Detective Comics (Volume 1) with a cover date of September, 1965.
Synopsis for "The Secret War of the Phantom General!"
Nazi war criminal General Von Dort approaches a group of criminals and offers to organize them in a crime spree against the city. The criminals pull of crime after crime with military precision. Batman and Robin attempt to halt the crimes but the criminals are too well organized to be captured so easily. Ralph Dibny then calls the caped crusaders to a meeting in which he informs them of a rumor that he heard in South America about ex Nazi fugitives hiding out there to escape justice. They are supposedly led by General Von Dort who everyone presumed to be dead. The Nazi group is rumored to have plans to conquer the world. Batman and Robin are then called to a crime event at Gotham Park where they find the criminal gang parachuting into an art auction that is already in progress. The dynamic duo subdues the criminals as they desperately try to communicate with Von Dort for further instructions. Their call goes unheeded with no response from the general. The scene changes to a Gotham laboratory where General Von Dort is in the middle of stealing a mysterious cannister. He remarks that this had been his main objective all along and that the rest of the crimes were merely a ruse to keep Batman and Robin busy. Elongated man summons the dynamic duo to his home once more. He informs them of additional information that he has learned. He inform them that Von Dort had been working on a highly secret project before the end of the war. The Nazis were planning to create a death ray but they lacked a vital radioactive ingredient known as M-244 to complete their weapon. They conclude that Von Dort was in Gotham to collect the radioactive substance while Batman and Robin were kept distracted with the crime sprees. The three heroes then use a nuclear detection device to track down Von Dort to South America. They attack his compound and subdue Von Dort. They are even able to overcome his strange monocle which creates a hypnotic effect. They recover the M-244 and return back to the states where they celebrate with Ralph Dibny and his lovely wife.
Appearing in "The Secret War of the Phantom General!"
Featured Characters:
Supporting Characters:
Antagonists:
- General Von Dort (First appearance)
- Heinrich
- Whipper
- Charley
Other Characters:
- John Broome (Cameo)
Locations:
Items:
Vehicles:
Notes
- This issue is reprinted in Batman Family #4, Showcase Presents: Batman Vol 2, Showcase Presents: Elongated Man Vol. 1, and Tales of the Batman: Carmine Infantino.
See Also