150 DETECTIVE COMICS
Selected Bibliography: Ketcham, Hank. Hank Ketcham’s Complete Dennis the Menace,
1951–1952. Vol. 1. Seattle: Fantagraphics Books, 2005.
Charles Coletta
DETECTIVE COMICS. Detective Comics is the longest continuously published comic
book in American history and is best known as the title that introduced Batman in
its 27th issue (cover-dated May 1939). Published by Detective Comics (a partnership
between National Allied Publications and Harry Donenfeld, the book’s printer) begin-
ning in May 1937, the title began as an anthology series featuring stories infl uenced by
“hard-boiled” detective fi ction and pulp magazines which were popular during this era.
However, none of the characters appearing in the early issues captured the imagina-
tion of the public. Its two most noteworthy characters were Th e Crimson Avenger, a
pulp-infl uenced hero, and Slam Bradley, a tough private eye created by Jerry Siegel and
Joe Shuster, who later gained fame in 1938 with their hero Superman.
After the Man of Steel’s debut in Action Comics #1, the superhero genre took fl ight
and comics publishers began to search for other costumed crimefi ghters who would
attract a large readership. Editor Vin Sullivan met with a young cartoonist named Bob
Kane who promised to create a worthy successor to Superman. Together with writer Bill
Finger, Kane developed Batman as a grim avenger who battles evil throughout Gotham
City. Th e Dark Knight was based partly on Zorro, as portrayed by Douglas Fairbanks
in the 1921 fi lm Th e Mark of Zorro, and partly on Th e Bat Whispers, a 1930 crime
thriller featuring a villain who wore a bat costume. Sullivan purchased the character,
who was initially known as the Bat-Man for several issues, and the hero appeared in
his fi rst adventure, “Th e Case of the Chemical Syndicate,” in Detective Comics #27. Th e
popularity of Batman was almost immediate, despite Kane’s somewhat crude drawing
style. In Detective Comics #33 Bill Finger contributed one of the most famous stories in
comics history. Titled “Th e Batman and How He Came to Be,” the tale revealed Bruce
Wayne, Batman’s alter ego, to be a wealthy playboy who had been traumatized as a child
by witnessing the murder of his parents at the hands of an anonymous thug.
Succeeding issues of Detective Comics began to develop Batman’s world more fully.
Several of the most prominent members of his rogues’ gallery of foes made their
initial appearances throughout the 1940s, such as Hugo Strange (issue #36), Clayface
(issue #40), Th e Penguin (issue #58), and Two Face (issue #66). Th e most important
addition to the series came in Detective Comics #38 (cover-dated April 1940) when
Robin, “Th e Boy Wonder” was introduced as the Caped Crusader’s young sidekick.
Sales nearly doubled with Robin’s arrival. His popularity soon led to the trend of many
Golden Age superheroes acquiring their own teen companions. During the 1950s the
title became increasingly lighthearted as the dark stories of the 1940s were replaced
by often inane science fi ction and gimmicky tales. Issue #327 (1964) is a landmark
in that it revamped Batman into a more serious character again. In 2008, the series
reached its milestone 850th issue. In 2009, Detective Comics came to be headlined by
Batwoman, rather than Batman, with the Question as a second feature.
