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Detective Comics, #627 Direct

Published: March 1991

Cover

Detective Comics #627

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Issue Contents:
1 page superhero
Characters
  • Batman [Bruce Wayne]
Credits
Story Notes

This issue is bannered "Anniversary Celebrating Batman's 600th Appearance in Detective Comics" even though it is actually the 601st appearance in Detective Comics. Artwork is an homage to the cover of [gcd_link_story](8826).

Story 1 1 page

"The story isn't long..."

Story Notes

This article, appearing on the inside front cover, explains the structure of the issue: a reprint of Batman's first appearance, a reprint of the story Julius Schwartz commissioned to commemorate Batman's thirtieth anniversary, and two new stories using the same plot as the others created by the then-current creative teams of Batman and Detective Comics.

The Case of the Chemical Syndicate
Story 2 6 pages superhero
Storyline

The Bat-Man investigates a string of murders connected to a chemical syndicate.

Characters
  • Batman [Bruce Wayne]
  • Commissioner James Gordon
  • Lambert
  • Steven Crane
  • Alfred Stryker
Credits
Story Notes

This is not a reprint of this story as originally published. Instead, it is a redrawn (traced), re-lettered, and censored copy which originally appeared in Detective Comics #387. A notable change is that the murder victim on page 2, panel 2 does not have a knife jutting out of his back, as he did in the originally-published version of this story.

The Cry of Night Is-- "Kill!"
Story 3 17 pages superhero
Storyline

Batman and Robin investigate a string of murders connected to a scientific research syndicate.

Characters
  • Batman [Bruce Wayne]
  • Robin [Dick Grayson]
  • Commissioner James Gordon
  • Alfred Pennyworth
  • Mel Lambert
  • Steven Crane, Alfred Stryker
Credits
Story Notes

Story commissioned by Julius Schwartz in celebration of Batman's thirtieth anniversary in 1969 which re-uses the plot of "Case of the Chemical Syndicate" from Detective Comics #27. Credits for script, pencils and inks confirmed from Julius Schwartz's editorial records, provided by DC Comics. The original story is 16.67 pages long; this reprint replaces the paid ad that occupied the remaining 0.33 page in the 1969 original with a text box explaining how this version differed from the 1939 story ("Several significant changes were made, of course, to turn this into a sixties-style Batman...").

The Case of the Chemical Syndicate
Story 4 22 pages superhero
Storyline

Batman investigates a gruesome costumed murderer targeting the partners at a industrial chemical firm.

Characters
  • Batman [Bruce Wayne]
  • Theodore Lambert, Sr. (death)
  • Detective Dana Hanrahan
  • Ted Lambert
  • Fred Stryker
  • Pesticyde [Priscilla Stryker] (death)
  • Steven Crane (death)
  • Elaine Crane (death)
  • Paul Rogers
Credits
Story Notes

New story re-using the plot of "Case of the Chemical Syndicate" from Detective Comics #27. Story is dedicated to "Bob Kane and Bill Finger and all those others who have kept the legend alive."

Girls, Gorillas, and a whole ton of trouble!
Story 5 1 page
Characters
  • Angel O'Day
  • Sam Simeon
  • Gorilla Grodd
  • Dumb Bunny
Credits
Story Notes

Promotes the forthcoming series, Angel and the Ape (DC, 1991 series). Appears between pages 15 and 16 of the third story sequence.

At last! He's the official Green Lantern of Earth...
Story 6 1 page
Characters
  • Guy Gardner
  • G'Nort
Credits
Story Notes

Promotes Guy Gardner "solo epic" in Green Lantern (DC, 1990 series) #9-12. Appears immediately following the third story sequence and immediately prior to the Flash promo.

Flashback!

Featuring Flash

Story 7 1 page
Characters
  • Flash [Barry Allen]
  • Flash [Jay Garrick]
  • Kid Flash [Wally West]
  • Captain Boomerang
  • Gorilla Grodd
  • Captain Cold
  • Trickster
  • Weather Wizard
Credits
Story Notes

Promoting The Greatest Flash Stories Ever Told (DC, 1991 series) #[nn] with an image very close to the cover art for the hardcover. Appears immediately following the previous sequence and prior to the fourth story sequence.

The Case of the Chemical Syndicate
Story 8 22 pages superhero
Storyline

Batman investigates a string of murders connected to a chemical company.

Characters
  • Batman [Bruce Wayne]
  • Commissioner James Gordon
  • Mel Lambert
  • Mr. Crane (death)
  • Paul Rogers (death)
  • Alfred Stryker (death)
  • CAMEOS (see note): Barbara Gordon
  • Alfred Pennyworth
  • Robin [Tim Drake]
  • Poison Ivy [Pamela Isley]
  • Killer Moth [Cameron Van Cleer]
  • The Cavalier [Mortimer Drake]
  • Doctor Phosphorus [Dr. Alexander Sartorius]
  • Black Spider [Eric Needham]
  • Killer Croc [Waylon Jones]
  • Deadshot [Floyd Lawton]
  • Crazy Quilt [Paul Dekker]
  • Clayface [Preston Payne]
  • Penguin [Oswald Cobblepot]
  • Catwoman [Selina Kyle]
  • Mad Hatter [Jervis Tetch]
  • Ventriloquist [Arnold Dresker
  • also as Scarface]
  • Two-Face [Harvey Dent]
  • The Riddler [Edward Nigma]
  • Anarky [Lonnie Machlin]
  • Scarecrow [Jonathan Crane]
  • The Spook [Val Kaliban]
  • The Joker
  • Mr. Freeze [Victor Fries]
  • Black Mask [Roman Sionis]
Credits
Story Notes

New story re-using the plot of "Case of the Chemical Syndicate" from Detective Comics #27. The final two-page spread of this story shows Batman swinging above images of his friends and foes with the number 600 super-imposed over the Bat-Signal behind him along with two caption boxes concluding the narration from the story.

To wage his war on crime, he'd go to any lengths...
Story 9 1 page
Characters
  • Batman
Credits
Story Notes

Promotes the Venom storyline, beginning in Legends of the Dark Knight (DC, 1989 series) #16. Appears between pages 6 and 7 of the fourth story sequence.

advertisements (1)
Story 10 10 pages
Story Notes

There are a number of advertisements in this issue. The first page of ads contains 20 small ads on a single page prior to page 6 of the first story sequence. Remaining ads promote Capcom's Mega Man 3 for the Nintendo Entertainment System (between pages 1 and 2 of the second story sequence), Fleer's 1991 series of baseball cards (between pages 13 and 14 of the second story sequence), Capcom's Destiny of the Emperor game for Nintendo (between the second and third story sequences), Upper Deck's 1990-91 series of hockey cards(between pages 9 and 10 of the third story sequence), personalized baseball cards from Cracker Jack (between pages 20 and 21 of the fourth story sequence), Buck Rogers XXVc Role-Playing Game and Countdown to Doomsday computer game from TSR (following the fourth story sequence), Great Eastern Conventions comic book convention in February 1991 (following the TSR ad), the Ultimate Game Club phone tipline (top half of last page in issue), the National Baseball Club Hotline (bottom half of final page), and Akklaim's Arch-Rivals: A Basketbrawl, a game for the Nintendo Entertainment System (on the back cover).

3 Musketeers Adventure! No. 2 in a Series
Story 11 1 page
Storyline

A salvage crew attempting to rescue a sunken nuclear sub at the Marianas Trench discovers a giant 3 Musketeers candy bar instead.