World's Best (Finest) Comics #1
February 10, 1941
"The Witch and the Manuscript of Doom"
As I mentioned before, for two years DC Comics produced World's Fair Comics, an annual publication that featured Superman in both issues and Batman and Robin in the second and last issue. The stories featured our characters in a tale set around the time of the World's Fair although the fair itself didn't play into the story other than as a means of promotion. After the second issue, it was only a few months later when DC introduced World's Best Comics. That title only lasted one issue as, according to Batman producer Michael Uslan, a cease and desist order from Best Comics forced a change in the title. The second issue was produced as World's Finest.
Most comics readers know World's Finest as the series where Batman and Superman would team-up each issue for adventures, but in the beginning, they were featured in their own individual stories. This would go on until the 1950's actually when it became necessary to feature one story with the two of the characters as the page count was shortened due to waning interest in hero comics in general.
The story opens with a writer, Dorne, murdered by a person done up as a witch. The butler stumbles upon the murder and is knocked out himself. Meanwhile, Bruce is visiting with Commissioner Gordon when the news gets in that the murder occurred. Bruce tags along as Gordon goes to investigate. A portion of the manuscript Dorne was writing is found and it tells of a witch. They are surprised by a visit from Joshua Grimm, an expert of witches and demonology. Dorne had visited with Grimm earlier and issued the challenge, "When is a witch not a witch?"
This is followed by a visit from Dorne's publisher, Wright, who came by to pick up the new manuscript Drone was working on. While they have a portion of the manuscript, the rest of it has disappeared.
The police question Dorne's aunt, who appears to be satisfied that he is dead. In fact, it appears Dorne was not so welled liked. Bruce jokes that she could be the witch as she looks like one, but then the two are shocked when they visit Dorne's estranged wife, an actress who is in the guise of a witch when they see her at the theater. She is playing the role of a witch and we see, she too has a motive for killing Dorne as she wanted a divorce to marry another and Dorne wouldn't do it.
The suspects are now all introduced and Bruce takes his leave of Gordon. He returns home and shows Dick some wig hair he picked up off the floor, most likely ripped from the witch as the butler struggled with her. He sends Dick to get a sample from Dorne's wife's wig. Dick manages to get the hair, but he is discovered and he leads the folks in the theater on a chase as he makes his escape.
Meanwhile, Batman visits the home of the aunt. He is ambushed by the aunt's two boys, but he is able to take them down before escaping. At home, he studies the hairs and is certain he knows the identity of the witch. Bruce makes a call and pretends to be a police reporter and lets the person on the other end know a second manuscript is hidden in the house.
Later, Batman and Robin surprise the witch as she tries to get into Dorne's house. She makes her escape in her car and the two follow her back to her place, where she traps the two and captures them. They learn she is a fifth columnist, a subversive, who had been discovered by Dorne and was going to be revealed in his next book.
