Data courtesy of the Grand Comics Database under Creative Commons license.

Issue Details

Issue #16
Published April-May 1943
Cover Price 0.10
Pages 68
Editing Whitney Ellsworth
Notes Revised art credits by Craig Delich (Nov. 2005). Credit previously assigned to Fred Ray? This cover is a reverse scene from Batman #9 done by Jack Burnley.

Cover Details

Characters Batman; Robin.
Genre superhero
Pencils Jerry Robinson
Inks Jerry Robinson
Letters typeset
Notes Revised art credits by Craig Delich (Nov. 2005). Credit previously assigned to Fred Ray? This cover is a reverse scene from Batman #9 done by Jack Burnley.
Reprinted In Batman: The Dark Knight Archives (DC, 1992 series) #4 (2003).

13 page Batman story "The Joker Reforms"

Characters Batman [Bruce Wayne]; Robin [Dick Grayson]; Jeb Johnson; Villains: The Joker, Kite, Sparky, Nitro.
Synopsis After robbing a jewelry store, the Joker crash-lands his escape plane and looses his memory. He stumbles into a town where he becomes a hero....but not to the other members of his gang, who seek the jewels, and come looking for him, as do the Caped Crusaders.
Genre superhero
Script Don Cameron
Pencils Bob Kane (signed)
Inks Jerry Robinson; George Roussos [backgrounds]
Letters George Roussos
Notes Ink credits confirmed by Robinson and Roussos. Letterer credit confirmed by Roussos. Some info and synopsis added by Craig Delich 12-24-08.
Reprinted In Batman: The Dark Knight Archives (DC, 1992 series) #4 (2003).

1 page Shorty filler

Characters Shorty
Genre humor
Script Henry Boltinoff (signed)
Pencils Henry Boltinoff (signed)
Inks Henry Boltinoff (signed)
Letters Henry Boltinoff

1 page Marmaduke Jones filler

Characters Marmaduke Jones
Genre humor; adventure
Script Paul Fung
Pencils Paul Fung
Inks Paul Fung
Letters Paul Fung?
Notes Letterer credit added by Craig Delich 12-24-08.

Half page Silly Willy filler

Characters Silly Willy
Genre humor
Script Henry Boltinoff (signed)
Pencils Henry Boltinoff (signed)
Inks Henry Boltinoff (signed)
Letters Henry Boltinoff

13 page Batman story "The Grade A Crimes!"

Characters Batman [Bruce Wayne]; Robin [Dick Grayson]; Commissioner James Gordon; V: John Winthrop (I).
Synopsis After a series of early-bird robberies, Batman notes the appearances of a milkman and his horse-drawn wagon at the scene of every crime, and makes the connection that it is involved in the heists.
Genre superhero
Script Ruth Lyons Kaufman [as Bunny Lyons]
Pencils Jack Burnley
Inks Jack Burnley; Ray Burnley (backgrounds)
Letters Betty Bentley ?; Ira Schnapp ?
Editing Jack Schiff
Notes Bill Jourdain's article in Alter Ego #27, August 2003 claims art credits go to Pencils: Dick Sprang and Inks: Charles Paris [Sprang told Craig Delich that he did NOT do this story]; Jack Burnley verifies, however, he penciled and inked the story. Script credit confirmed by Jack Schiff [the original indexer credited Bill Finger]. Story was heavily edited by editor Jack Schiff. Some info and synopsis added by Craig Delich 12-24-08.
Reprinted In Batman (DC, 1940 series) #260 (January-February 1975); in Batman: The Dark Knight Archives (DC, 1992 series) #4 (2003).

1 page Fantastic Facts filler

Genre fact
Pencils George Papp
Inks George Papp

13 page Batman story "The Adventure of the Branded Tree"

Characters Batman [Bruce Wayne]; Robin [Dick Grayson]; Scotty [D]; Yonson [D]; Villains: Bull Beeton (I), Knuckles.
Synopsis Batman and Robin track down the secret of a dagger-branded tree that led to the murder of two lumberjacks.
Genre superhero
Script Don Cameron
Pencils Jack Burnley
Inks Jack Burnley; Ray Burnley (backgrounds)
Letters Betty Bentley
Notes The 2nd from last panel is patterned after the cover to Batman #8. Writer credit from Martin O'Hearn. Pencils, inks, and letterer credits confirmed by Jack Burnley. Some info and synopsis added by Craig Delich 12-24-08.
Reprinted In Batman: The Dark Knight Archives (DC, 1992 series) #4 (2003).

Half page Chief Hot Foot filler

Characters Chief Hot Foot
Genre humor
Script Henry Boltinoff (signed)
Pencils Henry Boltinoff (signed)
Inks Henry Boltinoff (signed)
Letters Henry Boltinoff

2 page text story "Motive"

Genre adventure
Script Eric Carter (signed)
Letters typeset

Half page Laffs filler

Genre humor
Script Henry Boltinoff (signed)
Pencils Henry Boltinoff (signed)
Inks Henry Boltinoff (signed)
Letters Henry Boltinoff

1 page Clancy the Cop filler

Characters Clancy the Cop
Genre humor
Script Henry Boltinoff (signed)
Pencils Henry Boltinoff (signed)
Inks Henry Boltinoff (signed)
Letters Henry Boltinoff

13 page Batman story "Here Comes Alfred"

Characters Batman [Bruce Wayne]; Robin [Dick Grayson]; Alfred Beagle (last name revealed in Detective Comics #96); Gaston LeDuc [a.k.a. the Duke of Dorian]; Villains: Manuel Stiletti (I). Pablo.
Synopsis Things get very complicated when an English butler, named Alfred, suddenly shows up on the doorstep of Wayne Manor and announces that he is there is attend to their needs in order to fulfill a promise that he made to the original butler for the Wayne family. Then he discovers accidently that his new masters are in reality Batman and Robin!
Genre superhero
Script Don Cameron
Pencils Bob Kane (signed)
Inks Jerry Robinson; George Roussos [backgrounds]
Letters George Roussos
Notes Script credit from Martin O'Hearn. Ink credits confirmed by Robinson and Roussos. Letterer credit confirmed by Roussos. Some info and synopsis added by Craig Delich 12-24-08. All reprints traced.
Reprinted In Batman from the Thirties to the Seventies (Crown Publishers, Inc., 1971 series) #73-168329; in Batman (DC, 1940 series) #213 (July-August 1969); in Batman: The Dark Knight Archives (DC, 1992 series) #4 (2003)