Synopsis[]
"Wanted: Practical Jokers"[]
An ad wanting practical jokers appears in the morning paper. The applicants go to the office of Mr. Rekoj, an old man. Rekoj keeps the applicants who are worthy and convinces them to touch objects linked to crimes. He unmasks himself to be revealed as The Joker. He gives them two options: Work for him and make money, or refuse and he will frame them for the crimes. They play serious pranks on people such as false fire calls and giving out counterfeit money. The Joker then tells them they are ready for more vicious tricks. They then play more serious pranks such as replacing medicines with poison and causing automobile crashes. Then one day, a plane drops hundreds of leaflets that inform that The Joker is behind the pranks and he is going to try to steal a valuable gem. He threatens to steal a gem from a man named Henry Verne, who informs Commissioner Gordon. That night, when Batman and Robin enter the Verne home, they find two policemen poisoned with Joker Venom. They find Joker about to execute Verne when the attack him. All of the sudden, clone Jokers keep popping out of doors attacking The Dynamic Duo as they realize they are wearing false faces. Meanwhile, the real Joker steals a diamond at another part of town. The Dynamic Duo are defeated by the Jokers, and when they wake up the phone rings. Batman answers it and Joker gives him a riddle over the phone. The Joker then goes and kidnaps Duke Michael who is visiting Gotham to fundraise money for his people. After disguising himself as the duke, The Joker attends the fundraiser and takes the money they raised for Duke Michael. The Dynamic Duo swoop in and defeat Joker's henchmen. As they chase The Joker, he runs into a train station and catches a train. Batman and Robin jump onto the moving train only to battle The Joker atop the train. Batman knocks The Joker off the train and he falls off a cliff.
"The Trouble Trap"[]
Batman and Robin happen upon a murder too late to save the murdered man. As they attack the killers, they are grabbed up by two giant hindu men. Batman and Robin barely escape the clutches of these giant men, but the giant men and their masters, the murderers, escape as well. Batman and Robin investigate the scene and discover that the murdered man had withdrawn large sums of money from his accounts.
The next day Bruce Wayne visits a friend and witnesses one of the murderers arrive demanding something from his friend. Batman returns that night as agreed upon by his friend and the murderer to see what is going on. Batman follows the thug to a Hindu Swami's house, but cannot yet make the connections. Returning to Bruce's friend's house as Batman all is explained. The Hindu Swami hypnotizes the wealthy to learn their darkest secrets. Recording those sessions the Swami begins blackmailing them.
To bait the Swami, Bruce pays him a visit and asks for him to trap the Batman. The Swami sends his thugs after Linda Page to draw Batman into the trap of which he is already aware. Batman and Robin stop the thugs' car en route back to the Swami. Batman dresses as one of the thugs in order to stall the Swami as Robin calls the police so they'll arrive with the kidnapped Linda at the Swami's house. The police eventually arrive and force the Swami and Batman into a chase. Batman, of course, is successful in capturing the Swami and bringing him back to justice.
"The North Woods Mystery"[]
While out with Nora Powell, Bruce Wayne discovers that her Uncle Matthew, a lumber magnate, has been murdered and his adopted son, the only suspect, has been released from custody based on a lack of evidence. Nora and Bruce head to the North Woods to investigate with Robin in tow and in disguise.
Upon reaching the lumber camp Bruce goes to work investigating, as Batman, why Jack Clayton, the adopted son, would hate Nora so much, but be so humane to Dick Grayson, a complete stranger. On their first night Batman and Robin discover two men trying to sabotage the lumber gear in an apparent effort to slow production so Nora will sell her shares of the company. It is soon after revealed to a snooping Robin that a local lumber tycoon, Mr. Asher, is trying to acquire their company and is pressuring Clayton and Nora to sell.
While riding a log train to learn the business, Nora is knocked unconscious and left on a train car that is uncoupled. The car begins to hurdle toward certain death before Batman leaps upon the car and carries Nora in a daring rescue. Soon after another attempt on her life sends her down a dangerous log chute with Robin following to save her. Ultimately Robin is unable to save Nora, but Batman saves Robin and Nora both just in time to avoid gruesome death. Asher is revealed to be behind the murder attempts and Nora's uncle's murde that sparked this adventure, and Nora and Clayton discover their shared love for one another as Bruce seeks out Dick Grayson to return to Gotham
"The People vs. the Batman"[]
This story starts off with Batman failing to capture a mobster named Horatio Delmar. Soon Weasel a gangster tells Freddie Hill another mobster that Batman might suspect Delmar in a racket and Delmar might squeal on them so Hill tells Weasel to kill Delmar. The next day in Delmar's office Batman as Bruce Wayne go to him as a client to learn more information but Weasel comes in, kills Delmar, shoots his own hat, tosses the gun to Wayne, calls him a killer, and punches him as soon as a secertary come in and prove Wayne's guilt. Robin doesn't believe this same with Com. Gordon. Robin investigates and soon Hill runs over Weasel so he won't worry about him. Weasel however survives and is in a coma. Soon Hill gets another goon to kill Weasel as Batman to frame Batman thus framing Bruce Wayne yet again!
The police soon spot Weasel as Batman and flees. The next day in the newspapers are saying Batman tried to kill Weasel which Robin doesn't believe and brakes Wayne out of jail via the underground sewer system. The same time Weasel hears of this and learns he will die soon but he knows what Hill did and vows revenge by escaping. They bust in on Hill's home where he takes Robin as a hostage and uses this opportunity to push them into the water, tied up. They soon escape and rush to the Wayne trial, where he says Wayne is innocent, Hill is guilty, and he didn't try to kill Weasel. The prosecutor hears this and yells at Batman calling him a vigilante however Commissioner Gordon defends him and lets him become a member of the GCPD. Then Weasel comes in and confesses to murder, and framing Wayne as a way to get to Hill. Later Wayne says that Batman let him free until he proved his innocence.
Appearances[]
"Wanted: Practical Jokers"[]
Individuals[]
- Batman
- Robin
- James Gordon
- The Joker
- Duke Michael (Only appearance)
- Henry Verne (Only appearance)
Locations[]
"The Trouble Trap"[]
Individuals[]
- Batman
- Robin
- James Gordon
- Linda Page
- Granda
- Carl Dwyer
- Henry Abbot
- Joe (Only appearance)
Locations[]
"The North Woods Mystery"[]
Individuals[]
Locations[]
"The People vs. The Batman!"[]
Individuals[]
- Batman
- Robin
- James Gordon
- Freddie Hill (Only appearance)
- "Weasel" Venner (Only appearance)
- Horatio Delmar (Only appearance)
Locations[]
Trivia[]
- Batman becomes an honorary member of the Gotham City Police Department in this issue.