Detective Comics #33
October 10, 1939
"The Batman Wars Against the Dirigible of Doom"
Seven months in, we get Bruce Wayne's motivation and inspiration for becoming the Batman. It's interesting to note that this first time origin story is only two pages long. All the basic elements are there - Thomas Wayne and his unnamed wife are walking from a movie when they are approached by a thief who guns the adults down when Thomas resists.
Shortly after, Bruce dedicates his life to warring on all criminals. He becomes a master scientist. He hones his body to perfection. And he is inspired to don the cape and cowl when a bat flies in a window. Fifteen years later after the deaths of his parents, Bruce Wayne becomes the Batman!
The story that follows is something more out of a Superman comic as a red dirigible hovers over the skies of Manhattan. Beams of light shoot out from it, destroying large chunks of downtown and killing thousands. Bruce is on the scene and renders aid by rescuing a trapped man.
Later, back at his home, while we don't get a Batcave, we do get a hidden laboratory where Bruce keeps extensive files. He finds a newspaper clipping about a Carl Kruger, a professor who had recently been released from the insane asylum with plans to make a death ray. (And they let him go?) With this information, Bruce becomes Batman and makes his way to Kruger's home (Because someone who is creating a death ray would hide in plain sight?)
Batman confronts Kruger, who sees himself as the next Napoleon, and is captured. Kruger and his co-conspirators escape, leaving a bound Batman to be destroyed by a bomb. He is able to escape in the nick of time.
Batman tracks down and confronts one of the co-conspirators, Ryder, threatening him. Once left to himself, Ryder drives to Kruger's hideout with Batman following in the Batgyro. He releases a smoke screen which looks like a giant cloud to the guards who see it approaching, thinking it's going to rain.
He takes out the guards with his gas vials and then proceeds to destroy a number of mini-ray projectors. He is shot by Kruger who leaves him guarded while he fetches another mini-ray projector to dispose of Batman. In a moment of tell, not show. Kruger appears to kill Batman, but we learn that while Kruger was away, Batman overpowered the guard and switch outfits with him. (So chalk up another death attributed to Batman)
Kruger takes off in the dirigible to attack Manhattan again and is stopped by Batman who has his plane treated against the ray. Batman destroys the deadly vehicle by ramming the Batgyro into it. He hitches a ride on Kruger's escape plane and then brings him down by using one of his gas vials. Batman survives the crash in the bay, but Kruger perishes.
