Batman #2 - Story 2

July 20, 1940

(Wolf, the Crime Master)

For the second story of the second issue of Batman, we get a story of dual identity - a Jekyll and Hyde tale.

Adam Lamb is custodian of a private museum of Cirus Craig. Lamb is a quiet, unassuming man with an almost compulsive obsession with a book called The Crime Master. One evening, he falls down the stairs and strikes his head on the ground. As he passes out, he looks at the cover of his book.

From there, Lamb becomes Wolf, a master criminal whose first act is to kill a random man on the street. Wolf quickly puts together a gang and they go on a crime spree with Lamb waking up each morning and thinking it was all a dream.

An encounter with Batman and Robin leads to the near death of Robin as Wolf throws him in front of an oncoming truck. As Wolf escapes, Batman notes the odd dent in the getaway car.

Bruce then visits Craig's museum where he finds the getaway car. Batman and Robin follow it that night to the scene of the next crime which they manage to foil, but not before Batman is shot and falls into the river. And this sets up the idea with the criminal underworld that Batman isn't human as he then climbs out of the water and continues to fight.

The two escape and Robin has to remove the bullet back at the Batcave. Now, I know Robin is supposed to be about 13, but it's things like this and his driving the car in the last story that suggests he might be a little older. I find it hard to believe that a 13 year old has the fortitude to perform such a procedure.

Later, Bruce is reading The Crime Master and figures that Wolf's crime spree is following the same pattern. He remembers seeing Lamb reading the tome intently. The next crime is to be murder. Craig is working late at the museum and is attacked by Wolf, who's stopped by Batman and Robin. Wolf falls down a flight of stairs and breaks his neck.

Wolf changes back to Lamb who is sorry for all he has done. Batman admits this is the first time he feels sorry for a criminal's death. And we get the 66 ending as Batman once again points out how as long as there are criminals, he and Robin will have steady employment.

So we got a dual story for the second story, what's in store for the third issue? Stay tuned, Citizens!