Detective Comics #46 is an issue of the series Detective Comics (Volume 1) with a cover date of December, 1940.
Synopsis for Batman: "Professor Strange's Fear Dust"
Batman confronts a gang on a warehouse and defeats them until there's only one man standing. The man is a teenager, and Batman agrees to spare him if he reveals the entire scheme of his gang. The kid informs Batman that they were going to meet Professor Strange and that he had developed some chemical for their next hit. The kid also gives Batman some pills that are supposed to prevent the gang from falling under the effects of the chemical. Batman takes the pill and tells the kid to meet again the next night and he lets the gang free.
The gang go to the meeting and soon they are greeted by Professor Hugo Strange, who informs them about his new invention: the fear dust. Using this new weapon, Strange's gang is able to commit all sort of crimes without worrying for the police as they can use the fear dust against them and terrorize every citizen in the city.
The next night, the teenager sneaks away to meet with Batman, but Strange notices his weird attitude and sends one of his henchmen to follow him. The youngster meets with Batman on a dark street and before he can update Batman, Strange's thug attacks Batman from behind and knocks him unconscious. Batman wakes up surrounded by Strange's gang and Professor Strange himself. Together, they beat Batman to a pulp and leave him on the basement of their secret hideout.
When Batman recovers, he listens Strange talking on the next room about their plan. Waiting after Strange is gone, Batman breaks into the other room and defeats the surprised thugs. After this, Batman calls Robin and gives him the details about Strange's plan.
After this, Batman runs to the nearest train station, where one of Strange's thugs is about to spread the fear dust among the people and he stops the criminal before running to find Srange. Meanwhile, Robin takes out some of Strange's thugs on the water reservoir and at the city's main plaza; both places chosen to spread the fear dust.
Later, Batman finds Strange's secret hangar after interrogating one of his thugs and confronts the evil Professor at that place, where he was preparing to spread the dust from the air. Batman and Strange fight a ruthless battle, but in the end Batman wins the fight, causing Strange to lose his footing over a nearby cliff. Strange falls to a certain death and Robin joins Batman after saving the city once again.
Appearing in Batman: "Professor Strange's Fear Dust"
Featured Characters:
Supporting Characters:
Antagonists:
- Hugo Strange (Apparent Death)
- Carstairs
Locations:
Items:
Synopsis for Bart Regan, Spy: "Goldfish"
Appearing in Bart Regan, Spy: "Goldfish"
Featured Characters:
Antagonists:
- Spotty Legotini (fifth columnist)
Other Characters:
- Frank Conover (spy)
Locations:
Synopsis for Larry Steele: "The Case of the Circus Killer"
Appearing in Larry Steele: "The Case of the Circus Killer"
Featured Characters:
Supporting Characters:
- Circus Performers
- Skinnie
- Little Laura
Anatagonists:
- Iron Arm (strong man)
- Unnamed killer
Synopsis for Crimson Avenger: "The Ghost Plane"
Appearing in Crimson Avenger: "The Ghost Plane"
Featured Characters:
Supporting Characters:
Antagonists:
- Ghost Plane (Single appearance)
Locations:
Synopsis for Speed Saunders: "Joe Dekker and Hal Jensen"
Appearing in Speed Saunders: "Joe Dekker and Hal Jensen"
Featured Characters:
Supporting Characters:
- Mike
Antagonists:
- Joe Dekker (Single appearance)
Other Characters:
- Hal Jensen (Single appearance; dies)
- Fred (Single appearance)
Locations:
- New York City
- Small town of Norville
- Chicago
Synopsis for Steve Malone: "Bargain Deaths"
Appearing in Steve Malone: "Bargain Deaths"
Featured Characters:
Antagonists:
- "Bargain Deaths" murder ring
- Babyface
Other Characters:
- Big Benny (union boss)
Synopsis for Cliff Crosby: "The Wrecked Boat"
Appearing in Cliff Crosby: "The Wrecked Boat"
Featured Characters:
Supporting Characters:
- Kay Nevers
Antagonists:
- Hogan (escaped murderer)
Synopsis for Slam Bradley: "Death and the Hockey Game"
Appearing in Slam Bradley: "Death and the Hockey Game"
Featured Characters:
Supporting Characters:
Antagonists:
- Travers Barry (Single appearance)
- Blue Stars
- Randall (Single appearance)
- Limehouse Louie (Single appearance)
- Fake Mrs. Dude Smith (Single appearance)
Other Characters:
- Red Wing (Single appearance)
- Dude Smith (Single appearance)
- Larry Blake (Single appearance)
- Blue Stars (Single appearance)
- Red Shaver (Single appearance)
- Mike (Single appearance)
Locations:
Notes
- Published by Detective Comics, Inc.
- Batman: "Professor Strange's Fear Dust" is reprinted in Batman Archives Vol 1 and Batman Chronicles Vol 3.
- This is Professor Strange's 3rd appearance, and his 4th evil scheme.
Trivia
- This issue introduces the first fear inducing chemical in the DC Universe.
- "Professor Strange's Fear Dust" takes place on Earth-Two, but according to Detective Comics #471, similar events also occurred early in Batman's career on Earth-One.
See Also
Links and References
Look at how sad this is making Batman. You did this.