Detective Comics #38

(April 1940)

[Robin the Boy Wonder] (Table of Contents)

The Batman / comic story / 12 pages (report information)

Credits

Script:

Bill Finger

Pencils:

Bob Kane (signed)

Inks:

Jerry Robinson

Colors:

?

Letters:

Jerry Robinson

Content Information

Genre:

superhero

Characters:

Batman [Bruce Wayne]; Robin [Dick Grayson] (introduction, origin); John Grayson (introduction, death); Mary Grayson (introduction, death); Mr. Haly (Haly Circus owner); Boss Zucco [Anthony Zucco](villain, introduction); Blade (villain, death)

Synopsis:

Dick Grayson watches his parents die and overhears the killers confessing the point, and he decides to tip off the Police. However, the Batman intervenes to save the boy's life, and trains him to become his partner, Robin the Boy Wonder. Then the duo head out to gather evidence needed to put the criminals behind bars.

Reprints:

• in Batman from the Thirties to the Seventies (Crown Publishers, 1971 series) #73-168329 (October 1971)
• in Secret Origins (DC, 1973 series) #7 (October-November 1974)
• in Läderlappen (Williams Förlags AB, 1969 series) #4/1975 ([1975-04-dd]) [[Usa, 1940]]
• in Lynvingen (Williams Forlag, 1969 series) #4/1975 ([april] 1975)
• in Batman Album (K. G. Murray, 1976 series) #37 (October 1979)
• in Batman Archives (DC, 1990 series) #1 ([June] 1990)
• in Millennium Edition: Detective Comics 38 (DC, 2000 series) #[nn] (April 2000)
• in Batman in the Forties (DC, 2004 series) #[nn] ([March] 2004)
• in The Batman Chronicles (DC, 2005 series) #1 ([March] 2005)
• in Detective Comics Special Reprint (DC, 1995 series) #38 (1995)

[The Electrical Assassin] (Table of Contents)

Spy / comic story / 6 pages (report information)

Credits

Script:

Jerry Siegel (signed)

Pencils:

Maurice Kashuba (signed)

Inks:

Maurice Kashuba (signed)

Colors:

?

Letters:

?

Content Information

Genre:

adventure

Characters:

Bart Regan; Chick Cavanaugh (Secret Service agent, death); Nell Johnson (villain, death); Carter (villain, a scientist, death)

Synopsis:

Bart nearly loses his life when he investigates a scientist's invention that produces lightning, which can be directed to any target the scientist desires, and with which he plans to terrorize the nation and eventually control it.

Reprints:

• in Millennium Edition: Detective Comics 38 (DC, 2000 series) #[nn] (April 2000)

[Dr. Hydkil] (Table of Contents)

Red Logan / comic story / 6 pages (report information)

Credits

Script:

?

Pencils:

Ken Ernst

Inks:

Ken Ernst

Colors:

?

Letters:

?

Content Information

Genre:

adventure

Characters:

Red Logan; Ivan; Inspector Enright; Simpson (Policeman); Mitchell (Policeman); Archie (Times Courier employee); Dr. Hydkil (villain); Gluko (villain, Hydkil's assistant)

Synopsis:

Red becomes involved in a murder mystery that has all the earmarks of a vampire killer. Instead he runs smack dab into a crazed medical genius bent on becoming another Frankenstein!

Reprints:

• in Millennium Edition: Detective Comics 38 (DC, 2000 series) #[nn] (April 2000)

[Phoney Jewel Robbery] (Table of Contents)

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

Credits

Script:

Jack Lehti (signed)

Pencils:

Jack Lehti (signed)

Inks:

Jack Lehti (signed)

Colors:

?

Letters:

?

Content Information

Genre:

superhero

Characters:

The Crimson Avenger [Lee Travis]; Wing; Mrs. Duprey; Mac (Globe-Leader reporter); Mike (Policeman); Mr. Duprey (villain); "Gimpy" Malone (villain); Joe Scalponi (villain)

Synopsis:

The Crimson investigates and puts to an end an insideous plan in which wealthy people pay to have their jewels stolen, then get them returned after having collected the insurance on them.

Reprints:

• in Millennium Edition: Detective Comics 38 (DC, 2000 series) #[nn] (April 2000)

Kidnapped (Table of Contents)

Monthly Book Review / filler / 1 page (report information)

Credits

Script:

?

Pencils:

?

Inks:

?

Colors:

?

Letters:

?

Content Information

Genre:

non-fiction

The Kidnapped Singer [sic] (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; Lora de Thiessi (Torch singer); Jim (backstage employee); Marie (Thiessi's maid-servant); un-named Police Captain; Jim (airport pilot); un-named fiancee of Lora de Thiessi (villain)

Synopsis:

Speed uncovers a plot by the supposed fiancee of singer Lora de Thiess, who had gotten himself into debt by gambling, then put the touch on Lora's theater to ransom her back from a kidnapping.

Reprints:

• in Millennium Edition: Detective Comics 38 (DC, 2000 series) #[nn] (April 2000)

Indexer Notes

Millennium Edition: Detective Comics #38 (2000 series) lists the writer as being Fred Guardineer. Fred Guardineer never wrote this strip, fact added by Craig Delich 2009-2-13.

[The Gambler's Protector] (Table of Contents)

Steve Malone, District Attorney / comic story / 6 pages (report information)

Credits

Script:

?

Pencils:

Don Lynch (signed)

Inks:

Don Lynch (signed)

Colors:

?

Letters:

?

Content Information

Genre:

detective-mystery

Characters:

Steve Malone; Chief of Police Runyan; Happy (Malone's secretary); Butch Smaltz (villain); un-named Police Commissioner (villain); Butch (villain)

Synopsis:

Steve makes the discovery that the city's criminal rackets are being financed by the Police Commissioner.

Reprints:

• in Millennium Edition: Detective Comics 38 (DC, 2000 series) #[nn] (April 2000)

At The Arctic Circle (Table of Contents)

Cliff Crosby / comic story / 6 pages (report information)

Credits

Script:

Chad Grothkopf

Pencils:

Chad Grothkopf

Inks:

Chad Grothkopf

Colors:

?

Letters:

Chad Grothkopf

Content Information

Genre:

adventure

Characters:

Cliff Crosby; Dr. Broussard; Aga (Kingdom Chief); Sabu (villain, phony Kingdom Chief); Sengi (villain)

Synopsis:

Having to bail out of their plane over the arctic regions, Cliff and Dr. Broussard are shocked to find African natives living in the arctic with little clothing on. They are brought before the Chief of the Sabu Kingdom and informed about a serum the natives drink that permits them to live in the coldest of weather without clothing!

Reprints:

• in Millennium Edition: Detective Comics 38 (DC, 2000 series) #[nn] (April 2000)

The Case of the Vanishing Train (Table of Contents)

text story / 2 pages (report information)

Credits

Script:

Richard Martin (signed)

Pencils:

?

Inks:

?

Colors:

?

Letters:

typeset

Content Information

Genre:

detective-mystery

[The Big Fire] (Table of Contents)

Slam Bradley / comic story / 10 pages (report information)

Credits

Script:

Jerry Siegel (signed)

Pencils:

Dennis Neville (signed)

Inks:

Dennis Neville (signed)

Colors:

?

Letters:

?

Content Information

Genre:

detective-mystery

Characters:

Slam Bradley; Shorty Morgan; Tommy Crane (crippled boy); un-named apartment building janitor (villain)

Synopsis:

Slam and Shorty help rescue people from a burning apartment building.

Reprints:

• in Millennium Edition: Detective Comics 38 (DC, 2000 series) #[nn] (April 2000)