Batman (Volume 1) with a cover date of November, 1978.
Synopsis for "Death-Gamble of a Darknight Detective!"
When the Death's-Head terrorist gang and Thanatos, their masked and costumed leader, stage a downtown bombing in Gotham City, Batman attacks them but is defeated by a hurled grenade.
Commissioner Gordon tells Batman that the Death's-Head has staged ten bombings in ten weeks. Lina Muller, a lady journalist, says the group seeks the destruction of Batman and all other symbols of capitalist political order. She also believes that the group will lie low for a while, to regroup and plan. Lina Muller is Bruce Wayne's guest as they visit the Gotham Skyscraper on Gotham Isle, a former base for Dr. Destiny. It has since been converted to a legal gambling casino for a month with the city the beneficiary. Bruce notes that six millionaires who have recently visited the casino have made business blunders that cost them their fortunes.
While gambling, Bruce is subjected to a strange device, the "Fortu-Tron," which causes him to lose his good judgement and gamble away $1,000. Batman later captures Prof. Amos Fortune, who had designed the Fortu-Tron and taken over the casino for his own ends. However, Batman takes so many unnecessary risks that he is almost killed. Fortune tells him that the Fortu-Tron treatment lasts a week.
Later, Batman issues a challenge to the Death's-Head, daring them to meet him on Gotham Isle at midnight. He tells them he will fight without weapons. They take him up on it, and he defeats them all. Thanatos is unmasked as Sophia Santos, aka "Lina Muller". When Gordon asks him how he got over his gambling fever, Batman replies that he hasn't yet, he only "stacked the deck...in my favor!"
Appearing in "Death-Gamble of a Darknight Detective!"
Featured Characters:
Supporting Characters:
Antagonists:
Other Characters:
Locations:
- Gotham City
- S.T.A.R. Labs
- Wayne Foundation
- Gotham Isle
- Gotham Starscraper
Items:
Synopsis for "With This Ring Find Me Dead!"
Commissioner Gordon calls in Batman when a wedding ring found on the finger of an unidentified female corpse on a Gotham street bears the inscription, "To my darling wife. Love, the Batman." No record of the woman's fingerprints turns up, but Batman analyzes the ring, and finds materials on it that pinpoint its origin to a town on the coast of Maine.
He goes there in disguise to inquire about the ring from a local jeweler, but has to fight off locals who assume the ring came from Martha Carter, a citizen of their town, and that he killed her to get it. The fight ends when Martha Carter walks in with her husband.
Batman returns home and switches to civilian garb, briefing Alfred on what has happened. But an intruder enters, having somehow breached the security system. He brandishes three photos taken by an X-ray device, showing Bruce Wayne in his Batman costume during the Maine brawl, and says that he has other evidence linking the Batman to Wayne. He admits to murdering the woman, but declares that if Batman brings him in, it will be the end of Batman's career.
Appearing in "With This Ring Find Me Dead!"
Featured Characters:
Supporting Characters:
Antagonists:
- Jeff Ritcher (Cameo)
Other Characters:
- Martha Carter (Single appearance)
- Dave Carter (Single appearance)
- Tom (Single appearance)
- Jeremy Parkins (Single appearance)
Locations:
Items:
Vehicles:
Notes
- There are editorial notes, referencing previous comics. These are Justice League of America #151 and Justice League of America #154.
- "Death-Gamble of a Darknight Detective!" is reprinted in Tales of the Batman: Gerry Conway Vol. 1.
- "With This Ring Find Me Dead!" is reprinted in Tales of the Batman: Don Newton Vol 1.