Batman #11

"The Joker's Advertising Campaign" "Well,folks,we'd better prepare ourselves for a scare! We're going to see THE JOKER!! Brrrrrr......"--MASTER OF CEREMONIES The Joker enters an amateur talent contest as "himself" and wins first prize, his unmasking panicking the audience but with no casualties. His latest stunt is to give clues to his crimes in the newspaper CLASSIFIED AD columns. And his loot continues to satisfy his early mania for jewelry. He hires a parade of horse-and-buggies to tie up traffic and ease his getaway from a robbery. A theatre robbery leads to an escape by underground sewer. Robin recklessly tackles The Joker and his gang alone and is captured. The Joker leaves him alone in an underground room with burning sulphur that will eventually suffocate him. Robin is able to find a telephone line and send out SOS in Morse Code---but it takes a pulmotor to bring him back to life. Robin overheard something about "painters"--an angry Batman checks the Classified Ads and finds one to hire painters to work on a sky-high outdoor billboard. There is a jewelry store on the ground floor---The Joker robs it and does a quick change in the elevator and becomes "one of the painters". The Batman sees through t he disguise and gives The Joker "the beating of h is life".dumping his unconscious form on the steps of Police Headquarters. NOTES---The "sulphur trap" was apparently borrowed from Chester Gould's DICK TRACY---the identical method being used in that comic strip the year before. The trap was also referenced in an early issue of INFINITY INC. in the 1980's, established this as an "Earth Two" story. "Payment In Full" Batman and Robin bring in Joe Dolan,public enemy Number One. His heinous crimes call for the death penalty,but District Attorney Lee Benson finds himself in a moral quandary. He and Dolan grew up together in the same slum neighborhood, and Dolan saved his life by pushing him out of the way of a truck. Benson has made up his mind to resign and let a stranger handle the case, which would be a great loss of a fine public servant. Dolan takes matters into his own hands, escaping from the County Jail and killing a guard. Benson agrees to show Batman and Robin to an old underground hideout that Dolan used as a teenager, and Dolan is there. But he escapes in the dark and commandeers a car, leading to a hair-raising auto chase that ends when both cars crash a bridge railing.Dolan is rescued from drowning by Benson,which "evens the score". Dolan shows his "gratitude" by trying to kill Benson, but Batman and Robin rescue him. Benson's heroics make him the leading candidate to become the State's next Governor. Dolan goes to the electric chair, realizing too late what a waste his life has been. To be added "Bandits In Toyland" Bruce Wayne gets a look at justice from t he other side of the fence--he is called for jury duty. A jewelry store clerk is accused of stealing gems from the store, but Bruce decides there's more to it and is the lone holdout against conviction. With the jury locked up at a hotel for the night, Bruce/Batman is able to sneak out and gather evidence that the store's manager, Henry Burton ,is the actual criminal. To be added "Four Birds of a Feather" Characters joining Penguin (thus four birds) are Canary, Joe Crow and Buzzard Benny. The four villains decide to head to Florida to begin their schemes... where Bruce and Dick are vacationing. Bruce changes to Batman to save a woman from a giant squid. The woman turns out to be Canary, Penguin's associate. Penguin and his partners set up an "honest" gambling joint with glass tables so players can see there is nothing illegal happening. Police look at the "books" and see the casino is barely making money. Little income in business is true, however, the four make money by robbing winners after they leave the casino. Bruce enters the casino, and wins a large sum of money. He suspects the men will rob him and calls Dick to provide protection over Bruce (as Robin). Batman joins the fight and they nearly defeat the villains until an errant shot from Penguin's umbrella strikes a water tower, which causes a distraction and allows the villains to escape. Next, Penguin schemes to win money by fixing a boat race, but Batman captures the driver who would intentionally lose and races his boat instead, much to Penguin's chagrin. Seeing Batman, Penguin tries to escape and Batman/Robin follow in their boat. Batman and Robin get separated. Batman is badly wounded from gunshots, but continues his pursuit to find Robin. He finally finds Robin in a house tied to a chair. Batman unties Robin and the two engage Buzzard, Crow and Penguin; and are defeating them. Penguin and his group escape and Robin, who now realizes Batman is injured, rushes Batman to a doctor. Canary finds the dynamic duo trying to get medical attention, and gives them a ride to the hospital. Hospital too busy to treat Batman so Canary offers to perform surgery (she used to be a doctor's assistant). Surgery is performed in a non-sterile environment, but Batman's life is saved. Robin returns to Penguin's hideout and defeats Penguin, Buzzard and Crow. Robin brings Penguin to Batman's bedside the next day to present his "trophy". Two days later, Batman/Robin are taking Penguin to the police and he escapes.