Issue Tagline: DC Comics Presents: Every Batman Story In Exact Chronological Order Featuring The Fabulous First Appearance Of Batman * Robin * The Joker * Dr. Hugo Strange And Many More...
Synopsis:
Presenting an exciting new way to experience the rich history of the Dark Knight in an affordable trade paperback collection of every Batman adventure, in color, in chronological order! BATMAN CHRONICLES VOL. 1 reprints Batman stories from DETECTIVE COMICS #27-37 and BATMAN #1, featuring the earliest adventures of the Dark Knight by Batman creator Bob Kane, Bill Finger, Gardner Fox, Jerry Robinson and Sheldon Moldoff. Future volumes in this series reprint stories from DETECTIVE COMICS, BATMAN, WORLD'S FINEST and other titles throughout the character's history, all presented chronologically based on publication date!
Synopsis: Commissioner Gordon learns of the murder of local chemical king, Mr. Lambert, and quickly rushes to the scene with Bruce Wayne (who was bored and apparently had nothing better to do). Mr. Lambert's business partner Mr. Rogers was next on the hit-list, and his other business partner Mr. Stryker turns out to be the one behind it all! The Bat-Man rushes onto the scene and stops Stryker in time, but unfortunately knocks Stryker into a pit of acid.
Synopsis: A string of jewel robberies baffle the police. One night, the Batman catches a pair of thieves after completing the job. Chasing them on a rooftop, he kills one and immobilizes the other. Grabbing the loot, he waits until the police arrive on the scene and catch him holding the stolen items. Now linked with the crime, he drops the loot and makes a daring escape. With Batman accused of being the leader of the gang, the true culprit, Frenchy Blake, is convinced his men can continue since the police will be after the Batman. Unknown to them, Batman listens in on their plans. Following Frenchy's men, Batman foils another robbery. Afterwards, he returns to Frenchy's apartment and forces him to confess to the crimes. He then drops him off at the police headquarters with a note for Commissioner Gordon.
Synopsis: Doctor Karl Hellfern a.k.a Doctor Death has perfected his death by pollen extract. With it he plans to extort money from wealthy targets. However he fears that the Batman will interfere. He sends his agent, Jabah, along with others to trap and kill him. Placing a message in the public notices column of the city paper, the villains draw Batman into the trap, but fail to kill him. Later, as Bruce Wayne, he sees Jabah attempting to use the pollen extract on a victim exiting an expensive club. After foiling the attack, Wayne changes into his Batman guise and follows Jabah back to Doctor Death’s secret lab. The Batman quickly immobilizes Jabah and chases Doctor Death. The Doctor grabs a tube filled with an explosive chemical and prepares to throw it at the Batman. Before he can, Batman lunges a fire extinguisher at him and the Doctor drops the tube on the floor nearby him. The evil doctor is then consumed by the flames.
Synopsis: Batman, not fully convinced that Doctor Death had been killed, reads an interesting note in the local newspaper. Doctor Dark was low on money due to his previous encounter with Batman and went after Mr. Jones's fortune to resupply himself. Because of the poor economy during the depressing, the Jones's did not have very much money but did have a large wealth of diamonds in a safe. Batman deduced this, and stops one of Doctor Dark's henchmen from opening the safe and stealing the diamonds. Batman follows the criminal back to a store where he again comes face-to-face with Doctor Dark who was behind the crimes and heroically apprehends him.
Synopsis: A mysterious new crook known as The Monk has hypnotized Bruce Wayne’s fiancee, Julie Madison. Batman is able to shake her out of her trance and return her safely to her home, although she questions how Batman knows where she lives. As Bruce Wayne, he convinces Julie to see a doctor, who convinces her to take an ocean cruise to Paris as a bit of a get-away. Batman follows Julie in the Bat-Plane and discovers that The Monk is also on the ship. Batman is able to track down Julie in Paris, finding that she is captive in The Monk’s hideout. Batman uses his new Batarangs to get himself out of trouble on several occasions, escaping a snake-pit trap and avoiding two giant apes. Eventually, Batman is able to chase after Julie and save her from her kidnappers. Batman then pursues The Monk to Hungary, which is continued in the next comic.
Synopsis: Batman leaps onto a carriage he believed to be carrying The Monk, only to find that a woman named Dala was the passenger. Batman takes Dala back to his secret hotel in Hungary, where she stays with Julie Madison. During the night, Dala attacks Batman after having bitten Julie…the bite of a vampire! After apprehending Dala, she goes with Batman after The Monk. At The Monk’s hideout, he is able to mind-control Batman and transform into a werewolf. As a wolf, The Monk calls many wolves to his side to attack Batman. Luckily, Batman is able to escape during the night and melt a silver statue down into two silver bullets, which he then uses to kill The Monk and Dala, knowing that is the only way to kill vampires.
Synopsis: Hugo Strange is a brilliant scientist who crosses ethical and moral boundaries by experimenting on humans and committing crimes to fund his illegal research. Batman first learns of Strange when FBI agent John Davis, dying after trying to apprehend Strange, tells him of the bald scientist. Strange is creating a thick, unnatural fog to mask his robberies, but this also calls attention to his whereabouts. Batman arrives and fights Strange's six underlings, easily subduing the scientist himself. From his Gotham City jail, Strange vows revenge.
Synopsis: Count Grutt is an international spy who intends to pin the blame for the ocean liner Romi's destruction on the United States. Accompanied by Elias Turg, the leader, Grutt, sets out to plan the attack but is stopped by Batman. During the fight, Grutt impales himself on his own sword, dying.
Synopsis: The Joker - a grinning clown-faced killer - announces his crimes over the radio, threatening to kill several men and steal valuable items from them. When he is successful, the underworld becomes angry that he has upstaged them. Brute Nelson, a gangster, plans a trap for the Joker, but the Joker avoids the trap and kills Nelson. Batman, having taken an interest in the case is nearly killed himself when he attempts to pursue the Clown Prince of Crime.
Batman has Robin watch the site of the Joker's next attack where the Joker kills Judge Drake. Robin follows Joker back to an old house, but is captured. Batman arrives in time to save Robin from being injected with Joker Venom - a poison which kills, leaving a smile on the victim's face.
Joker escapes, but only temporarily as Batman tracks him down once again. This time the Dynamic Duo is able to take down the villain and send him to prison.
Synopsis: Hugo Strange escapes from prison and kidnaps several lunatics from an insane asylum. Later, a monstrous giant stalks the streets, causing destruction. The next day, two giants run loose through the city. Batman suspects that Strange is responsible for the monsters and confronts them. The Caped Crusader is quickly defeated and brought to Strange's hideout where he learns that the giants are the mental patients Strange had gathered. Batman is then injected with a serum that will turn him into a monster in 14 hours. He is knocked unconscious by a giant and awakes with only one hour to spare.
Prior to the serum taking effect, Batman breaks free and knocks Strange to his apparent death. Batman then must defeat a couple of the transformed lunatics in time to discover an antidote. Using his scientific skills and several vials of chemicals, he does so, then stops Strange's gang and the final monster before they can succeed with their plans.
Synopsis: With Batman busy, Robin goes undercover aboard a boat to protect the valuable necklace of Martha Travers. Robin sees Travers' nephew toss away a balled up paper, which Robin is able to get - it's a letter referring to a robbery, signed by The Cat. When the necklace goes missing the ship's crew plans to investigate. But before anyone can be questioned, several thieves, claiming to be with the Coast Guard, board the boat in order to steal the necklace. They are told it has already been stolen and begin searching the passengers. Robin takes on the thieves with the help of Batman who arrives later.
Robin tells Batman about who he suspects as well as The Cat. Batman has a plan. He returns to the passengers while Robin pulls the fire alarm. The passengers run out of the main cabin to find it's a false alarm, but the brief scare causes the Cat to reveal herself in the guise of an old lady - Miss Peggs. Batman exposes the The Cat as a beautiful young woman.
Batman and Robin take her and her partner Denny into custody. The beautiful thief offers Batman a partnership which he turns down, but she escapes from them, thanks to Batman's blundering. Robin suspects that his partner may have intentionally allowed her to get away.
Synopsis: The Joker escapes jail using an explosive concoction he had hidden inside a pair of false teeth. He continues his string of jewel thefts and strange killings, annoucing each on air prior to the crime. Batman encounters him at one such robbery, but the "Harlequin of Hate" gets the best of him. The police arrive and plan to take in the vigilante Batman. He recovers before the police can remove his mask, but the Joker has already escaped.
Batman then plants a trap for the Joker, by baiting him to steal a priceless ruby. The Joker shows up and tangles with the Dynamic Duo. While struggling with Batman, Joker is stabbed by his own knife and left for dead by the Caped Crusaders. The police find the body and a doctor determines that the Joker lives on.
