Detective Comics Vol 1 49

"Batman: "Clayface Walks Again"": Julie Madison becomes a superstar after her last feature film is a complete success and her agents require her to change her name to Portia Storme to sound more like a starlet. Revealing the news to her fiancé, [[Bruce Wayne (Earth-

Detective Comics #49 is an issue of the series Detective Comics (Volume 1) with a cover date of March, 1941.

Appearing in Batman: "Clayface Walks Again"

Featured Characters:

• Batman
• Robin

Supporting Characters:

• Julie Madison (changes name to Portia Storme)

Antagonists:

• Clayface

Other Characters:

• Gabby
• Mr. Bentley

Locations:

• Gotham City
  • Wayne Manor
• Hollywood
  • Argus Studio

Items:

• Batrope
• Gotham Gazette

Vehicles:

• Batmobile
  
  

Synopsis for Batman: "Clayface Walks Again"

Julie Madison becomes a superstar after her last feature film is a complete success and her agents require her to change her name to Portia Storme to sound more like a starlet. Revealing the news to her fiancé, Bruce Wayne, she asks him if he would also like to choose a career and move on with his life, but Bruce turns down the possibility of doing such a thing (secretly unwilling to compromise his career as Batman) and thus, Julie, now Portia, calls their engagement off.

At that moment, the car that is transferring the former actor and now criminal Basil Karlo to the state asylum crashes on the road, and Karlo becomes the sole survivor. Going back to the city and making his way to a makeup supply store, Karlo kills the owner and once again starts wearing the mask of Clayface.

When Batman and Robin learn of Clayface's escape, they immediately go back to Argus studios, where they know Clayface would strike again. The duo separate to search for Clayface, and each of them encounters him, but they both fail to capture him. Clayface takes the chance to get revenge on the studio and on Batman and Robin as well, and he starts a fire that consumes half of the place. The firefighters arrive and Batman recovers in time to learn that Robin might be trapped in the fire. Pouring water over his suit, Batman goes into the flames and rescues Robin, much to everyone's surprise.

That night, Portia is threatened by Clayface, and after she tells her worries to the producer at Argus Studios, he hires a security team to protect her on the studio at all time. Despite this effort, Batman visits Portia with something important to tell her.

The next day, Clayface manages to pass the security team by disguising himself as one of the extras. Meanwhile on the outside, Batman and Robin are stopped from getting inside by the security team and their struggle is carried into the studio, where they distract the attention of every person in the room. While Batman keeps fighting the guards, Robin carries Portia away and using Batman's distraction to his advantage, Clayface takes a bow and aims an arrow at Portia, shooting her in the back. When the body falls to the ground the fight stops and Batman goes straight to Clayface to stop him. After a brief fight, Batman defeats Clayface and it is then revealed that the person that was shot in the back was Robin wearing Portia's disguise and he was protected by a life preserving line, while the real Portia was wearing a Robin costume.

After clearing up the whole confusion, Batman and Robin leave the studio with the director wanting them to film something and Portia wishing that Bruce was more like Batman.

Appearing in Bart Regan, Spy: "Sabotage"

Featured Characters:

• Bart Regan

Supporting Characters:

• Wilson (engineer)

Antagonists:

• Sawyer (fifth columnist)
  

Synopsis for Bart Regan, Spy: "Sabotage"

• Synopsis not yet written.
  
  

Appearing in Crimson Avenger: "The Echo"

Featured Characters:

• Crimson Avenger (Lee Travis)

Supporting Characters:

• Mac (Final appearance)

Antagonists:

• Jon (Only appearance; dies)
• Echo (Only appearance; dies)

Locations:

• New York City
  

Synopsis for Crimson Avenger: "The Echo"

• Synopsis not yet written.
  
  

Appearing in Larry Steele: "The Case of the Streamlined Train"

Featured Characters:

• Larry Steele

Supporting Characters:

• Vera Blane (actress)
• Sam Smith (railroad president)

Antagonists:

• Dr. Drake
  

Synopsis for Larry Steele: "The Case of the Streamlined Train"

• Synopsis not yet written.
  
  

Appearing in Speed Saunders: "Murder at the Baldwins"

Featured Characters:

• Speed Saunders

Antagonists:

• Bull Baldwin (Single appearance)

Other Characters:

• Ed (Single appearance)
• Marge Baldwin (Only appearance; dies)
• Maid (Single appearance)

Locations:

• New York City
  

Synopsis for Speed Saunders: "Murder at the Baldwins"

• Synopsis not yet written.
  
  

Appearing in Cliff Crosby: "The Loan Shark Racket"

Featured Characters:

• Cliff Crosby

Supporting Characters:

• Kay Nevers
• Hattie Yoder (debtor)

Antagonists:

• Jim Yoder (loan shark)
  

Synopsis for Cliff Crosby: "The Loan Shark Racket"

• Synopsis not yet written.
  
  

Appearing in Steve Malone: "Grace Carmen"

Featured Characters:

• Steve Malone

Supporting Characters:

• Happy
• Mr. Merkoff (ex-husband)

Antagonists:

• Unnamed theater manager

Other Characters:

• Grace Carmen (singer)
  

Synopsis for Steve Malone: "Grace Carmen"

• Synopsis not yet written.
  
  

Appearing in Slam Bradley: "The Case of the Frightened Crooner"

Featured Characters:

• Slam Bradley

Supporting Characters:

• Shorty Morgan

Antagonists:

• Terror (Tom Severs alias Randal Legro) (Single appearance)
• Smokey Joe (Single appearance)

Other Characters:

• Edward Parrish (Single appearance)
• Inspector
• Claffey

Locations:

• New York City
  

Synopsis for Slam Bradley: "The Case of the Frightened Crooner"

• Synopsis not yet written.

Notes

• Published by Detective Comics, Inc.
• Batman: "Clayface Walks Again" is reprinted in Batman Archives Vol 1 and Batman Chronicles Vol 3.
  • In this story, Julie Madison breaks off her engagement with Bruce Wayne.
• This issue features a text story "Letter Perfect" by Gardner F. Fox.

Trivia

• This issue marks the first time a female character wears a Robin outfit.

See Also

• Discuss Detective Comics Vol 1 49 on the forums
• Cover gallery for the Detective Comics series
• Images from Detective Comics Vol 1 49

Recommended Reading

Links and References

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