Batman #2
(Summer 1940)

DC, 1940 Series
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Price
0.10 USD
Pages
68
Indicia Frequency
quarterly
On-sale Date
1940-07-19
Indicia / Colophon Publisher
Detective Comics Inc.
Brand
A DC Publication
Editing
Whitney Ellsworth (uncredited)

Issue Notes

On-sale date from copyright registration. An on-sale date of July 20 was listed in a promotional house advertisement that appeared in Superman (DC, 1939 series) #6 (September-October 1940).
This issue has variants:

[no title indexed] (Table of Contents)

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

Pencils
Bob Kane (signed)
Inks
Jerry Robinson (sourced)
Colors
Strauss Engraving Company
Letters
typeset

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

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

Johnson Smith & Co. Catalog / advertisement / 1 page (report information)

[The Joker Meets the Cat-Woman] (Table of Contents: 2)

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

Script
Bill Finger
Pencils
Bob Kane (signed)
Inks
Jerry Robinson (sourced); George Roussos (sourced) (backgrounds)
Colors
Strauss Engraving Company
Letters
George Roussos (sourced)

Feature Logo
Batman with Robin - The Boy Wonder [30's face]
Genre
superhero
Characters
Batman [Bruce Wayne]; Cat-Woman [Selina Kyle] (villain); Commissioner James Gordon; Robin [Dick Grayson]; E. S. Arthur (wealthy gem collector, death); Johnny (newsboy); The Crime Syndicate, Inc. [The Joker; Weasel; Mugface; Circus Charlie (poses as Batman, death); others unnamed] (villains, introduction for all except The Joker)
Synopsis
Learning the Joker is hospitalized with wounds, the members of the Crime Syndicate make plans to rescue him to lead their mob again. But the Joker has planned a double-cross and the appearance of the Cat-Woman complicates matters.
Reprints
Keywords
Bat-Plane; Gotham City; Pharaoh Gems; The Herald; Vesalius Hospital

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

Young Mr. Olds / comic story / 2 pages (report information)

Script
?
Pencils
Stan Asch ?
Inks
Stan Asch ?
Colors
Strauss Engraving Company
Letters
?

First Line of Dialogue or Text
There is is again - That pesterin' toothache...
Genre
humor
Characters
Mr. Olds

[Wolf, the Crime Master] (Table of Contents: 4)

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

Script
Bill Finger
Pencils
Bob Kane (signed)
Inks
Bob Kane (signed); Jerry Robinson (sourced) (backgrounds)
Colors
Strauss Engraving Company
Letters
Jerry Robinson (sourced)

Feature Logo
Batman with Robin - The Boy Wonder [30's face]
Genre
superhero
Characters
Batman [Bruce Wayne]; Robin [Dick Grayson]; Cyrus Craig (museum owner); Adam Lamb [aka Wolf] (villain, Craig's museum custodian, introduction, death); Wolf's gang (villains, introduction for all)
Synopsis
By an unfortunate accident, Adam Lamb becomes a psychological Jekyll and Hyde at midnight each evening, only to revert to his mild-mannered self during the day.
Reprints
Keywords
smoke pellet; utility belt

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

All-Star Comics; Mutt & Jeff / promo (ad from the publisher) / 0.5 page (report information)

America's Greatest Adventure Character! (Table of Contents: 6) (Expand) /

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

A Very Simple Case (Table of Contents: 7)

text story / 2 pages (report information)

Script
David Tree (credited) (house name)
Pencils
Raymond Perry
Inks
Raymond Perry
Colors
Strauss Engraving Company
Letters
typeset

First Line of Dialogue or Text
The shrill ringing of his phone roused Henry...
Genre
adventure; detective-mystery
Characters
Henry Preston; Lt. Tracy; Lt. Steele; Jason Trieste; Garand; William March
Synopsis
Preston investigates the theft of a famous jewel.
Keywords
Blackman Ruby

[The Case of the Clubfoot Murders] (Table of Contents: 8)

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

Script
Bill Finger
Pencils
Bob Kane (signed)
Inks
Bob Kane (signed); Jerry Robinson (sourced) (backgrounds)
Colors
Strauss Engraving Company
Letters
Jerry Robinson (sourced) (pp. 3-13); ? (pp. 1-2)

Feature Logo
Batman with Robin - The Boy Wonder [30's face]
Genre
superhero
Characters
Batman [Bruce Wayne]; Commissioner James Gordon; Robin [Dick Grayson]; Harley Storme (millionaire, death); Portia (Harley Storme's niece); Abel Storme (Harley's brother, death); Carl Storme (Harley's brother); Roger Storme (Harley's son, death); Clubfoot (introduction); Ward [as Clubfoot] (villain, the Storme family lawyer); Varrick (villain, gambler, introduction); Tommy (villain, Varrick's partner)
Synopsis
The contents of a strange will leave each of the heirs with strange tokens with inscriptions on them, not realizing that, if they are all united, the tokens will reveal the location of a gold mine.
Reprints

[no title indexed] (Table of Contents: 9) (Expand) /

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

[no title indexed] (Table of Contents: 10)

Little Billy Pelican / comic story / 1 page (report information)

Script
?
Pencils
Harold Sherman (credited as Hal)
Inks
Harold Sherman (credited as Hal)
Colors
Strauss Engraving Company
Letters
?

First Line of Dialogue or Text
Now, Billy, I'm going to leave you alone...
Genre
anthropomorphic-funny animals
Characters
Billy Pelican

[Jenghiz Khan] (Table of Contents: 11)

Fantastic Facts / cartoon / 1 page (report information)

Script
George Papp (signed as Geo. Papp)
Pencils
George Papp (signed as Geo. Papp)
Inks
George Papp (signed as Geo. Papp)
Colors
Strauss Engraving Company
Letters
?

Genre
non-fiction

[The Case of the Missing Link] (Table of Contents: 12)

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

Script
Bill Finger
Pencils
Bob Kane (signed)
Inks
Jerry Robinson (sourced); George Roussos (sourced) (backgrounds)
Colors
Strauss Engraving Company
Letters
George Roussos (sourced)

Feature Logo
Batman with Robin - The Boy Wonder [30's face]
Genre
superhero
Characters
Batman [Bruce Wayne]; Robin [Dick Grayson]; Professor Drake (death); Goliath (prehistoric man, death); pygmies (villains, some die); Hackett (villain, circus owner, introduction); Snead (villain, circus owner, introduction); Grimes (villain, introduction, death)
Synopsis
Professor Drake brings back from Africa a "missing link" whom he intends to civilize, for the benefit of all civilization. But he learns, as do the Caped Crusaders, that sometimes men act more like beasts than someone like Goliath!
Reprints
Keywords
Daily Star; Hackett and Snead Circus

Look! The New 1940 Edition! (Table of Contents: 13) (Expand) /

New York World's Fair Comics / promo (ad from the publisher) / 1 page (report information)

[no title indexed] (Table of Contents: 14)

His Royal Highness / comic story / 2 pages (report information)

Script
Harold Sherman (credited as Sherman)
Pencils
Harold Sherman (credited as Sherman)
Inks
Harold Sherman (credited as Sherman)
Colors
Strauss Engraving Company
Letters
?

First Line of Dialogue or Text
Oh woe is me! Always something to worry about!
Genre
humor

The "Big Six" Comic Magazines Still Lead the Field! (Table of Contents: 15) (Expand) /

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

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

Remington Rand / advertisement / 1 page (report information)

[no title indexed] (Table of Contents: 17) (Expand) /

Daisy Air Rifles / 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]
    Johnson Smith & Co. Catalog
  3. 2. [The Joker Meets the Cat-Woman]
    Batman and Robin
  4. 3. ["There is is again - That pesterin' toothache..."]
    Young Mr. Olds
  5. 4. [Wolf, the Crime Master]
    Batman and Robin
  6. 5. ["For swell vacation reading, don't miss these two!"]
    All-Star Comics; Mutt & Jeff
  7. 6. America's Greatest Adventure Character!
    Superman
  8. 7. A Very Simple Case
  9. 8. [The Case of the Clubfoot Murders]
    Batman and Robin
  10. 9. ["The Batman appears in a complete episode..."]
    Batman
  11. 10. ["Now, Billy, I'm going to leave you alone..."]
    Little Billy Pelican
  12. 11. [Jenghiz Khan]
    Fantastic Facts
  13. 12. [The Case of the Missing Link]
    Batman and Robin
  14. 13. Look! The New 1940 Edition!
    New York World's Fair Comics
  15. 14. ["Oh woe is me! Always something to worry about!"]
    His Royal Highness
  16. 15. The "Big Six" Comic Magazines Still Lead the Field!
  17. 16. [no title indexed]
    Remington Rand
  18. 17. [no title indexed]
    Daisy Air Rifles
This issue was modified by, among others
  • Katie
  • Ray Bottorff Jr
  • Craig Delich
  • Jochen G.
  • Del Gruber
  • Jerry Hillegas (R.I.P.)
  • Hunter Johnson
  • Matthew Peets
  • Per Sandell
  • Ramon Schenk
  • Jim Van Dore