Detective Comics #27

(May 1939)

none (Table of Contents)

Crime Never Pays / filler / 1 page (report information)

Credits

Script:

?

Pencils:

?

Inks:

?

Colors:

?

Letters:

?

Content Information

Genre:

non-fiction

Reprints:

• in Double Action Comics (DC, 1940 series) #2 (January 1940)
• in Famous First Edition (DC, 1974 series) #C-28 (1974)

Indexer Notes

Found on the inside front cover.

The Case of the Chemical Syndicate (Table of Contents)

The Bat-Man / comic story / 6 pages (report information)

Credits

Script:

Bill Finger

Pencils:

Bob Kane [as Rob't Kane] (signed)

Inks:

Bob Kane [as Rob't Kane] (signed)

Colors:

?

Letters:

Bob Kane

Content Information

Genre:

superhero

Characters:

The Bat-Man [Bruce Wayne] (introduction); Commissioner James Gordon (introduction); Mr. Lambert (death); Lambert (Mr. Lambert's son); Steven Crane (death); Paul Rogers; Alfred Stryker (villain); Jennings (villain)

Synopsis:

In his first case, the Bat-Man investigates the murder of a chemical tycoon, discovering that one of his partners murdered him to steal the secret contracts that would leave him as the sole owner of the Apex Chemical Corporation.

Reprints:

• in Batman (DC, 1940 series) #200 (March 1968) [reprint of first page of first Batman story]
• in Detective Comics (DC, 1937 series) #387 (May 1969)
• in Batman from the Thirties to the Seventies (Crown Publishers, 1971 series) #73-168329 (October 1971)
• in Famous First Edition (DC, 1974 series) #C-28 (1974)
• in A Smithsonian Book of Comic-Book Comics (Smithsonian Institution / Harry N Abrams, 1981 series) #[nn] (1981)
• in Batman Archives (DC, 1990 series) #1 ([June] 1990)
• in Detective Comics (DC, 1937 series) #627 (March 1991)
• in Batman (Dino Verlag, 1997 series) #37 (Juni 1999)
• in Millennium Edition: Detective Comics 27 (DC, 2000 series) #[nn] (February 2000)
• in Batman in the Forties (DC, 2004 series) #[nn] ([March] 2004)
• in Klassiker der Comic-Literatur (Frankfurter Allgemeine, 2005 series) #7 - Batman (2005)
• in The Batman Chronicles (DC, 2005 series) #1 ([March] 2005)

Indexer Notes

Named "Bat-Man" in the story. According to Will Murray and Tony Tollin, the November 1, 1936 Shadow novel "Partners In Peril" written by Theodore Tinsley, was Bill Finger's inspiration for this story. (original information added by Darci, 2010-7-19, modified by others)

none (Table of Contents)

Tenderfoot / filler / 0.75 page (report information)

Credits

Script:

Charles Biro ?

Pencils:

Charles Biro [as Biro] (signed)

Inks:

Charles Biro [as Biro] (signed)

Colors:

?

Letters:

?

Content Information

Genre:

humor

Synopsis:

A young boy scout discovers a lost youngster and attempts to help him find his way home, and gets lost in the process himself!

Reprints:

• in Famous First Edition (DC, 1974 series) #C-28 (1974)
• in Millennium Edition: Detective Comics 27 (DC, 2000 series) #[nn] (February 2000)

Indexer Notes

The last .25 of this page is a 6-panel advertisement for Rosati accordians, writer and artist unknown. Note and synopsis added by Craig Delich 2009-2-7.

The Killers of Kurdistan (Table of Contents)

Speed Saunders, Ace Investigator / comic story / 6 pages (report information)

Credits

Script:

Gardner F. Fox

Pencils:

Fred Guardineer (signed)

Inks:

Fred Guardineer (signed)

Colors:

?

Letters:

Fred Guardineer

Content Information

Genre:

detective-mystery

Characters:

Speed Saunders; Tom (death); Trelawney (death); The Veiled Prophetress of the Killers of Kurdistan (villain);

Synopsis:

Speed investigates the murder of two men, on one of which the killers left the symbol of a red crescent, the symbol of the Kurdistan Killers, a sect that both men belonged to, but refused to kill for.

Reprints:

• in Famous First Edition (DC, 1974 series) #C-28 (1974)
• in Millennium Edition: Detective Comics 27 (DC, 2000 series) #[nn] (February 2000)

Indexer Notes

Writer credit by Martin O'Hearn.

Bullet Bluff (Table of Contents)

Buck Marshall, Range Detective / comic story / 6 pages (report information)

Credits

Script:

?

Pencils:

Homer Fleming [as H. Fleming] (signed)

Inks:

Homer Fleming [as H. Fleming] (signed)

Colors:

?

Letters:

?

Content Information

Genre:

western-frontier

Characters:

Buck Marshall; un-named Sheriff; Matt Doyle (Box K Ranch worker); Jerry Kane (Box K Ranch owner, death); The Terror [Jack Stark] (villain)

Synopsis:

Buck investigates the death of a ranch owner in which a black empty cartridge is left behind as a clue to the killer.

Reprints:

• in Famous First Edition (DC, 1974 series) #C-28 (1974)
• in Millennium Edition: Detective Comics 27 (DC, 2000 series) #[nn] (February 2000)

Indexer Notes

Story printed in red and black only.

[The Mysterious Murders] (Table of Contents)

Spy / comic story / 6 pages (report information)

Credits

Script:

Jerry Siegel (signed)

Pencils:

Joe Shuster (signed)

Inks:

Joe Shuster (signed)

Colors:

?

Letters:

?

Content Information

Genre:

adventure

Characters:

Bart Regan; Congressman Sneed (death); Congressman Little (death); Congressman Booker; Congressman Stoker; un-named spy (villain, death)

Synopsis:

Bart investigates the deaths of members of a Committee on un-American activities that were killed by an explosive capsule hidden in their bananas.

Reprints:

• in Famous First Edition (DC, 1974 series) #C-28 (1974)
• in Millennium Edition: Detective Comics 27 (DC, 2000 series) #[nn] (February 2000)

[Murder on the Oceanic Line Docks] (Table of Contents)

The Crimson Avenger / comic story / 6 pages (report information)

Credits

Script:

Jim Chambers (signed)

Pencils:

Jim Chambers (signed)

Inks:

Jim Chambers (signed)

Colors:

?

Letters:

?

Content Information

Genre:

superhero

Characters:

The Crimson Avenger [Lee Travis]; Wing; Abe Gold (night club owner, death); un-named hospital nurse (death); Frank (villain); Mike Moran (villain)

Synopsis:

The Crimson tracks down a killer who murdered one Abe Gold for welshing on a $100,000 bet.

Reprints:

• in Famous First Edition (DC, 1974 series) #C-28 (1974)
• in Millennium Edition: Detective Comics 27 (DC, 2000 series) #[nn] (February 2000)

Death on the Airwaves (Table of Contents)

text story / 2 pages (report information)

Credits

Script:

Gardner F. Fox [as Paul Dean] (signed)

Pencils:

Fred Guardineer

Inks:

Fred Guardineer

Colors:

?

Letters:

typeset

Content Information

Genre:

crime

Characters:

Richard Drew (death); President Benson; Captain Richard Byrne; Brian DeAngelo (villain)

Synopsis:

Captain Byrne tracks down a revengeful killer who was once spurned in regards to a radio audtion.

Reprints:

• in Famous First Edition (DC, 1974 series) #C-28 (1974)
• in Millennium Edition: Detective Comics 27 (DC, 2000 series) #[nn] (February 2000)

Indexer Notes

Artist credits by Craig Delich (Nov. 2005). There are two illustrated advertizements found on the two pages: one for Daisy Air Rifles, the other by the Crowell Publishing Company.

[The New Orleans Mardi Gras Murder: Part 1] (Table of Contents)

Bruce Nelson / comic story / 6 pages (report information)

Credits

Script:

Tom Hickey (signed)

Pencils:

Tom Hickey (signed)

Inks:

Tom Hickey (signed)

Colors:

?

Letters:

?

Content Information

Genre:

detective-mystery

Characters:

Bruce Nelson; Ed Lane (a detective); Lili Grauet (death)

Synopsis:

Bruce begins his investigation of the death of a young woman due to black magic.

Reprints:

• in Famous First Edition (DC, 1974 series) #C-28 (1974)
• in Millennium Edition: Detective Comics 27 (DC, 2000 series) #[nn] (February 2000)

Indexer Notes

Hickey also signed the story as "TH".

none (Table of Contents)

The Mysterious Doctor Fu Manchu / comic story / 4 pages (report information)

Credits

Script:

Leo O'Mealia (adaption)

Pencils:

Leo O'Mealia

Inks:

Leo O'Mealia

Colors:

?

Letters:

typeset

Content Information

Genre:

adventure

Characters:

Rev. J. D. Eltham; Greba Eltham; Nayland Smith; Vernon Denby; Dr. Petrie; Dr. Fu Manchu (villain)

Synopsis:

Fu Manchu attempts to kill Greba Eltham, all in an attempt to keep Rev. Eltham from going to China.

Reprints:

• in Famous First Edition (DC, 1974 series) #C-28 (1974)
• in Millennium Edition: Detective Comics 27 (DC, 2000 series) #[nn] (February 2000)
• from Fu Manchu (Bell Syndicate), 1931

Indexer Notes

Artist credits by Craig Delich (Nov. 2005). Adopted from the novel by Sax Rohmer.

none (Table of Contents)

Flatfoot Flannigan / filler / 1 page (report information)

Credits

Script:

Paul Gustavson ?

Pencils:

Paul Gustavson [as Gustavson] (signed)

Inks:

Paul Gustavson [as Gustavson] (signed)

Colors:

?

Letters:

Paul Gustavson ?

Content Information

Genre:

humor

Characters:

Flannigan

Synopsis:

Flannigan is sent out on a bank robbery, but stops for a red light so he won't get a ticket!

Reprints:

• in Famous First Edition (DC, 1974 series) #C-28 (1974)
• in Millennium Edition: Detective Comics 27 (DC, 2000 series) #[nn] (February 2000)

Indexer Notes

Art credits verified and letterer credit added by Craig Delich 2009-2-7.

[Illegal Aliens] (Table of Contents)

Cosmo, the Phantom of Disguise / comic story / 6 pages (report information)

Credits

Script:

Sven Elven

Pencils:

Sven Elven (signed)

Inks:

Sven Elven (signed)

Colors:

?

Letters:

Sven Elven ?

Content Information

Genre:

adventure

Characters:

Cosmo; Carg (Immigration HQ official); Mike Donovan (Policeman); Yen Lo (villain); Kwan Joy Lo (villain); Fo Lee (villain)

Synopsis:

Cosmo is placed on a case involving the illegal smuggling of Chinese into America.

Reprints:

• in Famous First Edition (DC, 1974 series) #C-28 (1974)
• in Millennium Edition: Detective Comics 27 (DC, 2000 series) #[nn] (February 2000)

Indexer Notes

Story printed in red and black only. Letterer credit added by Craig Delich 2012-6-18.
Writer only wrote stories for Sven Elven, therefore assumed to be Sven Elven by writer identification expert, Martin O'Hearn.

none (Table of Contents)

Plain Clothes Pete / filler / 4 pages (report information)

Credits

Script:

Russell Cole [as Alger] (signed)

Pencils:

Russell Cole [as Alger] (signed)

Inks:

Russell Cole [as Alger] (signed)

Colors:

?

Letters:

Russell Cole

Content Information

Genre:

detective-mystery

Characters:

Pete; Joe; Louie th' Louse (villain)

Synopsis:

Pete and Joe try to discover the whereabouts of the hideout of notorious criminal Louie th' Louse.

Reprints:

• in Famous First Edition (DC, 1974 series) #C-28 (1974)
• in Millennium Edition: Detective Comics 27 (DC, 2000 series) #[nn] (February 2000)

Indexer Notes

Letterer credit added by Craig Delich 2009-2-7.

[The Murderer on Vacation] (Table of Contents)

Slam Bradley / comic story / 9 pages (report information)

Credits

Script:

Jerry Siegel (signed)

Pencils:

Joe Shuster (signed)

Inks:

Joe Shuster (signed)

Colors:

?

Letters:

?

Content Information

Genre:

detective-mystery

Characters:

Slam Bradley; Shorty Morgan; Dick Kelly (death); Gale Dennis (villain); "Black Jack" Benson (villain); Nicky (villain); Helger Wetjen (villain)

Synopsis:

Shorty and Slam help to find out the whereabouts of a Federal agent who disappeared after trailing an escaped felon to Switzerland.

Reprints:

• in Famous First Edition (DC, 1974 series) #C-28 (1974)
• in Millennium Edition: Detective Comics 27 (DC, 2000 series) #[nn] (February 2000)

Indexer Notes

According to Alter Ego #112 for August of 2012, Paul Cassidy did some art on this story.

[All-American #2 and Movie Comics #2] (Table of Contents)

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

Credits

Script:

?

Pencils:

?

Inks:

?

Colors:

?

Letters:

?

Content Information

Reprints:

• in Famous First Edition (DC, 1974 series) #C-28 (1974)

Indexer Notes

Found on the inside back cover. Illustrated house ads for All-American Comics #2 and Movie Comics #2.