 - Michael Golden, Denny O'Neil

Batman Family was an excellent anthology comic that ran for 20 issues between 1975 and 1978 which was designed to showcase solo stories featuring characters from the Batman universe including Batgirl, Robin and Man-Bat. Initially the series ran a mix of classic reprints with a couple of new stories. However, with issue 11 that all changed and it became an 80 page mag featuring all new strips illustrated by some of comics newest artistic talents. One such artist was Michael Golden who after drawing the Man-Bat series in #15 -17 took over the art chores on the Batman series from #14 until #20, the last issue of the Batman Family. For many fans Goldens Batman has remained a high point in the characters long history, for myself his Batman was always fun and exciting.
This issue also featured a Batgirl back-up.
Although #20 was the last issue of Batman Family the title merged with Detective Comics with #481 a series it out sold but DC decided to keep due to the titles importance to the company. Golden completed one final Batman story in issue 482 before moving on.
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10 comments:

  1. KidFebruary 22, 2026 at 12:16 AM

    That cover and some of the interior pages seem so familiar that I'm pretty sure I had this issue - and may even still have it, though, if so, haven't looked at it in a good long while. One day I'll have to sit and think about who my all-time favourite Batman artist is. Hey, sounds like an idea for a post.

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  2. McSCOTTYFebruary 22, 2026 at 12:22 AM

    Sounds a great idea for a post kid. I won't give my top 5 in case you do that ( I can reply on your blog) but I'm pretty sure you probably know who my favourite Batman artist was.

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    1. KidFebruary 22, 2026 at 12:26 AM

      Let me take a rough, stab-in-the-dark guess - Neal Adams? Nah, it couldn't be - could it? (He said, feigning ignorance.)

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  3. McSCOTTYFebruary 22, 2026 at 1:28 AM

    Lol spot on.

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  4. baggseyMarch 4, 2026 at 7:06 AM

    There’s some great panels in the story, but also some very strange facial expressions from Batman that better editing would have thrown back for rework. I also think some of the panels have a Marshall Roger’s look to them, and perhaps they were swiped. I’m not familiar with how Michael Golden’s art developed after this. His work bears some similarity to that of Mike Grell at that time.

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    1. McSCOTTYMarch 4, 2026 at 9:13 PM

      Hi B, Golden went on to work on Mr Miracle for DC before moving to Marvel where I think her drew the war comic "The Nam" , Micronauts and some Dr Strange. I lost contact with his work when he moved to Marvel so I'm not sure how he developed but he is rated as an influence on artists like Arthur Adams.

      Delete
  5. Rip JaggerMarch 4, 2026 at 8:35 AM

    This is my favorite era for DC Comics. They were attracting some of the best talent in the world, and these giant comics were wonderful reads in an era when it seemed like comic were diminishing. Little did I know how bad it would get.

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  6. McSCOTTYMarch 4, 2026 at 9:17 PM

    I loved those DC Giants most were full of great art and stories. Batman Family alone had Golden, Marshal Rogers and George Tuska sometimes all in a single issue. Sadly the DC implosion put a very sudden stop to these books but it was great while it lasted

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    1. KidMarch 12, 2026 at 1:27 PM

      I found my original issue from 1978, McS, at the bottom of a drawer in a metal filing cabinet. It's tucked away again, but I noticed it had a few back-up tales, not just the Batgirl one.

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  7. McSCOTTYMarch 13, 2026 at 8:46 PM

    That's good you found your issue. Yeah it had a Man -Bat, Huntress and Robin take that I forgot to add the splash page for . I scanned this issue weeks ago and forgot about them once I tack them down from my laptop I will add them. . Thanks for the update

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