Detective Comics (DC, 1937 series) #142

Price: 0.10 USD

Pages: 52

On-sale Date: 1948-10-20

Editing: Whitney Ellsworth (credited) (editor); Jack Schiff (actual editor)

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The Riddler's Puzzle Contest

(Table of Contents)

Batman and Robin / cover / 1 page

Script:	?
Pencils:	Dick Sprang
Inks:	Charles Paris
Colors:	?
Letters:	Ira Schnapp (sourced)

Genre:superhero

First Line of Dialogue or Text:Team up with Batman and Robin to solve "The Riddler's Puzzle Contest"
Keywords:crossword puzzle; surprise

Characters:

Synopsis:: Batman and Robin surprise The Riddler by bursting through a giant crossword puzzle.; in Detective Comics (National Comics Publications of Canada Ltd, 1948 series) #142 (September-October 1949)
in The Batman Gallery (DC, 1992 series) #1 ([August] 1992)
in Hero Illustrated Special Edition (Warrior Publications, 1993 series) #1 (October 1993) [Reproduced without trade dress and cropped slightly.]
in Batman Archives (DC, 1990 series) #7 (2007 [January 2008])
in Batman Arkham: The Riddler (DC, 2015 series) ([July] 2015)
in Batman: The Golden Age Omnibus (DC, 2015 series) #6 (2018 [February 2019])

Indexer Notes

Art credits verified by Sprang.

Issue Data

Publisher's Brand: A Superman DC Publication
Indicia / Colophon Publisher: National Comics Publications Inc.
Indicia Frequency: monthly
Printer: Printed in U.S.A.

Indexer Notes

On-sale date from copyright registration.

"Strike or spare... it's a snap!"

(Expand) / (Table of Contents: 1)

Kodak Cameras and Film / advertisement / 1 page

Crime's Puzzle Contest!

(Table of Contents: 2)

Batman and Robin / comic story / 12 pages

Script:	?
Pencils:	Dick Sprang (signed as Bob Kane)
Inks:	Charles Paris
Colors:	?
Letters:	?

Genre:superhero

Feature Logo:Batman with Robin - The Boy Wonder [40's face]
First Line of Dialogue or Text:Once again that puzzle-prince of cryptic crime, The Riddler, terrorizes Gotham City with his evil enigmas!
Keywords:Batarang; Batmobile; Batplane; Gotham City; Rainbow Club

Characters:

Batman [Bruce Wayne]; Robin [Dick Grayson]; The Riddler [Edward Nigma] (villain)

Synopsis:: The Riddler returns from the "dead" to continue his campaign of puzzle contests to baffle the police and the Dynamic Duo.; in Batman Archives (DC, 1990 series) #7 (2007 [January 2008])
in Batman Arkham: The Riddler (DC, 2015 series) ([July] 2015)
in Batman: The Golden Age Omnibus (DC, 2015 series) #6 (2018 [February 2019])

Indexer Notes

Inker credit verified by Craig Delich; we previously suggested Howard Sherman or Gene McDonald.

The splash page replicates the cover. The story title does not match the cover title.

Champion Football Coach of Georgia Tech Bobby Dodd

(Expand) / (Table of Contents: 3)

Wheaties / comics-form advertising / 1 page

The Farmer in the Till!

(Table of Contents: 4)

Slam Bradley / comic story / 7 pages

Script:	?
Pencils:	Howard Sherman
Inks:	Howard Sherman
Colors:	?
Letters:	?

Genre:detective-mystery

First Line of Dialogue or Text:When slick city crooks apply hoe and shovel to the good earth, you can bet there's going to be dirty work at the crossroads!
Keywords:bank robbers; detectives; farmers

Characters:

Slam Bradley; Shorty Morgan; Mugs Mulligan; Mugs Mulligan's gang

Synopsis:: City bank robbers dressed as farmers hold up rural banks.

Indexer Notes

Inker credit by Craig Delich; we previously credited John Daly.

Fellows! Girls! Get Captain Tootsie's mystifying, baffling "Bag of Magic Tricks"

(Expand) / (Table of Contents: 5)

Captain Tootsie; Tootsie [all other candies] / advertisement / 1 page

Boys - It's Free!

(Expand) / (Table of Contents: 6)

Chemcraft Chemistry Sets [Porter] / advertisement / 0.5 page

"Champ wants to see you wearing a Gene Autry Sweatshirt... and so do I!"

(Expand) / (Table of Contents: 7)

Flagg Shirts / advertisement / 0.5 page

The Robot Bandit!

(Table of Contents: 8)

Robotman / comic story / 6 pages

Script:	Otto Binder
Pencils:	Jimmy Thompson
Inks:	Jimmy Thompson
Colors:	?
Letters:	?

Genre:detective-mystery; science fiction; superhero

First Line of Dialogue or Text:Robotman - let me introduce you to my servants. They're all robots... costly machines... obeying spoken commends - yet one of them is robbing me!
Keywords:mystery; robots; servants; theft; undercover mission

Characters:

Robotman [Robert Crane; aka Paul Dennis]; Joshua Lloyd; robot servants numbers 1-9; Smithers; Doc Sparks

Synopsis:: Millionaire in a wheelchair Joshua Lloyd is being robbed by one of his nine robot servants (with which he replaced his staff), and asks Robotman to investigate undercover as "robot servant number 10".

Boys! Look at all the Spectacular Buzz-With-Action Models you can build with Erector

(Expand) / (Table of Contents: 9)

Erector / comics-form advertising / 1 page

[Cold Feet, Courtesy of Pete]

(Table of Contents: 10)

Jerry the Jitterbug / comic story / 0.5 page

Script:	Henry Boltinoff (signed)
Pencils:	Henry Boltinoff (signed)
Inks:	Henry Boltinoff (signed)
Colors:	?
Letters:	Henry Boltinoff (signed)

Genre:humor; teen

Feature Logo:Jerry the Jitterbug
First Line of Dialogue or Text:Pete asked me to meet him downtown!
Keywords:cold weather; street corner; winter setting

Characters:

Jerry the Jitterbug; Pete

Synopsis:: Jerry's pal Pete requests that Jerry meet him on a cold street corner - for an unconventional reason.

Indexer Notes

Top half of page.

Most Exciting Boot You Ever Saw!

(Expand) / (Table of Contents: 11)

Hood Rocket Boots / advertisement / 0.5 page

When You Close Your Mind

(Table of Contents: 12)

text article / 2 pages

Script:	William Morrison (credited)
Pencils:	Raymond Perry (sourced)
Inks:	Raymond Perry (sourced)
Colors:	Raymond Perry (sourced)
Letters:	typeset

Genre:non-fiction

First Line of Dialogue or Text:Why do we sleep?
Keywords:sleep

Synopsis:: Text article on the necessity and different reasons for sleep in humans, animals, plants... and even microbes.

Given Premiums or Cash Commission Given

(Expand) / (Table of Contents: 13)

Wilson Chemical Company Cloverine Brand Salve / advertisement / 1 page

Editorial Advisory Board

(Expand) / (Table of Contents: 14)

DC Comics / promo (ad from the publisher) / 0.5 page

Saved by Trade and Mark

(Expand) / (Table of Contents: 15)

Adventures of Nip & Tuck; Smith Brothers Cough Drops / comics-form advertising / 0.5 page

The Mystery of Secret X

(Table of Contents: 16)

The Boy Commandos / comic story / 12 pages

Script:	?
Pencils:	Curt Swan
Inks:	Steve Brodie
Colors:	?
Letters:	?

Genre:adventure; crime; war

First Line of Dialogue or Text:You are powerless to stop me, Carter! In my hand, I hold Secret X! With it, I can control a nation!
Keywords:mystery; prison break; robberies

Characters:

The Boy Commandos [Captain Rip Carter; Tex; Andre Chavard; Brooklyn [Dan Turpin]]; Professor Vanners; Killer Arnie Benet; Big Jack Bellaire; prison warden; police chief

Synopsis:: Professor Vanners went to prison taking the mysterious "Secret X" with him. Killer Arnie Benet devises a scheme to break himself and Vanners out of prison, in exchange for being cut in on "Secret X". Once Vanners and Benet are safely hidden away, high stakes robberies begin to mount. Robberies that could only have been pulled-off with confidential information.

Oh! Boy! Lionel Trains!

(Expand) / (Table of Contents: 17)

Lionel Trains / advertisement / 1 page

For Thrills! For Action!

(Expand) / (Table of Contents: 18)

DC Comics; Action Comics; Sensation Comics; Adventure Comics / promo (ad from the publisher) / 1 page

Want a Daisy for Christmas? Try This:

(Expand) / (Table of Contents: 19)

Daisy Air Rifles / Daisy B-B Guns / advertisement / 1 page

The Christmas Gift Every Boy and Girl Wants Most...

(Expand) / (Table of Contents: 20)

Schwinn Bicycles / advertisement / 1 page

Table of Contents ToC

Table of Contents

The Riddler's Puzzle Contest (Table of Contents)

Batman and Robin / cover / 1 page

Indexer Notes

Issue Data

Indexer Notes

"Strike or spare... it's a snap!" (Expand) / (Table of Contents: 1)

Kodak Cameras and Film / advertisement / 1 page

Crime's Puzzle Contest! (Table of Contents: 2)

Batman and Robin / comic story / 12 pages

Indexer Notes

Champion Football Coach of Georgia Tech Bobby Dodd (Expand) / (Table of Contents: 3)

Wheaties / comics-form advertising / 1 page

The Farmer in the Till! (Table of Contents: 4)

Slam Bradley / comic story / 7 pages

Indexer Notes

Fellows! Girls! Get Captain Tootsie's mystifying, baffling "Bag of Magic Tricks" (Expand) / (Table of Contents: 5)

Captain Tootsie; Tootsie [all other candies] / advertisement / 1 page

Boys - It's Free! (Expand) / (Table of Contents: 6)

Chemcraft Chemistry Sets [Porter] / advertisement / 0.5 page

"Champ wants to see you wearing a Gene Autry Sweatshirt... and so do I!" (Expand) / (Table of Contents: 7)

Flagg Shirts / advertisement / 0.5 page

The Robot Bandit! (Table of Contents: 8)

Robotman / comic story / 6 pages

Boys! Look at all the Spectacular Buzz-With-Action Models you can build with Erector (Expand) / (Table of Contents: 9)

Erector / comics-form advertising / 1 page

[Cold Feet, Courtesy of Pete] (Table of Contents: 10)

Jerry the Jitterbug / comic story / 0.5 page

Indexer Notes

Most Exciting Boot You Ever Saw! (Expand) / (Table of Contents: 11)

Hood Rocket Boots / advertisement / 0.5 page

When You Close Your Mind (Table of Contents: 12)

text article / 2 pages

Given Premiums or Cash Commission Given (Expand) / (Table of Contents: 13)

Wilson Chemical Company Cloverine Brand Salve / advertisement / 1 page

Editorial Advisory Board (Expand) / (Table of Contents: 14)

DC Comics / promo (ad from the publisher) / 0.5 page

Saved by Trade and Mark (Expand) / (Table of Contents: 15)

Adventures of Nip & Tuck; Smith Brothers Cough Drops / comics-form advertising / 0.5 page

The Mystery of Secret X (Table of Contents: 16)

The Boy Commandos / comic story / 12 pages

Oh! Boy! Lionel Trains! (Expand) / (Table of Contents: 17)

Lionel Trains / advertisement / 1 page

For Thrills! For Action! (Expand) / (Table of Contents: 18)

DC Comics; Action Comics; Sensation Comics; Adventure Comics / promo (ad from the publisher) / 1 page

Want a Daisy for Christmas? Try This: (Expand) / (Table of Contents: 19)

Daisy Air Rifles / Daisy B-B Guns / advertisement / 1 page

The Christmas Gift Every Boy and Girl Wants Most... (Expand) / (Table of Contents: 20)

Schwinn Bicycles / advertisement / 1 page

The Riddler's Puzzle Contest

(Table of Contents)

"Strike or spare... it's a snap!"

(Expand) / (Table of Contents: 1)

Crime's Puzzle Contest!

(Table of Contents: 2)

Champion Football Coach of Georgia Tech Bobby Dodd

(Expand) / (Table of Contents: 3)

The Farmer in the Till!

(Table of Contents: 4)

Fellows! Girls! Get Captain Tootsie's mystifying, baffling "Bag of Magic Tricks"

(Expand) / (Table of Contents: 5)

Boys - It's Free!

(Expand) / (Table of Contents: 6)

"Champ wants to see you wearing a Gene Autry Sweatshirt... and so do I!"

(Expand) / (Table of Contents: 7)

The Robot Bandit!

(Table of Contents: 8)

Boys! Look at all the Spectacular Buzz-With-Action Models you can build with Erector

(Expand) / (Table of Contents: 9)

[Cold Feet, Courtesy of Pete]

(Table of Contents: 10)

Most Exciting Boot You Ever Saw!

(Expand) / (Table of Contents: 11)

When You Close Your Mind

(Table of Contents: 12)

Given Premiums or Cash Commission Given

(Expand) / (Table of Contents: 13)

Editorial Advisory Board

(Expand) / (Table of Contents: 14)

Saved by Trade and Mark

(Expand) / (Table of Contents: 15)

The Mystery of Secret X

(Table of Contents: 16)

Oh! Boy! Lionel Trains!

(Expand) / (Table of Contents: 17)

For Thrills! For Action!

(Expand) / (Table of Contents: 18)

Want a Daisy for Christmas? Try This:

(Expand) / (Table of Contents: 19)

The Christmas Gift Every Boy and Girl Wants Most...

(Expand) / (Table of Contents: 20)