Batman Chronicles: Volume Three by Bill Finger

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


This book collects the early Batman stories from Detective Comics #46-50 and Batman #4 and #5, as well as World's Best Comics #1 as it continues to collect Batman stories in order. This book covers the period from December 1940-June 1941

These stories are not as good as those in the previous two Batman volumes. Outside of two battles with the Joker, one with Hugo Strange, and one with the Golden Age Clayface, the book mostly features Batman battling thugs in unoriginal stories, though many had a good crime doesn't pay moral. These stories weren't bad but truth be told, they weren't that good considering you could many stories of equal or better value at other companies such as Marvel predecessor Timely Comcics.

Some of the highlights include:

Detective Comics #46: The Hugo Strange story introduces the use of fear as a supervillain weapon. This story represents the first attempt to develop a concept that would come to fruition during the Silver Age with the Scarecrow.

Batman #4: Too interesting stories. The Joker story featuring a crime circus is really carried by the Joker's presence as the concept really doesn't go much more than, "The Joker starting a gang with circus performers." Not a bad concept. Another one involves Batman fighting on a pirate ship.

Batman #5: This issue of Batman redeems the rest of the book which was so boring. When Robin says, "Not much doing in town since the Joker's finished. Ho Hum." He's not just giving a lead in to tell us what the joker was up to since his last supposed death but summing up Detective Comics 48-50. This Issue features a good Joker story than an outlandish fantasy with Batman and Robin travelling to a fairybook World to a save a girl in distress, and the best book in the story.

Titled by DC, "The Case of the Honest Crook." It features Batman helping out a young man who got waylaid into a false conviction and Batman's efforts to clear him. In the process of this, the crooks shoot Robin and Batman's reaction is classic. He really taps into his earlier darker version in his effort to get Robin's assailant. It says something about Batman's character. The character may have softened a bit by having Robin around, but don't think you'll get away with harming him.

Finally, World's Best Comics #1 tells a nice mystery. Published in June 1941, it ties into fears of fifth columnist and is a bit of an early warning from the period.

Overall, the book has some outstanding gems in it. To get to it, you'll just have to endure some average material, but the good stuff is worth the read.



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