Jim Aparo’s Detective Comics #444 cover offered for sale on ComicArtFans

By John Freeman on February 8, 2020

Collector Steven Morger has some classic US comic art up for sale on ComicArtFans, including this amazing Detective Comics #444 cover by Jim Aparo.

In “Batman: “Bat-Murderer!”, published in 1975, the Gotham City Police Department is on the look out for Scrag Donovan, a dangerous criminal who poses a threat to society. Commissioner Gordon gives Batman the task to investigate the case and find the criminal…

“This incredible Jim Aparo cover takes me right back to being ten years old and just loving DC’s 100 pagers,” notes author and artist David Roach, alerting fans to the sale.

Detective Comics #444 – Published Cover

“This was Jim’s magic year drawing this ‘Bat-Murderer’ serial, Brave and Bold and The Spectre. He was really incredible and one of the top talents in comics at this time.

“… It’s as if he was slowly building up to 1975 when he reached a point of perfection that brought him up to the same exalted level as Neal Adams, I feel,” he says of the work.

Born in 1932, Jim Aparo (James N. Aparo), who died in 2005, was best known for his 1960s and 1970s DC Comics work, including on the characters Batman, Aquaman and the Spectre. His career began at Charlton Comics, where he was one of the few artists in mainstream US comics at that time to serve as penciller, inker, and letterer for all of his work.

After he began working for DC Comics in the late 1960s, initially on Aquaman, he worked almost exclusively for the remainder of his career for the company.

“To me, while he was always good, Jim had a magic period of a couple of years where his work was mind blowing,” enthuses the art’s owner, Steven Morger, who also has other art for sale by Aparo, Nestor Redondo, Mark Texira and others for sale.

Detective Comics #443 – Cover Art by Jim Aparo

A classic Spectre splash from Adventure 434 drawn by Frank Thorne and inked by Jim Aparo

Yet another stunning page being sold by Steve Morger over at Comic A classic Spectre splash from Adventure 434 drawn by Frank Thorne and inked by Jim Aparo

• The Detective Comics #444 cover is offered here on ComicArtFans – enquiries via the site to Steven Morger, whose other art for sale is offered here

• The full Comic Art Fans Classified Section is here

With thanks to David Roach for the heads up

John Freeman

The founder of downthetubes, which he established in 1998. John works as a comics and magazine editor, writer, and on promotional work for the Lakes International Comic Art Festival. He is currently editor of Star Trek Explorer, published by Titan – his third tour of duty on the title originally titled Star Trek Magazine.

Working in British comics publishing since the 1980s, his credits include editor of titles such as Doctor Who Magazine, Babylon 5 Magazine, and more. He also edited the comics anthology STRIP Magazine and edited several audio comics for ROK Comics. He has also edited several comic collections, including volumes of “Charley’s War” and “Dan Dare”.

He’s the writer of “Pilgrim: Secrets and Lies” for B7 Comics; “Crucible”, a creator-owned project with 2000AD artist Smuzz; and “Death Duty” and “Skow Dogs” with Dave Hailwood.