Detective Comics Vol 1 56

"Batman: "The Stone Idol"": Bruce Wayne and Dick Grayson are travelling across the country until they reach Ghost Gulch City and they decide to stay there for a while. That night, a stone statue falls from the top of the mountain to a n

Batman: "The Stone Idol"
Cover
Detective Comics Vol 1 #56
October, 1941
Executive Editor	Whitney Ellsworth
Cover Artists	Bob Kane Jerry Robinson
Batman: "The Stone Idol"
Writers	Bill Finger
Pencilers	Bob Kane
Inkers	Jerry Robinson George Roussos
Letterers	George Roussos
Editors	Whitney Ellsworth
Bart Regan, Spy: "Jules Vortez"
Pencilers	Ed Moore
Inkers	Ed Moore
Crimson Avenger: "Muscles Moran"
Pencilers	Roy Paul
Inkers	Roy Paul
Larry Steele, Private Detective
Pencilers	Cliff Young
Inkers	Cliff Young
Speed Saunders: "The Death from the Honeybee"
Pencilers	Ed Winiarski
Inkers	Ed Winiarski
Cliff Crosby: "Another Case"
Writers	Chad Grothkopf
Pencilers	Chad Grothkopf
Inkers	Chad Grothkopf
Steve Malone: "Who Killed Serge Kamroff?"
Pencilers	Don Lynch
Inkers	Don Lynch
Slam Bradley: "The Practical Joker"
Pencilers	Howard Sherman
Inkers	Howard Sherman
Previous Issue	Detective Comics # 55
Next Issue	Detective Comics # 57

There are lots of strange things that man has been unable to explain in the past.

— Bruce Wayne

Detective Comics #56 is an issue of the series Detective Comics (Volume 1) with a cover date of October, 1941.

Synopsis for Batman: "The Stone Idol"

Bruce Wayne and Dick Grayson are travelling across the country until they reach Ghost Gulch City and they decide to stay there for a while. That night, a stone statue falls from the top of the mountain to a nearby mine and the locals are afraid that the stone giant has awaken from his slumber.

The next day, the stone giant attacks Ghost Gulch with help from some of his servants and they are stopped by Batman and Robin. However, during the fight a blinding flash of light appears and a few seconds later, the giant and his servants are gone and the stone statue returns to its original form.

Afraid of the monster and guided by a mad old man called Mack, the villagers decide to sacrifice the Mayor of the city to appease the giant. As the townsfolk push the Mayor off a cliff next to the statue, Batman saves the man and he starts fighting some of the villagers. The stone giant appears again and grabs Robin before disappearing just like before. Batman and the Major push the stone statue and they discover a secret entrance underneath. Batman goes inside and enters the mine, which was supposed to be abandoned. In the mine, Batman confronts several thugs and rescues Robin before confronting the human stone giant. The fight causes the mine to collapse and the dynamic duo manage to get out in time. Outside, a dying Mad Mack explains that the whole stone giant was a charade he and a circus gang played on the village to eliminate the Mayor and get control over the valuable mine. After Mack's death, Batman and Robin inform the truth to the village and the people are grateful to the masked vigilantes.

Appearing in Batman: "The Stone Idol"

Featured Characters:

• Batman
• Robin

Antagonists:

• Mad Mack (Only appearance; dies)
  • Stone Idol aka Strongman (Only appearance; dies)

Other Characters:

• The Mayor (Single appearance)

Locations:

• Ghost Gulch City (Single appearance)

Items:

• Batrope
  

Appearing in Bart Regan, Spy: "Jules Vortez"

Featured Characters:

• Bart Regan

Supporting Characters:

• Jules Vortez (revolutionary)

Antagonists:

• Foreign agents
  

Appearing in Crimson Avenger: "Muscles Moran"

Featured Characters:

• Crimson Avenger (Lee Travis)

Supporting Characters:

• Wing

Antagonists:

• Muscles Moran (Single appearance)

Locations:

• New York City
  

Appearing in "Larry Steele, Private Detective"

Featured Characters:

• Larry Steele

Supporting Characters:

• Pierre Farnee (furrier)

Antagonists:

• Baron Avery (mobster)
• Alicia Page (thief)
  

Appearing in Speed Saunders: "The Death from the Honeybee"

Featured Characters:

• Speed Saunders

Antagonists:

• Perscy Clavers (Single appearance)

Other Characters:

• Rita Clavers (Single appearance)
• Rald (Single appearance)
• Mr. Clavers (Only appearance; dies)

Locations:

• New York City
  

Appearing in Cliff Crosby: "Another Case"

Featured Characters:

• Cliff Crosby

Supporting Characters:

• Kay Nevers

Antagonists:

• Lightning murderer
  

Appearing in Steve Malone: "Who Killed Serge Kamroff?"

Featured Characters:

• Steve Malone

Antagonists:

• Charlie Alvin (artist)

Other Characters:

• Serge Kamroff (painter)
• Ken Farnol (painter)
• Anna (ex-con)
• Eddie (neighbor)

Locations:

• Maine
  

Appearing in Slam Bradley: "The Practical Joker"

Featured Characters:

• Slam Bradley

Supporting Characters:

• Shorty Morgan

Antagonists:

• Perry Dare (Single appearance)

Other Characters:

• Biddle Troxel (Single appearance)
• Marcia (Single appearance)

Locations:

• New York City

Notes

• Published by Detective Comics, Inc.
• Batman: "The Stone Idol" is reprinted in Batman Archives Vol 2 and Batman Chronicles Vol 4.

Trivia

• One issue of art by Roy Paul on Crimson Avenger, then Jack Lehti and Charles Paris resume, next issue.

See Also

• Cover gallery for the Detective Comics series

Links and References

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.