Issue Description

The second issue of Batman with Robin the Boy Wonder fighting more crime on the streets.

The Return of the Joker

Batman and other thugs of Gotham find out that Joker didn't die during the first encounter. So Batman decides to abduct the Joker out of the Hospital and take him to a brain surgeon so that he can cure him and convert him into a valuable citizen.

Meanwhile Crime Syndicate Inc, needs a boss, and they decide to take the Joker as their boss. So they go to the hospital to kidnap the Joker, who is being operated on by doctors.

Batman shows up at the hospital and tries to notify the police guarding outside by throwing pebbles at them. But they instead turn on him and chase him. He gets hit by some bullets and falls. The police unmask him, but its a gang member, Circus Charlie, who draws away the police from the Hospital.

The Catwoman, dressed up as Old woman, sees where the gang has taken the Joker. The Batman pick up Catwoman and asks her to take them to the Crime Syndicate's Lair. But she refuses so they let her go, but with some radioactive substance on her shoes, which helps them in tracking her.

At the Crime Syndicate's Lair, Joker drugs all the mob members, while Batman comes to catch him. A fight insues, in which Joker slips away to steal the Pharaoh's Gems.

At E.S.Arthur's Castle where the gems are, Cat has been invited to see the gems, when joker comes in to steal it. Robin who has been following The Cat, crashes in and tries to stop the joker, but joker knocks him out cold. Just in time Batman comes in and a fight ensues. Both Batman and Joker start a sword fight, and Batman defeats Joker and leaves him in the flaming castle.

While returning to the hovering Bat-Plane, Cat Jumps in the water below.

(please note: in the original script of this storyline the Joker was staged to die but it was because of a last minute change by the editor of DC at the time (Mr. Whitney Ellsworth) that the Joker lived instead.

Lamb and Mr Wolf

Mr Lamb, while working at Cirus Crang's private museum, is fascinated by stories of Master Criminal's. But while going home at night he stumbles down the stairs in the dark and hits his head. While dazed he looks at a picture of a Bat and a book 'The Crime Master'. While the clock strikes 12 he loses unconsciousness. But he has been altered due to the fall.

Next night at stroke of midnight, while walking, a strange transformation comes over him. And he becomes a restless animal with ugly features. While walking he comes upon a lone person and kills him. In the morning when he wakes up, he doesn't remember anything of the previous night. But each night he becomes another man. Using name of the wolf be comes a head of a crime group, and swiftly he becomes a Master of crime.

Late one night on their patrols, Batman and Robin see a mob raiding a warehouse. In the fight that ensues, robin gets hit on the head, and thrown in the path of a oncoming truck by the madmen. Batman jumps in and saves him in the nick of the time. But the gang escapes. Batman notices a queer dent in the escaping gang's car. Next day Bruce Wayne visits the Crang's museum where he chances to see a car with the same dent from the previous night. In night at the waterfront, they again chance upon the mob. Batman gets shot by the mob, the bullet misses the steel vest and bores into the unprotected shoulder, and Batman topples into the waters. Robin angered by this goes on a hitting spree. Just then, Batman arises from the water below. The gang again tries to kill the Batman, just when he throws a gas pellet and black smoke comes out of it. Using this distraction, Batman and Robin escapes.

Back at the Batcave, robin removes the bullet. Late that night, Bruce is reading the book 'The Crime Master', and he finds out that the crimes are done according to the book. And he remembers last seeing Mr Lamb reading the book. Late that night Craig is working with Lamb, when at stroke of midnight, Lamb transforms into Wolf and tries to stab Craig. Just then Robin comes in through the window and lands on Wolf. Batman enters and Wolf remembers seeing the picture of the bat when he had the fall. He stops for a moment, and batman takes to opportunity to land a powerful blow. Wolf falls down lots of stairs and hits his head. Changing back to Lamb. He remembers the incident, but dies from the injury.

The Case of the Clubfoot Murders

On his way home, Batman sees a murder being committed. He sees a man with a hook for his hand and Fish clubfoot. The mysterious man swings his hook at Batman, who trying to avoid it stumbles on the dead man's foot. The man then kicks Batman with his Clubfoot, and leaves, leaving Batman unconscious. The police arrives at the scene and Batman has to escape from the crime scene. The police finds a note saying "Harvey Storme is Dead! Vengeance is Mine, Clubfoot".

Next day Bruce Wayne goes to meet Commissioner Gorden, who is one his way to the Storme Mansion, so he tags along. At the mansion the Murdered Man's will is read, where all the wealth is is left to charitable institutions instead of his brothers. To each family member, a piece of Gold with inscription "United we Stand, Divided we fall" is left. All the relatives have to keep the piece of gold, until end of the month, when the lawyer will read another sealed letter.

That evening, At the Notorious Gambling Club, Abel Storme is shaken by some thugs, whom he owns money. So he gives them the piece of gold, That night the Clubfoot killer enter Abel Storme's room and kills Storme. Leaving the same card on him.

Reading the papers next morning, Batman decides to visit the lawyer for more information on the will. The thugs from the club are looting the lawyer's place, when batman comes and stops them. The thugs tell Batman that the lawyer Ward are at an abandoned Power house. Batman & Robing reach the power house and fight the thugs. Batman then gets hold of the gold token and on reading the markings deduces that the tokens are piece of puzzle and need to be arranged together.

So next night they visit Roger Storme, where Robin finds him murdered. Robin inspects the grounds, when he is attached by the Clubfoot. Robin flings him away , but Clubfoot manages to escape him. Meanwhile Batman reaches the lawyer Ward's house. He hears some noises from the basement, on inspecting he finds Clubfoot bound and gagged. Batman removes the gag and the person explains to him that he is Clubfoot, but not the Killer. The Lawyer Ward had his chained and was killing the Storme's using his name.Ward's plan was to kill him and forge a suicide note, so nobody will suspect the lawyer.

Just then Ward comes in dressed as Clubfoot, ready to fire on Batman. But in nick of time Robin jumps on him to save him. And they capture the lawyer.

The Case of the Missing Link

For Investigating something peculiar, Batman jumps on the the 'Metropolis Limited' Train. Some small pygmies spot him and fires arrow towards him. He kicks of many pygmies off the train, but more still come. Suddenly Batman drops down on the train flat, seeing which the pygmies are surprised. But it happens that a low bridge passes over the train, pushing all the remaining pygmies off the train. Batman finds the source baggage car and enters it to find Professor Drake there. Professor Drake asks Batman how he was able to find something was not right with the train. Batman says he saw the pygmies on the roof top of the moving train and he had to investigate. Just then Professor Drake opens a huge box revealing a gigantic man. According to Drake, he is the missing link Man and Ape. The Professor expalins to him how he found out the giant in the Mabonga County of Africa. The giant is worshipped as a god there, thats why the pygmies were following the Professor to free their God. The Giant seems very tame, which is due to the various psycological methods the Professor has used on him to tame him.

The Giant lifts Batman, but likes him cause he thinks the Giant is the Professor's friend. The Professor wants to civilize the giant. Seeing that there is no more danger to the Professor from the pygmies batman leaves. The next day the newspaper displays the news about the missing link. Across the city Hackett and Snead of Hackett and Snead Circus, want the missing link as an exhibit, so they pay the Professor a visit. Who denies them the chance. So the boys decide to send in some goons to get the missing Link.

The Batman comes to know of this problem, so he decides to station Robin at the Professor's house for protection. At night the boys enter the professor's room and kill him with a gun. They stage the place, to make it seen the professor did a suicide. Robin hears the gun shots and enters the estate, where he fights the goons. Just then the Giant angry, breaks out of his box and drives all the goons away, but remebers the face of one of the goons.

Next day the paper tells the tragic story of the suicide and how the professor left the giant to the Circus. There the giant caged is angry, but the crowd is entertained. Suddenly the giant sees the face from the night before and goes berserk. He tears apart his cage and captures the goon and dashes him to death. In his rage he releases many animals, and destroys the circus. Batman and Robin reach the circus to find a lion about to attach a spectator. The manage to pull a net over there Lion trapping him. Robin then jumps over the giant elephant and prods him with the trainer's stick to calm him. As he jumps off the elephant, the Giant picks him up and throws him a long distance, but Robin manages to take hold of a trapeze. Seeing that Robin managed to escape, the Giant starts climbing the girder to robin. Batman also reaches the top and puts a lasso over the giant, when all are high above in the air. The giant pulls the rope and tugs at the rope to bring the batman near him. Robin then flings a stone at the Giant, who loses his balance and falls with the batman in tow, Batman manages to catch a low trapeze and lands safely on the ground, but the Giant falls on his head, and dies.

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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