Detective Comics Vol 1 40

"Batman, with Robin the Boy Wonder: "The Murders of Clayface"": Julie Madison is part of a new film called Dread Castle. One of Madison's colleagues and her boyfriend are murdered on the set of the film. When Batman investigates the murde

Detective Comics #40 is an issue of the series Detective Comics (Volume 1) with a cover date of June, 1940.

Appearing in Batman, with Robin the Boy Wonder: "The Murders of Clayface"

Featured Characters:

• Batman
• Robin

Supporting Characters:

• Julie Madison

Antagonists:

• Clayface (Basil Karlo) (First appearance)

Other Characters:

• Fred Walker (Only appearance; dies)
• Kenneth Todd (Single appearance)
• Lorna Dane (Only appearance; dies)
• Mister Bentley (First appearance)
• Ned Norton (Single appearance)
• Roxy Brenner (Single appearance)

Locations:

• Gotham City
  • Wayne Manor

Items:

• Batrope

Vehicles:

• Batmobile
  
  

Synopsis for Batman, with Robin the Boy Wonder: "The Murders of Clayface"

Julie Madison is part of a new film called Dread Castle. One of Madison's colleagues and her boyfriend are murdered on the set of the film. When Batman investigates the murders, he finds the male victim right before he dies and he managed to identify his killer as "Clayface".

Batman and Robin decide to take the investigation to the film's set and there, Batman stops some gangsters, but unfortunately they aren't behind the murders. Meanwhile, Robin finds the real killer and Clayface attacks him. Batman saves Robin, but Clayface manages to escape.

The next day, one of the scenes with Julie is being filmed and Clayface is about to kill her when Batman and Robin intervene. Batman takes off Clayface's disguise, revealing his identity as Basil Karlo, the make-up man and embittered ex-actor who wanted to kill the actors that were remaking his own classic film, "The Terror".

Appearing in Bart Regan, Spy: "The Forgarian Ball"

Featured Characters:

• Bart Regan

Supporting Characters

• Chief

Antagonists:

• Forgarian Spies
  • Jac Gurdini, Embassy Attache
  • Susie, fake widow

Locations:

• Washington, D.C.
  • U.S. Secret Service Headquarters
  • Fogarian Embassy
• New York City
  • Bank Branch Number 47
    

Synopsis for Bart Regan, Spy: "The Forgarian Ball"

• Synopsis not yet written.
  
  

Appearing in Red Logan: "An American Reporter in London...."

Featured Characters:

• Red Logan

Supporting Characters:

• Inspector Enright
• Ivan

Antagonists:

• Mrs. Tulford (spy)

Locations:

• London
  

Synopsis for Red Logan: "An American Reporter in London...."

• Synopsis not yet written.
  
  

Appearing in The Crimson Avenger: "The Mysterious Rays"

Featured Characters:

• Crimson Avenger (Lee Travis)

Supporting Characters:

• Wing
• Mac

Antagonists:

• Mad Scientist (Single appearance)

Locations:

• New York City
  • Globe Leader, newspaper office

Items:

• Electrical Paralyzing Ray

Vehicles:

• Truck carrying E.P.Ray
  

Synopsis for The Crimson Avenger: "The Mysterious Rays"

• Synopsis not yet written.
  
  

Appearing in Speed Saunders versus Chick Doneen, in "The Jewel Robbers"

Featured Characters:

• Speed Saunders

Antagonists:

• Chick Doneen (Single appearance)
• Al (Single appearance)
• Unnamed man (Single appearance)

Locations:

• New York City
  

Synopsis for Speed Saunders versus Chick Doneen, in "The Jewel Robbers"

• Synopsis not yet written.
  
  

Appearing in Steve Malone, District Attorney: "The Prodigy"

Featured Characters:

• Steve Malone

Supporting Characters

• Usha Leika (prodigy)
• Clara Leika

Other Characters

• Karla King (harpist)

Antagonists:

• Fuhlra
  • Sari (assistant)
    • her cobras
      

Synopsis for Steve Malone, District Attorney: "The Prodigy"

• Synopsis not yet written.
  
  

Appearing in Cliff Crosby: "The New Plane"

Featured Characters:

• Cliff Crosby

Supporting Characters

• Mr. Bridgeman (airplane tycoon)

Antagonists

• Les Sharron (pilot)
  

Synopsis for Cliff Crosby: "The New Plane"

• Synopsis not yet written.
  
  

Appearing in Slam Bradley versus the South Side Mob, in "The Murder of Slugger Carmen"

Featured Characters:

• Slam Bradley

Supporting Characters:

• Shorty Morgan

Antagonists:

• Luigi Barratti (Single appearance)
• Carlo Pimento (Single appearance)
• Unnamed gangsters (Single appearance)

Other Characters:

• Slugger Carmen (Only appearance; dies)

Locations:

• Earth-Two
  • New York City
    

Synopsis for Slam Bradley versus the South Side Mob, in "The Murder of Slugger Carmen"

• Synopsis not yet written.

Notes

• Published by Detective Comics, Inc.
• Bart Regan, Spy gets head-whapped with a blackjack, but is only stunned for a moment, not knocked out.
• Timeline of Batman: "The Murders of Clayface":
  • Batman and Robin both appeared last in Batman #1, and both appear next in New York World's Fair Comics #2.
  • Clayface (Basil Karlo) appears next in Detective Comics #49.
  • Julie Madison appeared last in Detective Comics #39. She appears next in Detective Comics #49.
• "The Murders of Clayface" is reprinted in Batman: From the 30's to the 70's, Batman Chronicles Vol 2 and Batman Archives, Volume 1.

Trivia

• An update of "The Murders of Clayface" is told in Secret Origins (Volume 2) #44, featuring basically the same characters and plot, but helping to establish Basil Karlo's place in New Earth continuity.
• Last issue for Ken Ernst art on Red Logan.

See Also

• Discuss Detective Comics Vol 1 40 on the forums
• Cover gallery for the Detective Comics series
• Images from Detective Comics Vol 1 40

Recommended Reading

Links and References

• Batman article at Wikipedia
• Batman (Golden Age) biography page at the Unofficial Guide to the DC Universe
• Crimson Avenger article at Wikipedia
• Crimson Avenger profile at Toonopedia
• Detective Comics #40 index entry
• Detective Comics #40 anthology spoilers
• Detective Comics #40, Batman spoilers
• 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

Summary Needed This page is missing a well-written and detailed synopsis. If there is already a synopsis here, it might need to be modified or expanded. You can help the DC Database by adding a summary of the story. Look at how sad this is making Batman. You did this.