Comic Book Robot of the Month: The Robot Cop of Gotham City

Here he is, the original Robocop. The Robot Cop of Gotham City was the cover story to Batman #70 (April-May, 1952) and has really stood the test of time as one of the most entertaining Batman adventures from that wacky decade known as the 50s. The is a wonderfully designed cover by Win Mortimer. One of these days, either here or at Comics Should Be Good, I'll do a feature on Win Mortimer covers. He really was the go to buy at DC in the late 40s and early 50s. But I digress... In 1952, automation was the wave of the future and the Robot Cop (who shares more than a passing resemblance to Jimmy Thompson's Robotman, especially the skirt) serves as a symbol of both of Batman's impending obsolescence and of his mortality. Luckily, this was the 50s - so everything worked out in the end. Batman and Robin asserted their relevance by proving that nothing fights crime like a mixture of brains, brawn with a 'Can Do' attitude. Still, that hat looks great on the Robot Cop.