relettered

Yes, he had relettered them and hoed the weeds out.

Chapter VIII 2010

I checked another Detective reprint, Detective #627 "celebrating Batman's 600th appearance in Detective one issue too late", and it's the same relettered, retouched version that's in the Archive.

Comic Book Urban Legends Revealed #131 | Comics Should Be Good! @ Comic Book Resources 2007

At any rate, comparing the two side-by-side does make it clear that the art has been retouched as well as it having been relettered--in addition to the lines around the bell jar, compare the stray lines on Batman's suit between versions.

Comic Book Urban Legends Revealed #131 | Comics Should Be Good! @ Comic Book Resources 2007

Comparing them to the original--and this one probably was Theakstonized, since that was the practice of the time and it's not that rare a comic--some fine blacks were retouched, but you have to look closely to notice, and it wasn't relettered.

Comic Book Urban Legends Revealed #131 | Comics Should Be Good! @ Comic Book Resources 2007

Allen's comment about it possibly having been relettered in '69, and the panel trimming it's particularly visible in the very first panel; in the original the left quote mark is partway into the panel, while in the reprint it's at the very edge makes me wonder if it may have been traced via lightbox instead.

Comic Book Urban Legends Revealed #131 | Comics Should Be Good! @ Comic Book Resources 2007

Not just relettered - the panels are trimmed for no obvious reason.

Comic Book Urban Legends Revealed #131 | Comics Should Be Good! @ Comic Book Resources 2007

I hope to someday get this final issue out, perhaps a collected trade paperback, partially rewritten, relettered with all all-new stuff.

notes from the peanut gallery Dean Francis Alfar 2004

I hope to someday get this final issue out, perhaps a collected trade paperback, partially rewritten, relettered with all all-new stuff.

Archive 2004-01-01 Dean Francis Alfar 2004

In the next to last panel, though and I realize it's hard to tell in my scan, the "1969" is very obviously relettered.

Archive 2004-11-21 2004

In the next to last panel, though and I realize it's hard to tell in my scan, the "1969" is very obviously relettered.

Archive 2004-11-21 2004