Detective Comics #45

THE CASE OF THE LAUGHING DEATH

Batman spots a group of suspicious looking men walking towards a museum and decides to follow them. When the men attack the guard and break into the place, Batman stops them fast. However one of them manages to escapem and Batman follows him to his secret hideout, where the man vanishes behind a brick wall. The man used a secret entrance to meet with his boss, an old music collector called A. Rekoj, who is displeased to learn that Batman foiled his thugs. When the collector is left alone, he goes to a secret place under a trap door and removes his make-up, of ab old man, to reveal his true identity: the Joker. The Harlequin of Hate plans his next hit against the city's District Attorney and on the outside, Batman decides to keep an eye on the place. The next day, D.A. Carter receives a mysterious vinyl record and he decides to play it. The music is eerie and soon a spoken message from the Joker starts playing, in which he tells the D.A. that the vinyl record was tainted with his trademark Joker Venom and soon Carter falls under the influence of the drug, laughing out of control, to death. The police enter his apartment, but it is too late. The news spreads; Batman and Robin become aware of the Joker's return. That night, Batman keeps an eye on the criminal's hideout, while on the inside, Rekoj prepares his henchmen to strike at a gala event and steal some gems. The henchmen are dressed as a brass band, but when they get on their way, Batman follows them. Their plan goes well until they are attacked by the Joker, who takes away the gems from them, and then by Batman, who enters the place and fights the thugs. Joker escapes, Batman tries to stop him but the Joker gets the upper hand and gets away. Upon recovering, Batman follows the group of henchmen back to their headquarters and he finally learns about the secret door in the brick wall. Inside, Batman observes how Rekojs scold his henchmen for failing him, and when he is left alone, Batman witnesses the villain's identity-transformation. Aware of Batman's presence, Joker explains that he used his henchmen to do all the jobs, and followed up by stealing the loot from his own hoods. Batman tries to stop the Joker, but he is trapped inside a glass dome while the Joker escapes. Using an acid vial from his Utility Belt, Batman escapes the trap and learns about a valuable gem arriving at the city, aboard a ship. But this, too, is part of the Joker's plan. Using his identity as Rekoj, Joker manages to get inside the ship and soon he eliminates the guards and locates the valuable gem. Meanwhile, Robin drops Batman from the Batplane over the vessel, and soon he finds the Joker trying to get away with the gem. Batman starts chasing the Joker, and the crew of the boat think that he wants to steal it from them and they get on his way. With help from Robin, who takes care of the crew, Batman catches Joker and grabs the gem, In the struggle, the Joker falls to the ocean. Wondering if Joker would make a comeback, Batman and Robin deliver the gem to the crew, and get on their way back to the city.

GLOVER GREEN

THE LADY CABDRIVER

THE AGITA-PULVERIZO RAY

Criminals steal Professor Crawford's powerful invention, the Agita-Pulverizo Ray, which can destroy anything. The Crimson Avenger gets some info from Crawford, and tracks the crooks to the waterfront. He gets aboard their ship, gets control of the ray, uses it on the gang, then throws it into the ocean, feeling that it is too powerful to ever be used again.

THE BOWLING BOWL BOMBERS

THE AIRPLANE MURDER

MURDER AT THE POLO GAMES

THE CHARITY RACKET