Detective Comics Vol 1 27



 The Case of the Chemical Syndicate 


 * "Bruce Wayne is a nice young chap - but he certainly must lead a boring life...seems disinterested in everything."
 * --Commissioner Gordon

Summary
Volume: 1 Issue: 27 Month: May Year: 1939

Credits
Head Writer: Bill Finger Cover Artists: Bob Kane Pencilers: Bob Kane Inkers: Bob Kane

Synopsis
Cast of Characters:
 * Batman
 * Alfred Stryker
 * James Gordon
 * Jennings
 * Lambert
 * Lambert Jr.
 * Paul Rogers
 * Steven Crane

Locations: First Appearances: Alfred Stryker (a businessman); Batman (a super-hero); James Gordon (police commissioner); Jennings (Stryker's henchman); Lambert (a murder victim); Lambert Jr. (a murder suspect); Paul Rogers (a businessman); Steven Crane (a businessman) Final Appearances: Alfred Stryker (dies in this issue); Jennings; Lambert (dies in this issue); Lambert Jr.; Paul Rogers; Steven Crane (dies in this issue)
 * Gotham City

Synopsis: Commissioner Gordon learns that a chemical industrialist named Lambert has just been murdered. It appears as if Lambert's son is guilty of the crime, but he confesses only to finding his father's body. Bruce Wayne is present at the crime scene and decides to investigate as Batman.

Exploring Lambert's contacts, he discovers the names of his old business partners, Steven Crane, Paul Rogers and Alfred Stryker. Shortly thereafter, Steven Crane is found dead in his home. Paul Rogers learns of the murder and seeks out the last surviving business partner, Alfred Stryker. But Stryker reveals himself to be behind the crimes and kidnaps Rogers. He wants total control over their business interests.

Batman swoops down inside of Stryker's chemical factory and rescues Rogers. Stryker tries to attack him but Batman beats him back, toppling the criminal into a vat of acid.

Speed Saunders
 Killers of Kurdistan 

Credits
Penciler: Fred Guardineer Inker: Fred Guardineer

Synopsis
Cast of Characters:
 * Speed Saunders

First Appearances: First appearances unknown Final Appearances: Final appearances unknown

Synopsis: Synopsis unknown

Buck Marshall
 Bullet Bluff 

Credits
Penciler: Homer Fleming Inker: Homer Fleming

Synopsis
Cast of Characters:
 * Buck Marshall

First Appearances: First appearances unknown Final Appearances: Final appearances unknown

Synopsis: Synopsis unknown

Bart Regan
 The Mysterious Murders 

Credits
Head Writer: Jerry Siegel Penciler: Joe Shuster Inker: Joe Shuster

Synopsis
Cast of Characters:
 * Bart Regan

First Appearances: First appearances unknown Final Appearances: Final appearances unknown

Synopsis: Synopsis unknown

Crimson Avenger
 Murder on the Oceanic Line Docks 

Credits
Head Writer: Jim Chambers Penciler: Jim Chambers Inker: Jim Chambers

Synopsis
Cast of Characters:
 * Crimson Avenger (Lee Travis)
 * Abe Gold
 * Beard
 * Frank
 * Mike Moran
 * Wing

Locations:
 * New York City
 * Manhattan

First Appearances: Abe Gold (a club owner); Beard (a photographer); Frank (a gambler); Mike Moran (a gambler) Final Appearances: Abe Gold; Beard; Frank; Mike Moran

Synopsis: An angry gambler named Mike Moran grows frustrated over his gambling debts and murders Abe Gold, the owner of a local gambling parlor. He also kills Abe's personal photographer, Beard. The Crimson and Wing investigate the murder and trick Moran into confessing to the murder over an open telephone line.

Bruce Nelson
 The New Orleans Mardi Gras Murders (Part I) 

Credits
Head Writer: Tom Hichey Penciler: Tom Hichey Inker: Tom Hichey

Synopsis
Cast of Characters:
 * Bruce Nelson

Locations:
 * Louisiana
 * New Orleans

First Appearances: First appearances unknown Final Appearances: Final appearances unknown

Synopsis: Synopsis unknown

Credits
Head Writer: Sax Rohmer Penciler: Lee O'Mealia Inker: Lee O'Mealia

Synopsis
Cast of Characters:
 * Fu Manchu

First Appearances: First appearances unknown Final Appearances: Final appearances unknown

Synopsis: Synopsis unknown

Cosmo
 Illegal Aliens 

Credits
Penciler: Sven Elven Inker: Sven Elven

Synopsis
Cast of Characters:
 * Cosmo

First Appearances: First appearances unknown Final Appearances: Final appearances unknown

Synopsis: Synopsis unknown

Slam Bradley
 The Murderer on Vacation 

Credits
Head Writer: Jerry Siegel Penciler: Joe Shuster Inker: Joe Shuster

Synopsis
Cast of Characters:
 * Slam Bradley

First Appearances: First appearances unknown Final Appearances: Final appearances unknown

Synopsis: Synopsis unknown

Trivia

 * Batman's name is also spelled "Bat-Man".


 * The golden age version of Batman smokes a pipe.

Reprints

 * This entire issue is reprinted in Famous First Edition C-28.
 * The Case of the Chemcial Syndicate is reprinted in Batman Archives, Volume 1, Detective Comics #387, Detective Comics #627 and Batman: From the Thirties to the Seventies

Recommended Readings

 * All-Star Comics
 * Batman
 * World's Finest (Volume 1)

Related Articles

 * Earth-Two
 * Gotham City Police Department

Comic pages

 * Detective Comics article at Wikipedia
 * Detective Comics series index at the Grand Comics Database
 * Detective Comics series index at the Unofficial Guide to the DC Universe

Character pages

 * Bart Regan biography page at the Unofficial Guide to the DC Universe
 * Batman article at Wikipedia
 * Batman (Golden Age) biography page at the Unofficial Guide to the DC Universe
 * Bruce Nelson biography page at the Unofficial Guide to the DC Universe
 * Buck Marshall biography page at the Unofficial Guide to the DC Universe
 * Cosmo - The Phantom of Disguise biography page at the Unofficial Guide to the DC Universe
 * Crimson Avenger article at Wikipedia
 * Crimson Avenger biography page at the Unofficial Guide to the DC Universe
 * Fu Manchu article at Wikipedia
 * Slam Bradley article at Wikipedia
 * Slam Bradley biography page at the Unofficial Guide to the DC Universe
 * Speed Saunders article at Wikipedia
 * Speed Saunders biography page at the Unofficial Guide to the DC Universe
 * Wing article at Wikipedia
 * Wing biography page at the Unofficial Guide to the DC Universe

Creator pages

 * Bill Finger article at Wikipedia
 * Bob Kane article at Wikipedia
 * Jerry Siegel article at Wikipedia
 * Joe Shuster article at Wikipedia
 * Sax Rohmer article at Wikipedia