The 22nd appearance of The Batman took place in the November 1940 issue of Detective Comics issue 45. The cover has nothing to do with the issue as was often the case back in the golden age of comics.
Detective Comics issue 45 featured the return of recurring Batman enemy The Joker who makes his first appearance in Detective Comics after previously only being seen in Batman’s solo series.
The Joker has returned and again turns to his poison which causes death and the faces of those effected to produce an eerie grin. The Joker, this time, has rigged his drug to a record which, when played, releases his poison to kill the intended target.
Batman begins to work the case and stumbles upon a robbery at a museum which leads to a fight scene where the writers insert interesting objects like a suit of armor and a lance. One of the bad guys escapes which allows Batman to follow him to his hideout which turns out to be a Pawn Shop operated by an older man.
The shop owner turns out, of course, to be The Joker in disguise and even his henchmen don’t realize they are working for the Joker.
As the Joker strikes again, Bruce Wayne (Batman) and Dick Grayson (Robin) formulate a plan to catch him.
Batman fights off the Joker’s gang, however, The Joker himself again defeats Batman by hitting him with a loaded bag and escapes.
Batman recovers and tracks the Joker to his hideout where Joker captures Batman inside an airtight glass jar and leaves him to suffocate, however, Batman now carries a capsule of acid on his utility belt which he uses to escape the glass entrapment.
With the help of Robin in the Batplane, Batman tails Joker to a ship where they again engage in a fight.
Batman knocks The Joker overboard leading to the Joker escaping again to battle Batman 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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