Batman Issue 111

The Gotham City Safari!
Batman and Robin have been made members of the Safari Club, a group of Gotham big-game hunters. Their host, Alec Judson, takes them on a tour of his palatial country estate, subdivided into different areas to simulate such locales as Africa, Mexico, and Malay, and each stocked with appropriate wild animals. Then they begin their annual contest, to see which of the hunters can be the first to bag one of Judson's animals, with a pith helmet-trophy the prize. However, the first victim turns out to be a man--Ed Yancey. When a horseshoe watch fob is recovered near the body, Jones identifies it as belonging to Yancey, the English former member of their club. Judson relates how, on a safari in Africa, an elephant stampede had begun and all of them were able to run for safety except Markham, who had twisted his ankle. They later had Markham doctored and returned to health, but, says Judson, Markham swore revenge upon them for not helping him to safety. Batman and Robin begin their search on the grounds for the killer. The dynamic duo must contend with a charging rhino, a crocodile, and a lion net that eventually traps Batman. A figure who appears to be Markham, after stepping out of the way of a black panther to avoid bad luck, kayos Robin and carries him off. After escaping with help on a lion, Batman tracks "Markham" to a Mayan temple in "Mexico." There he finds Robin and Markham bound and gagged. When released, Markham explains that they had seen Judson impersonating him, and that he has been trussed up ever since coming to America to ask Judson for a loan. Judson reappears and threatens to shoot them to death, but Batman bluffs him, saying that he gave away his imposture when he avoided a black panther; Englishmen consider it good luck to cross the path of a black cat. Claiming to have loaded Judson's gun with blanks, Batman tackles the startled thief and brings him down. Judson confesses that he killed Yancey because the latter had found he was operating an international crime-cartel, using his hunting trips to make contacts. When Yancey blackmailed him, Judson hit upon the idea of impersonating Markham and placing the blame on him for Yancey's murder. Later, after Judson is jailed, Batman receives the Safari Club trophy for bringing in his quarry--a human killer.

The Other Bruce Wayne!
Commissioner Gordon calls the Wayne Manor to summon Bruce Wayne, not Batman, to headquaters. There Bruce finds an unexpected newcomer, his father's cousin and his own namesake, Bruce N. Wayne. Bruce N. is a detective from "out on the coast," and is one of the top private investigators in the country. He and Bruce have never met before, but a case has brought him to Gotham City. Besides meeting Bruce, he wishes to consult Batman for help. Bruce N. is dismayed that Bruce appears to be a social butterfly, with no profession and seemingly no ambition. He resolves to "make a man" of Bruce by training him to be a detective. Reluctantly, Bruce comes along with Bruce N. as they set upon the track of Varrel, a "scientific thief" who specializes in stealing new inventions. Batman aids Bruce N. in an encounter with Varrel, but the thief escapes. Later, when Commissioner Gordon calls Bruce N. and lets drop the info that he has not yet told Batman of the Varrel case, the detective begins to suspect his relative of being Batman. In a final encounter with Varrel, Batman kayos the thief, makes him up as Bruce Wayne, and then lets Bruce N. see the both of them together, throwing him off track. After Varrel is jailed, Bruce N. says his goodbyes to Bruce, despairing of ever teaching him to be a detective, and wondering how he could ever have suspected him of being Batman.

The Armored Batman!
After a man in a trenchcoat appears at the Gotham City Hall of Fame and tells the assembled reporters to let Batman know that Blair Graeme, is after him, Batman and Robin, who arrive shortly afterward, are apparently thrown into a panic. Saying they face terrible danger, they immediately leave and, when they reappear, are clad in suits of armor. Batman and Robin are able to carry out their various tasks with the cumbersome metal clothing on, using chains instead of ropes to swing on. But Vicki Vale is determined to learn the secret of Blair Graeme, and learns from a member of the Gotham Scientific Foundation that Batman has been called in to help them solve a recent robbery, though not apparently by Graeme. Finally, the reason for their armor becomes apparent when they trap a trio of thieves who had stolen "atomic fuel" from the Foundation; Batman and Robin have been wearing radiation-proof suits under it. Gordon and Batman let Vicki know that they feared a panic if the news of the radioactive material theft were leaked, and Vicki gets Batman to confess that he was actually Blair Graeme to help set up the deception. She informs him that if he were in real danger he would have kept clear of crowds, which he did not, so she guessed he was faking it. Batman replies that he will never laugh at her deductive abilities again..

Individuals

 * Batman
 * Robin
 * James Gordon
 * Vicki Vale

Locations

 * Gotham City