Batman #11 is an issue of the series Batman (Volume 1) with a cover date of June, 1942.
Synopsis for "The Joker's Advertising Campaign"
The Joker enters a contest and wins the prize for impersonating himself. The news reach Bruce Wayne and Dick Grayson, who become aware of Joker's return. After this, the Joker decides to pull crimes giving away hints on the advertising section of the newspapers. In this fashion, Joker pulls his first heist and a street is filled with old time vehicles, while Joker steals a nearby jewelry store. Batman and Robin chase the criminal using some of the vehicles available, but they lose track of the maniac when he takes the subway train.
Joker's next hit is during the performance of Presto the magician. Bruce Wayne attends the event hoping to meet with Linda Page, but Robin soon deduces Joker's plans and he goes to the place to warn Bruce, who changes into Batman, but is knocked unconscious on stage while Joker and his goons get away. Robin follows them to the underground escape route and tries to stop them, but he is outnumbered. Tired of Robin's interference in his plans, Joker decides to kill the youngster by locking him in a room with burning sulphur that would asphixiate him. When Robin is left alone, he takes some telephone cables from the floor and sends a message for Batman. A few minutes later, Batman has received the message and is looking for Robin with help from the Gotham City Police Department. When he finally finds the kid, it is too late as Robin is already dead. Desperate, Batman takes a special machine from the police officers and puts it on Robin's mouth. The machine pulls out the sulphur from Robin's lungs while at the same time pushes in fresh air. Robin recovers and Batman takes him back to Wayne Manor.
With Robin out of danger, Batman deduces Joker's next move and goes there alone. Joker was pretending to be a painter in the rooftop of a building while his henchmen steal from the apartments below. Batman locates Joker, causes him to drop to the street and then he beats the criminal to a pulp for trying to kill Robin. Joker is sent back to jail and Bruce is satisfied with his payback.
Appearing in "The Joker's Advertising Campaign"
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Synopsis for "Payment In Full"
Batman and Robin capture Joe Dolan, but they learn that District Attorney Benson wouldn't prosecute the man because he owed his life to the criminal. When Benson was a kid, he was saved by Joe Dolan and now that they're adults, he has the duty of giving him the death sentence.
When Joe Dolan escapes from jail, Batman and Robin ask for Benson's help, who takes them to Joe Dolan's hideout. Feeling betrayed, Joe Dolan tries to kill his once good friend and he manages to escape. After a lengthy chase, Joe Dolan falls to the river and Benson dives in to save his former friend. When they reach shore, Benson feels that he has paid his debt, but Joe Dolan wants to kill him. Batman and Robin arrive just in time to capture Joe Dolan and end his vendetta.
Benson is later chosen to be Governor and Joe Dolan is sentenced to die in the electric chair.
Appearing in "Payment In Full"
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Villains:
- Joe Dolan (Single appearance)
Other Characters:
- District Attorney Benson
- Gotham City Police Department
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Synopsis for "Bandits In Toyland"
Bruce Wayne is summoned on jury duty on the case of a man that has apparently been stealing jewelry from the store he worked on. During the trial, Bruce realizes that the man is being framed and he soon decides to find the truth as Batman.
With some help from Robin, they learn that some of the workers of the store were henchmen for a crime boss, who organized them in order to place the jewels inside toys that they would later recover from the people who bought the toys. Following the clues, Batman and Robin confront several members of the gang until they finally find the leader. Batman shakes the man a bit roughly until he gives Batman the information he needs.
At the last day of trial, the jury find the man guilty, but before the judge can give out the final veredict, a police officer enters the room and gives the judge a box. Inside there's a bat and a confession note, in which the leader of the gang explains how he framed an innocent man. The police confirms that the criminals are already arrested and the judge dismisses the case.
Appearing in "Bandits In Toyland"
Featured Characters:
Supporting Characters:
Villains:
- Henry Burton (Single appearance)
- Johnny Teal (Single appearance)
- Muscles Malone (Single appearance)
- Patsy Dale (Single appearance)
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Synopsis for "Four Birds of a Feather"
The Penguin is reunited with some of his former colleagues: Lovely Canary, Joe Crow and Benny Buzzard; all of them named after some bird. They decide to start a new scam racket on Florida and they open a casino, where they play everything clean, but when people leave with their winnings, one of them steal their won money.
By coincidence, Bruce Wayne and Dick Grayson are on vacation on Florida and they spot Lovely Canary swimming on the treacherous waters when she is suddenly attacked by a big squid. Batman jumps to the water and saves the lady from the creature, earning Canary's gratitude.
That night, Bruce attends the famous casino and he recognizes some of Penguin's goons and he realizes that there's something wrong in the casino. Bruce is victim of the criminal's scam after he leaves the building, but knowing that something like this would happen, he tipped Robin previously and the kid rescued the "helpless" Bruce Wayne. After a quick change of gears, Batman appears and takes the fight against the criminals. Penguin, who followed his crew to the place, creates a distraction with his umbrella, allowing the criminals to escape.
The next day, Batman learns of a fixed boat race by Penguin and he decides to change the outcome. Batman takes control of the speeding boat and afterwards, he tries to bring down the criminals with Robin's help. However, Robin is captured by the crooks and Batman is forced to go to the casino to learn where have they taken Robin. When Batman arrives at the place, he is informed about a secret place but Canary, remembering his heroic feat, warns Batman about a trap. The thug tries to shoot Canary for betraying them, but Batman gets in the way and knocks down the thug. Batman leaves the place, telling Canary that he's fine, when in reality, he was shot in the stomach and started to bleed badly.
Gathering all his energy, Batman manages to reach the criminals' secret hideout during a tropical storm and he sneaks inside the place without the criminals noticing. Rescuing the boy wonder, Batman and Robin fight the criminals forcing them to leave, but the dark knight is far too injured to keep going. They spend the night, tied to a palm tree and when the sun rises and the storm has faded away, they are found by Canary, who tries to get Batman to a hospital as soon as possible. However, the storm has left many injured people behind and there are no doctors available. Canary, using her nursery training, takes Batman to a private room and performs surgery to remove the bullet from him.
With Batman out of action, Robin goes to the casino and takes the entire gang down by himself. While Batman is still recovering, Robin takes the Penguin with him and informs Batman that they're going to deliver him to the authorities in Gotham. Before they leave, Canary bids Batman farewell and tells him that she is going to stop being a criminal and she's going straight thanks to him. Batman and Robin take Penguin back to Gotham, but as soon as the small man has the chance, he escapes from their grip and remains at large.
Appearing in "Four Birds of a Feather"
Supporting Characters:
Villains:
- Penguin
- Lovely Canary (Single appearance)
- Joe Crow (Single appearance)
- Benny Buzzard (Single appearance)
Locations:
- Gotham City
- Florida
- The Bird House
Items:
Notes
- Reprinted in Batman: The Dark Knight Archives Vol 3.
Trivia
- On the story "Four Birds of a Feather", there's a reference to Florence Nightingale.
See Also