Detective Comics #34
November 7, 1939
"Peril in Paris"
One thing I have to admit I like about the series so far is the continuity. Superman comics rarely had a sense of continuation of story threads save for returning villains. Only problem is, the stories are out of order. this story takes place after Batman's encounter with the Monk (Detective 32), but it follows last issue where Batman was back in New York and stopping the death ray dirigible.
Here, we have Bruce walking the streets of Paris after the events of issue 32ttttttttttttttt. He has put his fiancee Julie on a cruise ship for America and plans to return home himself when he bumps into a man he thought he recognized until he realizes the man has no face. Literally, he has no face - and yet, he's able to speak.
Bruce grabs a taxi and finds he's sharing it with a woman on the run from an assassin. She collapses in his arms after a dagger fails to find its mark. The faceless man appears and identifies himself as Charles Maire, brother to the young woman, Karel. The two are being pursued by Duc D’Orterre, a man obsessed with Karel who was responsible for burning Charles' face off.
Bruce wants to help, but knows he cannot do it himself. He excuses himself a moment and returns as Batman. OK, neither of the two make the connection? He is given directions by Charles on where to find Duc - beneath the city of Paris in the sewers. He quickly finds his prey, but is brought down by a light flash from Duc's cane.
Batman is placed on a wheel. I liked how he was placed on it edgewise and not on the side. Duc figures either Batman will go mad with the increasing rotation speed or will be smashed against the wall if the force tears him off. Batman is able to snap his bonds and flip himself away from the wheel.
He lands on a trapdoor, which Duc opens, sending him deeper into the sewer where Batman finds a field of flowers, all bearing, what appears to be the faces of victims of Duc. Now, are these the burned-off faces? And where is Charles' face? What's even creepier is that the flowers can talk and ask Batman to get revenge for them.
Batman exits the field and finds that Duc captured the Maires and has Charles tied to the wheel. He escapes with Karel as Batman saves Charles.
Batman pursues Duc's fleeing car with the Batgyro. He manages to overpower Duc with help from Karel. Duc's car careens out of control and over a cliff, just as Batman grabs Karel and climbs the rope ladder to the Batgyro. Duc perishes as the car explodes.
As weird as some of the elements were in this one, I think it's my favorite of this early pre-Robin run of Batman. Will any elements pick up in the next issue? Stay tuned, Citizens!
