Episode 15: May 1940

Welcome to episode 15 of Legends of the Batman, the show covering everything Batman — from the beginning! The show’s premise is a simple one. Each episode, we cover a month of Batman, be it comic books, television, movies, whatever, starting with his first appearance in 1939.

Michael Kaiser and Michael Bradley are back with a double-hit of awesomeness starring Batman and Robin! First up is DETECTIVE COMICS #40 where Batman and Robin attempt to stop a vicious killer who’s target is Julie Madison (aspiring actress) and learn to beware of Clayface! (Yes, we said actress.) Then it’s a bit of a lighter story, but the threat is no less dangerous, in NEW YORK WORLD’S FAIR COMICS as “Batman and Robin Visit the 1940 New York World’s Fair”! You’ll never believe what happens in that one!


Things We Learned:

  • Becoming an actress is very easy.
  • Bruce Wayne is way too busy for petty crimes like murder.
  • Robin is not as cool as he wants you to think.
  • Nobody can destroy a bridge.
  • The World’s Fair educates and has (well, had) as many thrills as one of Batman and Robin’s adventures.

Images from Coverage:

Reference Links:

  • Towards the end of the episode, Michael B. references THE BIG ALL-AMERICAN COMIC BOOK as the third book in the DC RARITIES ARCHIVE EDITION. And, yes, he said it included a Green Arrow story, when he meant the much cooler Green Lantern. But, he talks about Green Lantern a little later, so it’s all good.
  • Michael K. referenced a two-part story called, “Made of Wood” that involved the original Green Lantern, Alan Scott, teaming up with Batman to solve a murder from the past in DETECTIVE COMICS #784 and #785. In the story, it is revealed that Bruce Wayne’s father, Thomas was a member of the Green Lantern fan club.

How to Get this Episode

There are a few ways you can get this episode. You can listen immediately by clicking on the player below. You can also download the episode directly or subscribe to the show via iTunes or the RSS feed! Questions or comments? Additions or corrections? Drop us a line! You can also follow us on Facebook and Twitter, to send us your thoughts, as well! And don’t forget to check out our partners, Gotham Knights Online, an excellent site for current Batman news and reviews.

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