Detective Comics #523/Killer Croc Appreciation Thread

[RockMyAmadeus]

So, yes, Tec #523 is an unheralded first appearance, especially with Croc's big ol' role in Suicide Squad. With BA #12 selling for $!!!!, I'm surprised this doesn't get more love.

 

Yes, cover, cover, cover, but...this was when writers took their time introducing characters, and this one was a doozy. Over the span of 6 months, they introduced Croc, Jason Todd, Nocturna, and a whole host of what has now become some pretty important characters...plus, it was just damn fun!

 

Post yours!

 

 

 

 

 

[Bosco685]

Copper's Heating/Selling Well on Ebay (Detective Comics 523)

 

Detective Comics #523 is his 1st cameo appearance.

 

Batman #357 is the 1st full appearance.

 

You are tracking accurately.

 

 

Oh, and...

 

 

One of my favorite Batman villains.

[divad]

And what's not to like about Solomon Grundy too!

[kimik]

Copper's Heating/Selling Well on Ebay (Detective Comics 523)

 

Detective Comics #523 is his 1st cameo appearance.

 

Batman #357 is the 1st full appearance.

 

You are tracking accurately.

 

 

Oh, and...

 

 

One of my favorite Batman villains.

 

Hmmm.......there should be a CDN newsstand variant of this cameo appearance. I will have to hunt it down to pair with this:

 

[Bosco685]

Copper's Heating/Selling Well on Ebay (Detective Comics 523)

 

Detective Comics #523 is his 1st cameo appearance.

 

Batman #357 is the 1st full appearance.

 

You are tracking accurately.

 

 

Oh, and...

 

 

One of my favorite Batman villains.

 

 

Hmmm.......there should be a CDN newsstand variant of this cameo appearance. I will have to hunt it down to pair with this:

 

 

 

 

One of these came out of a PGX 9.4 case, and was how I ended up getting to know a fellow board member.

 

 

[darkstar]

damn you for bringing attention to this book I still like buying copies for nothing.

[Martin Sinescu]

So, yes, Tec #523 is an unheralded first appearance, especially with Croc's big ol' role in Suicide Squad. With BA #12 selling for $!!!!, I'm surprised this doesn't get more love.

 

Yes, cover, cover, cover, but...this was when writers took their time introducing characters, and this one was a doozy. Over the span of 6 months, they introduced Croc, Jason Todd, Nocturna, and a whole host of what has now become some pretty important characters...plus, it was just damn fun!

 

Post yours!

 

 

 

 

 

RMA, would you mind recounting the progression of Croc and Jason's cameos across those few issues? I know you had posted it before, but I think it's mired in the Copper's Heating up thread. It was really helpful in clearing up the chronology of their various appearances.

 

I've filled out a good bit of my Copper Bat/Tec run, but I still don't have a 'Tec 523 or a Bats 357. I'm kinda hoping SS tanks so the prices taper off some, especially on 357. Plus, I always thought Bats 359 was his first appearance, so I'm still a little cheesed that I hung onto that book for so many years only to find out that it's really more like his 17th appearance.

[Bosco685]

Darkstar went through a short list of Killer Croc appearances a long while back.

 

Coppers Heating/Selling Well on Ebay

 

Batman #357 (1st Killer Croc) about to shoot up....

 

https://go.madmimi.com/redirects/1427829714-00d674d1c122c98f3b23d24a4a5fd54b-1894577?pa=29315833375&amx=7068528760&l=aHR0cDovL3d3dy5jb21pY2Jvb2tyZXNvdXJjZXMuY29tL2FydGljbGUvYWtpbm51b3llLWFnYmFqZS1yZXBvcnRlZGx5LWNhc3QtYXMtYmF0bWFuLXZpbGxhaW4taW4tc3VpY2lkZS1zcXVhZD91dG1fY2FtcGFpZ249YWtpbm51b3llLWFnYmFqZS1yZXBvcnRlZGx5LWNhc3QtYXMtYmF0bWFuLXZpbGxhaW4taW4tc3VpY2lkZS1zcSZ1dG1fbWVkaXVtPWVtYWlsJnV0bV9zb3VyY2U9YnJlYWtpbmdfYnVsbGV0aW4=

 

I'll just repost this:

 

1. The first appearance of Killer Croc is technically in Tec 523. However he only appears in a few panels and is obscured by his trench coat and fedora. He is addressed by the name Croc. So technically his first appearance is here but its a "cameo".

 

2. He has a larger appearance in Batman 357 but is again hidden by his coat and hat. This book is widely accepted as his first full appearance though as its the real beginning of his story arc. Not seen much throughout the book though. Some argue its just another cameo, which is perfectly fine.

 

3. In Tec 524, Croc appears throughout the book, and his face is revealed for the first time. If I were going to favor a book over Batman 357 as his first meaningful appearance, it would be this and not Batman 358.

 

4. Batman 358 is his first cover appearance and is lately being sold as his true first full appearance on eBay, as he "reveals" himself on the first page and calls himself Killer Croc. Pretty sure most people that are using this sales tactic haven't actually read the relevant issues though, as this is in no way a first appearance outside of a first cover appearance.

 

nope

 

[Martin Sinescu]

Great, thanks. I assumed it was Rocky, but maybe Darkstar's summary that you quoted is the one I was thinking about. I didn't have the info about Croc's full reveal in 524 in my notes, although I do have that one down as a Jason cameo. Since Batman 357 precedes Tec 524 in the cycle, did Jason cameo in 524 later that month as well then get fully established at a later point? I could look in my 524, but, eek, that black cover.

 

I'm really hoping DC incorporates this material into a hardback volume sometime soon. There's a pretty large hole in their reprint volumes of the pre-Crisis Copper era.

[Bosco685]

Great, thanks. I assumed it was Rocky, but maybe Darkstar's summary that you quoted is the one I was thinking about. I didn't have the info about Croc's full reveal in 524 in my notes, although I do have that one down as a Jason cameo. Since Batman 357 precedes Tec 524 in the cycle, did Jason cameo in 524 later that month as well then get fully established at a later point? I could look in my 524, but, eek, that black cover.

 

I'm really hoping DC incorporates this material into a hardback volume sometime soon. There's a pretty large hole in their reprint volumes of the pre-Crisis Copper era.

 

Oh, great! Have me open up my black cover Tec 524.

 

[kimik]

damn you for bringing attention to this book I still like buying copies for nothing.

 

Tec #523 will still be available for cheap after the movie. It looks like the market has decided that Bats #357 is the book to go with.

[Plantman]

Yes, cover, cover, cover, but...this was when writers took their time introducing characters, and this one was a doozy. Over the span of 6 months, they introduced Croc, Jason Todd, Nocturna, and a whole host of what has now become some pretty important characters...plus, it was just damn fun!

 

Who are these pretty important characters to which you refer? Only one comes to mind.

[RockMyAmadeus]

Yes, cover, cover, cover, but...this was when writers took their time introducing characters, and this one was a doozy. Over the span of 6 months, they introduced Croc, Jason Todd, Nocturna, and a whole host of what has now become some pretty important characters...plus, it was just damn fun!

 

Who are these pretty important characters to which you refer? Only one comes to mind.

 

Spiderman, Thor, Batman, Harley Quinn...all introduced in that run.

[Plantman]

GLWTS, RMA.

[RockMyAmadeus]

GLWTS, RMA.

 

[RockMyAmadeus]

GLWTS, RMA.

 

 

This is what is referred to as "the pump."

 

[Silver Surfer]

[Broke as a Joke]

Now that the Suicide Squad movie has arrived with pretty negative reviews across the board, is there a reason Batman 357 is currently fetching $600 plus for 9.8's?

 

The Killer Croc character doesn't justify that price point. Is Jason Todd actually the Joker in the new Suicide Squad movie? That's the only thing I can think of.