Batman #9 is an issue of the series Batman (Volume 1) with a cover date of February, 1942.
Synopsis for "The Four Fates"
A radio show starts to air and the host introduces his guest: The Great Jaffeer; a man known for the valuable gem he wears on his turban. At that same moment, four criminals have decided to steal the gem from Jaffeer, not knowing that he is being listened on radio by all the people in the city including Bruce Wayne and Dick Grayson. When the criminals strike, Jaffeer curses each one of them with a very specific way of dying, but despite the threat, the criminals kill Jaffeer and steal the gem. Bruce and Dick change into their crime fighting gear and they go to the place of Fritz, the fence, who is known for working with criminals and their stolen jewels. After a brutal shakedown, Fritz gives the duo the information they need and soon they find the hideout of the criminals. Batman and Robin bust inside and a fight begins. Robin chases down one of the thugs, who steps on the railroad tracks and an electric shock kills him instantly, just like the curse predicted.
The three remaining thugs escape and one of them decides to leave the city because of the curse. Batman and Robin learn that the criminal is trying to escape by air and they use the Batplane to catch up with him. During the chase, the criminal jumps off his own plane and opens a parachute to stop his fall. However, he falls straight on some cables and the strings from the parachute choke him to death. The second death has taken place, just like the curse predicted.
Batman and Robin chase the only two remaining criminals and they confront one of them, who had prepared a trap to kill the duo, but fails. Batman then punches the man in the chest and somehow the blow kills the criminal. After an autopsy, it is revealed that the thug had a bullet inserted in his heart and that Batman's punch caused the bullet to reach the man's heart. Yet again, the curse claims another victim.
The last criminal has traveled to a desert area as the curse predicted that he would die by water. Thinking himself safe, the criminal forgot to carry some water with him and after long hours walking in the desert, he dies of dehydration. Batman and Robin find the body and they realize that Jaffeer's curse was absolutely accurate. Without a clear explanation, the dynamic duo return home.
Appearing in "The Four Fates"
Featured Characters:
- Template:Apn
Supporting Characters:
- Robin
- Gotham City Police Department
- Jaffeer (Single appearance; dies)
Villains:
- Albert "Slick" Dandy (Single appearance; dies)
- John "Mousey" Meggs (Single appearance; dies)
- Mortimer "Brains" Brinig (Single appearance; dies)
- Pete "Nails" Logan (Single appearance; dies)
Other Characters:
- Fritz
Locations:
Vehicles:
Synopsis for "The White Whale"
There are several incidents with a white whale sinking ships in the ocean and the insurance company is worried about their money. Bruce Wayne who is part of the stakeholders of the company agrees to send a ruthless sailor to find and stop the whale. However, Bruce isn't sure the sailor is completely honest and he decides to investigate. As Bruce suspected, the sailor is kidnapping people to be part of his crew and soon, Bruce, who was disguised is taken into the ship by force.
Dick, who followed Bruce all the way to the ship, tells Bruce that the sailor is extremely brutal with the crew and threatens them to kill them if they don't comply. Bruce decides to fake an accident and he drops overboard, making the crew and the captain think he is dead. Once free to act, Bruce changes to Batman and tries to bring down the captain, but they both have to work together, when the great white whale attacks their ship. Batman manages to hurt the animal but the main boat is destroyed and the crew has to sail on the small boats, where they are once again attacked by the whale. However, this time, they notice that the whale is actually a submarine in the shape of a whale and from some holes in the vehicle, people start attacking Batman, Robin and the crew.
Batman, Robin and the ruthless captain are taken inside where the secretary of the insurance company reveals himself as the mastermind behind the whale attacks. He was paid by the ship owners to sink their ships and in return they would give him some of the insurance money. The ruthless sailor and the secretary attack each other and they both die instantly. Suddenly, the submarine is attacked from outside and making their way to the surface, Batman and Robin are rescued by the coast guard and the menace of the white whale is gone.
Appearing in "The White Whale"
Featured Characters:
Villains:
- Captain Burly (Single appearance; dies)
- Mr. Radney (Single appearance; dies)
Locations:
Synopsis for "The Case of the Lucky Law-Breakers"
Joker finds a way to escape prison and soon he starts plotting his next criminal move. Not long after this, news about ten thousand dollars being robbed from a bank start to spread.
At that moment, Bruce and Dick decide to watch a newsreel about Batman and Robin's past encounters with the Joker. Later, Bruce and Dick try their luck with the lottery and they are utterly shocked when the winners turn out to be a couple of criminals recently released from prison. At that moment, an officer informs to the crowd that the Joker has escaped prison and so, Batman and Robin get into action. After a quick search, they find the Joker, but the mad man manages to escape.
The Joker then announces that he would rob the same bank that was already robbed. The Gotham City Police Department send some of their best men to guard the place, but they are baffled when an apparently innocent street merchant sends a toy clown towards them and when it reaches the bank's wall, the toy explodes as a bomb, tearing down the bank's wall. Joker and his men get on their way with the money, but Batman and Robin follow them closely, riding some motorcycles. However, they are forced to give up the chase when the come across some trap by the Joker and their motorcycles are wrecked.
The Joker continues in his crime spree and the police start questioning some of the criminals who had been released from prison recently and are suddenly rich.
Batman visits James Gordon and they deduce that Joker is behind the criminal's sudden wealth. They decide to lay a trap for the criminal and the next day, the newspapers inform the news about Joker's death and how his body was dragged from the river. Wanting to learn the truth, Joker in disguise goes to the police department and asks to see the "Joker's body". Once inside, Batman reveals himself and takes off Joker's disguise and the criminal starts running away.
During the chase, Batman and Robin fall in a trap by Joker and they are placed inside a hole in the ground before Joker pulls a big flat stone that covers the hole. When Joker leaves, Batman and Robin free themselves and start pushing the stone upwards. Then, using some of Batman's gadgets they manage to pull the stone away from the hole and they are finally free. Chasing Joker and his thugs one more time, they arrive at the nearest rail road, where they defeat the criminals, but the Joker seemingly vanishes behind the train as it passes by. Not knowing if Joker is dead or alive, the caped crusader is ready for the return of the clown prince of crime.
Appearing in "The Case of the Lucky Law-Breakers"
Featured Characters:
Supporting Characters:
Villains:
- Template:Apn
- Mont Wiley (Single appearance)
- Nick Bacy (Single appearance)
- Trigger Tom (Single appearance)
Other Characters:
Locations:
Items:
Synopsis for "Christmas"
It is Christmastime and Bruce Wayne takes some presents to the Gotham's orphanage. In the place, he notices that a small kid is being made fun of for believing in Santa Claus. After doing some research, Bruce learns that the kid is not an orphan, but his father is in prison and he claims that he has been framed. Bruce decides to do some good for the kid and he goes to investigate his father's case.
Batman and Robin arrive at Gotham State Penitentiary, where the kid's father tells them the story of how he tried to steal a toy for his kid the last Christmas, but instead he found a burglar stealing the safe from they toy shop and a dead guard. As he tried to stop the criminal, he was knocked unconscious and when the police arrived, he was found guilty of stealing the safe and killing the guard.
After learning that the real thief was a criminal called Hal Fink, Batman and Robin go to their hideout, where a street Santa warns the criminals inside of their presence. Batman and Robin have to fight against Fink's gang of criminals and they are outnumbered and captured. Fink throws the duo inside the water tank on the top of the building and leaves them trapped inside. With no escape option, Batman takes off his cape and seals the intake pipe, preventing the tank to fill with water. Fink and his men start using the water and the tank is emptied in a few minutes, allowing the dynamic duo to escape. Batman and Robin follow the gang one more time and this time, they manage to beat them.
Fink is taken to the police, but with no evidence of his crimes, he is taken to the same store he stole from a year ago to reenact the events. Once the scene is exactly as it was before, a white person enters the place, claiming to be the ghost of the dead guard. Fink believes it is some joke, but when nobody else seems to see the ghost, he starts panicking and reveals his crime before the entire GCPD. Batman takes off the white costume and he takes down the criminal.
On Christmas Eve, Bruce arranges that a father and his son are reunited and that the street Santa, Fink's accomplice, is taken to the orphanage to prove kids that Santa does exist. When the disguised man comes out, he decides to leave crime forever.
Before the night ends, Batman and Robin go to Commissioner Gordon's home, where Gordon and Linda Page are waiting for them near a big Christmas Tree. Robin is glad to share this moment and Batman tells him that Santa Claus is very real. In the end, everyone wishes each other a Merry Christmas.
Appearing in "Christmas"
Featured Characters:
Supporting Characters:
- Gotham City Police Department
- Timmy (Single appearance)
- Bob Cratchit (Single appearance)
Villains:
- Hal Fink (Single appearance)
Other Characters:
Locations:
Items:
Notes
- Reprinted in Batman: The Dark Knight Archives Vol 3.
- The Joker scenes on the third story are taken from the following comics:
- The fourth story is the first Batman Christmas Special.
Trivia
- There is a reference of Clark Gable.
See Also
