(Batman I #1) - <Spring, 1940> Batman and Robin confronted the Joker, who had killed three prominent Gothamites using his Joker Venom. Joker escaped Batman in two straight fights, but the third time Batman defeated him and sent him off to jail.

(Batman I #1) - <Spring, 1940> Batman sent Robin to Mr. John Travers yacht party, figuring that some daring criminal would attempt to steal the Travers' necklace. The party-goers were robbed by a bunch of gangsters, but Batman arrived on the scene in time to capture them. The Cat was also aboard the yacht in disguise and stole the Tavers' necklace. Batman unmasked and apprehended her, but he felt instantly attracted to the Cat so he let her escape his custody.

(Batman I #1) - <Spring, 1940> Two days after Batman captured the Joker the villain escaped prison and went on a murderous crime spree. Batman and Robin caught up with Joker, and during their fight Joker accidentally stabbed himself in the chest, severely wounding but not killing him.

(Batman I #2) - Batman and Robin broke up a heist by the Wolf gang, but failed to capture them. Bruce Wayne visited his friend Cyrus Craig’s private museum, and met the curator Adam Lamb, who was obsessed with a crime novel entitled “The Crime Master.” Batman and Robin ran afoul of the Wolfgang again, and Batman took a bullet in the shoulder. At the Batcave Robin performed surgery, and removed it. He’d been in a frightful state worrying about Batman pulling through. Batman realize the crooks were acting out the crimes committed in “The Crime Master,” and confronted Lamb / Wolf at the museum. After a scuffle Wolf again fell down the flight of stairs, this time breaking his neck. His Lamb persona resurfaced, and with his dying words he explained that a brain injury created his murderous split-personality, and begged Batman not to hate him. Batman stated that it was a tragedy, because modern medicine could have cured Lamb if he’d gotten help.

(Batman I #2) - Batman witnessed the murder of millionaire Harley Storme by the Clubfoot, but was unable to catch the killer. Commissioner Gordon allowed Bruce Wayne to attend the reading of Harley’s will to gather information. The entire family hated each other, and they suspected “Clubfoot” Beggs, who claimed Harley cheated him out of his share of a gold mine, as the killer. Storme left his fortune to charity, but gave each of his heirs, and his lawyer Ward a piece of gold with the inscription “United We Stand - Divided We Fall.” Ward announced that they would gather in a month to open up a sealed envelope Harley left them. The Stormes began dying off,and Batman and Robin investigated. Their detective work led to the Storme Mansion, where they found “Clubfoot” Beggs chained in the cellar. They were confronted by the Clubfoot killer, who Batman bested. Ward knew the sealed envelope contained directions to a goldmine, a map of which could be pieced together with the pieces of gold Storme left his heirs. Ward wanted it all for himself, and tried to frame Beggs.

(Batman I #3) - Batman was on patrol when he saw a Cossack rudely jostle a man on the street. He wanted to know what gives, but the Cossack got violent, and fled. Batman learned that the affronted man was Dr. Craig, who was researching the secrets of atomic energy and had developed the top secret Voss gun for the U.S. Batman and Robin later spied the Cossack and his companions, and learned that they worked for the spy Puppet Master. Dr. Craig had been administered a thought serum while he was jostled, and the serum would allow the Puppet Master to mentally dominate him, and steal his scientific knowledge to sell to warring countries. Batman kept Craig from handing over his secrets to the Cossacks, and when Puppet Master’s men attacked the Metropolis Ltd. Railcar carrying the Voss rifle, he and Robin helped the army overtake them. The Puppet Master demanded revenge, and after one of his men gave Batman a dose of the thought serum he ordered the hero to rob a jewelry store, hoping he’d be shot by the police in the act; killed and disgraced. Batman eluded the police, and was bringing the jewels to Puppet Master’s house when Robin confronted him, asking him why he was going after the criminal without his sidekick. Batman slapped Robin, and the Boy Wonder realized his best pal would never strike him unless he was hypnotized. He struck Batman, jarring the Master’s control, and together they took down the spy. Batman would hand him over to the authorities and explain that he had been mentally controlled when he robbed the jewelry store.

(Batman I #3) - Robin helped Batman take down the Ugliest Man in the World and the Ugly Horde, who were obsessed with destroying all works of beauty.

(Batman I #3) - Batman broke up a robbery and was shocked to find that one of the gunmen was a young boy. The boy pleaded for mercy, and promised to go straight. Batman let him go, but followed him, and learned that he was a student f Pockets, a hood who was corrupting Gotham’s youth with his crime school for boys. Batman knew he could bust up the operation, but the boys would still admire criminals, so he decided to be more subtle. He opened up a gymnasium in the slums, and hd Dick recruit the crime school boys so they could learn about fair play. The boys learned how to play fair, but only in sports, and they kept attending crime school. Batman had Dick enroll in the crime school, where he met Pockets’ client Big Boy Daniels. Dick’s inside information let Batman bust up Daniels’ crimes, and scare the crime school boys on the jobs. Daniels suspected a snitch, and gunned down Pockets. Batman then thrashed Big Boy in front of the crime school students, convincing them that criminals were not to be looked up to.

(Batman I #3) - Batman witnessed the murder of Blake of the diamond syndicate, and with his dying breathe he warned Batman that the syndicate’s latest import of gems was targeted to be stolen. McGonigle was on the case, and once again tried to arrest Batman, but failed hilariously. Batman figured out that Blake’s partners were crooked, and had him killed. The diamond syndicate put on a fashion show, and hired Cat-Woman to pose as one of the models, and steal their wares for insurance money. Bedecked with jewelry, she went onto the runway and set off a smoke grenade, allowing her to run out the back door. She was immediately kidnapped by thugs working for Hoffer of the syndicate, who’d double-crossed his partner Darrel. Batman and Robin apprehended the crooked diamond merchants. Batman kept the freed Cat from clawing out their eyes for hoodwinking her, and apologized for having to take her in. She passionately kissed Batman, allowing her to make an escape. Robin had a fit because a girl gave them the slip, but Batman seemed untroubled. Both Batman and the Cat wished that the other was on the other side of the law so they could have romance.

(Batman I #4) - Batman and Robin realized that a traveling circus performing for the social elite was casing them, and then returning to rob them blind. They stopped one robbery, and followed the crime circus to their headquarters, an abandoned mansion, only to learn that their ringleader was the Joker, who’d survived his last encounter with Batman. Joker had the mansion rigged with booby traps and death traps, but Batman closed in on him, and the duo battled furiously. While grappling the Joker fell down one of his own trap doors, nd Batman hoped he’d died for real this time.

(Batman I #4) - Batman and Robin received a report that a yachting society was being held hostage by pirates, and took the Batplane to investigate. The pirates were led by Thatch, a former gangster now calling himself Blackbeard. The pirates numbers initially overwhelmed the heroes, but after being thrown in the brig they enlisted the help of the yacht enthusiasts to get free, and dispatched the pirates.

(Batman I #4) - Racketeering bosses Jimmy McCoy and Big Costello waged war on each other, and many civilians were caught in the crossfire. Batmn and Robin intervened, but after stopping a firefight, they couldn’t prevent Big Costello from gunning down his rival. Batman reminded Robin that no one should be impressed by the mystique of criminals, because they lived in fear of the authorities and each other, and most f them ended up like McCoy.

(Batman I #4) - Batman and Robin saved Tim Bannon, coach of the Panthers football team, from some hoods. The Panthers were set to play the Lions, whose owner Stacy the Gambler was a mobster not afraid to get his hands dirty to win a game. Stacy’s men reported back to him that Batman had saved Bannon, and he decided to go after the Caped Crusader. He speculated that Batman could be Bruce Wayne, because Bruce spent a little too much time with Commissioner Gordon. He tried to expose Batman’s identity, but Batman threw him off the trail by having Robin manipulate a Bruce Wayne puppet in his mansion while Batman fought Stacy’s goons outside his own house. Stacy was unphased, and went to his next plan, kidnapping Stockton, the Panther’s star quarterback. Batman disguised himself as Stockton, and played for the Panthers. Stacy’s men were confused, and went to check in on Stockton, but Robin trailed them, and brought them to justice.

(World's Best Comics #1) - Bruce Wayne was chatting away with Commissioner Gordon, who wished he'd find a serious pursuit in life when an officer informed them that mystery writer Erik Dorne had been murdered, and his butler reported the assailant as a witch. Bruce said the case sounded exciting, and Gordon allowed him toi follow the investigation. They examined the crime scene, and were soon greeted by demonologist Joshua Grimm, who knew Dorne, and was interested in his new work after he dropped a hint that it was about a witch. Dorne's publisher Mr. Wright arrived, shocked that his author was dead, and claimed that Dorne promised him a new manuscript. Bruce followed Gordon in following some leads, Dorne's aunt who looked like a witch and was bitter that Dorne never shared his publishing money, and his estranged wife Jane Ware, who was playing a witch in a theatre production, and was hoping her husband would die so she could marry her lover. Bruce claimed the case was too complex for him, and wished Gordon good luk. Bruce changed to Batman, and enlisted Robin to help him run down the leads. Robin would see if Ware's witch mask and wig matched trace evidence at the crime scene, and Batman would see if Dorne's aunt had the manuscript hidden in her house. Batman found no trace of the manuscript, but had to fight off Dorne's cousins, who his aunt sicced on him. Robin retrieved a sample after fighting off the entire theatre company, but it didn't match the evidence. It was clear that Dorne was killed because of his manuscript, and Batman suggested that Mr. Wright was the only one who really knew what it contained, so he anonymously called Wright and said there was a duplicate of the manuscript in Dorne's house, seeing if he could draw him out. Batman and Robin staked out the house, and the Witch arrived to search the premises. They pursued the Witch to a farmhouse, and learned that Wright was the Witch. He was a fifth columnist, and used the Witch identity when working with his allies to print propaganda. Dorne found him out, which is why he killed him. The dynamic duo busted up the entire spy ring, and brought the Witch to justice.

(Batman I #5) - Bruce and Dick noted how quiet life was after Joker seemingly perished but their reverie was interrupted by a series of robberies on the gambling ship “The Deck,” and decided to investigate. Bruce was the standard clientele that had been robbed, and after some snooping he met the Black Queen, who was involved in the robberies, but fell in love with him after a slow dance. He learned that she was part of the Four Cards, led by Joker, who’d miraculously survived his last encounter with Batman. Bruce changed into Batman and once “The Deck” reached shore he pursed Joker in the Batmobile, but after missing a hairpin turn the car launched off a mountaintop. Joker kidnapped Robin, and lured Batman into the Four Card’s den, promising to play a card game for Robin’s life. Joker cheated, and when Batman attacked him he sealed the door to his den and set the building ablaze, condemning the heroes and the rest of the Four Cards to death. The Jack of Diamonds Card tried to shoot Batman, but the Black Queen, recognizing Batman as Bruce because of a shaving nick on his chin, saved him, but died in the process. Batman and Robin escaped the deathtrap and pursued Joker to a lighthouse. In the battle Joker fell from the lighthouse into a raging stormy sea. Batman reflected that he died because he forgot a suite in his Cards, the Heart. It was the Black Queen’s heart that saved Batman’s life.

(Batman I #5) - Batman and Robin were on patrol when they met Professor Anderson, who’d invented a machine that could physically transport a person into any story they were reading. He’d sent his daughter Enid into “Anthology of Fairy Tales,” and she hadn’t returned after days. He knew anyone else besides Batman and Robin would think him mad, but they’d had enough weird adventures to hear him out. He asked for their help saving his daughter, and used his machine to send them to Fairyland. In Fairyland they were attacked by Gruel, The Black Witch, who’d kidnapped Enid. She flew off, and they pursued her, but had to pass a mountain defended by the Great Dragon., and a castle in the sky inhabited by giants. They reached the Black Witch’s castle, but she sent them to her dungeon, but they escaped and learned from her prisoners that she could be defeated if Batman outwrestled her as she shapeshidted into various animals. Batman grappled her, and after she lost she hurled herself from the parapet of her castle to her death. Batman and Robin rescued Enid and Professor Anderson returned them to reality. They agreed they’d never had such a fun adventure.

(Batman I #5) - Batman witnessed Joe Sands robbing a store and apprehended him, but took pity on him when he learned he needed the money for his ill wife. Sands had been framed for a crime years ago by Matty Link, and had been unable to find gainful employment as an ex-con. Batman gave Sands the money he needed for his wife’s medicine, and put pressure on Link’s boss Smiley Sikes. Sikes was nervous that Batman would send him to jail, so he had Matty Klinks killed. Batman sent Robin to Links’ apartment to uncover evidence connecting him to the frame job on Sands, but Sikes’ men were waiting at the apartment, and beat Robin half to death to send a message to Batman. Batman took Robin to a doctor, but seeing his sidekick injured drove him into a fury. He attacked Sikes and his mob, and after taking three bullets they were too scared to keep shooting at him. He made Sikes sign a confession, clearing Sands name. The doctor that operated on Robin then had to save Batman’s life, and remove the bullets from his body.

(Batman I #5) - Batman and Robin foiled a bank robbery, but when Batman raised his fists to one of the crooks, his partner pushed him out of the way to save him. The crooks escaped, and Batman was confused about the selfless act of one criminal towards another. He returned to the neighborhood as Bruce Wayne to investigate, and met his old society friend Linda Page. She’d turned her back on society to become a nurse, and told Bruce he should do something with his life, but he scoffed at her. Linda told him about local hood Mike Grogan, and her fears that his younger brother named Tommy. who idolized him, would follow in his footsteps. The crooks motivation and identities were now clear to Bruce. Tommy was wounded by the police in another robbery, and the crooks kidnapped Linda to operate on him. Linda left a note saying she’d been taken, and when Bruce found it he used his criminal disguise of Trigger Burns to learn where Mike Grogan’s hideout was. Batman and Robin attacked the hideout, and when Mike refused to leave the still wounded Tommy, one of his partners shot him. Tommy struggled from bed, and alerted the cops as batman and Robin continued to fight the gang. Tommy learned that there was nothing glamorous about crime, and a judge paroled him into the custody of his mother.

(Batman I #6) - Batman and Robin witnessed gangsters about to execute Chick Miller on the waterfront. The heroes attacked the gangsters, but they still managed to shoot and wound Chick before driving off. Chick explained that Slink was his cellmate and got him paroled. He intended to go straight but learned that Slink worked for a member of the parole board, scouting criminal talent. When he refused to return to crime the parole board member ordered his execution. Batman posed as a prisoner to get into the parole member's gang, and his disguise worked. He was assigned to a warehouse robbery, with Robin following to keep an eye out for him. Batman revealed his identity, and attacked the gang, but was overwhelmed. The gang kidnapped Robin, and took him to their boss. The parole board member was exposed whn Slink, tired of waiting for his own parole, escaped prison and confronted his boss. The police followed, and a gunfight ensued. Batman saved robin, and grappled with the parole board mmber. During their fight, the boss fell down an open elevator shaft.

(Batman I #6) - Bruce attended a stockholders meeting of Hobbs Clock Company, and afterwards went with the other stockholders, some of whom collected antique clocks, to the clock maker Brock. Brock was obsessed with time, and when one stockholder made a comment about killing time he accused him of being a murderer, and drove the group from the store. The stockholders began dying, being killed by booby-traps in their clocks that activated when it struck thirteen. Bruce barely survived an explosive devic planted in his own clock. He investigated as Batman and learned that stockholder Atkins had played on the Clock Maker's delusions, having him kill the other stockholders so he'd own Hobbs outright. The Clock Make realized he'd been used, and killed Atkins with a scythe. He vowed to blow up the giant clock tower of Hobbs, and Batman and Robin rushed into action. During the struggle the Clock Maker fell from the clock tower to his death. The heroes managed to keep the towe from blowing up, and Batman commented that the Clock Maker did have a point, killing time kept humanity from progressing.

(Batman I #6) - Bruce learned from his friend Linda Page that her father Tom, who owned an oil business, had just struck gold, and his partner Graham Masters was trying to muscle him out of the company. Bruce and Dick traveled to Texas, and foiled Masters attempt on Tom's life. Linda arrived at the oil fields, and Master's goons kidnapped her and her father, and brought them to the derricks to die. Bruce and Dick changed to Batman and Robin and pursued the crooks. They rescued Linda, but nearly died in an oil tanker explosion. They pursued Masters, who died during the fight, and saved Tom. After changing back to Bruce Linda once again told him she wished he was more like Batman.

(Batman I #6) - Gordon let his friend Bruce Wayne know about the problems he was having on "Suicide Beat," a neighborhood run by gangster Fancy Dan and crooked Alderman Skigg. Every cop sent there ended up dying, so Bruce, as Batman, investigated. He met Jimmy, a cop who volunteered for the job because Fancy Dan had killed his father, the last officer to walk the beat. Batman, Robin and Jimmy caught one of Dan's men after he almost ran over a child while drunk-driving, but Skigg got him off the hook in court. The heroes learned that Skigg had planned on fixing a boxing match for a fundraiser. Batman subbed in for the boxer set to take the fall, defeating his opponent and foiling Skigg. Batman caught up with Fancy Dan after a robbery, but was captured by Dan's goons, and left in a building they set on fire. The father of the girl Jimmy saved tipped him off to Batman's location, and the Caped Crusader was survived. Jimmy ran in Fancy Dan, and Dan had split the fundraiser profits with Skigg, so the Alderman was run in soon after. "Suicide Beat" became a law abiding neighborhood once again.

(Batman I #7) - Joker survived his plunge into the water, and posted a want ad for practical jokers, and found a few men capable of criminal behavior. He assured their loyalty by tricking them into leaving their fingerprints on evidence in major crime cases, and then directed their pranks. He started with public ally disruptive ones, like causing a mob scene throwing fake money at a bank, to killer jokes, like removing one-way street signs and changing up the switches on a railroad. The Joker sent a notice to the police, daring them to stop him, mocked Batman, and boasted that he'd steal Henry Verne's gems. The police and Batman and Robin guarded Verne's gems, but were attacked by Joker's practical jokers, who'd been made up to look just like him. The Joker's mob fled, they were just a distraction while Joker stole the valuables of another socialite. Joker's next target was Duke Michael, whom he disabled, and posed as to host a fundraiser. Joker pocketed the proceeds, but Batman and Robin figured out what he was up to and caught up with him. Joker tried to escape on a train, but he and Batman fought, and as they struggled atop the train Joker fell, plummeting into a nearby body of water.

(Batman I #7) -Batman and Robin witnessed the execution of Henry Abbott, who was trying to turn information over to the police about the man that was blackmailing him. the Dynamic Duo were prevented from capturing the killers by a pair of Hindu giants. Bruce made Dick stay at home to finish his homework while he visited his society friend Carl Dwyer. Bruce learned that Dwyer was being blackmailed as well, by a man named Granda the Mystic. Granda gave mystic readings, hypnotizing his clients and making them reveal personal secrets.Batman tipped off Commisioner Gordon, but the Gotham City police failed to locate the secret room where Granda kept records of his victims confessing their secrets. Batman posed as a goon who hired Ganda to uncover Batman's identity. Ganda had his men kidnap Batman's friend Linda Page, but Batman stopped the abduction, and disguised himself as Ganda's goon. Ganda was shocked to see the hero, and fled, leading Batman on a high speed chase before being caught. Gordon congratulated Batman and Robin on a job well done, and Batman reminded Robin that hard work was necessary for respet, which is why he should never complain about schoolwork.

(Batman I #7) - Bruce Wayne dined with his society friend Nora Powell when she learned that her father, the head of a logging operation, died under suspicious circumstances. He left the business to her and his adopted son Jack Clayton. Bruce and Dick accompanied her to the North Woods to see the operation, and Jack was none too friendly toward them, seeing them as the idle rich. After a series of suspicious accidents Batman and Robin investigated, and twice had to save Nora's life from lumberjacks who tried to kill her. They learned that Mr. Asher was trying to buy out the lumber company, and Jack had already agreed, but Nora resisted. The Dynamic Duo learned that Asher was behind the death of Nora's father, and he pressured Jack to sell because he knew he was an ex-con, and he'd try to pin his adoptive father's murder on him. The heroes brought Asher to justice, and Jack and Nora fell in love.

(Batman I #7) - Batman investigated Mr. Horatio Delmar, a local racketeer, and Delmar's thugs got the drop on him, shooting at him and fleeing. The police found a dazed Batman, who fled from Delmar's office. Freddie Hill wanted to take over Delmar's rackets, so he ordered his murder. Batman changed to Bruce Wayne and met Delmar on the pretense of needing financial advice, but Delmar was gunned down by Weasel Venner, who put the frame on Bruce. Commissioner Gordon had no choice but to arrest Bruce, and Robin promised to clear his name. Hill was worried Venner might confess to his crime, so he ordered his death as well. Robin tried to stop him, but Hill's men managed to run down Venner with a car, putting him in a coma. Hill had one of his goons dress up as Batman to finish of Venner in the hospital, and although he was stopped, Batman became a wanted man. Robin broke out Bruce, and they confronted Hill, but were defeated, tied to weights and tossed off a pier. They escaped, subdued Hill, and took records of his crimes to the Gotham courthouse, where the court was having a hearing on the Wayne case. Hill demanded that Batman be arrested, and Gordon gave a rousing speech about the good Batman had done, and the occasional necessity of having people willing to work unhampered by the law. The nearly dead but conscious Weasel made his way to the courtroom and confessed to framing Wayne, putting the finger on Hill before he died.

(Superman I #20) -Lois Lane had Daily Planet pressman Carl run off a gag paper featuring an expose revealing Clark Kent as Superman in order to play a practical joke on her co-worker. Carl came down with appendicitis and without him around to stop production the paper made its way into the hands of the public. Bruce Wayne and Dick Grayson were surprised that they hadn‘t uncovered the truth themselves, but Superman later put a kibosh on the story, and his secret remained safe.

(Detective Comics I #95) -

(Batman I #193) - Batman went out west with Robin to visit a national park and Robin was overjoyed when forest ranger Osbourne gave him a tour of his ranger’s station. A fire broke out and Batman and Robin helped Osbourne combat it. They determined the fire was caused by arson and Batman remembered someone in the crowd who seemed hypnotized by the flames, and Osbourne told him his suspect was Neil Gage, a worker at Charley Bruff’s ranch. Batman and Robin confronted Neil and his girlfriend Mary, Charley Bruff’s niece. Neil tried to attack them but calmed down, saying he figured he’d be accused since he was a reformed arsonist. The Dynamic Duo met charley Bruff and his business associate Roger Kale, and Bruff said he knew Neil was once an arsonist when he hired him and believed him when he said he was reformed. Osbourne found hobnail boots belonging to neil that matched the arsonist’s footprints, but both Neil and Mary had suddenly vanished. A fire broke out in the canyon, and Osbourne was forced to evacuate a nearby town. Batman and Robin found the source of the fire was a hunting lodge with Neil and Mary tied up inside. Batman and Robin rescued them, and Neil was horrified by the damage the fire had caused. Charley showed up and said he knew seeing the destructiveness of fire would cure him because Charley was once a pyromaniac as well and was cured when he saw his first forest fire. Roger Kale was the responsible party, having kidnapped and framed Neil so he wouldn’t be suspected and using the fire as an opportunity to rob the evacuated town blind. Batman and Robin caught him and he confessed, clearing Neil.

(Batman I #27) -

(Detective Comics I #148) - Mr. Carlyle, a financier, contacted Commissioner Gordon to say he was being blackmailed. Gordon activated the Bat-signal, but when the Dynamic Duo arrived Carlyle was nowhere to be found. Batman and Robin were then hit by a shrinking ray, and brought to the laboratory of Professor Zero. Zero made good on his threat to shrink Carlyle for not paying him, and decided to dispose iof the heroes by tossing them into the sea in a burlap bag. Batman had snagged a parrot claw from Zero's office, using it to rip the sack, and then they hitched a ride on a paintbrush that floated to shore. Batman saw animal feed aboard Zero's boat, and deduced that he owned a nearby private zoo. The tiny duo hitched a ride with a man selling Batman and Robin mechanical dolls, but when confronted by Zero he ordered his henchman Beefy to kill them. Beefy couldn't stand the idea of killing tiny people, so Zero murdered him for his compassion, and put Batman and Robin in bell jars. He sucked the air from the jars, but they escaped, so Zero went after them with a shotgun. Batman used a pepper shaker to blind him, and he accidentally shot and killed himself. There was no antidote to the shrink-ray, but Batman figured out that it was a temporary effect, lasting only 3 days.