Fools! They play at murder, not realizing that I do not pretend, but shall in reality bring death!
- — Clayface
Detective Comics #40 is an issue of the series Detective Comics (Volume 1) with a cover date of June, 1940.
Contents
- 1 Synopsis for Batman, with Robin the Boy Wonder: "The Murders of Clayface"
- 2 Appearing in Batman, with Robin the Boy Wonder: "The Murders of Clayface"
- 3 Synopsis for Bart Regan, Spy: "The Forgarian Ball"
- 4 Appearing in Bart Regan, Spy: "The Forgarian Ball"
- 5 Synopsis for Red Logan: "An American Reporter in London...."
- 6 Appearing in Red Logan: "An American Reporter in London...."
- 7 Synopsis for The Crimson Avenger: "The Mysterious Rays"
- 8 Appearing in The Crimson Avenger: "The Mysterious Rays"
- 9 Synopsis for Speed Saunders versus Chick Doneen, in "The Jewel Robbers"
- 10 Appearing in Speed Saunders versus Chick Doneen, in "The Jewel Robbers"
- 11 Synopsis for Steve Malone, District Attorney: "The Prodigy"
- 12 Appearing in Steve Malone, District Attorney: "The Prodigy"
- 13 Synopsis for Cliff Crosby: "The New Plane"
- 14 Appearing in Cliff Crosby: "The New Plane"
- 15 Synopsis for Slam Bradley versus the South Side Mob, in "The Murder of Slugger Carmen"
- 16 Appearing in Slam Bradley versus the South Side Mob, in "The Murder of Slugger Carmen"
- 17 Notes
- 18 Trivia
- 19 See Also
- 20 Links and References
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 Batman, with Robin the Boy Wonder: "The Murders of Clayface"
Featured Characters:
Supporting Characters:
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:
Items:
Vehicles:
Synopsis for Bart Regan, Spy: "The Forgarian Ball"
Appearing in Bart Regan, Spy: "The Forgarian Ball"
Featured Characters:
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
- Bank Branch Number 47
Synopsis for Red Logan: "An American Reporter in London...."
Appearing in Red Logan: "An American Reporter in London...."
Featured Characters:
Supporting Characters:
- Inspector Enright
- Ivan
Antagonists:
- Mrs. Tulford (spy)
Locations:
Synopsis for The Crimson Avenger: "The Mysterious Rays"
While an armored truck was delivering currency deposits to the city bank, a criminal was overlooking the deposit with a telescope, from a building across a river. The sniper incapacitated the guards using a ray attached to the scope, then two criminals in a truck looted the armored truck and placed its money inside their own, then driving off.
At the office of the Globe-Leader, Mac, one of the employees came in and informed Lee about the robbery. In response, Lee ordered Mac to start writing about it. Lee decided that he would investigate later that night as the Crimson Avenger. That night, Crimson went to the bridge by the river to investigate, when he spotted a shack and heard people conversing, when he got near it. Inside, a Mad Scientist was introducing his accomplice to his new invention, a ray gun, and telling him about his plan to rob another bank. When another bandit arrived at the shack, the Crimson attacked him by surprise, defeating him, then taking him to his car.
A few days later, at the bandits' hideout, the scientist suspected that Butch had betrayed them due to his absence. However, he decided to proceed with the plan without him. Later, at the bank, the scientist used his ray to paralyze everyone present, allowing him and his accomplice to loot the armored truck without any intervention. As the two bandits drove away, Crimson and Wing How grabbed onto their truck and held on until they reached the hideout. When they reached the hideout, Crimson chased the scientist up the stairs, where the latter attempted to use his ray gun on the former without any effect, as the vigilante wore a protector suit. In response, the Crimson sprayed the scientist with his gas gun.
In a newspaper article by the Globe-Leader, it said "MAD SCIENTIST CAPTURED." Lee was meeting with Mac, who expressed his curiosity on the identity of the Crimson Avenger.
Appearing in The Crimson Avenger: "The Mysterious Rays"
Featured Characters:
Supporting Characters:
- Wing
- Mac
Antagonists:
- Mad Scientist (Single appearance)
- Joe
- Butch
Locations:
- New York City
- Globe Leader, newspaper office
Items:
- Electrical Paralyzing Ray
Vehicles:
- Truck carrying E.P.Ray
Synopsis for Speed Saunders versus Chick Doneen, in "The Jewel Robbers"
Appearing in Speed Saunders versus Chick Doneen, in "The Jewel Robbers"
Featured Characters:
Antagonists:
- Chick Doneen (Single appearance)
- Al (Single appearance)
- Unnamed man (Single appearance)
Locations:
Synopsis for Steve Malone, District Attorney: "The Prodigy"
Appearing in Steve Malone, District Attorney: "The Prodigy"
Featured Characters:
Supporting Characters
- Usha Leika (prodigy)
- Clara Leika
Other Characters
- Karla King (harpist)
Antagonists:
- Fuhlra
- Sari (assistant)
- her cobras
- her cobras
- Sari (assistant)
Synopsis for Cliff Crosby: "The New Plane"
Appearing in Cliff Crosby: "The New Plane"
Featured Characters:
Supporting Characters
- Mr. Bridgeman (airplane tycoon)
Antagonists
- Les Sharron (pilot)
Synopsis for Slam Bradley versus the South Side Mob, in "The Murder of Slugger Carmen"
Appearing in Slam Bradley versus the South Side Mob, in "The Murder of Slugger Carmen"
Featured Characters:
Supporting Characters:
Antagonists:
- Luigi Barratti (Single appearance)
- Carlo Pimento (Single appearance)
- Unnamed gangsters (Single appearance)
Other Characters:
- Slugger Carmen (Only appearance; dies)
Locations:
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
Links and References
Summary Needed |
- Pages using DynamicPageList parser function
- Whitney Ellsworth/Executive Editor
- Bob Kane/Cover Artist
- Bill Finger/Writer
- Jerry Siegel/Writer
- Ken Ernst/Penciler
- Jack Lehti/Writer
- Gardner Fox/Writer
- Don Lynch/Penciler
- Chad Grothkopf/Writer
- Bob Kane/Penciler
- Jerry Robinson/Inker
- Jerry Robinson/Letterer
- Whitney Ellsworth/Editor
- Maurice Kashuba/Penciler
- Maurice Kashuba/Inker
- Ken Ernst/Inker
- Jack Lehti/Penciler
- Jack Lehti/Inker
- Fred Guardineer/Penciler
- Fred Guardineer/Inker
- Fred Guardineer/Letterer
- Don Lynch/Inker
- Chad Grothkopf/Penciler
- Chad Grothkopf/Inker
- Howard Sherman/Penciler
- Howard Sherman/Inker
- Basil Karlo (New Earth)/Quotes
- Bruce Wayne (Earth-Two)/Appearances
- Richard Grayson (Earth-Two)/Appearances
- Julie Madison (Earth-Two)/Appearances
- Basil Karlo (New Earth)/Appearances
- Gotham City/Appearances
- Wayne Manor/Appearances
- Batrope/Appearances
- Batmobile/Appearances
- Bartholomew Regan (Earth-Two)/Appearances
- Washington, D.C./Appearances
- Fogaria/Appearances
- New York City/Appearances
- Red Logan (Earth-Two)/Appearances
- London/Appearances
- Lee Travis (New Earth)/Appearances
- Wing How (New Earth)/Appearances
- Cyril Saunders (New Earth)/Appearances
- Steven Malone (Earth-Two)/Appearances
- Clifford Crosby (Earth-Two)/Appearances
- Samuel Bradley (New Earth)/Appearances
- Samuel Morgan (New Earth)/Appearances
- Earth-Two/Appearances
- Comics
- 1940
- 1940, June
- 1940, April (Publication)
- Detective Comics Vol 1
- Golden-Age
- Colourist Credit Needed
- Synopsis Written
- Articles in need of summaries