Detective Comics Vol 1 55

"Batman: "The Brain Burglar"": A scientist called Jon Henry has created a machine that forces people to tell the truth and after he reveals his secret to some reporters, he is attacked by Dr. Deker and his thugs, who want to learn everything about the machine. Henry is placed in his own machine

Appearing in Batman: "The Brain Burglar"

Featured Characters:

• Batman
• Robin

Supporting Characters:

• Linda Page

Antagonists:

• Fifth Columnists
  • Dr. Deker (Single appearance)

Other Characters:

• Professor Dodge (Single appearance)
• Professor Jon Henry (Single appearance)
• Professor Mason (Single appearance)
• Linda's uncle (Single appearance)

Locations:

• Gotham City

Items:

• Jon Henry's Truth Compulsion Machine

Vehicles:

• Batplane
  
  

Synopsis for Batman: "The Brain Burglar"

A scientist called Jon Henry has created a machine that forces people to tell the truth and after he reveals his secret to some reporters, he is attacked by Dr. Deker and his thugs, who want to learn everything about the machine. Henry is placed in his own machine and reveals all the details. Deker kidnaps Henry and soon, other scientists and their inventions go missing also.

The news of he latest disappearances reaches Bruce Wayne, but he is unable to act since he has a date with Linda Page. During their date, they go to Linda's uncle's factory, where he works in bombs and aviation. Upon arriving, Bruce is attacked by some of the workers and he is forced to secretly change into Batman and eliminate the attackers. After this, he changes back to Bruce and eliminates any suspicion with Linda and her uncle.

Later, Bruce deduces that the attack from the workers is related to the disappearance of the scientists and he goes to prevent another incident at the home of another scientist called Mason. When the thugs finally arrive at Mason's place, they take him away to their cellar, where all the other scientists are being held captive. Derek tries to interrogate Mason, but actually Batman has switched places with Mason, and he starts taking down the criminals, with help from Robin, who has followed him with the Batplane. Soon, the duo eliminate the thugs and they force Derek to confess how he made the workers go crazy. Derek informs them that he did so by altering the truth machine, and that there is another group of workers nearby that will go crazy.

After Derek and his men are tightly captured, Batman and Robin go to the place Derek described, and stop the workers from destroying everything. There, Batman and Robin also confront the columnists and they follow the criminals to a dirigible in the sky. After a brief struggle, the fifth columnists attack their own dirigible, and it explodes in mid-air. Batman and Robin escape on the Batplane.

Appearing in Bart Regan, Spy: "The Spy"

Featured Characters:

• Bart Regan

Antagonists:

• Unnamed foreign agent
  

Synopsis for Bart Regan, Spy: "The Spy"

• Synopsis not yet written.
  
  

Appearing in Crimson Avenger: "Dr. Karon"

Featured Characters:

• Crimson Avenger (Lee Travis)

Supporting Characters:

• Wing

Antagonists:

• Dr. Karon (Single appearance)
• Thomas Niles (Only appearance; dies)

Locations:

• New York City
  

Synopsis for Crimson Avenger: "Dr. Karon"

• Synopsis not yet written.
  
  

Appearing in Larry Steele: "The Case of the 'Killer Horse'"

Featured Characters:

• Larry Steele

Supporting Characters:

• Alice Ingram (heiress)

Antagonists:

• Anders (trainer)
• Pedro (jockey)
• Tom Turner (gambler)
  

Synopsis for Larry Steele: "The Case of the 'Killer Horse'"

• Synopsis not yet written.
  
  

Appearing in Speed Saunders: "Murder Without Harmony"

Featured Characters:

• Speed Saunders

Antagonists:

• Unnamed trainer (Single appearance)

Other Characters:

• Bancroft (Single appearance)
• Bancroft's son (Single appearance)
• Bellew's wife
• Chip Bellew (Only appearance; dies)
• Unnamed bellhop (Single appearance)

Locations:

• New York City
  

Synopsis for Speed Saunders: "Murder Without Harmony"

• Synopsis not yet written.
  
  

Appearing in Cliff Crosby: "The Riddle of the Missing Masterpiece"

Featured Characters:

• Cliff Crosby

Supporting Characters:

• Inez Valasquez (museum worker)
• Kay Nevers

Antagonists:

• Unnamed art thief
  

Synopsis for Cliff Crosby: "The Riddle of the Missing Masterpiece"

• Synopsis not yet written.
  
  

Appearing in Steve Malone: "Who Killed Hank Allen?"

Featured Characters:

• Steve Malone

Antagonists:

• Jim (organist)

Other Characters:

• Marcella (ex-girlfriend)
• Jimmy (brother)
• Grew (gardener)
• Hank Allen (racketeer)
  

Synopsis for Steve Malone: "Who Killed Hank Allen?"

• Synopsis not yet written.
  
  

Appearing in Slam Bradley: "The Gambling Ship"

Featured Characters:

• Slam Bradley

Supporting Characters:

• Shorty Morgan

Antagonists:

• Biffy Bullit (Single appearance)
• Tom Pryor (Single appearance)
• Joe (Single appearance)

Other Characters:

• Ed Green (Single appearance)
• Mrs. Green (Single appearance)

Locations:

• California Coast
  

Synopsis for Slam Bradley: "The Gambling Ship"

• Synopsis not yet written.

Notes

• Published by Detective Comics, Inc.
• Batman: "The Brain Burglar" is reprinted in Batman Archives Vol 2 and Batman Chronicles Vol 4.
• This issue also features a text story "Getaway" by Frank Cooper.

Trivia

• No trivia.

See Also

• Write your own review of this comic!
• Discuss Detective Comics Vol 1 55 on the forums
• Cover gallery for the Detective Comics series

Recommended Reading

Links and References

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