The 18th appearance of The Batman took place in the July 1940 issue of Detective Comics issue 41. The cover featured Robin in hand-to-hand combat with a knife wielding thug and Batman diving in to save him.
This issue is essentially a Robin solo story, though Batman does make frequent appearances throughout. The story unfolds on two fronts - a maniac has escaped from an insane asylum (not yet called Arkham) and terrorizes a boy’s school, but there is more going on there as well.
Bruce Wayne and Dick Grayson hatch a plot to enroll Dick into the boy’s school so he can investigate from the inside and lay a trap for the maniac.
We are introduced to a cast of potential suspects as our story unwinds. The maniac is on the loose but there are other killings happening that suggest someone from the school is involved. The principle, a social awkward history teacher, and others are introduced as suspicious members of the story.
One of the boys from the school has gone missing and Dick Grayson dresses up as Robin during the night in order to search the missing boy’s room for clues. He finds a diary that references a masked man walking around the halls.
We see that both Batman and Robin have a sophisticated two-way radio built into their utility belts and Robin calls Batman with an update.
While sneaking out of the missing boy’s room, Robin witnesses a murder committed by the escaped lunatic.
Robin attacks the maniac and beats him up shortly before being discovered.
Robin continues his investigation into the missing boy and discovered yet another member of the school’s staff murdered. The police question the socially awkward history teacher.
We then get a page catching the reader up on the potential suspects in the boy’s disappearance and Batman and Robin hatch a plan.
Ultimately, it is discovered that Graves the art teacher was the masked man who was involved in a counterfeiting scheme. The missing boy is discovered and returned safely, and Batman and Robin live to fight crime another day.
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The Batman Timeline and Chronology:
03-30-1939: 1st Appearance of The Batman & Commissioner Gordon. Detective Comics issue 27.
06-1939: Batman swings from building to building with a rope for the first time. Detective Comics issue 28.
07-1939: The Utility Belt is used for the first time.
09-1939: Fiancée Julie Madison is introduced. First Bat-Copter / Bat-Plane
10-1939: Batman uses a gun to kill The Monk.
11-1939: Batman kills Dr. Kruger by causing his plane to crash after knocking him out with gas. Origin of Batman.
12-1939: Batman is depicted holding a smoking gun. Commissioner Gordon returns.
02-1940: First appearance of Prof. Hugo Strange.
04-1940: First appearance of Robin (Dick Grayson). Robin kills a mobster.
04-1940: First appearance of the Joker and Catwoman (AKA: The Cat).
06-1940: First appearance of Clayface.
Batman Kill Count: 16
Robin Kill Count: 1
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