Enjoy this great comic from DC’s digital archive!

"Batman created by Bob Kane with Bill Finger; Superman created by Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster, by special arrangement with the Jerry Siegel family; Wonder Woman created by William Moulton Marston."

The first comic dedicated exclusively to The Dark Knight! This 1940 issue pitted the Dynamic Duo against classic menaces including Professor Hugo Strange. Plus, the first appearances of The Joker and Catwoman (referred to as "the Cat")! Also includes a 2-page retelling of Batman's origin.

They don’t call him the Crown Prince of Crime for nothing! Just in time for the upcoming Warner Bros. movie Joker, DC serves up a new helping of The Joker’s best capers from the pages of Batman #8, 67, 145, 260, 353 and #366; Detective Comics #388 and #833-834; The Spectre #51; and Batman: Prelude to the Wedding: Harley Quinn vs. The Joker #1.

"A celebration of last laughs and deadly crimes as written and drawn by many of the greatest writers and artists ever to grace the comic art medium! The companion volume to The Greatest Batman Stories Ever Told!"--Cover, page 4.

From his debut in a six-page comic in 1939 and to his most recent portrayal by Christian Bale in the blockbuster The Dark Knight Rises, Batman is perhaps the world's most popular superhero. The continued relevance of the caped crusader could be attributed to his complex character, his dual identity, or his commitment to revenge and justice. But, as the contributors to this collection argue, it is the fans who, with the patience of Alfred, the loyalty of Commissioner Gordon, and the unbridled enthusiasm of Robin, have kept Batman at the forefront of popular culture for more than seven decades. Fan Phenomena: Batman explores the unlikely devotion to the Dark Knight, from his inauspicious beginnings on the comic book page to the cult television series of the 1960s and on to critically-acclaimed films and video games of today. Considering everything from convention cosplay to fan fiction that imagines the Joker as a romantic lead, the essays here acknowledge and celebrate fan responses that go far beyond the scope of the source material. And, the contributors contend, despite occasional dips in popularity, Batman's sustained presence in popular culture for more than seventy years is thanks in no small part to his fans' ardor. Packed with revealing interviews from all corners of the fan spectrum--including Paul Levitz, who rose through the ranks of fan culture to become the president of DC Comics, and Michael Uslan, who has executive produced every Batman adaptation since Tim Burton's blockbuster in 1989, as well as film reviewers, academics, movie buffs, comic store clerks, and costume-clad convention attendees--this book is sure to be a bestseller in Gotham City, as well as everywhere Bruce Wayne's alter ego continues to intrigue and inspire.

Dick Grayson--alter-ego of the original Robin of Batman comics--has gone through various changes in his 75 years as a superhero but has remained the optimistic, humorous character readers first embraced in 1940. Predating Green Lantern and Wonder Woman, he is one of DC Comics' oldest heroes and retains a large and loyal fanbase. The first scholarly work to focus exclusively on the Boy Wonder, this collection of new essays features critical analysis, as well as interviews with some of the biggest names to study Dick Grayson, including Chuck Dixon, Devin Grayson and Marv Wolfman. The contributors discuss his vital place in the Batman saga, his growth and development into an independent hero, Nightwing, and the many storyline connections which put him at the center of the DC Universe. His character is explored in the contexts of feminism, trauma, friendship, and masculinity.