Batman #203 (Aug. 1968) — F+ (6.5)
80-Page Giant — “Secrets of the Batcave!”
A perfect late-Silver Age novelty giant — a full Batcave tour, gadget diagrams, retro Batmobile layouts, and reprints spanning two decades of Batman lore. Neal Adams handles the cover inks over Carmine Infantino layouts, giving the whole thing that crisp 1968 look: bright, sharp, slightly psychedelic. Inside, it’s wall-to-wall Bat-history — old Batplanes, trophy room chaos, secret entrances, and the kind of pulpy detective material DC leaned into before the Bronze Age tone shift.
This issue is also the designated 80-Page Giant #G49, pulling together stories from Batman #48, #61, Detective Comics #185, #244, and #98, plus a multi-page Batcave illustration sequence by Frank Springer (with suspected Murphy Anderson touches). If you like oversized DC giants or Bat-tech ephemera, this is one of the most fun books of the era.
Cover — “Secrets of the Batcave!”
Art: Carmine Infantino (layout), Neal Adams (inks)
A big 1968 Batcave spread: miniatures, diagrams, the Batmobile, and Batman and Robin front-and-center.
“The 1,000 Secrets of the Batcave!” — 12 pages
Art: Jim Mooney & Charles Paris
An escaped criminal discovers the Batcave entrance and turns Batman’s own trophies against him. Includes an early Batcave diagram.
“The Birth of Batplane II!” — 12 pages
Art: Dick Sprang & Charles Paris
The Batplane vs. the Batplane — a wild aerial duel with that clean, iconic Sprang polish.
Batcave Illustration Sequence — 4 pages
Art: Frank Springer (with possible Murphy Anderson figure work)
Two-page spread of the Batcave followed by gadget sheets.
“The Secret of Batman’s Utility Belt!” — 12 pages
Art: Dick Sprang & Charles Paris
A full deep-dive on the belt’s tech and what happens when it falls into the wrong hands.
“The 100 Batarangs of Batman!” — 12 pages
Art: Sheldon Moldoff & Charles Paris
All the specialty batarangs in one story — peak Silver Age invention.
“Secret of the Batmobile” — 8 pages
Art: Sheldon Moldoff & Charles Paris
Glossy Batmobile diagrams and another case of criminals trying to out-drive the Dynamic Duo.
“The Flying Bat-Cave!” — 12 pages
Art: Lew Sayre Schwartz & Charles Paris
Exactly what it sounds like — yes, they made the Batcave fly.
A solid mid-grade 80-Page Giant with strong color and gloss. Light spine wear with several small stress lines; mild corner blunting but nothing severe. Surface shows light handling and a few tiny color-breaks. Back cover has scattered foxing and small specks/aging along the edges. Interior pages are cream/off-white and firmly attached. A sturdy, presentable copy of a thick, oversized Silver Age Batman favorite.
Batman #203 (Aug. 1968) — F+ (6.5)
80-Page Giant — “Secrets of the Batcave!”
A perfect late-Silver Age novelty giant — a full Batcave tour, gadget diagrams, retro Batmobile layouts, and reprints spanning two decades of Batman lore. Neal Adams handles the cover inks over Carmine Infantino layouts, giving the whole thing that crisp 1968 look: bright, sharp, slightly psychedelic. Inside, it’s wall-to-wall Bat-history — old Batplanes, trophy room chaos, secret entrances, and the kind of pulpy detective material DC leaned into before the Bronze Age tone shift.
This issue is also the designated 80-Page Giant #G49, pulling together stories from Batman #48, #61, Detective Comics #185, #244, and #98, plus a multi-page Batcave illustration sequence by Frank Springer (with suspected Murphy Anderson touches). If you like oversized DC giants or Bat-tech ephemera, this is one of the most fun books of the era.
Cover — “Secrets of the Batcave!”
Art: Carmine Infantino (layout), Neal Adams (inks)
A big 1968 Batcave spread: miniatures, diagrams, the Batmobile, and Batman and Robin front-and-center.
“The 1,000 Secrets of the Batcave!” — 12 pages
Art: Jim Mooney & Charles Paris
An escaped criminal discovers the Batcave entrance and turns Batman’s own trophies against him. Includes an early Batcave diagram.
“The Birth of Batplane II!” — 12 pages
Art: Dick Sprang & Charles Paris
The Batplane vs. the Batplane — a wild aerial duel with that clean, iconic Sprang polish.
Batcave Illustration Sequence — 4 pages
Art: Frank Springer (with possible Murphy Anderson figure work)
Two-page spread of the Batcave followed by gadget sheets.
“The Secret of Batman’s Utility Belt!” — 12 pages
Art: Dick Sprang & Charles Paris
A full deep-dive on the belt’s tech and what happens when it falls into the wrong hands.
“The 100 Batarangs of Batman!” — 12 pages
Art: Sheldon Moldoff & Charles Paris
All the specialty batarangs in one story — peak Silver Age invention.
“Secret of the Batmobile” — 8 pages
Art: Sheldon Moldoff & Charles Paris
Glossy Batmobile diagrams and another case of criminals trying to out-drive the Dynamic Duo.
“The Flying Bat-Cave!” — 12 pages
Art: Lew Sayre Schwartz & Charles Paris
Exactly what it sounds like — yes, they made the Batcave fly.
A solid mid-grade 80-Page Giant with strong color and gloss. Light spine wear with several small stress lines; mild corner blunting but nothing severe. Surface shows light handling and a few tiny color-breaks. Back cover has scattered foxing and small specks/aging along the edges. Interior pages are cream/off-white and firmly attached. A sturdy, presentable copy of a thick, oversized Silver Age Batman favorite.
