Well, in a way, I'm telling the truth ... bullets can't hurt me if you don't fire them! 
- — Air Wave
Detective Comics #78 is an issue of the series Detective Comics (Volume 1) with a cover date of August, 1943.
Synopsis for Batman: "The Bond Wagon"
While studying for a history test, Dick gets the idea for people to use famous figures from the Revolutionary War to drive up sales for war bonds. Bruce agrees to the idea and decides to publish a column as Batman asking for people who resemble Revolutionary War figures to come to a hotel. Here, he announces that he will hold a bond wagon where famous events of the American Revolution would be reenacted. Nazi operatives operating in the US learn about this event and want to stop it so no war bonds can be sold which means the US can produce less weapons for World War II and also to weaken American morale. They first try to do this by shooting the reenactors of the Battle of Trenton while disguised as Hessian soldiers but they are foiled by Batman. After this, they try to sink a recreation of the Bonhomme Richard: the ship of John Paul Jones, using a submarine. They were successful in damaging the ship with a torpedo and six-inch guns but the reenactors fought back using the cannons on the ship. While the Germans where distracted, Batman and Robin swam to the submarine and surprised the Nazis, defeating them. After being humiliated the second time, the Germans try to bribe Passin' Pete Arnold who plays Nathan Hale in the bond wagon to sabotage the bond wagon and Pete agrees. Robin follows Pete and the German operative to the German headquarters where he sees the leader of the German forces Baron Von Luger. Robin informs Batman of this and they both go to the headquarters where they defeat Von Luger and his soldiers. Here they find Pete unconscious after he was shot. At the hospital they learn from Pete that he never tried to double-cross them but actually wanted to get information to give to Batman.
Appearing in Batman: "The Bond Wagon"
Featured Characters:
Supporting Characters:
Antagonists:
- Baron Von Luger (Single appearance)
- Karpf (Single appearance)
- Nazi Party
Other Characters:
- Matt Wilkins (Single appearance)
- Passin' Pete Arnold (Single appearance)
Locations:
Vehicles
Synopsis for Slam Bradley: "The Meanest Mugs in the World"
Appearing in Slam Bradley: "The Meanest Mugs in the World"
Featured Characters:
Supporting Characters:
Antagonists:
- Memphis Mike (Single appearance)
Locations:
Synopsis for Crimson Avenger: "The Prevue Murders"
Appearing in Crimson Avenger: "The Prevue Murders"
Featured Characters:
Supporting Characters:
Antagonists:
- Left-Foot Larry Larsen (Single appearance)
Other Characters:
- Jo-Jo Jordan (Single appearance)
- Robert Markey (Single appearance)
Locations:
Synopsis for Air Wave: "Menace of the Mouse-Traps"
After years of patient toil, inventor Sam Maker develops a better mousetrap, but can't sell it to the public. Big Paul Anousi, an underworld boss pretending to be an exterminator, visits Maker and orders a thousand traps; Maker labors night and day to produce them. Meanwhile there's a lull in the city's crime level; this makes Air Wave suspicious, and he starts turning in to metal pieces near known gangster hangouts. One evening soon, there is a rash of crimes, simultaneously, at banks and jewelry stores across the town. Crooks are using Maker's mousetraps in innovative ways, including setting some on the transmission wires that Air Wave typically uses to zoom across town. After a few setbacks, Air Wave manages to tune in on the light, strong metal used in the traps, which leads him to Sam Maker, who doesn't know the crime boss's real name. They work up a plan. Meanwhile Anousi also cooks up a new scheme for dealing with Air Wave. The next night at a swanky society party thrown by wealthy Mr Putnam, Anousi's gang strikes, and the cops who charge to the rescue get snagged in some traps, but then Air Wave comes zooming into the house, bypassing all the boobytraps, and beats up the whole gang, all of whom flee into the woods, but there's only one path so they all take it, and it leads them right into a boxcar-sized trap that Mr Maker had set up earlier.
Appearing in Air Wave: "Menace of the Mouse-Traps"
Featured Characters:
Supporting Characters:
Antagonists:
- Big Paul Anousi, underworld boss
- Kovitze, henchman
- at least three more henchmen
Other Characters:
- Sam Maker, inventor
Locations:
Synopsis for Boy Commandos: "Freedom Station"
Appearing in Boy Commandos: "Freedom Station"
Featured Characters:
Supporting Characters:
Antagonists:
Other Characters:
- Werner (Single appearance)
- Hans (Single appearance)
Locations:
Notes
- Published by Detective Comics, Inc.
- Batman: "The Bond Wagon" is reprinted in Batman Archives Vol 3.
Trivia
- Last issue for Jack Lehti and Charles Paris on Crimson Avenger.
See Also
Links and References
Look at how sad this is making Batman. You did this.