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Title: BATMAN No. 50
Publisher:DC [Indicia: National Comics Publications, Inc.]
Date Published: December, 1948-January, 1949
Description: CGC certified: VG/Fine (5.0). Off-white to white pages. Grader notes: "Shadow top of back cover; light creasing to cover; light tears to cover; moderate spine splits to cover; very small chip out center of spine." Provenance: The DC UNIVERSE COLLECTION.
 
CGC Census: 160 graded copies (151 Universal, 1 Qualified, 9 Restored).
 
GPAnalysis: A 5.0 sold for $1755 in 3/22.
 
Credits: Cover: Bob Kane and Charles Paris (inks). Scripts: Bill Finger. Art: Bob Kane (Batman and Robin only), Lew Sayre Schwartz, Charles Paris (inks). Overstreet: "Two-Face imposter app."Bat-Bibliography: The DC Universe Collection copy of Batman #50 is illustrated in Taschen's 75 Years of DC Comics: The Art of Modern Mythmaking (page 155), with the following commentary: "'I began to accumulate material, a swipe file on locations and occupations. I would buy copies of Popular Science and Popular Mechanics, which covered every subject imaginable. I'd clip them and gives these drawings to Bob Kane along with the story. I once found an article on a giant typewriter used for an exhibition at a trade show and used it as a prop in a script. It started the 'big prop' stories.' — Bill Finger."
 
Bat-cyclopedia: "In December 1948-January 1949 Batman and Robin apprehend the STILTS TYLER gang; match wits with TWO-FACE; and battle the GLOVES gang." — Michael L. Fleisher, The Encyclopedia of Comic Book Heroes Vol. 1: Batman. Macmillan: 1976, p. 120-121.
 
Details: Reformed back into a normal citizen by science and psychiatry, Harvey Kent (who's surname DC hasn't yet changed to Dent) has gotten married and returned to practicing law. Unfortunately for Kent, his butler Wilkins sees an opportunity. By drugging and capturing Kent, Wilkins takes on the mantle of Two-Face and commits a string of crimes. Though the public is fooled into thinking the original Harvey Kent has reverted back to his criminal ways, The Dynamic Duo see through the ruse. They manage to apprehend Wilkins and rescue Kent, but the writing's on the wall for poor Harvey, who will ping-pong back and forth between being a criminal mastermind and a straight citizen for the next few years.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.