Issue Description

The Joker's Original Robberies!

In the Joker's lair, the Clown Prince of Crime's new court jester, Gagsworth A. "Gaggy" Gagsworthy, entertains the Joker. So uproarious is the Joker's laughter that it inspires in him a new caper. The Joker drives into the Salon of Spectacles, intent on stealing all the original models of famous inventions. Gaggy uses his glass shattering scream to bring a chandelier down on the security guards, while the Joker's goons loot the room. Fortunately, Bruce Wayne and Dick Grayson are taking in the exhibits in the Salon of Spectacles. Donning their costumes, Batman and Robin rush in to foil the Joker's robbery. The Joker launches the side wheels of his car at the Dynamic Duo, who easily dodge the spinning missiles. Joker then launches himself from the car, with an ejection seat, landing feet first on the Batman. Gaggy rams the Boy Wonder, who topples backwards, hitting his head. With Robin stunned, Gaggy sets about removing the Boy Wonder's mask. A punch from the Batman though sends the Joker hurtling into Gaggy, knocking both men to the ground. The Joker and Gaggy leap back into their car, releasing a dense smoke screen to mask their exit from the Salon of Spectacles. When the smoke clears, it becomes apparent that the Joker got away with all of the models. Batman and Robin race to the Batmobile to pursue the Joker, but the Clown Prince of Crime is long gone.

Realizing that there is still one original model of a famous invention at risk, Batman and Robin drive to the home of Philip Perry, the inventor of the electric typewriter. Perry, however, reveals that his was not the very first electric typewriter. Hamilton Tyne invented an electric typewriter six months prior to Perry's. Batman and Robin race to Tyne's apartment, but they're too late. The Joker has already been there, and Tyne's typewriter is gone. Back at the Joker's lair, Gaggy's antics inspire the Joker's next caper. Unable to resist taunting Batman, the Joker leaves a message for the Caped Crusader, in the local paper. Deciphering the Joker's clue, Batman determines that the Joker means to make off with the original city hall of Gotham City. The Dynamic Duo race to intercept the Joker at the monument's site. Disrupting the dedication ceremony, the Joker arrives via helicopter, and attaches towing cables to the old city hall structure, carrying it away into the sky. Batman and Robin arrive just in time to leap inside city hall, as it is carried away. Arriving at their destination, the Joker returns the city hall building to the ground. Out burst Batman and Robin, taking the Joker by surprise. A fierce battle ensues, with Batman and Robin ultimately triumphing over the Joker, Gaggy, and the Joker's gang. Turned over to the authorities, the Joker and Gaggy find themselves sharing a cell. The little man will be entertaining the Joker from behind bars, for their foreseeable future.

Commissioner Gordon's Death-Threat!

Batman receives a phone call from Commissioner Gordon, who has received a threat on his life, from Fred Purley, a man Gordon put away forty years ago. Gordon is laying low in a hotel room, in Resort City. Batman departs immediately to come to the aid of his old friend. Unbeknownst to Batman, Purley has already abducted Gordon. It was Purley, perfectly mimicking Gordon's voice who sent for Batman. In the Batcopter, Batman travels to Resort City, then races to Gordon's hotel room. As Batman opens the door, the room explodes. With Batman away, Robin patrols the streets of Gotham City solo. The Boy Wonder spies criminals exiting the Foxcroft Jewel Salon, and springs into action. Robin has just about subdued the entire criminal gang by his lonesome, when he hears Gordon's voice... really Purley again... behind him. Distracted, Robin is felled by a blow to the head. Robin heads to police headquarters to report the robbery, running into Batman. The two compare notes and set about finding Purley's hideout. Robin recalls seeing a brochure for Flame Island, in the breast pocket of one of Robbins' gunsels. The Dynamic Duo journey to Flame Island, and begin searching, from the air, for any sign of Gordon. Amazingly, the Caped Crusaders spot the Bat Signal, emanating from a tower room, in a secluded mansion. Rushing in, the Dynamic Duo take Purley by surprise, taking him and his gang down, before any harm can come to Gordon. As it turns out, though Gordon did indeed carve the Bat Symbol into the blackened glass of the tower room, it was Purley who set a kerosene lantern down near enough to the window that shined the makeshift signal. Thus has Purley, inadvertently, brought about his own downfall.

Batman (1940)

Publisher

DC Comics

Volume Description

The entire run of Batman still stands upon large controversies over who actually came up with some of the characters. Bob Kane supposedly came up with the idea for the hero, but it has been suggested that he only came up with a "Bird-man" and Bill Finger suggested he be a "Bat-man". Both creators however, share credit for this character. As for the Joker, the first concept sketch was drawn by Jerry Robinson, but Kane disputed that his input was "minimal" suggesting he and Bill came up with the idea. Kane also finagled many legal aspects of Batman related print and media. Every movie and comic reads "Batman created by Bob Kane" when it should read "Batman created by Bob Kane and Bill Finger". However It is not disputed that Robinson and Finger came up with the character, Robin after "Robinhood" . Bob Kane and Sheldon Moldoff co-created numerous bat-creations including Alfred Pennyworth, Poison Ivy, Mr. Freeze, Batwoman, Batgirl as well as Bat-Mite and Ace the Bat Hound just to name a few. Bill Finger also co-created Penguin, Riddler, and Catwoman.

Ad for Batman #1

One of DC's longest running books showcasing the adventures of the Dark Knight, Batman. Through out the years, a majority of Batman's marquee story lines have happened within the pages of this book including, but not limited to the death of the second Robin, Jason Todd, and Bane breaking Batman's back, leading to Jean-Paul Valley to assume the role of Batman for a period of time in the 90s.

In 2006, super-star writer Grant Morrison took over the book. Morrison wrote stories that introduced readers to Bruce's son Damian Wayne as well as putting Bruce through a series of near fatal trials against The Black Glove and Doctor Hurt, leading up to the epic 2008 story lines of Batman RIP and Final Crisis where Bruce Wayne had apparently died at the hands of the evil god Darkseid.

After Bruce's "death," and the Battle for the Cowl, Dick Grayson, the first Robin, took up the mantle of Batman, continuing to protect Gotham exactly as his mentor had. He even took in Damian as his own Robin. With the exception of two issues set prior to the events of Final Crisis, Dick Grayson has been the star of the book since issue #687.

When the super hero community learned that Bruce Wayne had never actually died, and was sent back in time by Darkseid, Dick Grayson eventually knew that his time as Batman would soon end. But with Bruce's return, and formation of Batman Incorporated, Bruce deemed Dick Grayson the Batman of Gotham City, as he traveled the world, searching for more recruits for his new organization.

Charles Paris has drawn the most issues of Batman thus far at 128. Denny O'Neil is a long time writer and editor at DC with 211 issues. He also contributed the location of Arkham Asylum as well as the characters Man-Bat, Ra's al Ghul and Talia al Ghul.

In September 2011, DC Comics relaunched their entire line in an event known as "The New 52" which would see the premiere of fifty-two new titles, thus the long-running Batman series ended with #713 during Tony S. Daniel's run on the title. In the new line, however, Tony Daniel will continue writing in the "Batman universe" but under the character's other main title, Detective Comics. The new Batman series will be written instead by Scott Snyder (who was writing Detective Comics pre-relaunch).

For Post Flashpoint volume 2, refer to Batman.

Trade Volumes that collect Batman issues:

Classic and Archived Batman:

Batman: A Celebration of 75 Years (#1, 49, 181, 497)The Joker: A Celebration of 75 Years (#1, 5, 25, 32, 85, 163, 251, 427)The Batman Chronicles Volume 1 (Batman #1, Detective Comics #27-37)The Batman Chronicles Volume 2 (Batman #2-3, Detective Comics #39-45, New York World's Fair Comic #2)The Batman Chronicles Volume 3 (Batman #4-5, Detective Comics #46-50, World's Finest #1)The Batman Chronicles Volume 4 (Batman #6-7, Detective Comics #51-56, World's Finest #2-3)The Batman Chronicles Volume 5 (Batman #8-9, Detective Comics #57-61, World's Finest #4)Batman: Arkham - The Riddler (#171, 179, 292, 317 & 362)

see also Batman Archives, Batman: The Dark Knight Archives, Batman: The Dynamic Duo Archives etc...

For late 60`s - 70`s comics...

Showcase Presents: Batman

Modern Batman (Post-Crisis)

Batman Arkham: Two-Face (#234, 346, 410 & 411)Tales of the Batman: Len Wein (#307-310, #312-319, #321-324, #326-327)Batman: Second Chances (#402, 403 & 408-416)Batman: Year One (Batman #404-407)Batman: The Many Deaths of Batman (Batman #433-435)Batman: Ten Nights of the Beast (#417-420)Batman: A Death in the Family (Batman #426-429)Robin: The Teen Wonder (Batman #428 and 442, Batman: Legends of the Dark Knight #100, Nightwing #101, Batman #428 and 442, Robin #126 and 132, and Teen Titans #29)Robin: A Hero Reborn (Batman #455-457 and Robin #1-5)Robin: Reborn (#455-457)Batman: Knightfall Part 1: Broken Bat (Batman #491-497, Detective Comics #659-663)Batman: Knightfall Part 2: Who Rules the Night (Batman #498-500, Detective Comics #664-666, Showcase '93 #7-8, Shadow of the Bat #16-18)Batman: Knightfall Part 3: Knightsend (Batman #509-510)Batman By Doug Moench & Kelley Jones Volume 1 (#515-525, 527-532 and 535-536)Tales of the Batman: J.H. Williams III (#526, 550 and 667-669)Batman: Road To No Man's Land (#555-559)Batman: No Man's Land Vol. 1 ( Batman #563-564, No Man's Land #1, Shadow of the Bat #83-84, Detective Comics #730-731, Legends of the Dark Knight #116)Batman: No Man's Land Vol. 2 (Batman #565, Shadow of the Bat #85-87, Detective Comics #732-733, Legends of the Dark Knight #117, #119, Batman Chronicles #16)Batman: No Man's Land Vol. 3 (Batman #566-569, Shadow of the Bat #88, Detective Comics #734-735, Legends of the Dark Knight #120-121)Batman: No Man's Land Vol. 4 (Batman #571-572, Shadow of the Bat #92-93, Detective Comics #736, # 738-739, Legends of the Dark Knight #125, Batman Chronicles #18)Batman: No Man's Land Vol. 5 (Batman #573-574, Shadow of the Bat #94, Detective Comics #740-741, Legends of the Dark Knight #126, No Man's Land #0)Batman by Ed Brubaker (#582-586 & 591-594)Batman: False Faces (Batman #588-590, Detective Comics #787, Wonder Woman #160-161, Tale from Batman: Gotham City Secret Files and Origins)Batman: Bruce Wayne-Murderer? (Batman #599-600, Batman: The 10 Cent Adventure, Detective Comics #766-767, Batgirl #24, Nightwing #65-66, Batman: Gotham Knights #25-26, Birds of Prey #39-40, Robin #98-99)Bruce Wayne: Fugitive Volume 1 (Batman #601, #603; Batman: Gotham Knights #27-28; Batgirl #27, #29; Birds of Prey #41, #43; Nightwing #68-69)Batman: Bruce Wayne - Fugitive (#603-607)Bruce Wayne: Fugitive Volume 2 (Batman #605, Detective Comics #768-772, Batman: Gotham Knights #31)Bruce Wayne: Fugitive Volume 3 (Batman #606-607, Detective Comics #773-775, Batgirl #33)Batman: Hush (Batman #608-619)Batman vs. Superman: The Greatest Battles (#612)Batman: Broken City (Batman #620-625)Batman Noir: Eduardo Risso (Batman #620-625)Batman: As the Crow Flies (Batman #626-630)Batman: War Games Volume 1 (Batman #631, Batman: The 12 Cent Adventure, Detective Comics #797, Batman: Legends of the Dark Knight #182, Nightwing #96, Batman: Gotham Knights #56, Robin #129, Batgirl #55, Catwoman #34)Batman: War Games Book One (New Edition) (#631)Batman: War Games Volume 2 (Batman #632, Detective Comics #798, Batman: Legends of the Dark Knight #183, Nightwing #97, Batman: Gotham Knights #57, Robin , Batgirl #56, Catwoman #35)Batman: War Games Volume 3 (Batman #633, Detective Comics #799, Batman: Legends of the Dark Knight #184, Nightwing #98, Batgirl #57, Catwoman #36, Robin #131, Batman: Gotham Knights #58)Batman: Under the Hood Volume 1 (Batman #635-641)Batman: War Crimes (Batman #643-644, Detective Comics #809-810, Batman Allies Secret Files and Origins, Batman Villains Secret Files and Origins)Batman: Under the Hood Volume 2 (Batman #645-650, Batman Annual #25)Batman: Face the Face (Batman #651-654, Detective Comics #817-820)Batman: Batman and Son (Batman #655-658, #663-666)Batman Unwrapped by Andy Kubert (Batman #655-68, 664-666, 686 and 700)DC Comics Presents: Robin War 100-Page Spectacular (#657)Damian: Son of Batman Deluxe Edition (#666)Batman: The Black Glove (Batman #667-669, 672-675)Batman: The Resurrection of Ra's al Ghul (Batman #670-671, Batman Annual #26, Detective Comics #838-839, Robin #168-169, Robin Annual #7, Nightwing #138-139)Batman: Batman R.I.P. (Batman #676-683)Batman: Whatever Happened to the Caped Crusader (Batman #686, Detective Comics #853, Secret Origins #36, Secret Origins Special #1, Batman: Black and White #2)Batman: Long Shadows (Batman #687-691)Batman: Life After Death (Batman #692-699)Batman: Time and the Batman (Batman #700-703)Batman: Eye of the Beholder (Batman #704-707, Batman #710-712)Batman: Gotham Shall Be Judged (Batman #708-709, Red Robin #22, Gotham City Sirens #22, Azrael #14-18)

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