Well, Dick, your parents have been avenged! Now you can go back to circus life! 
Batman #32 is an issue of the series Batman (Volume 1) with a cover date of December, 1945.
Synopsis for "Rackety-Rax Racket!"
The Joker captures Batman with help from his henchmen and they take the vigilante to their secret hideout. The Joker's latest inspiration has come from watching college students forced to endure humiliating inititiation stunts. Joker then contacts Robin and forces him to perform embarrassing but apparently harmless feats in order to keep Batman alive. However, Joker is using Robin for his criminal activities and when the Boy Wonder realizes the truth, he prepares a trap for the Joker.
Meanwhile, Batman struggles to find a way to escape and after a long time, he breaks free and follows the Joker to a major department store where he has planned a major fire as a cover for looting the store's jewelry department. Robin's preparation for the crime and Batman's timely arrival, foil the madman's plan.
Appearing in "Rackety-Rax Racket!"
Featured Characters:
Antagonists:
- Joker
- Aces (Single appearance)
- Deuces (Single appearance)
Other Characters:
- Linda Page (Mentioned only)
Locations:
- Gotham City
- Ha-Hacienda
- Bon Ton Store
Items:
Synopsis for "Dick Grayson, Boy Wonder"
Dick Grayson was a member of the Flying Graysons, the trapeze artists who worked at Haly's Circus until they were killed by Boss Zucco. With John and Mary Grayson death, Dick was taken in by Batman, who taught Dick some advanced martial arts techniques and gave him the secret identity of Robin. Batman and Robin captured Boss Zucco and his gang, giving Robin the chance of getting revenge against the killer of his parents.
Bruce Wayne had no intention of allowing Dick to continue his crime-fighting career, but Grayson wants to prove his worth and so begins an intensive training in which Bruce teaches Dick about investigation, criminology and science. When the time came, Batman allows Robin to go out a second time as Robin and this time, Batman introduces him to Commissioner Gordon as his assistant. After learning all the details from Gordon, Batman and Robin track down the criminals, but during the confrontation, Dick is captured and Batman allows the criminals to capture him as well. Robin is then taken away, but he manages to escape from the crooks' vehicle. Robin warns Commissioner Gordon about Batman, but by the time the police arrive at the scene, the thugs had moved elsewhere along with Batman.
Robin remembers Bruce's training and he decides to look up for clues and continue his investigation at the Batcave. After this, Robin deduces the criminals' location, but he decides to go alone. Robin finds the place and using the smoke from the fireplace, he breaks inside unnoticed and sets Batman free. Together, Batman and Robin defeat the thugs and when they return home, Dick gives up the role of Robin for all the trouble he caused. However, Bruce is more than satisfied with Dick's performance and he allows the boy to become his sidekick permanently.
Appearing in "Dick Grayson, Boy Wonder"
Featured Characters:
Supporting Characters:
Antagonists:
- Stick-Up Sidney (Single appearance)
- Hutch Makin (Single appearance)
Other Characters:
- Winston (Single appearance)
- Harry (Single appearance)
- Flying Graysons (Flashback only)
- John Grayson (Flashback only)
- Mary Grayson (Flashback only)
- Mister Haley (Flashback only) (Final appearance)
- Boss Zucco (Flashback only)
Locations:
Vehicles:
Synopsis for "In the Soup!"
Alfred is tired of being laughed at for his various accidental victories over crime and this time he decides to do a proper investigation. Alfred comes across an unusual robbery---someone has stolen an entire supply of turtle soup from a gourmet factory.
Alfred is ready to laugh it off until it is explained that the soup costs $5 a can and they stole over a thousand cans. Alfred finds out there is only one other company that makes turtle soup. He goes there and witnesses employees
putting their own labels on the stolen cans. He returns with the police. The other company explains they were facing bankruptcy because the larger company had cornered the market on live ingredients. However, Bruce and Dick are still skeptical about Alfred's recent achievement.
Appearing in "In the Soup!"
Featured Characters:
Supporting Characters:
Antagonists:
- Two employees of Fernleigh Soup (Single appearance)
Other Characters:
- Gotham City Police Department
- Chumley (a dog) (Single appearance)
Locations:
Synopsis for "All For One, One For All"
Professor Carter Nichols uses his hypnotic technique to send the minds of Bruce Wayne and Dick Grayson back in time to Europe of the 17th Century. Here, Bruce and Dick come across the famous Three Musketeers and their future friend D'Artagnan. Batman and Robin relive the story already told by Dumas, but with their help, they change the tragic ending to a happy one. After their adventure is over, Professor Nichols brings their minds back to the present.
Appearing in "All For One, One For All"
Featured Characters:
Supporting Characters:
Antagonists:
- Cardinal Richelieu's Guards
- Milady (Single appearance)
Other Characters:
- Constance Bonacieux
- Duke of Buckingham
Locations:
Items:
Notes
- The complete issue is reprinted on the Batman: The Dark Knight Archives Vol 8.
- "Rackety-Rax Racket!" was reprinted in Batman #257 and The Joker: A Celebration of 75 Years.
- "In the Soup!" was reprinted in Batman Family #6.
- Crisis on Infinite Earths: The Compendium states the "Dick Grayson, Boy Wonder" story took place on Earth-Thirty-Two.
- Crisis on Infinite Earths: The Compendium credits this issue as first appearance of Earth-Forty[1], though it doesn't state which story occurred in that reality. Since "Dick Grayson, Boy Wonder" is credited as an Earth-Thirty-Two story this leaves "Rackety-Rax Racket!", "In the Soup!" and/or "All For One, One For All" as possible candidates.
Trivia
- On the first story, there's a giant Joker card in Joker's hideout. This is the iconic memorabilia that would later be a constant feature of the Batcave.
- The final story leaves it ambiguous as to whether Professor Nichols' hypnosis really sent Bruce and Dick into the past, or simply created a virtual-reality where they could act out their fantasies. They refer to the story of D'Artagnan and the Three Musketeers as something that happened in a book, implying that the second option is the case.
See Also
Links and References
- ↑ However, in another section it also credits the ashcan Thrill Comics #1 (1940) as being the first issue involving Earth-Forty