DC Finest: Batman: The Case of the Chemical Syndicate

by Bill Finger, Bob Kane, Jerry Robinson

Discover the origin of the Dark Knight in his earliest and most defining battles!

Before he became a global icon, Batman began his journey as Gotham City’s most relentless crimefighter. This DC Finest collection brings together Batman’s first adventures, featuring the debut of classic villains like the Joker, Catwoman, and Hugo Strange, along with Robin's introduction as the Boy Wonder. Follow the Dark Knight as he refines his mission to fight crime, protect the innocent, and strike fear into the hearts of evildoers.

DC Finest continues, a major publishing initiative presenting comprehensive collections of the most in-demand and celebrated periods in DC Comics history, spanning genres, characters, and eras! This volume collects stories from Batman #1-5 and Detective Comics #27-52.

Genres: Comics, Batman, Graphic Novels, Dc Comics

616 pages, Paperback

Published January 27, 2026

About the author

William "Bill" Finger was an American comic strip and comic book writer best known as the uncredited co-creator, with Bob Kane, of the DC Comics character Batman, as well as the co-architect of the series' development. In later years, Kane acknowledged Finger as "a contributing force" in the character's creation. Comics historian Ron Goulart, in Comic Book Encyclopedia, refers to Batman as the "creation of artist Bob Kane and writer Bill Finger", and a DC Comics press release in 2007 about colleague Jerry Robinson states that in 1939, "Kane, along with writer Bill Finger, had just created Batman for [DC predecessor] National Comics".

Film and television credits include scripting The Green Slime (1969), Track of the Moon Beast (1976), and three episodes of 77 Sunset Strip.

-Wikipedia

Reviews

[Gary Sassaman · Rating 5 out of 5]

This recent DC Finest volume presents the earliest adventures of the Caped Crusader, currently celebrating his 87th birthday, with the March 30th anniversary of the publication of Detective Comics 27 in 1939, featuring Batman’s first appearance, in a short, six-page story, “The Case of the Chemical Syndicate.” This 616-page volume includes the character’s earliest adventures, and reprints Detective Comics 27-51, Batman 1-5, New York World’s Fair Comics 2, and World’s Best Comics 1. The gang’s almost all here: Batman/Bruce Wayne, Commissioner Gordon, Robin/Dick Grayson, Clayface, The Joker, Catwoman (first known as The Cat), with, of course, many more Bat-villains and supporting characters to come. You can see Bob Kane’s earliest clumsy attempts at drawing superheroes, and how his first assistant, Jerry Robinson, helped make the art more interesting and professional. Bill Finger (and Gardner Fox’s) scripts go from just describing the art to fully-realized stories, and it’s easy to see how The Bat-Man (as he was first known) became a huge hit so fast with the pre-World War II crowd. I am still really loving the DC Finest series of reprint collections (at least the ones that interest me) and look forward to coming volumes. Up next for me: Superman: Time and Time Again, a 1990s era reprint.

[Ángel Javier · Rating 4 out of 5]

Peliagudo este tomo de valorar, pardiez. Por un lado, está el impresionante valor histórico de la primera aparición de Batman, el Joker, el batmóvil, Robin, y tantos y tantos otros conceptos que han perdurado durante casi un siglo, superando ampliamente las barreras del estrecho mundo de los cómics para pasar a ser elementos ubicuos de la cultura popular, conocidos por prácticamente el mundo entero.

Por el otro, está Bob Kane.

Kane no fue solo un dibujante penoso, sino que, básicamente, no fue sino un estafador de medio pelo, un sinvergüenza que timó a su mejor amigo (Bill Finger, el verdadero creador de todo el universo batmaniano, incluido el uniforme del Hombre-Murciélago) durante décadas. Tampoco es ningún misterio el hecho de que sus "entintadores" eran en realidad "negros" que realizaban el dibujo completo. El hecho de que él y Stan Lee fueran muy buenos amigos confirma el dicho popular que reza "Dios los cría y ellos se juntan". Supongo que los dos pajarracos hablarían de las mejores formas de quedarse con el mérito de lo que otros hacían y ellos firmaban. Pero estoy divagando...

Bueno, el hecho es que Bob Kane no puede ni debe ensombrecer el legado de un buen hombre con excelentes ideas, como fue Bill Finger. Si leemos estos tebeos únicamente con Mr. Finger presente en nuestras mentes, veremos que son de lo más entretenido, a pesar de que el dibujo, en general, resulte tristemente rudimentario. Todas las historias del Joker son súper disfrutables, por ejemplo, así como las del primer Clayface y las del Doctor Hugo Strange. Las del dúo dinámico contra mafiosos clónicos son bastante más convencionales, aunque es de agradecer que no aparezcan quintacolumnistas hasta de debajo de las piedras, como era habitual en los cómics de la época. En fin, que las cuatro estrellas son, en buena parte, por el valor histórico innegable de estos cómics, pero también como homenaje a un hombre humilde y bueno que creó al mayor icono súper heroico de todos los tiempos (con permiso de Superman), y a cambio recibió las migajas que un villano sin escrúpulos de la vida real tuvo a bien arrojarle. Leamos, pues, estas historias y pensemos en el hombre que las ideó para que generaciones de lectores podamos disfrutarlas: va por ti, Bill.

[Bryan Miller · Rating 4 out of 5]

These earliest Batman stories are a blast. 4 1/2 stars--though the plots often feel similar there are several standouts, and it was fun to see the first appearances of some of the Batman's rogues gallery: Dr. Death, Hugo Strange, the Joker, the Cat-Woman, and Clayface are the villains who show up in this collection. Bonus cool points? The first reference to Batman's car as the Batmobile happens in an issue where Batman travels to KY to foil a gold heist at "Fort Stox" inside a limestone cave! Also, the Batman has no compunction against throwing bad guys from high places in these issues (to their deaths). He is also quite the flirt with the ladies. Groovy! Robin shows up earlier than I would have liked, but he's not as annoying as I feared. Still, it would have been cool to have a few more solo adventures of the earlier, darker Batman before his taking on a sidekick. Another fine DC Finest! Pick it up.

[Ray Smillie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Stumbled upon this online and had to buy it. My summer holidays, as a child, involved me in buying Batman and Superman comics. I also bought Marvel comics as well, but always preferred DC. Right back to the start of Batman comics, explaining the reason why Batman became so, common knowledge these days, but I didn't know how and why Robin came on board. These tales, from 1939 to 1941, also introduce the Joker and Catwoman. Wasn't aware, or maybe had forgotten, that Batman was regarded as a vigilante by the police. Hopefully DC will publish more early stuff involving the caped crusader.

[Mobo · Rating 4 out of 5]

I didn’t think the more fantastical stories would be my favourite, but they really stood out to me. Detective Comics #44 was amazing right up until the ending, so I’m glad issue #5 of Batman revisited the concept and actually committed to it. The earliest issues before Robin’s introduction were also surprisingly great, and I really enjoyed the darker tone and art.

[Matt Fuller · Rating 4 out of 5]

The first Batman comics are in this and he has no chill. He murders criminals left and right and it only gets a little tamer when Robin is introduced. Great read for historical reasons and for the wild stories. Covers 1939-1941. 8/10