Batman #4 - Story 1
January 13, 1941
"The Case of the Joker's Crime Circus"
The Joker starts off this anthology of stories playing off his clownish appearance by arranging a series of crimes under the guise of a traveling circus that caters to the rich. It's an interesting plot that starts off with Joker literally surfacing after it was thought he'd drowned in his last appearance in Detective #45. He wanders to an abandoned mansion that proves a perfect hideout for him.
There's a panel in these opening pages that I found particularly striking - a pensive Joker thinking about how at some point, he and Batman will meet again. I don't know what it is about it that stands out to me, but it does. Maybe it's the pensive look on his face, maybe it's the rich purple coloring of his outfit. I just really like it.
Two months later, Batman and Robin spot three masked men leaving a mansion in an unusual manner as they flip their way down and land on their feet acrobatically. One of them is huge and takes on Batman, throwing him against a wall. The group remind me of the Enforcers from Spider-Man in that they have specific skills for their work.
A series of robberies occurs as Bruce gets invited to a party where a group of circus performers act for the guests. Bruce plays up the bored, rich playboy to the hilt. It would have been interesting if a reason for this was explained as creating a sort of alibi for Bruce in that no one could believe he would ever be Batman. Mind you, this is pretty much what is happening, but it's never really explained to this point. While that idea is interesting, it's sad to see Bruce wondering how the clown in the act reminds him of someone. Duh.
The newspapers carries the news of how the house of those throwing the party was robbed. Bruce starts to make the connection that all the robberies occurred when the circus performed for those in the house. He plans to crash the party of the next gathering as Batman.
They surprise the circus performers and Batman has a rematch with the strong man from his first encounter. This time, Batman lifts him over his head and throws him to the ground. Joker escapes in the confusion.
They follow Joker back to his hideout, which is tricked out with a film projector which displays a laughing giant head of the Joker. Batman is not fooled by it or any of the other stunts Joker pulls and the two finally comes to grips in combat. Batman flips Joker over him, sending him hurtling into a pit that leads to the sewers beneath the mansion. Batman is hesitant to say Joker is dead this time considering how he has escaped death in the past.
