DC Retroactive: Batman - The '80s # 1 2011 VF/NM

DC Retroactive: Batman - The '80s #1 (published in August 2011 with a cover date of October 2011) is a nostalgic, oversized one-shot issue celebrating the style and storytelling of 1980s DC Comics. Part of the DC Retroactive initiative, the book brought back legendary 1980s creative teams to write all-new stories set within their classic eras, completely unburdened by modern continuity. This particular issue was written by Mike W. Barr with pencils and cover art by Jerry Bingham. 

The Plot

• A Familiar Nightmare: In the all-new lead story "The Revenge of the Reaper!", a ruthless, scythe-wielding vigilante emerges in Gotham City and begins systematically executing mobsters. The lethal methodology perfectly mirrors The Reaper, a brutal killer Batman fought years prior. 
• The Impossible Mystery: The central conflict poses a massive problem for the Dark Knight: both of the men who previously wore the Reaper's mantle are already dead. Batman is forced into a high-stakes investigation to unmask who is mimicking the moniker before the entire Gotham underworld is massacred. 
• An Untried Robin: Set squarely in mid-1980s continuity, the issue highlights Batman trying to mentor a young, reckless, and relatively inexperienced Jason Todd as Robin, adding a layer of protective tension to the deadly case.

Core Themes & Context

• Homage to Batman: Year Two: The entire one-shot acts as a direct, spiritual thematic sequel to Mike W. Barr's famous 1987 storyline, "Batman: Year Two" (which originally ran in Detective Comics #573–576), which introduced the Reaper concept and heavily influenced the animated film Batman: Mask of the Phantasm.
• The Vintage Era Aesthetic: Unlike modern 2011 storylines, the book intentionally utilizes old-school 1980s narrative tropes, including classic third-person thought boxes, a less high-tech Batcave, and a rawer street-level tone. 

What Else Is Included?

To give readers a true taste of the era, the 56-page book rounds out its length by including a full vintage reprint of Detective Comics #575. This features "Fear the Reaper", the iconic first chapter of Year Twofeaturing artwork by Alan Davis and Paul Neary, where a newly appointed Commissioner Gordon first sets up the Bat-Signal.