Appearing in "The Legend of the Batman - Who He is, and How he Came to Be"
Featured Characters:
Supporting Characters:
- Martha Wayne (Dies in flashback)
- Thomas Wayne (Dies in flashback)
Villains:
- Joe Chill (Appears in flashback and main story)
Other Characters:
- None
Locations:
Items:
- None
Vehicles:
- None
Synopsis for "The Legend of the Batman - Who He is, and How he Came to Be"
- Synopsis not yet written
Appearing in "The Joker"
Featured Characters:
Supporting Characters:
Villains:
- Joker
(First appearance) - Brute Nelson (Only appearance; dies)[1]
Other Characters:
- Henry Claridge
- Jay Wylde
- Judge Drake
Locations:
Items:
- Daily Star
- Joker Venom (First appearance)
Vehicles:
- None
Synopsis for "The Joker"
- Synopsis not yet written
Appearing in "The Giants of Hugo Strange"
Featured Characters:
Supporting Characters:
Villains:
Hugo Strange
- Monster Men (First appearance)
Other Characters:
Locations:
Items:
Vehicles:
Synopsis for "The Giants of Hugo Strange"
- Synopsis not yet written
Appearing in "The Cat"
Featured Characters:
Supporting Characters:
- None
Villains:
- The Cat (First appearance)
Other Characters:
- Martha Travers
- Denny Travers
- Doctor Wallace
- Roger
Locations:
Items:
Vehicles:
- Luxury cruise ship
Synopsis for "The Cat"
- Synopsis not yet written
Appearing in "The Joker Returns"
Featured Characters:
Supporting Characters:
Villains:
Other Characters:
- Chalmers
- Edgar Martin
Locations:
Items:
Vehicles:
- None
Synopsis for "The Joker Returns"
The Joker Returns" Two days after the Joker is captured, he manages to escape using explosive chemicals hidden in some false teeth and begins to cause more trouble. At home, Bruce Wayne and Dick Grayson hear the news on the radio and Bruce speculates that Joker is probably after vengeance. The Joker enters his secret laboratory through a hidden entrance in the graveyard and starts plotting. He threatens Chief of Police Chalmers, and kills him dart released with a phone call. Next day, a painting is stolen, and the owner of a stolen gem is found dead, grinning. Then he threatens to steal the Cleopatra necklace.
Bruce, hearing it on the radio, promises to stop him. In the museum, the Joker emerges from a sarcophagus and uses his poison to incapacitate the guards. Batman appears and disarms him. The Joker seizes an axe and knocks out Batman. The Police arrives and finds the unconscious Batman and missing necklace. Before the cops can remove Batman's cowl, he comes to and escapes out the window. A reformer, Edgar Martin calls for the capture of the Joker, and is marked for death. That night, Martin is under guard and plays cards to calm down. But the pack is all jokers, and poison-laced, killing Martin. Next day Bruce Wayne suggests a trap for the Joker to his friend Commissioner Gordon. The press prints a series of articles on the Fire Ruby, and despite suspecting a trap, the Joker goes for it. When he arrives, the police surround him, and he shoots, making for the roof. Robin, waiting for him, follows. Joker knocks him off, but he grabs a flagpole to save himself. Running down to see if Robin died, Joker takes aim and is intercepted by Batman. Robin falls down and lands on the Joker. Batman and Joker fight, and Joker stabs himself in the chest. Batman and Robin flee, leaving the Police to find out that the Joker is still alive.
Notes
- The first five issues of this title were published quarterly on a seasonal basis.
- Batman chronologically appeared last in Batman #12. His actual last appearance was in Detective Comics #39. He appears next in Detective Comics #40.
- Hugo Strange appeared last in Detective Comics #36. He appears next in Detective Comics #46.
- James Gordon chronologically appeared last in Batman #32. He appears next in New York World's Fair Comics #2.
- This issue features the first appearance of the Joker. The Joker makes a chronologically earlier appearance as the Red Hood as revealed in flashback in Detective Comics #168. He appears next in Batman #2.
- This issue is the first appearance of Catwoman. She makes a chronologically earlier appearance in Batman #52 and Brave and the Bold #197. She appears next in Batman #2.
- Robin chronologically appeared last in Batman #12. His actual last appearance was in Detective Comics #39. He appears next in Detective Comics #40.
- "The Giants of Hugo Strange" is also known as "Professor Hugo Strange and the Monsters".
- The asylum featured in "The Giants of Hugo Strange" is never identified, however it is safe to assume that it exists as the Earth-Two counterpart to the famous Arkham Asylum.
- The plot from "The Joker" is re-imagined in the 2005 graphic novel Batman: The Man Who Laughs. The plots from "The Joker" and "The Joker Returns" are also a major influence on the 2008 feature film The Dark Knight where the Joker does the same things as he did in that comic such as publicly announcing his crimes before committing them, removing his make-up and disguising himself as a police officer to gain access to a person he threatened to kill, using a powerful bomb smuggled into jail to escape, stealing and killing not for personal gain but to simply create chaos and disorder, and infringing upon the city's old-fashioned mobsters.
Reprints[]
- "The Legend of the Batman - Who He is, and How he Came to Be" was originally printed in Detective Comics #33. The splash page introducing this story was reprinted from Detective Comics #34. This story is also reprinted in Famous First Edition F-5, Millennium Edition: Batman #1, Batman: The Dark Knight Archives, Volume 1 and Batman: A Celebration of 75 Years.
- "The Joker" is reprinted in Batman From the 30s to the 70s, Famous First Edition F-5, Millennium Edition: Batman #1, Batman: The Dark Knight Archives, Volume 1 and The Joker: A Celebration of 75 Years.
- "The Giants of Hugo Strange" is reprinted in The Greatest Batman Stories Ever Told, Famous First Edition F-5, Millennium Edition: Batman #1, Batman Chronicles, Volume 1 and Batman: The Dark Knight Archives, Volume 1.
- "The Cat" is reprinted in Famous First Edition F-5, Batman Chronicles, Volume 1, Millennium Edition: Batman #1 and Batman: The Dark Knight Archives, Volume 1.
- "The Joker Returns" is reprinted in Famous First Edition F-5, Batman Chronicles, Volume 1, Millennium Edition: Batman #1 and Batman: The Dark Knight Archives, Volume 1.
Trivia
- This issue includes a two-page filler strip by Paul Gustavson entitled "Major Bigsbee an' Bots". This story is also reprinted in Famous First Edition F-5 and Millennium Edition: Batman #1.
- This issue includes a feature-text biography on Bob Kane, as written by editor Whitney Ellsworth.
- This issue includes a two-page text story by George Shute and Raymond Perry entitled "Two Aces". This story is reprinted in Famous First Edition F-5 and Millennium Edition: Batman #1.
- This issue includes a two-page humor strip by Ted Raye entitled "Ginger Snap". Ted Raye is a pen named occasionally used by Bob Kane.
- This issue includes a one-page "Fast Facts" feature by George Papp.
- The Catwoman is referred to only as the Cat in this issue.
See Also
Recommended Reading
Links and References
- Batman profile at Wikipedia
- Batman profile at DCU Guide
- Batman profile at DC Indexes
- Batman profile at Supermanica
- Catwoman profile at Wikipedia
- Catwoman profile at the DCU Guide
- Joker profile at Wikipedia
- Joker profile at DCU Guide
- Joker profile at DC Indexes
- Joker profile at Supermanica
- Robin profile at Wikipedia
- Robin profile at DCU Guide
- Robin profile at DC Indexes
- Robin profile at Supermanica
References
- ↑ First and only known appearance to date besides flashbacks