Batman's First Comic: 'Detective Comics #27' (1939)
In May 1939, DC Comics (then National Publications) released Detective Comics #27 to comic book readers. The series had been, as its name suggests, a detective-themed anthology book featuring various types of crime-fighters, detectives, and Western gunfighters. Here, the "Bat-Man" made his debut in a tale titled "The Case of the Chemical Syndicate."
The story begins with Commissioner Gordon hosting Bruce Wayne (a "young socialite friend" of the older police officer) as they discuss the mysterious "Bat-Man" in the news. When they're interrupted by a phone call, it seems a straightforward case: a chemical tycoon has been murdered, with evidence pointing to his son.
The Biggest Differences in Batman's First DC Comic Story
There are an endless number of differences between Batman of the modern DC Universe and the "Bat-Man" who debuted in 1939 on display in Detective Comics #27. Visually, the Golden Age hero had a more dated costume, lacking armor or gauntlets (not to mention the purple Batman gloves). Ethically speaking, this Caped Crusader also took a far more lax approach to fatality.
When watching Stryker fall to his death, Bruce merely comments that it's a “fitting end for his kind.". This stands in stark contrast to Batman's famous "no-kill" policy today, with Bruce Wayne risking his own life to save even his worst enemies. And that's not even mentioning the red 'Batmobile' (read: a car).
Batman's Comic Debut Sparked Instant Controversy
To say that the Golden Age Batman's creation, and specifically Bob Kane, have been a source of controversy would be a massive understatement. Although Bob Kane and Bill Finger are credited for the story, it soon became apparent that the former's 'entirely original' idea was not what he let on. In fact, the story for Detective Comics #27 was soon revealed to have been copied from The Shadow's earlier comic.
To make things worse, Bob Kane actually directly traced elements from The Shadow story, "Partners in Peril" (from The Shadow #113, by Theodore Tinsley and Tom Lovell) from one scene to the other. In the years since, readers and comic book historians have assigned more credit to Bill Finger (and later The Joker's creator, Jerry Robinson), who was revealed to have contributed the most to Batman's lore. Where Bob Kane had originally wanted The Dark Knight to wear a red costume and have blonde hair, Bill Finger revised the design to the color scheme people know and love today. In addition, it's unknown exactly how much art Bob Kane ever did himself, as he managed an art studio that often passed off work from other artists under his own name. Thus, Batman has one of the most valuable, but also one of the most controversial first appearances in comics.
Batman's First Comic Would Define Him For Decades
Plagiarism aside, "The Case of the Chemical Syndicate" is a genuinely key issue in Batman history, not for its script or art but in how it defined the formula of his stories in one shot. Here, true to most Dark Knight stories since, Bruce is friendly with an unsuspecting Gordon, he catches wind of a murder, suits up, saves a victim, and beats the bad guy. Of course, a great deal of nuance has since been added to the world of Gotham. But the core elements of a typical done-in-one issue of Batman are perfectly encapsulated in this short story.
While Batman is typically cast in bigger, sprawling and more action-packed sagas today, this issue laid the groundwork for virtually every one of his comics until the Bronze Age. It also features the hero engaging in real detective work, something that's often lost in the more superpowered drama of modern DC. It's far from the best issue of Detective Comics (even of the Golden Age), but its significance cannot be denied. As both a first appearance and a turning point in comic book history, this million dollar Batman comic is a must-read for any true fan of the Caped Crusader.
