The eleventh appearance of The Batman took place in the March 1940 issue of Detective Comics Issue 37. Batman once again appears on the cover and unlike other past issues, the art depicted actually relates to the story inside with Batman fighting two heavies on a port dock. The next appearance of Batman features the debut of Robin in Detective Comics issue 38 then Batman gets his own solo series in Batman issue 1.
The Batmobile continues its evolution into its iconic form. Batman is out on patrol and, in the days before GPS, manages to get loss. Nice detective work there Batman. Anyway, he stops to ask for directions and ends up in the middle of a crime as he discovers a man being tortured by several mobsters.
Much to the readers surprise, the victim which Batman saves knocks Batman out from behind with a gun rather than thanking him. We find out later that this man was part of the same mob and has reasons of his own not to be caught. Batman regains consciousness sometime later and begins his investigation into this strange turn of events.
Batman debuts a cool new gadget in this issue of Detective Comics that goes great with his name and character- a set of night vision goggles which allows him to see in the dark just like a bat.
A big fight follows, and the mobsters think they have killed Batman only to find him return in dramatic fashion as he swings into a crowd of the bad guys knocking them off a dock and into the sea.
Batman discovers that the man being tortured was actually not involved in the criminal plot itself but, instead, was selling information to the leader of the gang, which as it turns out was no gang at all but rather an international spy with terrorist intent and we learn his name is Count Grutt. Grutt hurls a sword at Batman which pierces a wooden door and, during the fight which follows, Grutt stumbles backwards, impaling himself on his own sword. I did not add this one to Batman’s kill count as it was actually Grutt who brought about his own death.
Batman is none to broke up about it though, exclaiming that it is better that Grutt is dead than be alive and send many more people to their deaths. This would not be his attitude toward The Joker and others in the years to come, showing yet another evolution in the Batman character.
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The Batman Timeline and Chronology:
03-30-1939: 1st Appearance of The Batman & Commissioner Gordon. Detective Comics issue 27.
06-1939: Batman swings from building to building with a rope for the first time. Detective Comics issue 28.
07-1939: The Utility Belt is used for the first time.
09-1939: Fiancée Julie Madison is introduced. First Bat-Copter / Bat-Plane
10-1939: Batman uses a gun to kill The Monk.
11-1939: Batman kills Dr. Kruger by causing his plane to crash after knocking him out with gas. Origin of Batman.
12-1939: Batman is depicted holding a smoking gun. Commissioner Gordon returns.
02-1940: First appearance of Prof. Hugo Strange.
Batman Kill Count: 5
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