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Detectives in DC Comics

kevinburtonsmith

 

Remember when there were actual detectives doing actual detective work in Detective Comics?

Known now as the publishing home of Batman, Superman and Wonder Woman, many younger fans may not realize that when comics giant DC’s flagship title Detective Comics first came out in March 1937, it was simply a kid-friendly comic book version of the hard-boiled crime and detective pulps already available on the newsstands; full of two-fisted cops, district attorneys, criminal lawyers and private eyes shooting it out or dukin’ it out with the bad guys… and no superheroes at all. They promised “bang-up adventure yarns in thrilling pictures by your favorite artists!”

Whaddya think “DC” stands for?

That first issue introduced private eye Slam Bradley and “ace investigator” Speed Saunders, among others. In fact, Johnny-come-lately Batman didn’t make his debut until issue #27, and although he hasn’t left us yet, more than a few private eyes have somehow still managed to force their way into the pages of both Detective Comics and other DC titles over the years. They occasionally work alongside the Dark Knight, but are often  heroes in their own, in their own back-up features — or even, occasionally,  as stars of their own comic books.

In the 500th issue of Detective Comics, in 1981, DC published “The ‘Too Many Cooks…’ Caper,” they even brought back several non-costumed detectives to help Batman crack a case, including Bradley, Roy Raymond, Jason Bard, Captain Mark Compass, Steve Malone, Christopher Chance and Pow-Wow Smith…

Of course, Detective Comics is now completely dominated by Batman, with (sadly) less emphasis placed on detective work and more on “crime-fighting”  and periodic “saving the world,” increasingly stretched out over multi-part “events,” confusing crossover storylines and whoever the latest Robin is, who may (or may not) be gay, a criminal, Bruce Wayne’s actual son, or dead.

At least until the next retcon.

Couldn’t Batman just track down a bad guy now and then, and punch him in the nose?

Fortunately, no matter how many twists and turns the on-going Batman saga takes, it never seems to entirely shake its pulp roots. Over the years, various characters have become private eyes, both in and out of official continuity, including Man-Bat, James Gordon and Dick Grayson, the original Boy Wonder.

But best of all? I’m proud to say that I’ve finally tracked down issue Detective Comics #155 from January 1950, which featured…  “Bruce Wayne, Private Detective.”

PRIVATE EYES IN DC COMICS

COLLECTIONS

FURTHER INVESTIGATION

Respectfully compiled by Kevin Burton Smith.

 

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