Batman (Volume 1) with a cover date of February, 1958.
Synopsis for "The Menace of False Face"
False Face is a master of disguise, and uses his skills to impersonate several wealthy citizens of Gotham City to rob them. Batman and Robin investigate the case and bait False Face into a trap, whereupon they quickly expose him.
Appearing in "The Menace of False Face"
Featured Characters:
Supporting Characters:
Villains:
Other Characters:
- Arthur Crandall (Single appearance)
- P.S. Smithington (Single appearance)
- Wally Weskit (Single appearance) (Behind the scenes)
- Wembley Hepplewhite (Single appearance)
Locations:
- Gotham Explorers Club
- Gotham Jewelry Store
Items:
Vehicles:
Synopsis for "Batman Meets Fatman"
Batman and Robin meet Fatman, a circus clown who dresses in a mock Batman costume. Impressed by Fatman's antics, they offer him a ride in the Batmobile. Fatman aids Batman and Robin in stopping a group of criminals known as the Red Mask Gang.
Appearing in "Batman Meets Fatman"
Featured Characters:
Supporting Characters:
Villains:
- Red Mask Gang (Single appearance)
Other Characters:
- Fatman (Single appearance)
Locations:
Items:
Vehicles:
Synopsis for "Batman - The Superman of Planet X"
The Batman of the planet Zur En Arrh teleports the real Batman to Zur-En-Arrh, where Batman/Bruce Wayne has powers equivalent to Superman's. Batman/Bruce Wayne assists the alien Batman in fighting off a horde of robot invaders. After the robots are destroyed, the alien Batman gives Batman/Bruce Wayne his Bat-Radia device as a keepsake, and returns him to Earth.
Appearing in "Batman - The Superman of Planet X"
Featured Characters:
Supporting Characters:
Villains:
- Batman alien (Single appearance)
Other Characters:
Locations:
Items:
- Bat-Radia [sic]
Vehicles:
Notes
- "The Menace of False Face" is reprinted in Batman #198.
- "Batman meets Fatman" is reprinted in Batman Family (Volume 1) #4.
- "Batman - The Superman of Planet X" is reprinted in Batman Annual #2.
- Batman appeared last in Detective Comics #251. He appears next in Detective Comics #252.
- First appearance of False Face. False Face is not to be confused with the Batman foe known as Two-Face.
- James Gordon appeared last in Detective Comics #251. He appears next in the first story in Batman #114.
- Robin appeared last in Detective Comics #251. He appears next in Detective Comics #252.
- The Red Mask gang has no connection, and should not be confused, with the Red Hood Gang.
- Wally Weskit does not make an appearance in this issue, and is featured only as one of False Face's many disguises.
- First and only appearance of the citizens of Zur En Arrh.
Trivia
- Although this is the only canonical comic appearance of False Face, a version of the character appeared on the 1966 Batman television series. Played by Malachi Throne, he appeared in two sequential episodes titled "True or False Face" and "Holy Rat Race." The series commonly had two-part episodes with rhyming titles.
- When Grant Morrison took over the Batman series in September 2006, he immediately began referencing classic moments from the character's career, including utilizing a version of Bat-Mite and reusing a costume and dialogue from issue #156. Among the references was "Zur En Arrh," which appeared very nearly covering an alley and again on a dumpster in issue #655. The phrase continued to appear innocuously until the "Batman R.I.P." story arc began, at which point it was mentioned as part of the "next issue" section.
See Also
Recommended Reading
- Batman Recommended Reading
- Batman (Volume 1)
- Batman (Volume 2)
- Batman (Volume 3)
- Batman and Robin (Volume 1)
- Batman and Robin (Volume 2)
- Batman and Robin (Volume 3)
- Batman Confidential (Volume 1)
- Batman: Gotham Knights (Volume 1)
- Batman: Legends of the Dark Knight (Volume 1)
- Batman: Shadow of the Bat (Volume 1)
- Batman: Streets of Gotham (Volume 1)
- Batman Incorporated (Volume 1)
- Batman Incorporated (Volume 2)
- Batman/Superman (Volume 1)
- Batman/Superman (Volume 2)
- Batman/Superman: World's Finest (Volume 1)
- Batman: The Dark Knight (Volume 1)
- Batman: The Dark Knight (Volume 2)
- The Brave and the Bold (Volume 1)
- Detective Comics (Volume 1)
- Detective Comics (Volume 2)
- Superman/Batman (Volume 1)
- World's Finest (Volume 1)
Links and References
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