1966 O-Pee-Chee Batman #19A Leap for Life Catwoman Puzzle Back Canadian Red Bat

Description

1966 O-Pee-Chee Batman #19A Leap for Life Catwoman Puzzle Back Canadian Red Bat There is wonderful motion in this rooftop tableau of the Caped Crusader springing into action above a freight yard, and its connection to one of Batman's most beloved rogues gives it extra pull for collectors. The painted front shows Batman launching himself arms-wide from the top of a red railway car, a startled onlooker peering from a doorway below, the stone wall and bold shadows giving the scene a storybook drama beneath the red bat title emblem of the Red Bat A Series. As the second Batman issue of 1966, following the 55 card Black Bat set with a 44 card checklist, the series wrapped television camp in gorgeous painted peril, and cards tied to Catwoman's crimes have always carried special appeal. The era is pure Batmania gold. The ABC series starring Adam West and Burt Ward premiered in January of 1966, aired twice weekly in primetime, and ignited a merchandising frenzy that made Batman imagery inescapable, supported by Neal Hefti's Grammy nominated theme and a feature film that same summer. Catwoman, the feline foe referenced on this card's reverse, stood among the show's most magnetic villains, and her presence in the puzzle program only heightens interest. O-Pee-Chee printed this Canadian edition under license, and the vertical T. C. G. PTD. IN CANADA line on the reverse distinguishes it from the American Topps printing. The back delivers the plot: Batman and Robin learned that Miss Treachery was planning a railway robbery, watched her try to rob a mail car with her gang in a freight yard, and in one leap from the top of a railway car Batman saved his own life and captured his feline foe, a pulpy summary that matches the front's airborne hero perfectly. The reverse also serves as piece number 3 of 6 in the Catwoman puzzle, making it a key tile for collectors assembling the villainess's mosaic portrait. Collectors using the exact phrase 1966 O-Pee-Chee Batman #19A Leap for Life will find an honestly described raw single from the Canadian printing, and stated clearly, the reverse is the English language puzzle back of the Canadian O-Pee-Chee issue, not a bilingual back. the card shows edge wear concentrated along the bottom border, corner fraying at the lower left, light soiling in the white borders, acceptable centering and no major crease, though the handling keeps it below the excellent threshold in our conservative view. Taken together these traits support a raw estimate of VG-EX 4, a character-rich Catwoman puzzle piece that displays its dramatic leap beautifully at an approachable price. Grade Estimate: VG-EX 4