House Of Secrets Change

House Of Secrets was another great DC anthology title, featuring odd tales for a while, before settling on a few regular features, then a little hiatus, before being revived as a horror title (edited by Joe Orlando), with a stunning Neal Adams cover, and giving Abel a home of his own (as his brother, Cain, who was the horror host of the House Of Mystery).

House of Secrets was home to regular features for most of its pre-horror time, with Mark Merlin (a supernatural detective, with his secretary/fiancee Elsa Magusson) taking up residence starting with House Of Secrets #23 (August, 1959), Eclipso (scientist Bruce Gordon turned super-villain) coming on with House Of Secrets #61 (August, 1963), and Mark being replaced in his own feature by Prince Ra-Man (a reincarnated wizard brought back to replace Mark, and worked with Elsa) in House Of Secrets #73 (July, 1965).  Eclipso and the Prince's series and title ended with House Of Secrets #80 (September-October, 1966) and a few years passed before the success of the House Of Mystery change revived the title with House Of Secrets #81 (August-September, 1969), with a wholly changed house!  House Of Secrets would even later spawn someone else...and Eclipso would go on as well.

Eclipso After Crisis

Thinking about the moon makes you think about the lunar villain, Eclipso, who had a small run of his own series in the House Of Secrets in the 1960s, then menaced a few select heroes like the Justice League of America, Metal Men and Green Lantern in the 1970s and 1980s....

...but, after the Crisis On Infinite Earths, Eclipso was working his way up to bigger and better things!

Those things included appearances in the Outsiders, Phantom Stranger and Starman..

Outsiders

Eclipso returned in Outsiders #17 (March, 1987 by Mike W. Barr and Jim Aparo), with "Do Not Go Gentle Into That Good Night--!", but it was the return of Batman that took the focus of the cover.  Batman had left the team about the time Looker became a member, but fate had a way of bringing them back together again.

A series of museum robberies put Batman and the Outsiders on the trail of the People of the Dark, and their high priestess, leading the Outsiders and Batman to the island of Diablo, where the Prime Minister of the land recounted the origin of Eclipso, how high priest Morphir scratched solar scientist Bruce Gordon with a black diamond during an eclipse....and Gordon was on the island at the time continuing his research along with his fiancee, Mona Bennet.  The high priestess and her cult captured Batman and the Outsiders, who met Bruce Gordon, whom the priestess was using in a ceremony during the eclipse to reform...Eclipso (who must have reformed slightly during the Crisis, but had been bodiless since his last appearance facing off against John Stewart during his early run as Green Lantern.  The Outsiders figured to wait until the eclipse passed to face Eclipso (since he was most powerful at this time), except...Eclipso made sure the eclipse wouldn't end!

Then, in Outsiders #18 (April, 1987, by Mike W. Barr and Jim Aparo), the team would "...Rage, Rage Against The Dying Of The Light!", trying to find a way to stop Eclipso's artificially continuing eclipse.  The team was well suited to face Eclipso, with Black Lightning and Metamorpho working in tandem, Halo's light powers, Looker's mind powers, Geo-Force's gravity and Katana's mystic blade, but Eclipso revealed that he is "no mortal man, but the personification of a concept", allowing him to survive their attacks, and still grow stronger, until the team again combined their attacks under Batman's direction to weaken him and trap in the one prison that had held him for years...the body of Bruce Gordon.

This ended the immediate menace, but began a more tortured life for Dr. Bruce Gordon again...

Phantom Stranger

Both Bruce Gordon and Eclipso were on hand next for the four issue mini-series of the Phantom Stranger from the 1980s, where Eclipso would again threaten the Earth.  The Phantom Stranger himself was only beginning to reform in Phantom Stranger #1 (October, 1987 by Paul Kupperberg, Mike Mignola and P. Craig Russell), but events were happening in Gotham and Metropolis (as well as the rest of the world) that would require his attention and "The Heart Of A Stranger".  Commissioner James Gordon was finding the remains of a mob hit, while Jimmy Olsen found ties to the Russian mob in Metropolis, and the United States and Russia were approaching a state of war as natural upheavals were taking the Earth, with S.T.A.R. Labs scientist, Jenet Klyburn trying to piece together the troubles....and Bruce Gordon, knowing that there is trouble wishes someone would help him against it.

Phantom Stranger faces Lycaon and his cult, with a little help from James Gordon against a demon, then confronts Eclipso, who, working with the Lords of Chaos and claiming to have just found magic, is subtly working to destroy the world, hiding his plans from all the usual heroes....with the Phantom Stranger looking for new allies, finding a disheartened Bruce Gordon.  

With Phantom Stranger #2 (November, 1987, by Kupperberg, Mignola and Russell), it is a fight for "The Soul Of Man!", with Eclipso tormenting Bruce Gordon via their mental link, but the Phantom Stranger working on Gordon's behalf.  Jimmy Olsen continues to follow his leads on the Russian mob, while the world gets worse, and Gordon and the Phantom Stranger find they will get no help from the Lords of Order, but instead go to recruit Jenet Klyburn, with the trio going to research a disaster site.

While there, they discover the mystic connection to the supposed natural problems the Earth is having, with the doctor taking action to help Phantom Stranger and Gordon stop this particular problem, while Lycaon and his cult grow in power, as does Eclipso.

With one end of Earth ended, Eclipso focuses his mind on the next two.

Phantom Stranger deals with dreams of being helpless in "Thunder In The Night" from Kupperberg, Mignola and Russell's Phantom Stranger #3 (December, 1987).  The Phantom Stranger deals with his new found humanity, and gets comfort from Bruce Gordon, himself dealing with having unleashed Eclipso (though Phantom Stranger comforts him with the thought if it hadn't been Bruce, it could have easily just been someone else....).

Tensions between the U.S. and U.S.S.R. get worse, with Valentina Volstok (Negative Woman of the new Doom Patrol) working for the U.S. government trying to find the cause, with Jimmy Olsen finding the Russian mobster has ties much further up than he thought, being pursued by a demon Russian mobster, with Phantom Stranger showing up to rescue him (instead of his usual pal, Superman).  Gordon, Olsen and the Phantom Stranger head to the White House, where it is found that the demon can shift bodies, and takes over the U.S. President, to begin World War III, with only the combined effort of the Phantom Stranger, Jimmy Olsen, Bruce Gordon and Ronald Reagan stop this world threat.  Meanwhile, Lycaon works out a TV deal, and Eclipso hoping his last mystic end to Earth will be the one to end all life on Earth.

Phantom Stranger #4 (January, 1988 by Kupperberg, Mignola and Russell) offers "A World Full Of Voices" for Lycaon, or more accurately, a chance for him to expand his Temple of Divine Light with a worldwide television audience.   Eclipso plans to have Lycaon unite the world's will as one, and use the power that comes from that to destroy the planet.  Valentina Vostok tries to stop Lycaon, but fails, while the still all too human Phantom Stranger tries to gain power of his own at Stonehenge, getting into conflict directly with Eclipso, who uses his own black diamond against the Stranger.  All the while, Lycaon tries to unite humanity's will. with Bruce Gordon in the audience...and, as he does tap into the power of humanity, it pulls the Stranger and Eclipso to the studio, where the Phantom Stranger is able to stop Lycaon, tapping into that power instead to restore his own mystic might, ending the threat of Eclipso for a time (though Phantom Stranger would hand around with Bruce Gordon for a bit, during a run in Action Comics Weekly....).

Starman

After resting for a while, Eclipso returned in Starman, stepping out of the "Star Shadows" for a four issue run, starting with Starman #42 (January, 1992, by Len Strazewski, John Calimee, Andrew Smith, Roy Richardson and Alan Kupperberg.  The solar powered Starman (Will Payton) is having overload problems with his powers, and goes to get help from Dr. Kitty Faulkner of S.T.A.R. Labs (who is also the solar powered heroine, Rampage).  While there, Starman meets Dr. Bruce Gordon, who is a solar scientist, with Kitty letting Will know Bruce knows her secret, and Will and Bruce swap origin stories, (with Will's being he became Starman after being struck by an energy beam from space).  Gordon suggests they take his solar jet into space so he can get readings off of Starman in order to diagnose his condition, and off the two go.

While in space, their ship runs into intergalactic bounty hunter Lobo, and, while Starman is occupied with him, the moon crosses the sun, turning Bruce into...Eclipso!

With "Blue Moon" from Starman #43 (February, 1992 by Len Strazewski and Vince Guarrano), it is revealed that the Lords of Chaos put Lobo on the hunt for Eclipso, for his failing to destroy the Earth, offering Lobo quite the bounty.

Lobo and Starman fight on the moon, while Eclipso retrieves his black diamond and costume (which he had subconsciously gotten Bruce Gordon to hide on the solar jet).  Eclipso asserts that it was his satellite which had generated the energy beam which turned Will Payton into Starman, and that Eclipso had been using his heroic creation as an energy storehouse.  Lobo and Starman's battle eventually brought them to where Eclipso had landed the solar plane, and Lobo was ready to take in Eclipso for his bounty.

Lobo and Eclipso would battle on the "Dark Side Of The Moon" in Starman #44 (March, 1992 by Len Strazewski, John Calimee and Roy Richardson).  During that battle, Starman helped, separating the two for a bit, and getting a few facts from Bruce Gordon as Lobo had weakened Eclipso, figures its us (Starman and Eclipso) against them (Lobo and the Lords of Chaos), works with Eclipso to make Lobo think Starman had incinerated him, getting Lobo to leave with "proof" of Eclipso's death to get his money.

But, Starman then learns of Eclipso's duplicity, nearly getting brain damage, as the villain takes the solar plane on the run to head back to Earth and Kitty at S.T.A.R. Labs....leaving Starman behind, realizing he will need help to defeat Eclipso.

With Starman #45 (April, 1992 by Len Strazewski, John Calimee and Roy Richardson), Kitty is indeed there at S.T.A.R. Labs for the return of the solar jet, but instead finds Eclipso in "Starlight, Star Bright".  Eclipso defeats Kitty, even when she turns into Rampage, and Eclipso plans on using her as a power battery (letting slip that Gordon had gotten Eclipso's origin a little wrong, suggesting "there is a little of me in everybody".).  Eclipso's devilish plan to get more power from the approaching Starman is foiled, as Starman recruited help from Justice League Europe's Power Girl (a friend of his since the Invasion!), exposing Eclipso to the concentrated sunlight Starman can generate...bring back Dr. Bruce Gordon.  With the menace averted, Gordon is able to get answers for Starman's power surge, that it was natural, and he just has to get use to his new more powerful self.

This ends up being the last issue of Will Payton's Starman, but Kitty, Bruce Gordon, Mona Bennet and especially Starman get to be involved in Eclipso's next plan, revealed over the course of the DC Annuals of 1992, as well as the 2 issue bookends of Eclipso: The Darkness Within (as well as Eclipso's 18 issue series), with seeds to Eclipso's true nature having been planted in these series, to enhance his history after his appearances in House of Secrets.

The Fifth Super-Team Family

It's time for another look back at the classic title of Super-Team Family, this time, being Super-Team Family #5 (June-July, 1976), with stories featuring Superman, Superboy, Batman and Eclipso....


...all under a cover by Ernie Chan!

Brave and the Bold #64

First up is the story from Brave and the Bold #64 (February-March, 1966) by Bob Haney and Win Mortimer, featuring "Batman versus Eclipso", under a stunning cover by Gil Kane.

Eclipso comes to Gotham after splitting from Bruce Gordon during an eclipse in Solar City, thanks to the Queen Bee (Marcia Monroe, who also got Batman thrown in jail, as part of a master plan to join the super-secret criminal organization, C.Y.C.L.O.P.S.), with Bruce Gordon, Mona Bennet and her father consulting with Com. James Gordon to help take down Eclipso, resulting in a battle between Eclipso and Batman on the HIVE (the building which housed the criminal organization....).

After the cancellation of Eclipso's House of Secrets series (which this original Brave & the Bold tale took place during), he next showed up in Justice League of America #109, where Batman was aware of his activities....  

Superboy #47

The second story reprinted in this issue is Superboy #47 (March, 1956) by Otto Binder, Curt Swan and John Giunta, where "Superboy Meets Superman", with a original cover by Curt Swan and Stan Kaye.

Superboy had the idea of going back in time to find out when Metropolis was founded, but was sleepy and failed to take into account an eclipse, so he instead ended up in the future...and met himself!  Problem was, neither Superman nor Superboy could travel in time now, so they seemed to be trapped (and Lois Lane had proof that Superman was Clark Kent, so the Kryptonians were doubly doomed).  Thankfully, Superboy was there to save Superman's secret....and then the two super-heroes put their head together (in a style suggested by the cover, as an irresistible force and an immovable object couldn't exist at the same time (and it worked, hurling Superboy back to his own time in Smallville, where he fell asleep after the effort, then awoke to wonder if it was all a dream....

....or an imaginary story, but hey, aren't they all?).

Eclipso After House Of Secrets

Eclipso was the main villain of House of Secrets for a time, running from House of Secrets #61 (July-August, 1963 by Bob Haney and Lee Elias) to House of Secrets #80 (September-October, 1966) as one of its main features.  Eclipso was the evil half of Solar City scientist Bruce Gordon, released when medicine man, Morphir, scratched Bruce during an eclipse with a black diamond, causing Bruce to change into Eclipso whenever there was an eclipse, first destroying Solar City and fighting with its co-creator, Prof. Simon Bennet, and his daughter, Mona (who was the love of Bruce's life).

Later, any eclipse of a light source would bring on Eclipso, and Eclipso would manifest separate from Bruce Gordon, but any strong source of light would put him back into Gordon's body.

This initial run ended, with Eclipso only having faced Prince Ra-Man (his co-star hero in House of Secrets) and Batman (in an issue of Brave and the Bold).  Still, can't keep a good villain down, and Eclipso returned again....

Justice League of America

Bruce Gordon returned first in Justice League of America #109 (January-February, 1974) by Len Wein, Dick Dillin and Dick Giordano, with "The Doom Of The Divided Man" under a Nick Cardy cover (without Eclipso on it).


Bruce Gordon returned, trying to cure himself, but instead created two extra Eclipsos (drawing power from the Earth, nearly dooming our planet), with the three Eclipsos being quite the menace for a nearly full contingent of the JLA (except Green Lantern, but including Batman, who had faced Eclipso before), with the League eventually defeating the villain, but no luck for Bruce Gordon.



 

Metal Men

"Who Is Bruce Gordon And Why Is He Doing Those Terrible Things To Himself?" was the title of Metal Men #48 (October-November, 1976) by Gerry Conway, Martin Pasko and Walter Simonson (with Walter Simonson providing the cover...).

Mona Bennet knew, and told Nurse Isobel Sullivan and her friend, Johanna Rome, who brought her to Doctor Will Magnus (the creator of the Metal Men), who help stop Eclipso.

Eclipso faced Tin, Platinum, Iron, Gold, Lead and Mercury, heading to the Peruvian cave of Morphir and his cult on Diablo Island, using an ancient tablet and his black diamond to summon Umbra, the dark god...

...then, "The Dark God Cometh!" in Metal Men #49 (December-January, 1976/1977) by Martin Pasko and Walter Simonson (who also did this cover).


Umbra empowered Eclipso, and it was revealed that Morphir was trying to release Umbra when Bruce Gordon first interrupted him during the eclipse where Morphir scratched Gordon (and Morphir died).  Umbra planned on sacrificing the humans there to release the rest of the dark gods and destroy the Earth, but were stopped by Dr. Magnus and his Metal Men, with Mona and Bruce hoping that Eclipso was gone for good as Umbra's tablet was destroyed.

Adventure Comics

Bruce Gordon, Mona and Professor Simon Bennet quietly returned as a back up feature in Adventure Comics #457 (May-June, 1978) and Adventure Comics #458 (July-August, 1978) by Len Wein and Joe Orlando (with Frank Giacoia inking #457's "The Symbiont Syndrome", and Bob Layton inking #458's "He Who Survives!"). 

Simon and Mona were again trying to split Bruce and Eclipso, with Bruce fading away due to their split (and Eclipso escaping), trying to get more power, but ending up re-merged with Bruce Gordon again (and all this had nothing to do with Superboy, who was fading out on his own in the front story of each of these books).

This wasn't the end for Eclipso, or for Bruce Gordon, who got a job at Ferris Air for a time...

Green Lantern

Then, Eclipso returned in Green Lantern #136 (January, 1981) with "The Space Ranger Strikes Back" by Marv Wolfman and Joe Staton, at a particularly Crisis filled time for Green Lantern Hal Jordan (under a cover by Rich Buckler, Frank McLaughlin, Joe Staton, Dave Cockrum and Dick Giordano!).

Dealing with a missing Carol Ferris, a menace in 5708 (where Chairman Dasor of the Solar Delegates would bring Hal to from his current time, wiping Hal's memory and reprogramming him as Pol Manning, to be aided by Iola Vane), but Eclipso's appearance messed that up, instead with Hal ending up in Space Ranger's time (where he would be occupied for this and the next issue, fighting the Gordanians in both time periods)...all while having to deal with only having one 24 hour charge of his Power Ring!

Hal returned home to "Total Eclipso" in Green Lantern #138 of March, 1981 by Marv Wolfman, Roy Thomas and Joe Staton (and a cover by Dick Giordano), saving Thomas Kalmaku of Ferris Air and turning Eclipso back into Bruce Gordon....


....Hal then went on to deal with other trouble (as well as getting Bruce Gordon to recap Eclipso's origin to him), with Hal feeling the world was safe from Eclipso...


...but Eclipso came out again with his real plan, which is visible on the cover, bringing out Hal Jordan's evil side under an eclipse....

 ...and played out in Green Lantern #139 (April, 1981) by Marv Wolfman, Roy Thomas and Joe Staton (and another cover by Dick Giordano), under the title of "Slay On, Silvery Moon!".

Eclipso used a satellite he built (and called the Murder Moon) which he planned to use to eclipse the Earth, and bring out everyone's evil.  Hal, injured fighting his evil side, ended up back at Ferris Air (where Carol had returned, but threatening to blow up the airfield).  Green Lantern had to leave that behind and stop Eclipso's Murder Moon (manned by Nega-Men Eclipso had summoned up with the increased power his moon gave him).  Green Lantern used that extra power to split Eclipso from Bruce, casting Eclipso and his black diamond into space, stopping his plan for a while...

...but Eclipso returned (as Bruce Gordon got a job at the rebuilt Ferris Air), in Green Lantern #185 (February, 1985, by Len Wein and Dave Gibbons) to cameo in...



..."In Blackest Day" (the first of two stories in this issue) to prepare to face new Green Lantern John Stewart (with facts about how John became Green Lantern to replace Hal Jordan for a time, setting up for a battle royale...

...."In Brightest Night...!" in Green Lantern #186 (March, 1985, by Len Wein and Dave Gibbons), explaining how Eclipso got back to his Murder Moon, which he was now using to kidnap crew members (including Bruce Gordon) of Ferris Air...

...who had to be rescued by new "hero" Predator, with Green Lantern stopping Eclipso (maybe for good?) as Eclipso lost control of his Murder Moon's tractor beam, and it turned into a death ray.

Bruce Gordon showed up in the next issue of Green Lantern, but Eclipso didn't return until Swamp Thing #46 (March, 1986, as a cameo on the Monitor's satellite) and Crisis On Infinite Earths #9 (December, 1985), working with other villains (and no explanation of where he had come from).

Seems time to bring down the sun on Eclipso for now, but Eclipso did return, menacing the Outsiders, the Phantom Stranger and Starman (Will Payton), Lobo and Power Girl, before revealing that he was an even bigger menace than readers knew in Eclipso: The Darkness Within #1 (July, 1992), which kicked off a series of crossovers in Annuals across the DC Universe.

Batman's One Time Supernatural Team-Ups

Batman was no stranger to team-ups, thanks to the Brave and the Bold (and multiple team-ups with folks like Deadman, the Phantom Stranger, Spectre and the Demon), neither was he a stranger to the supernatural...

...as the darknight detective had encountered plenty of odd things in his own magazine and Detective Comics as well...

...but, these were a few of the magical team-ups Batman only did once in Brave and the Bold!

Sunny Side Down

Eclipso was only Batman's second team-up appearance in Brave and the Bold, but the story in B&B #64 (February-March, 1966, by Bob Haney and Win Mortimer) was a doozy all under a magical cover done by Gil Kane (who was more known for drawing the Green Lantern and the Atom at the time!).

Batman faced off against Dr. Bruce Gordon's alter-ego...the evil Eclipso, as Eclipso and Queen Bee (Marcia Monroe, not related to the JLA foe, Zazzala) started a crime wave in Gotham, and even framed Batman for the crime!

Eclipso came into being in House of Secrets #61 (August, 1963) in a story by Bob Haney and Lee Elias, and was originally though to be solar scientist Bruce Gordon (no relation to Com. James Gordon), scratched by a black diamond held by tribal sorcerer Mophir during an eclipse. 

Bruce would then turn into the evil Eclipso (like Jekyll and Hyde) and weld the power of the black diamond against the forces of good (and usually his fiancé, Mona Bennett and her father during the run to House of Secrets #80, and a few returns in Metal Men and Green Lantern, among others).  Later, it was revealed that Eclipso was tied to the Spectre as a former wrath of God, and that the diamond imprisoned his essence (in the Eclipso: The Darkness Within 1992 DC Annual event , and Eclipso's own 18 issue series, and a storyline in Spectre #14-18 at the time involving DC magicians Dr. Fate, Zatanna, Phantom Stranger, the Demon and Madame Xanadu)...and that anyone holding one of many black diamonds could manifest Eclipso under anger.

Another House

Batman went into the House of Mystery in Brave and the Bold #93 (December-January 1970/1971) in a story by Denny O'Neil and Neal Adams (famous for a run on Green Lantern at the time as well), where Batman had to save a boy in Scotland from what might be the ghost of a Scottish king in "Red Water, Crimson Death".

An odd, but often reprinted tale....and a pretty good one as well, with some historical significance for DC Comics, as the House of Mystery had originally been a horror anthology without a host, then home to the first Brave & the Bold co-star back from issue #50, Martian Manhunter, and a newcomer, Dial H for Hero until they were evicted ...

What made this story a little odd was Batman meeting Cain, who was the host of DC's horror anthology title, House of Mystery (and until his point, thought only to be a narrator of tales for the writer starting in #175), and, with his brother, Abel (who took over House of Secrets when it became a horror anthology after Eclipso and Prince Ra-Man were sent packing) became parts of the DC Universe, with houses that magicians and others went to (like Superman, Blue Devil, Sandman and more).

Daylight Sucks

One of the residents of the title of the House of Mystery, was a real bat-man...and Andrew Bennett (of the feature I...Vampire) met Bruce Wayne's alter ego in Brave and the Bold #195 (February, 1983, by Mike W. Barr and Jim Aparo).

This set the two against each other for a time, then united against Andrew's foe, Mary and the vampires of the Blood Red Moon as Batman had to deal with this vampire invasion of Gotham and save a mobster's daughter in "Night of Blood"! 

Not the first or last time Batman faced a creature of the night...

Andrew Bennett was one of the earlier "good" vampires, who lamented his existence as a vampire, and had been an Englishman who turned in the 16th century, and bit only one human, his lover, Mary, who joined the evil cabal of vampires called the Blood Red Moon, whom Andrew devoted his life to ending.  His story started in House of Mystery #290 (March, 1981, by J.M. DeMatties and Tom Sutton) and ran in most issues of House of Mystery (continuous from #302 up) until House of Mystery #319.  Andrew then popped up in Dr. Fate's 1980s series for a time, and even returned in the New 52 with his own I...Vampire series, and DC made a collection of all his original House of Mystery appearances as well.

The Doctor Is In

Dr. Fate had met Batman before as a member of the Justice Society, but the two had one adventure together alone, with Brave and the Bold #156 (November, 1979) by Cary Burkett and Don Newton.  The Gotham City police force (including Commissioner James Gordon) had become possessed by an evil force, and it took the help of the mystic from Earth-2 to save Batman and the police!

Now, regular readers of this column might remember a mention of Earth-2 before, but for those that don't, it was a place of heroes that existed since World War II, and gathered as the Justice Society of America (as opposed to the Justice League of America), with some heroic duplicates on each Earth, like Superman, Batman, Wonder Woman, Green Arrrow and Aquaman, and some similar, like Flash, Green Lantern, Atom and Hawkman.

Dr. Fate was a hero unique to Earth-2, and was quite the hero!  Kent Nelson first appeared in More Fun Comics #55 (May, 1940) by Gardner Fox and Howard Sherman (under a Spectre cover), wherein the magic user saved Inza from the evil Wotan.  Later, it was revealed that Kent was the son of Sven Nelson, an archeologist, and while the two were clearing a tomb in Egypt, they found Nabu, a Lord of Order, who accidentally killed Sven, and then took Kent as his ward, trained him in sorcery, and gave the boy Nabu turned into a man the helmet of Fate...which allowed Kent to operate as a sorcerer and fight mystical menaces (as well as join the Justice Society). 

Kent learned that the helmet was taking him over, and left it behind for a while (using only his flying powers, strength and invulnerability) to fight slightly more ordinary crime, but by the time of the JLA/JSA team-ups, Dr. Fate was in the full helmet again (with Dr. Fate being separate from Kent Nelson, much to the chagrin of Inza, who had become Kent's wife).  Dr. Fate even joined the Justice League after the Crisis on Infinite Earths for a time, until his body gave up the ghost, and Eric and Linda Strauss took over being Dr. Fate (and they were the Dr. Fate who met Andrew Bennett), and when they gave it up, Inza became Dr. Fate for a time (and she helped face Eclipso with the Spectre and Zatanna....).

Backwards Magic

Batman and Zatanna had worked together many times before, and she even fought Batman and Robin back in an issue of Detective Comics, but her one and only team-up with Batman in Brave and the Bold happened in issue #169 (December, 1980) by Mike W. Barr and Jim Aparo.

This story, "Angel Of Mercy, Angel Of Death" was a nice chance to see more of Zatanna on her own, yet with the safety of having Batman around as well (kind of the point of Brave and the Bold issues....). 

The pair work together to see if a faith healer is real (as does the mob boss who want to avail himself of the healer's talents!).

Zatanna first appeared in Hawkman #4 (October-November, 1964) in the story "The Girl Who Split In Two!" by Gardner Fox and Murphy Anderson.  Zatanna was revealed to be the daughter of Zatara (a mystical character who first appeared in Action Comics #1), and was on a quest to find her missing father using the same powers of backward-speaking magic that her father possessed.  This saga would unfold in a few individual Justice League members titles, ending in Justice League of America #51! 

Later on, the mistress of magic joined the JLA (and gained the costume she wore when she was in B&B), and then gave that costume up for one designed by artist George Perez (that is more associated with her time in the JLA).  Later, as Zatanna gained more independent appearances, she returned to the fishnets, top hat and coat that she used in her stage magic act...but kept up helping people using her magic, including John Constantine, the Hellblazer, himself a dabbler, and confidant of the Swamp Thing (who teamed with Batman a few times, though John never did in B&B).

That's the fun of Batman team-ups, they were always magical and that legacy carries on today!