Batman #5 - Story 3
April 15, 1941
"The Case of the Honest Crook"
After the last story, it's nice to see one that is perfectly suited for Batman - this iteration of Batman, in particular.
The story opens as usual with Batman stopping a crime in progress, but this is an unusual crime. The thief stole only six dollars from the store owner when he had a lot more money in the register.
The thief, Joe Sands, tells his story of how he and his fiancee Alice planned to marry when they saved $1,000. He had the chance to reach the goal when some gangsters asked him to watch a car they needed to hide for a couple of hundred. Alice was not happy about it and told him not to take the money. Unfortunately, the gangster, Matty Link, does not trust Joe when he says he will say nothing. He arranges to have Joe arrested for drunk driving. The judge makes an example of him with a sentence of two years.
Joe gets out of prison and marries his waiting Alice, but his luck is still bad as he cannot hold a job when each employer finds out he has a record. And then Alice gets sick. Joe needed the money to buy her medicine. The store owner forgives him and Batman gives him some money to tide him over while he goes off to prove Joe's innocence.
Batman goes to visit Smiley Sikes' gang, which Matty works for and finds himself in fight with the gang. This prompts Smiley to have Matty killed so he cannot talk. Bruce sends Robin to Matty's home to find a connection between Matty and Smiley.
Robin is clubbed from behind by one of the gang and left for dead. Batman, fearing something was wrong, finds Robin and we see the old Batman as he becomes a "figure of vengeance." He takes Robin to a doctor and threatens the man's life if he cannot save the Boy Wonder.
He leaves Robin with the Doctor as he goes to Smiley's place. Despite being shot three times, Batman's determination to bring down Smiley is so great, he is able to fight on and beat Smiley into giving a confession which he delivers to the police. The cops even comment on how like a demon Batman looked. Interesting that they do not try to arrest Batman.
