Batman #6 - Story 4
June 18, 1941
"Suicide Beat!"
This is another one of these stories where Batman is not front and center. In fact, it's several pages before we even see him.
There's a section of Gotham known as the "Suicide Beat" because four cops have been killed while patrolling the streets. The latest was Kelly, whose son, Jimmy, recently became a cop himself. Jimmy wants revenge and asks to be given the Suicide Beat.
Bruce Wayne learns of the assignment during one of his visits to Commissioner Gordon. It explains why when Jimmy later saves a girl from being run over by a drunk driver, Batman and Robin suddenly appear and give chase to the driver in a "borrowed" car.
The driver is a member of Fancy Dan's gang who is responsible for the deaths of the police officers and who keeps everyone in check in the area. He is gotten off by a lawyer, Skigg, working for Dan. Skigg convinces Dan not to have Jimmy killed as apparently four cops being killed in the same area would alert the governor, but not two or three. He suggests an accident that injures Jimmy would be better.
That night, Jimmy is ambushed when he tries to break up a fight. Batman and Robin stop it and the thugs escape, leaving behind a note that Skigg is going to bet on the challenger in a boxing match used to raise funds for milk for kids in the ward. Clearly, Skigg is going to rig the fight so he can win.
Batman has the champion take a powder as he steps into the ring with his shirt off, but his cowl still on. The crowd goes wild wanting to see Batman fight the challenger. And in what clearly is something right out of 66 Batman, our Caped Crusader spends the next three pages boxing this man. Even when the guy cheats by blowing resin in Batman's eyes, Batman is still an accomplished enough fighter to take him out. Once Batman is declared the winner, the lights go out, thanks to Robin, and Batman disappears.
Batman chases after Fancy Dan when the gangster steals the box office receipts from the event. He is knocked out though and when he comes to, finds himself tied up in a room filled with gasoline. Jimmy and Robin arrive on the scene and are told where Batman is by the father of the little girl Jimmy saved. They get into a tussle with Dan and his men, but are able to subdue them.
