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Key Issue Comics:
Batman 232: 1st Appearance of Ra's al Ghul
Neal Adams cover

Key Issue Comics: Batman 232, 1st Appearance of Ra's al Ghul, Neal Adams cover. Click to buy a copy from Goldin

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Why Batman 232 is a Key Issue Comic

Serving as the inspiration for Christopher Nolan’s Dark Knight Trilogy, Batman #232 introduces us to a new set of characters that will change the course of the entire Batman world.

Making their first appearances in Batman #232 are criminal mastermind Ra's al Ghul, and his sidekick Ubu.

(His daughter, sometime love-interest to Batman, Talia al Ghul, appears first in Detective Comics #411.)

After Robin is kidnapped, Batman is confronted by Ra’s, who has somehow deduced that Batman and Bruce Wayne is the same person.

Ra’s daughter Talia has also been kidnapped, and they go on a worldwide search.

As in the Batman Begins film, Batman eventually ends up on top of a mountain in a shadowy monastery. There, Ra’s reveals his true role as the leader of an international terrorist organization.

For over 40 years, Ra’s and Talia al Ghul have been central points to Batman’s more supernatural and exotic adventures. In Batman #655 (2006), it is confirmed that Talia and Bruce Wayne have a son, Damian, who later becomes the new Robin.

Ra's al Ghul’s time in the DC Cinematic Universe might have already come and gone, but his first appearance in Batman #232 will always remain a turning point for the series.

By this point (1971), Batman had been a series for over 30 years; introducing a new and unique enemy like Ra’s proved to be a winning combination.

His first appearance in Batman #232 is a historic turning point for the series, ushering in an era of more daring and mature storylines.

Guide to Batman #232 Comic Book Values

9.8 $9,900
9.6 $3,025
9.4 $2,200
9.2 $1,700
9.0 $1,060
8.5 $800
8.0 $800
7.5 $675
7.0 $635
6.5 $475
6.0 $450
5.5 $365
5.0 $350
4.5 $355
4.0 $245

Recent sales of a Batman #232 in CGC 9.8 have shown just how hard the post-pandemic crash has hit, with a $9,900 sale about half that of the bubble highs.

Despite Neal Adams sadly passing, the book is dropping from the top of the market, but it will always be a desirable book. Worth holding if you own one.

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