"The Case of the Chemical Syndicate"
To start I think I'll tell you what Batman's introduction into the world was: "The 'Batman,' a mysterious and adventurous figure fighting for righteousness and apprehending the wrong-doer, in his lone battle against the evil forces of society... His identity remains unknown." Well I'm not so sure about that last part, I do like this intro, but I do like the way they portray him, as a figure of mystery as you do not yet know his identity. This will be ruined very quickly, but for the time I'll go with it. Anyways, we start off with two really bored guys sitting in a police department, wishing something interesting would happen. Um, shouldn't police officers be happy that no comes are being committed? Anyways, the men are introduced as Commissioner Gordon and Bruce Wayne. Gordon says nothing interesting has happened recently except for a mysterious fellow people call The Batman. Then the phone rings and the Comish picks it up. A owner of a chemical company has been murdered! Gordon decides to take Bruce with him (Probably against regulations) and they speed to The company owner, Lambert's, house. They interview his son who's fingerprints were on the murder weapon. He says he didn't do it and tells the following story. He was out for the night, and when he came back home he heard a groan. It's his Father! As Lambert's son pulls the knife out of him he gets the impression that something had just jumped out of the window. Lambert says something about a contract and then he croaks. That's how Lambert Jr.s fingerprints got on the knife. The police decide he's innocent without even attempting to do anything other than photograph Lambert's body, so already you can tell that the Gotham Police Department is useless. Then another man, Crane calls. I'm guessing he has no relation to Jonathan Crane and I'll leave it at that. Apparently he was one of Lambert's three partners in the chemical business. He says that before his death Lambert got a death threat and told Crane about it. Now Crane's gotten a death threat and he's very worried he'll be the next partner to be murdered. The Comish tells him they'll be right over. I'm already betting this Crane guy is going to die due to the failure of the police. Bruce decides to leave and the police start to head over to Crane's house. Sure enough, Crane gets shot before the police arrive and the crooks steal a piece of paper from a nearby safe. Could it be a Contract? Who knows! Anyways the crooks go to the roof and suddenly are approached by the Dark Knight himself!
Commissioner Gordon yells to chase after him. The next
panel they're interviewing Crane's butler (Huh?) who tells them Crane has died. Batman then drives off in his Batmobile, which is currently a just a red convertible named 'His Car.' Meanwhile the third of the four chemical partners, Paul Rogers, goes to meet the fourth, Alfred Stryker. Stryker's huge butler, Jennings tells him to come in and promptly hits him over the head with a club. He then ties him up in a gas chamber in Stryker's basement laboratory. Jennings says that after Rogers is out of the way, he'll control everything. The butler did it! Before the glass chamber is closed, however, batman dives in and clogs the gas pipe with a handkerchief then shatters the gas chamber with a monkey wrench. Batman then Judo flips Jennings and Stryker comes running down to see what happened. After finding out, he draws a knife and attempts to stab Rogers. So, it was Stryker? Then what was Jennings mumbling about? This is an example of Golden Age writing people. Batman stops Stryker and reveals his plan. Stryker had made a contract with the other partners to pay a little each year to eventually own the company. Stryker decided to kill them, since they were the only ones who knew about it, so he could control the company without paying. Stryker suddenly pulls out a gun, but before he can shoot Batman, Batman punches him into a vat of acid that's in Stryker's house for some reason. Batman's response? "A fitting end for his kind." Wow Batman. That's cruel. Later Commissioner Gordon and Bruce Wayne meet again and talk about what happened. Bruce says its a 'Nice Fairy Tale' and leaves. Gordon comments on how boring Bruce is. Later it's revealed to the reader that Bruce Wayne is Batman! This isn't really a suprise anymore as Bruce's double identity is known by everyone, but its a nice twist.
This ends another comic review. Comment to tell me what Comic you'd like to see next!
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