Batman #16
(April-May 1943)

DC, 1940 Series
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Price
0.10 USD
Pages
68
Indicia Frequency
bi-monthly
On-sale Date
1943-02-06
Indicia / Colophon Publisher
Detective Comics Inc.
Brand
A Superman DC Publication
Editing
Whitney Ellsworth (credited as F. W. Ellsworth) (editor)

Issue Notes

On-sale date from copyright registration. On-sale date of February 10 in ad in Detective Comics #73.

[no title indexed] (Table of Contents)

Batman and Robin / cover / 1 page (report information)

Pencils
Jerry Robinson
Inks
Jerry Robinson
Colors
?
Letters
typeset

Genre
superhero
Characters
Batman [Bruce Wayne]; Robin [Dick Grayson]
Reprints

Indexer Notes

Art credits by Craig Delich; we previously suggested Fred Ray.

This cover is a reverse scene from the cover to Batman #9.

[no title indexed] (Table of Contents: 1) (Expand) /

Muscle Power Co. / advertisement / 1 page (report information)

The Joker Reforms! (Table of Contents: 2)

Batman and Robin / comic story / 13 pages (report information)

Script
Don C. Cameron
Pencils
Bob Kane (signed)
Inks
Jerry Robinson; George Roussos (backgrounds)
Colors
?
Letters
George Roussos

Feature Logo
Batman with Robin - The Boy Wonder [40's face]
Genre
superhero
Characters
Batman [Bruce Wayne]; The Joker (villain, also as Ed Smith); Robin [Dick Grayson]; Sheriff Jeb Johnson; Sam Upson (proprietor of the General Store and post office); Joker's gang [Kite; Sparky; Nitro] (villains)
Synopsis
After robbing a jewelry store, the Joker crash-lands his escape plane and loses his memory. He stumbles into a town where he becomes a hero...but not to the other members of his gang, who seek the jewels, and come looking for him, as do the Caped Crusaders.
Reprints
Keywords
Batplane; Farr Corners; Gotham City; Gotham Gazette

Indexer Notes

Inker credits confirmed by Robinson and Roussos. Letterer credit confirmed by Roussos.

[no title indexed] (Table of Contents: 3)

Shorty / comic story / 0.5 page (report information)

Script
Henry Boltinoff (signed)
Pencils
Henry Boltinoff (signed)
Inks
Henry Boltinoff (signed)
Colors
?
Letters
Henry Boltinoff (signed)

First Line of Dialogue or Text
Gosh - This is better than being on a big boat!
Genre
humor
Characters
Shorty

The Winning Team!! (Table of Contents: 4) (Expand) /

Detective Comics / promo (ad from the publisher) / 0.5 page (report information)

[no title indexed] (Table of Contents: 5)

Marmaduke Jones / comic story / 1 page (report information)

Script
Paul Fung
Pencils
Paul Fung
Inks
Paul Fung
Colors
?
Letters
Paul Fung ?

First Line of Dialogue or Text
I'm so glad you live here with us, Susie...
Genre
adventure; humor
Characters
Marmaduke Jones; Susie

Indexer Notes

Letterer credit added by Craig Delich.

[no title indexed] (Table of Contents: 6)

Silly Willy / comic story / 0.5 page (report information)

Script
Henry Boltinoff (signed)
Pencils
Henry Boltinoff (signed)
Inks
Henry Boltinoff (signed)
Colors
?
Letters
Henry Boltinoff

First Line of Dialogue or Text
I'll have to get off by myself to get it done!
Genre
humor
Characters
Silly Willy
Synopsis
Willy looks for a quiet place to knit.

Bombshell! (Table of Contents: 7) (Expand) /

Boy Commandos / promo (ad from the publisher) / 0.5 page (report information)

The Grade A Crimes! (Table of Contents: 8)

Batman and Robin / comic story / 13 pages (report information)

Script
Ruth Kaufman
Pencils
Jack Burnley
Inks
Jack Burnley; Ray Burnley (backgrounds)
Colors
?
Letters
Betty Bentley ?; Ira Schnapp ?
Editing
Jack Schiff

Feature Logo
Batman with Robin - The Boy Wonder [40's face]
Genre
superhero
Characters
Batman [Bruce Wayne]; Commissioner James Gordon; Robin [Dick Grayson]; Bill; John Winthrop (villain, introduction); Winthrop's gang [Sparks; rest unnamed] (villains)
Synopsis
After a series of early-bird robberies, Batman notes the appearances of a milkman and his horse-drawn wagon at the scene of every crime, and makes the connection that it is involved in the heists.
Reprints
Keywords
Batplane; Gotham City; Rajah Ruby; The Daily Bugle

Indexer Notes

Bill Jourdain's article in Alter Ego #27 (August 2003) gives art credits to Dick Sprang (pencils) and Charles Paris (inks). However, Sprang told Craig Delich personally (after being shown the story) that he did NOT do this story, and, later, Jack Burnley verified to Craig in person that he penciled and inked the story, and his brother Ray did backgrounds.

Script credit confirmed by Jack Schiff (the original indexer credited Bill Finger). Story was heavily edited by editor Jack Schiff.

The Big Eight! (Table of Contents: 9) (Expand) /

promo (ad from the publisher) / 1 page (report information)

[Ghost Ship!] (Table of Contents: 10)

Fantastic Facts / cartoon / 1 page (report information)

Script
?
Pencils
George Papp (signed as Sgt. Geo. Papp)
Inks
George Papp (signed as Sgt. Geo. Papp)
Colors
?
Letters
?

Genre
non-fiction
Keywords
barrel cactus

The Adventures of the Branded Tree! (Table of Contents: 11)

Batman and Robin / comic story / 13 pages (report information)

Script
Don C. Cameron
Pencils
Jack Burnley
Inks
Jack Burnley; Ray Burnley (backgrounds)
Colors
?
Letters
Betty Bentley

Feature Logo
Batman with Robin - The Boy Wonder [40's face]
Genre
superhero
Characters
Batman [Bruce Wayne]; Robin [Dick Grayson]; Scotty (lumberjack); Olaf Yonson (lumberjack, death); Bull Beeton (villain, introduction); Knuckles (villain)
Synopsis
Batman and Robin track down the secret of a dagger-branded tree that led to the murder of two lumberjacks.
Reprints
Keywords
Gotham City; Gotham City Printing Company; Perkins Paper Company

Indexer Notes

The 2nd from last panel is patterned after the cover to Batman #8.

Writer credit from Martin O'Hearn. Art and letterer credits confirmed by Jack Burnley.

[no title indexed] (Table of Contents: 12)

Chief Hot Foot / comic story / 0.5 page (report information)

Script
Henry Boltinoff (signed)
Pencils
Henry Boltinoff (signed)
Inks
Henry Boltinoff (signed)
Colors
?
Letters
Henry Boltinoff

First Line of Dialogue or Text
Chief Hot Foot is back from vacation!
Genre
humor
Characters
Chief Hot Foot

World's Finest Value! (Table of Contents: 13) (Expand) /

World's Finest Comics / promo (ad from the publisher) / 0.5 page (report information)

Editorial Advisory Board (Table of Contents: 14) (Expand) /

promo (ad from the publisher) / 0.33 page (report information)

Motive (Table of Contents: 15)

text story / 1.67 pages (report information)

Script
Eric Carter (credited)
Letters
typeset

Genre
adventure
Characters
Spencer; Junius; Sheriff Tate

[no title indexed] (Table of Contents: 16)

Laffs / cartoon / 0.5 page (report information)

Script
Henry Boltinoff (signed)
Pencils
Henry Boltinoff (signed)
Inks
Henry Boltinoff (signed)
Colors
?
Letters
Henry Boltinoff

First Line of Dialogue or Text
We had to number 'em...
Genre
humor

Indexer Notes

3 gags.

Fast As a Bullet! (Table of Contents: 17) (Expand) /

Prize Comics; Headline Comics / advertisement / 0.5 page (report information)

[no title indexed] (Table of Contents: 18)

Clancy the Cop / comic story / 1 page (report information)

Script
Henry Boltinoff (signed)
Pencils
Henry Boltinoff (signed)
Inks
Henry Boltinoff (signed)
Colors
?
Letters
Henry Boltinoff

First Line of Dialogue or Text
This headache is killing me!
Genre
humor
Characters
Clancy the Cop

[no title indexed] (Table of Contents: 19) (Expand) /

promo (ad from the publisher) / 1 page (report information)

Here Comes Alfred! (Table of Contents: 20)

Batman and Robin / comic story / 13 pages (report information)

Script
Don C. Cameron
Pencils
Bob Kane (signed)
Inks
Jerry Robinson; George Roussos (backgrounds)
Colors
?
Letters
George Roussos

Feature Logo
Batman with Robin - The Boy Wonder [40's face]
Genre
superhero
Characters
Batman [Bruce Wayne]; Alfred Beagle (introduction); Robin [Dick Grayson]; Jarvis Beagle (Alfred's father who was a butler for Thomas Wayne, mention only); The Duke of Dorian [aka Gaston LeDuc]; Manuel Stiletti (villain, international crook, introduction); Pablo (villain); Tomas (villain)
Synopsis
Things get very complicated when an English butler, named Alfred, suddenly shows up on the doorstep of Wayne Manor and announces that he is there to attend to their needs in order to fulfill a promise that he made to the original butler for the Wayne family. Then he discovers accidentally that his new masters are in reality Batman and Robin!
Reprints
Keywords
Bat-Signal; Batmobile; Batplane; Gotham City; Gotham Globe

Indexer Notes

Script credit from Martin O'Hearn. Inker credits confirmed by Robinson and Roussos. Letterer credit confirmed by Roussos.

Alfred's last name was revealed in Detective Comics #96.

All reprints of this story were traced.

[no title indexed] (Table of Contents: 21) (Expand) /

Lancaster County Seed Co. / advertisement / 1 page (report information)

[no title indexed] (Table of Contents: 22) (Expand) /

Wonders of Science Simplified / advertisement / 1 page (report information)

[no title indexed] (Table of Contents: 23) (Expand) /

American Seed Co. / advertisement / 1 page (report information)

Editing
Related Scans
Series Information
Table of Contents
  1. 0. [no title indexed]
    Batman and Robin
  2. 1. [no title indexed]
    Muscle Power Co.
  3. 2. The Joker Reforms!
    Batman and Robin
  4. 3. ["Gosh - This is better than being on a big boat!"]
    Shorty
  5. 4. The Winning Team!!
    Detective Comics
  6. 5. ["I'm so glad you live here with us, Susie..."]
    Marmaduke Jones
  7. 6. ["I'll have to get off by myself to get it done!"]
    Silly Willy
  8. 7. Bombshell!
    Boy Commandos
  9. 8. The Grade A Crimes!
    Batman and Robin
  10. 9. The Big Eight!
  11. 10. [Ghost Ship!]
    Fantastic Facts
  12. 11. The Adventures of the Branded Tree!
    Batman and Robin
  13. 12. ["Chief Hot Foot is back from vacation!"]
    Chief Hot Foot
  14. 13. World's Finest Value!
    World's Finest Comics
  15. 14. Editorial Advisory Board
  16. 15. Motive
  17. 16. ["We had to number 'em..."]
    Laffs
  18. 17. Fast As a Bullet!
    Prize Comics; Headline Comics
  19. 18. ["This headache is killing me!"]
    Clancy the Cop
  20. 19. ["Be sure to get these top favorites for the best in comics!"]
  21. 20. Here Comes Alfred!
    Batman and Robin
  22. 21. [no title indexed]
    Lancaster County Seed Co.
  23. 22. [no title indexed]
    Wonders of Science Simplified
  24. 23. [no title indexed]
    American Seed Co.
This issue was modified by, among others
  • Katie
  • Ray Bottorff Jr
  • John Censullo
  • Craig Delich
  • Lionel English
  • Del Gruber
  • Jan Roar Hansen
  • Matthew Head
  • Jerry Hillegas (R.I.P.)
  • Bob Hughes
  • John Monagle
  • Mike Nielsen
  • Matthew Peets
  • Tony R. Rose
  • Per Sandell
  • Jim Stangas
  • Jim Van Dore