Batman #7 - Story 1

August 13, 1941

(Wanted: Practical Jokers)

The Joker leads off this anthology issue and once again, it's a more toned down Joker. There are deaths, but they aren't directly attributed to him. Even his nerve toxin doesn't kill, but rather renders its victims unconscious.

The story opens as Joker stories have of late, with Dick questioning Bruce about Joker's status. Meanwhile, Joker, in disguise as Rekoj, is taking applicants for an ad he placed. He's looking for the best practical jokers. He whittles down the group of applicants based on how dangerous some of their stunts are. And in typical Joker fashion, he forces them to work for him by framing them with their fingerprints of various guilty objects that will connect them to crimes the police are investigating.

He sends the men out and at first the pranks are annoying, but harmless, but over time, they do become deadly. One of the pranks involves switching a sick man's tonic with poison. The pranksters really get into it and Joker counts on it as they will be willing to do what he asks of them.

Gordon is upset about the whole thing as the police are once again helpless. (You wonder where the whole idea of 66 Batman police being inept comes from...this is a common trope in the comic at this point - Bruce sits with Gordon and listens as the commissioner complains about the situation. "How can I take it easy while the Joker laughs at the whole police force?" Mind you, Gordon is not calling in Batman, but the police sure have been a lot more supportive of the Caped Crusader when he shows up for cases like this.

A man named Verne arrives and shares the threat the Joker has made to steal a valuable gem Verne's wife has. This is a nice continuation of the magpie Joker we were introduced to at the start of his story. Gordon has the house staked out with police as guards inside. But Joker gets past them and knocks them out with his nerve gas.

Batman and Robin find the police with big grins on their faces, but they are alive. They are then assaulted by what appears as an army of Jokers. As they fight them off, the real Joker has stolen a gem from someone else on the other side of town. Turns out the whole thing was a ruse. Verne was in Joker's employ. While Batman, Robin and the police were dealing with Verne and the fake Jokers, the real one committed his crime.

The Joker gets confident though and gives Batman a clue by phone to his next crime which leads Batman to determine that the Joker will replace a visiting Duke and steal money meant for the Duke's war torn country. (Once again, another reference to the war.)

They reveal Joker who makes his escape and in a final battle atop a moving train, Joker is knocked off the train and appears to fall to his death - once again. This trope is getting tiresome. It's one thing if he gets away, so be it, but having him appear to die instead of just being incarcerated allows Batman to move on with his life and not have to continue to pursue him so we can tell other stories.

I've mentioned how elements of past stories reminded me of Batman 66, but here is a story that clearly could be a Batman 66 story. You could lift the entire plot and adapt it to the TV show. All it needs is a death trap somewhere between the plot point with Verne and the Duke. Cesar Romero would have a grand time ordering his pranksters about.

So, when will Joker return? What will Batman's next case in this issue of the anthology be? Stay tuned, Citizens!