Detective Comics #27

From time to time I'm going to try to write summaries of Batman comics. I'm starting with the beginning, in Detective Comics 27. Who knows how long this will go on. Who knows if I'll even get to number 28. Um, beware: spoilers are abundant. But I'm sure no one really cares at this point.


No. 27
Date: May, 1939
Title: “The Case of the Chemical Syndicate”
Creative Team: Bob Kane

Story:
The first appearance of Batman begins with Commissioner Gordon lounging at home with his good friend, Bruce Wayne. Gordon gets a call saying that old Lambert, a chemical industrialist, has been murdered. Gordon rushes to the scene of the crime, taking Wayne with him. Lambert's son explains that he found his father with a knife in his back, muttering “Contract...contract...” before he died. He also explains that the deceased had three former business partners: Steven Crane, Paul Rogers, and Alfred Stryker. Crane then calls and says his life was recently threatened.

Wayne, apparently bored with the crime scene, departs. Two thugs show up at Crane's house and shoot him. But, their attempt to flee is foiled by the “Bat-Man” who fights them off and takes the document the thugs stole from Crane.

Paul Rogers then shows up at Alfred Stryker's door and is promptly subdued by Stryker's assistant, Jennings. Jennings leaves Rogers beneath a descending glass chamber that is normally used to gas guinea pigs used in experiments. As Jennings leaves to turn on the gas, Batman swoops in and joins Rogers beneath the glass chamber. He stuffs a handkerchief in the gas nozzle and smashes the glass with a wrench, freeing himself and Rogers.

Batman quickly fights Jennings and then stops Stryker from stabbing Rogers. Batman explains that what he recovered from the thugs at Crane's was a secret contract between the four businessmen for ownership of the Apex Chemical Corporation. Stryker attempted to kill the other three so that he would have sole ownership of the company. In a final effort, Stryker reaches for a gun, but Batman punches him over a railing. Stryker falls to his death into an acid tank. At the end, the narration reveals that Batman is really Bruce Wayne!

Notes:
- At Stryker's death, Batman merely comments “A fitting ending for his kind.” This is certainly a ways away from the modern inception of Batman and his “one rule” not to kill.
- The gas chamber for killing guinea pigs is huge! What sort of fiendish guinea pig genocide was Jennings conducting in this lab?
- Batman saves the day with a handkerchief and a wrench. No neat gadgets yet. Not even Bat-shark repellent.
- Artistic styles in 1939 were definitely different than they are in 2009. Everyone looks like Dick Tracy.
- Though the comic only credits Bob Kane, I must mention the often unsung contribution of Bill Finger. Never forget, people!
- It's only 8 pages long!