World's Finest Comics #5

February 13, 1942

"Crime Takes a Holiday"

Interestingly enough, when you look at the table of contents of stories in this issue, Superman is listed first and Batman is listed second with the other stories in this collection following. But the actual layout of the comic is the same as we have seen since the beginning of Superman and Batman bookending the comic.

Brains Kelley calls two other crime bosses to a meeting. He suggests that each gang should stopping committing crimes. They think he is playing a fast one on them, but then he explains as we cut away to various thugs returning items that they recently stole.

And crime comes to a stop in Gotham City. It gets so bad, Bruce suggests that he and Dick go to another city. The bosses relish going straight and claim they are succeeding at being businessmen. It's all too strange and too much for Bruce. He puts on a disguise and tries to rob one of the bosses. He pulls a gun (yes, you read that right) and threatens them. When called to fire though, we see it's a water gun. (So don't get worked up, Citizens.). Bruce then lays into them.

He is captured though and is about to be turned over to the police when Big John decides a guy this gutsy would be useful to him. He takes Bruce along with some men to Philadelphia to rob a warehouse of silks. They dress up as area thugs in order to implicate them. At the warehouse, Robin and the police storm the thugs, thanks to a quick call from Bruce before they left. Bruce drops his disguise and joins the fight as Batman. Big John gets away so Batman follows him back to Gotham City.

Another fight ensues and the two are brought down. They are placed in an armored car which is tossed into Gotham River. But the truck sinks front first and lands in some soft mud. The two are fine and the back end of the truck is above water. Batman hoists Robin who then saws open an escape.

Batman works out a plan in which he draws all the men from three gangs to one location by pretending to be one of the gangs they framed from another city and robbing the Gotham City gangs. There, the two take out the gangs in one final fight.

It's a good story, but for the first time I'm not entirely sure I'd call it "World's Finest". In fact, I could see this as a Batman 66 story. But what's next? Stay tuned, Citizens!