Heading:
Title: BATMAN No. 22
Publisher:DC [Indicia: Detective Comics, Inc.]
Date Published: April-May, 1944
Description: CGC certified: Good- (1.8). Purple label: Restored (C-5). White pages. Grader notes: "Detached cover; tape cover; tape spine; creasing to cover; light staple rust; piece added with tape cover C-5; staining to cover." Provenance: The DC UNIVERSE COLLECTION.
 
CGC Census: 218 graded copies (191 Universal, 1 Qualified, 26 Restored).
 
GPAnalysis: No reported sales in this grade. A restored 0.5 (C-3, incomplete) sold for $234 in 8/21.
 
For comparison purposes, here are recent Universal sales: A 1.8 sold for $359 in 3/22; a 1.0 sold for $550 in 10/22.
 
Credits: Cover: Dick Sprang. Scripts: Al Schwartz, Bill Finger, Mort Weisinger. Art: Bob Kane, Jerry Robinson, Jack Burnley (signed as Bob Kane). Overstreet: "1st Alfred solo cover/story; Catwoman & The Cavalier app."Bat-Bibliography: The DC Universe Collection copy of Detective Comics #22 is illustrated in Taschen's 75 Years of DC Comics: The Art of Modern Mythmaking (page 116), with the following commentary: "Wheedling his way into Bruce Wayne's household, Alfred the butler has become privy to his new master's secret life and provided another venue for comedy in his efforts to become a detective."
 
Bat-cyclopedia: "In April-May 1944 Batman and Robin battle the CATWOMAN; apprehend the 'ghost gang'; and match wits with the CAVALIER." — Michael L. Fleisher, The Encyclopedia of Comic Book Heroes Vol. 1: Batman. Macmillan: 1976, p. 118.
 
Details: Catwoman poses as a maid, infiltrates wealthy households, robs the rich. Catwoman, looking cute in her maid outfit, flirts with Alfred, who loses his wits and falls madly in love with her. Lovestruck Alfred "borrows" a spare Batsuit from his boss's closet in order to impress the disguised Catwoman, but the bogus Batman gets caught in Catwoman's trap. Alfred escapes, overpowers Catwoman, and spanks her perky posterior so enthusiastically that even Batman balks ("I still think, Alfred, that you were rather drastic with her!"). * The Cavalier, gentleman bandit extraordinaire, repays Batman for thwarting his past schemes by making him the laughingstock of Gotham: "I shall even the score! I'll make him appear a veritable buffoon! I shall have my triumph!" Batman thwarts the Cavalier's plans yet again, but the purfled pimpernel of perfidy escapes, vowing to plague Batman with future acts of mischief.The DC UNIVERSE COLLECTION comprises over 40,000 comic books, including a copy of every single DC comic published for retail sale from 1934 to 2014. The collection was amassed by British music producer Ian Levine over the course of several decades, and it's been hailed as the single greatest collecting accomplishment in comic book history. This collection served as the basis for former DC Comics president Paul Levitz's monumental book 75 Years of DC Comics: The Art of Modern Mythmaking, published by Taschen in 2017. PBA is proud to present this epic collection in a series of themed sales over the next two years. To join the DC Universe Collection notifications list, contact pba@pbagalleries.com.
Enjoying PBA's Batman sale? A very small number of softcover and limited edition hardcover auction catalogues are available for purchase. The catalogues are fully illustrated, thoroughly researched, and make excellent reference works for Batman fans. To order a copy, or to inquire about consignment opportunities, contact Ivan Briggs, PBA's Director of Comics: ivan@pbagalleries.com.