Legion of Super-Heroes #277 (July 1981) saw him take on editorial duties at DC, a position he would hold until 1987.[5] In December 1982, he and artistBrian Bolland beganCamelot 3000,[6] a 12 issue limited series that was one of DC Comics' firstdirect market projects.[7] Barr and artistTrevor Von Eeden produced the firstGreen Arrow limited series in 1983.[8] When the long runningThe Brave and the Bold series came to its conclusion with issue #200 (July 1983), it featured apreview of a new Batman series,Batman and the Outsiders by Barr and artistJim Aparo,[9] which would be described by DC Comics writer and executivePaul Levitz as being "a team series more fashionable to 1980s audiences."[10] TheMasters of Disaster were among the supervillains created by Barr and Aparo for the series.[11] Barr wrote every issue of the original series, and its Baxter paper spinoff,The Outsiders[12][13] that did not include Batman and introducedLooker.[14] After the series' cancellation in February 1988, it was revived in November 1993 by Barr and artistPaul Pelletier.[15]
He was one of the contributors to theDC Challenge limited series in 1986[16] and wrote the "Batman: Year Two" storyline inDetective Comics #575–578 (June–Sept. 1987) which followed up onFrank Miller's "Batman: Year One".[17] Barr introduced theReaper inDetective Comics #575 (June 1987) and returned to the character in theBatman: Full Circle one-shot in 1991.[18] Another project from 1987 was theBatman: Son of the Demongraphic novel which was drawn byJerry Bingham.[19] This title, and Barr's work on Batman with artistAlan Davis have been cited byGrant Morrison as key inspirations for their own run on theBatman title.[20] Barr's sequel,Batman: Bride of The Demon, was published in 1991.[21] Barr's Batman stories and scripts have been adapted into several mediums, including episodes ofBatman: The Animated Series.
From 1989 to 1990, he took over DC'sDoc Savage series fromDennis O'Neil, which saw the 1930s super-scientist taken to the present day. It was also notable as featuring Doc Savage's first-ever team-up withThe Shadow, another popular hero of the pulp magazine era and inspiration for Batman. The two characters appeared together in a four-issue story,The Conflagration Man, that crossed back and forth between each character's DC comic book series.
In May 2010, the Invisible College Press published Barr's science fiction/fantasy novel,Majician/51, about the discoveries of a scientist working atArea 51.[22]
^Manning, Matthew K. (2012). "1980s". In Gilbert, Laura (ed.).Spider-Man Chronicle Celebrating 50 Years of Web-Slinging. London, United Kingdom:Dorling Kindersley. p. 132.ISBN978-0756692360.Behind an impressive cover by artist P. Craig Russell was a single-issue tale by writer Mike W. Barr and co-plotter and penciler Sandy Plunkett. Encountering a vacant-eyed Scarlet Witch on a Manhattan rooftop, Spider-Man was shocked when she attacked him.
^Manning, Matthew K. (2010). "1980s". In Dolan, Hannah (ed.).DC Comics Year By Year A Visual Chronicle. London, United Kingdom:Dorling Kindersley. p. 199.ISBN978-0-7566-6742-9.Writer Mike W. Barr and artist Brian Bolland pushed the limits of the conventional comic book withCamelot 3000. DC Comics' first foray into the realm of the maxiseries,Camelot 3000 was a twelve-issue story printed on vibrant Baxter paper that showcased Bolland's realistic artwork.
^Ash, Roger (April 2008). "Mike W. Barr and Brian Bolland Return to Camelot".Back Issue! (27). Raleigh, North Carolina:TwoMorrows Publishing:45–56.
^Manning "1980s" in Dolan, p. 201: "The Battling Bowman fought his way into his own four-issue miniseries at long last, thanks to writer Mike W. Barr and artist Trevor Von Eeden."
^Manning "1980s" in Dolan, p. 202: "Despite being the final issue of this particular series, the book wasn't closed on Batman's team-ups. Although Batman was through working with partners, it was time to think bigger, and in a special sixteen-page preview insert written by Barr and with art by Jim Aparo, the Outsiders debuted. A super-hero team of Batman's own creation, the Outsiders would soon star alongside Batman in the new monthly seriesBatman and the Outsiders.
^Manning, Matthew K. (2014). "1980s". In Dougall, Alastair (ed.).Batman: A Visual History. London, United Kingdom:Dorling Kindersley. p. 149.ISBN978-1465424563.Batman and the Outsiders #9 (April 1984) The Masters of Disaster sealed their reputation as the Outsiders' greatest foes in this two-part tale by Mike W. Barr and Jim Aparo.
^Manning "1980s" in Dolan, p. 215: "[The Outsiders] saw the popular team given the enhanced quality of a Baxter-format series...written by Mike W. Barr and drawn by Jim Aparo."
^Trumbull, John (July 2014). "Watching theDetective (Comics)".Back Issue! (73). Raleigh, North Carolina:TwoMorrows Publishing:50–58.
^Manning "1980s" in Dougall, p. 155:The Outsiders #1 (Nov. 1985) "Written by Mike W. Barr and drawn by Jim Aparo, this issue debuted Looker in full costume."
^Manning "1990s" in Dolan, p. 261: "The Outsiders made their return in a new series courtesy of writer Mike W. Barr and artist Paul Pelletier."
^Greenberger, Robert (August 2017). "It Sounded Like a Good Idea at the Time: A Look at theDC Challenge!".Back Issue! (98). Raleigh, North Carolina: TwoMorrows Publishing:38–39.
^Manning "1980s" in Dolan, p. 229: "In 'Year Two', a four-part sequel [to "Batman: Year One"] set in Batman's second year as a crime fighter, writer Mike W. Barr and artists Alan Davis and Todd McFarlane challenged the Caped Crusader with the threat of the Reaper."
^Manning "1980s" in Dolan, p. 229: "In an over-sized hardcover graphic novel one-shot, writer Mike W. Barr and artist Jerry Bingham introduced a monumental new character into the life of the Dark Knight - Damian Wayne."
^"Morrison in the Cave: Grant Morrison talks Batman". Newsarama. August 23, 2006. Archived fromthe original on October 12, 2007. RetrievedFebruary 20, 2012.I was influenced by the animated series portrayal of Batman, by Christian Bale's definitive performance inBatman Begins and by Mike Barr's '80s Batman stories with Alan Davis, which swam bravely against the prevailing trends at a time when the grim 'n' gritty current was at its strongest.
^Manning "1990s" in Dougall, p. 189: ""With art by Tom Grindberg, writer Mike W. Barr returned to chronicle a new Ra's al Ghul story in this sequel.
^Barr, Mike W. (2010).Majician / 51. Invisible College Press, LLC. p. 246.ISBN978-1931468299.
