Detective Comics #121

Issue Details

Synopsis

COMMISSIONER GORDON WALKS A BEAT Batman and Robin are summoned to the GCPD Headquarters, where they learn that Commissioner Gordon has been replaced by orders of the mayor. Gordon has been demoted to a beat cop and Batman's deputy status is also revoked without explanation. As a result, the Bat-Signal is destroyed by the new Police Commissioner. When Batman questions the mayor he learns that underworld boss Sure Thing Smiley is extorting the mayor's son. Batman tries to apprehend Smiley and his gang, but Smiley captures Batman instead. Batman uses Smiley's passion for gambling by betting that he can shoot Commissioner Gordon in exchange for Smiley's blackmail documents on the mayor's son. Smiley agrees to the bet with set conditions. Batman outwits him by using a bullet-proof shield to protect Gordon. By winning the bet, Batman frees the mayor from Smiley's grip. Gordon is restored as Commissioner, Batman is back with the police, the Bat-Signal is restored and Smiley is arrested. THE CASE WITHOUT A KEY! Slam investigates a series of burglaries and finds graphite in the lock of one of the buildings. When he returns to his office, he realizes that he has lost his key. Slam visits a locksmith and sees graphite on the shelf. Slam then sets a trap, luring the crooks to the apartment of a wealthy tycoon. Slam and Shorty are waiting for the crooks, who were blackmailing the locksmith into making duplicate keys for them. The locksmith redeems himself by helping Slam defeat the crooks. HAPPY JAIL-DAY TO YOU! Air Wave suspects that gangster Dink Dillman is hiding on Seminole Avenue. He recruits young Tommy Murray to become a singing messenger. Tommy goes door-to-door until he finds the crooks for Air Wave. The crooks are able to fight him off though and escape. Tommy follows them and signals their location to Air Wave. Air Wave regroups, follows Tommy's signal, then captures Dillman and his gang. THREE-RING BINKS THE PHANTOM EXPRESS! Rip and the boys are asked to look into a mysterious "Ghost Train" that is causing many wrecks and loss of life. They eventually discover that a group of train robbers are using an airplane and some gadgets to simiulate a ghost train that forces other trains to slam on the brakes, often causing derailings. The crooks are trying to get the railroad to believe in the ghost train in order to have them reroute the tracks so they can purchase the land which they have discovered is rich in pitchblende (the source of radium). Rip packs an anti-aircraft gun into a traincar and manages to shoot down the crooks' plane and expose their plot.