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"The First Batman": This story is reprinted from Detective Comics #235.

Batman Annual #4 is an issue of the series Batman Annual (Volume 1) with a cover date of November, 1962.

Synopsis for "The First Batman"

This story is reprinted from Detective Comics #235.

After seeing an old home movie of his father, Dr. Thomas Wayne, in a "Batman" costume for a masquerade party, and learning from Dr. Wayne's diary that he was marked for death by gangster Lew Moxon, Batman and Robin realize that Joe Chill was only a hired gun of Moxon's to Kill Bruce's parents. They resolve to go after the mastermind of Waynes' murder only to find he has no memory of Wayne or Chill, or so he claims.

Batman decides to wear his father's Bat-costume after his own costume is torn apprehending Moxon's gang and in doing so forces Moxon to reveal the truth. The shock of seeing what he thinks is the spirit of Thomas Wayne, causes Moxon not only to tell the truth, but also run away in fear and despair. As Moxon runs away from Batman, the hero tries to warn the thug about an incoming truck, but Moxon ends up killed by the vehicle. In the end, Bruce places his father's Bat-Costume in the trophy room of the Batcave, as a reminder of the late Thomas Wayne and his murderer, who met the same kind of justice.

Appearing in "The First Batman"

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  • Lew Moxon (First appearance; dies) (Flashback and main story)
  • Joe Chill (Dies in flashback)

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  • Bats (Flashback only)

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Synopsis for "Am I Really Batman?"

This story is reprinted from Batman #112.

After capturing Professor Milo, Batman is exposed to a gas that robs him of his will to live. He wakes up inside of a mental hospital, but quickly escapes and returns to Wayne Manor. Robin and Alfred help to perpetuate the belief that Bruce Wayne is not actually Batman, creating a mystery that will spur his will to live until the gas wears off.

Appearing in "Am I Really Batman?"

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  • Batman (Flashback and main story)

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Synopsis for "The Batwoman"

This story is reprinted from Detective Comics #233.

Kathy Kane, an heiress and former circus aerialist, becomes the Batwoman to aid Batman and Robin in their fight against crime, but Batman fears that her success thus far has been due to luck.

Batwoman Earth-One 01

Batwoman rides the Batcycle

On her first crime fighting adventure, Batwoman captures the criminals without the need of Batman and Robin and she gives Batman a word of advice not to try to learn her secret identity or she will reveal his own. As they try to stop her, she uses her own Batcycle to outrace the Dynamic Duo. On following occasions, Batwoman manages to save Batman from a certain danger using her various gadgets and weapons, allowing the Caped Crusader to defeat his enemies.

A few days later, Bruce Wayne is invited to Kathy's party on her mansion and the two of them share a moment, not knowing their secret identities. When the Bat-Signal appears in the sky, the two of them make up some excuse in order to leave the party and they change into their crime-fighting costumes.

Batman and Robin are informed about the recent crime, but Batwoman manages to outrace them once again to arrive first. Batman instructs Robin to stay on the outside of the building, while he goes inside to prevent Batwoman from getting into trouble. Once inside, Batman saves Batwoman from being knocked out by the criminal, but he receives the blow to the head. Batwoman uses a net from her utility bag/purse and she captures the thug. Batwoman approaches the unconscious Batman and realizes that she could learn his identity at that very moment, but she decides not to do it. When Robin enters the place, Batman recovers and they take the prisoner to the police.

Once outside, Batman deduces that the crook was being used as a distraction while his accomplices steal from another place. Batman and Robin start going to that place and Batwoman follows them closely. Once they reach the crime scene, the Dynamic Trio capture the criminals, but Batman allows Batwoman to deliver them to the police, while he and Robin go to investigate something more important.

In the Batcave, Batman investigates the background of certain people he suspects of being Batwoman until he finds the profile of Kathy Kane, who perfectly matches Batwoman's description and abilities. When Batwoman returns to her hideout, Batman and Robin are already waiting for her and Batman asks her to give up her crime-fighting crusade. Kathy threatens to reveal their secret identities using the information gathered by her surveillance system, but she decides to turn all the information to Batman and do as he asks.

Back in the Batcave, Batman and Robin contemplate their latest trophy, a portrait of Batwoman and they wonder if they will ever work again with her as a team.

Appearing in "The Batwoman"

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  • Hugo Vorn (Single appearance)

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Synopsis for "The Vanished Batman"

This story is reprinted from Batman #101.

Gothamites are startled to see a Batman-less Robin taking care of crimes and emergencies on his own, and even more startled to see the Batmobile, Batplane, and Bat-Signal redesigned into a Robinmobile, Robinplane and Robin-signal, respectively. TV newsmen and newspaper writers begin asking the question, "Where is Batman?" Gotham gangchief Pack Purdy and his lieutenant, John Vair, think they know, because "Vair" has told Purdy that he pushed Batman into the sea. Actually, such was Vair's mission, but he failed in it and Batman, disguised as Vair, is now infiltrating Purdy's mob to get the goods on the "Big Job" he is hiring out-of-town mobsters to help with. Said job proves to be an underwater attempt to cut through the hull of the docked ship Natonic and steal five million dollars from its cargo hold. Batman gets word to Robin in time for the police to net the would-be thieves, and joins Robin in nabbing Purdy and his closest aides. Then the Caped Crusader makes his public reappearance, with the operation a total success.

Appearing in "The Vanished Batman"

Featured Characters:

  • Batman (Flashback and main story)
  • Robin (Flashback and main story)

Supporting Characters:

Antagonists:

  • Pack Purdy (Single appearance) (Flashback and main story)
  • John Vair (Single appearance) (Flashback only)
  • Crimesmith (Mentioned only)

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Synopsis for "The Phantom of the Bat-Cave!"

This story is reprinted from Batman #99.

After a pair of foiled crimes wherein Batman and Robin fail to capture the criminals, they notice trophies in the Batcave have disappeared and are being replaced by plastic top hats. They soon learn that the man responsible is a Magician called Pardu, who tries to blackmail them for $10,000 to stop him from revealing their secret identities. However, Batman tricks the Magician into confessing his crimes with the police listening in and the case of the Phantom of the Batcave is finally solved.

Appearing in "The Phantom of the Bat-Cave!"

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  • Pardu/The Phantom of the Bat-Cave

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Synopsis for "Batman's College Days"

This story is reprinted from Batman #96.

Bruce Wayne and four of his college classmates are guests aboard the yacht of Joe Danton, a one-time rival of Bruce Wayne's, who reveals that he is about to die of a defective heart, but that he intends to see all of them die with him. When Batman prevents Denton's plan from succeeding, Denton realizes that Batman is actually his long-time enemy Bruce Wayne. Inspired by Bruce's dedication, Denton asks forgiveness for his past mistakes before passing away.

Appearing in "Batman's College Days"

Featured Characters:

  • Batman (Flashback and main story)

Supporting Characters:

Antagonists:

  • Joe Danton (Single appearance; dies) (Flashback and main story)

Other Characters:

  • Pete (Single appearance) (Flashback only)
  • Hodges (Single appearance)

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Synopsis for "The Marriage of Batman and Batwoman"

This story is reprinted from Batman #122.

After hearing Bruce Wayne say that he is going out with Kathy Kane, who is secretly Batwoman, Dick sees Bruce to the door and then falls asleep in a chair. He appears to awaken when roused by Bruce and Kathy together, as they tell him they have taken the plunge and gotten married. Dick is fearful of his status as Batman's partner, and, alone with Bruce, discovers that Bruce has not yet told her his secret identity. Later, at the dinner table, Bruce and Dick make excuses to leave when the Bat-Signal summons them as Batman and Robin to an airport terminal robbery. Kathy, feeling bored, becomes Batwoman and heads for the same site. After the three heroes defeat the hoods, they head home separately. When they arrive home, Batman reveals his double identity to a grateful Batwoman.

Batwoman Earth-One 02

Batwoman wearing a Batsuit

On the next night, when Batman and Robin leave to answer another Bat-Signal, Kathy cannot find her uniform. Batman confesses that he has hidden it, saying that one crime-fighter is enough, her place is in the home, and if she were unmasked the underworld would know that Batman is Bruce Wayne. Batman and Robin appear on a movie set to foil a robbery there, but Batwoman, clad in an altered Batsuit, also turns up and joins in the battle. One of the hoods activates a wind machine and the gale blows away Batwoman's cowl, revealing her as Kathy Kane-Wayne. The hoods then exclaim that "Batman is Bruce Wayne!" Robin angrily yells that Kathy has ruined Batman's career, but Batman shakes Robin and tells him to stop it.

At that point, Dick Grayson wakes up in the chair, being shaken by Bruce Wayne. Bruce tells him that what he has experienced has been only a dream. However, Bruce muses that someday he might probably marry, and Kathy is a nice girl. This does nothing for Dick's peace of mind.

Appearing in "The Marriage of Batman and Batwoman"

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Synopsis for "The Second Boy Wonder!"

This story is reprinted from Batman #105.

Batman and Robin are returning from a battle with gangster Gorilla Hardy and his men. In the Batcave, Batman changes into his Bruce Wayne civilian identity while "Robin" removes his mask and reveals a different face than Dick Grayson's. The "new Robin" claims to be Fred Loyd, son of Olympic Decathlon champion Hank Loyd. Fred explains that he was trained by his father to athletic perfection. He also claims that Robin, wounded in his encounter with Hardy, stumbled onto his doorstep and asked him to take his place to help Batman, giving him the Robin costume. The Bat-Signal flashes outside and Batman is informed via radio that Gorilla Hardy has escaped from prison and is hiding in an amusement park. "Freddy" blackmails Batman into letting him come along or having his identity revealed.

The twosome nab Hardy in the house of mirrors, and then return home, where Bruce and Alfred smilingly assure Fred that he is a worthy replacement for Dick. Angrily, "Fred Loyd" removes his face mask and is revealed as Robin. The two adults burst out laughing, and reveal to the dismayed Dick that he gave himself away from the very start when he got out of the Batmobile in a pitch dark Batcave --and went over and switched on the light!

Appearing in "The Second Boy Wonder!"

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  • Gorilla Hardy (Single appearance)

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Synopsis for "The Man Who Ended Batman's Career"

This story is reprinted from Detective Comics #247.

Criminal scientist Professor Milo succeeds in giving Batman a bat phobia, forcing him to adopt the costume and identity of Starman. Knowing that the thugs would eventually realize that Starman is Batman and they'd use his bat phobia against him, Robin decides to help Bruce get over his fear of bats. For this purpose, Robin uses exposure therapy on Batman and forces him to recall his greatest feats using the Bat-symbol.

After the sessions, Batman is cured of his phobia and he learns the location of Professor Milo's laboratory. Batman confronts the mad scientist and delivers him to the authorities. Ironically, once in prison, Milo develops a sudden fear of bats.

Appearing in "The Man Who Ended Batman's Career"

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Notes

  • This entire issue was reprinted in DC Comics Classics Library: The Batman Annuals Vol. 2.
  • Though pencil credits are listed in the comic as Bob Kane, it is Sheldon Moldoff who is "ghosting" for Bob.



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