Batman #27 - Story 2

December 13, 1944

"The Pearl of Peril"

Interestingly enough, the story starts with a quote from Shakespeare which I never knew was attributed to him, "The world is my oyster." I'm sure that's as far as Shakespeare goes in the story, but it is interesting to note as Penguin was carrying a bust of him in the previous story in this issue on the splash page.

As for the story itself, Alfred finds himself going out to dinner when Bruce and Dick are away. There, he notes a homeless guy claim to find a pearl in his plate of oysters. He has no cash to pay for the meal and offers the pearl for bid, getting $100 while frustrating one of the patrons who wanted it.

He quickly departs and finds himself followed by Alfred, who feels there's been a "terrible mistake", but we never learn what that is. The two race into an alley where the angry patron is trying to rob the winner of the bid of the pearl. What follows is Alfred's usual display of clumsiness that allows him to capture the patron and the homeless guy.

What's next? Story three of this anthology comic, Citizens!