Still celebrating SDCC this week, so I’d thought I’d share one of my all time favorite BATMAN Stories of all time. I first read this in a giant treasury edition which was 11×17 released in 1974 and it had 5-6 classic reprints in it. This was the lead story in the treasury, and it originally appeared in BATMAN #4 WINTER 1941. The opening page is a splash page– artistically magnificent with the giant Joker and a summary of the last time Batman faced off against The Joker just an issue or two before– most of the early Batman issues had the Joker dying at the end of the story.
The art is by Bob Kane with heavy assist by Jerry Robinson and George Roussos. The script is by Batman’s true creator Bill Finger. I love how shadowy the Joker’s lair is, suitably creepy.
Equally spooky is our first look at Batman and Robin as they skulk their way through the shadows, I’d assume Batman chose to dress Robin in bright colors so the bad guys would have something to shoot at. Ah I joke, at this point in his career I actually like Robin, he’s just a kid.
It was pretty common for Bruce Wayne to smoke a pipe in those early comics. There is no Batcave at this point, there is no Alfred, those wouldn’t come around until Columbia Pictures 1943 serial BATMAN.
The Conclusion Tomorrow.
It's Andy Fish! 
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