Detective Comics #43
August 6, 1940
"The Case of the City of Terror"
Bruce and Dick go on vacation, a road trip away from crime-fighting. I guess considering it's not Gotham City yet, they have no compunction about being away from the city for any length of time.
The two are excited to get away from crimefighting, but it isn't long before they are back in action as they stop at a town where the police seem to be a little more aggressive than they should be, especially when it comes to speaking out against the mayor.
Bruce decides to visit the wealthiest man in town, Carter, as Batman. The thing is, if this is a vacation from crime-fighting, why did the two think to bring their costumes with them? Even Ralph Hinkley left the super suit behind sometimes.
Batman interrupts the arrest of Carter by the police. They try to take him down, but they are no match for Batman, who uses a chokehold on one of them to knock him out. He learns from Carter that the mayor died suddenly and the president of the city council, Greer, was next in line. Greer is corrupt and he quickly allowed a local mobster, Bugs Norton, to move in and have his men replace the good cops of the city.
Batman sends bats to both the mayor and the mobster as a warning. Bugs isn't worried and plans to go ahead with his shipment of narcotics into town. Robin overhears these plans and reports back to Batman.
They easily stop the shipment and round up the drivers. Next, they target the rigged slot machines the kids play with around the town. Rigged slot machines must have been a problem back then as I remember Superman taking on mobsters who were ripping kids off in his radio show in the 40s. Then again, it's just off thinking of kids gambling with slot machines. Batman goes from shop to shop smashing the machines while Robin lectures on the evils of gambling.
Next, Batman takes out the corrupt cops, one by one, rounding up 20 of them in one night and holding them captive. Next, Robin finds out some of the kids in town have a printing press. He has them print out notices to the adults about a meeting Batman is holding.
There, Batman gets the town to organize and revolt against the police. As they do that, Robin rounds up Mayor Greer and Batman collects Bugs.
