(Batman: Gordon of Gotham #1-4) - As a member of the Chicago PD Lieutenant James Gordon ran afoul of Sergeant Davidson, who beat a hippie after they got into a car accident. Despite Davidson's warning to Gordon to keep his mouth shut he filed a report. The hippie thanked Gordon, but James said he hated the hippies lack of respect for authority, and he was just doing his job. James got into an argument with his wife Barbara, who blamed him for the fact that they didn't have a child yet. He assured her that he wanted to be a father, but she doubted him. Gordon saved a child's life during a hostage situation at a diner, and the news called him a hero. Davidson and his superior Captain Bernie Ford wanted Gordon gone, but knew that demoting him would invite unwanted questions. Gordon was taking night classes on jurisprudence, interested in all aspects of the law, and he was uncomfortable with the fact that he was now a minor celebrity. Most people thought he was brave, but some people blamed him for shooting a suspect during the hostage situation. Gordon continued to pressure IA to look into Davidson, and the officer ambushed him, intending to kill Gordon with his own gun. James fought back, and was rescued by Cuchulain , a government agent looking into corruption in Chicago. Ford set Davidson up with an alibi for the night, they framed stoolie Wilbert for murder, and Davidson shot him, portraying himself as a hero. He planted Gordon's gun on Wilbert, and got IA to investigate Gordon. Gordon broke, deciding the system he loved was broken, and broke into Davidson's apartment to find dirt on him. He found a $50K deposit to the island nation of Santa Prisca which raised his suspicions. Davidson spotted him, and called the police, who surrounded his apartment. Cuchulain rescued Gordon, and wanted to know what he'd dug up on Davidson. Barbara was gone, staying with her sister, and when Gordon went to visit her she said she wasn't sure if she was coming back. James did more investigating and learned that Davidson was fixing the city council election for Harcourt Greene. Gordon confronted Davidson and he cracked, saying he'd confess against Greene in exchange for leniency. While Gordon talked to Davidson a shot rang out and Davidson died. Cuchulain was responsible, he'd gone over to Greene's side for a payday, and reminded that Gordon owed him, and there was no way he could physically take him in. Gordon felt like a coward, but realized he was powerless, and his spirits lifted when Barbara returned home. Gordon's superior said he was tainted after his IA review, and there was suspicion that he was behind the break-in at Davidson's. He advised Gordon to start fresh in Gotham City, and Gordon accepted.

(Detective Comics I #192) - The Phantom Eye interrupted television programming to present a live crime, bemoaning the fact that neither the Gotham police nor Batman were there to stop it. Commissioner Gordon and batman located the crime scene, but couldn't figure out how the Phantom Eye knew to film. The Eye interrupted several more broadcasts to present scenes of crime on the streets of Gotham. during one filming an imposter Batman arrived and was unmasked as big game hunter Byron King. Gordon and the police spoke to Byron, and gave him protection, fearing the underworld would make him and his son a target. The real Batman wasn't able to get close to them, and when the police saw him they thought he was an imposter come to kill King. Batman and Robin made several public appearances to prove the real deal, but each time the Phantom eye undermined them with footage of King acting as Batman. King moved his treasures from his mansion, saying he was relocating to hide his identity and protect his son. Batman realized he wasn't the real king when he referenced bagging a one-horned rhino in Africa, which Batman knew was native to India. The Dynamic duo stowed away on his boat, and "King" was revealed as the Phantom Eye, who'd cooked up the whole scheme to steal King's fortune and occupy Batman with proving his identity. Batman and Robin captured him, and freed the real King and his son, who were tied up in their basement.

(Batman I #81) - The criminal Mr. Camera had undeveloped photos of Batman and Robin changing from their secret identities, and Gordon handed the duo a note from Camera, who was in prison, threatening them. He'd told a trusted prisoner the location of the film, and bragged that when his friend was released in a month he'd expose their identities. The Dynamic Duo had to get ahead of the story, so Dick revealed his identity to his classmates, changing into costume, and performing acrobatic tricks. The media hounded Bruce, who said Dick was only trying to impress a classmate he had a crush on, and said he'd prove he was not Batman. Alfred was supposed to dress up as Batman and meet Bruce for a press conference, but he broke his leg after falling in the snow, so Bruce appeared to the press and directed their attention to Batman and the Batplane on a roof, and had a civil conversation with the hero before he flew off. He'd pulled off the hoax by having Robin remote-control the Batplane while he used ventriloquism to "speak" to a snowman dressed up as Batman, and incinerating it with a thermal bomb before the Batplane took off. It turned out his scheme was for nothing because Mr. Camera's photos were badly underexposed.

(Detective Comics I #216) - Commissioner Gordon congratulated Batman, Robin, and Vicki Vale on tracking down mob makeup artist Martin Vair.

(Detective Comics I #218) - Batman and Robin got a call when Dr. Richard Marsten was assaulted by evil ex-scientist Wilton Widers. Marsten had determined that human aging was due to various gases in the body, and had isolated both a youth gas and an age gas, and Winders had stolen his canisters for a criminal enterprise. The Dynamic Dupo burst in on Winders, who turned the gas on them. Robin aged 10 years, and Batman became a boy, forgetting the detective skills he'd learned in the past decade. Winders sold youth gas treatments to the wealthy without telling them about the memory loss, and Commissioner Gordon broadcast a warning about his scam. Robin, controlling Batman's youthful recklessness, much as his mentor had once done for him, found Winders on the set of a Roman epic, trying to sell his gas to star Vincent Verne. He aged charioteers in a racing scene, causing them to lose control of their horses, and slipped away in the confusion. Batman and Robin pursued him to a train station, where Winders had aged himself to evade detection, but the heroes recognized him by his ears, which never changed during a person's life. they arrested him, and used some of the last of the gas to return to their normal ages.

(Batman I #96) - King Eric of Norania visited Gotham City along with Chancellor Zarits and Count Viras to make a speech in hopes of securing a badly needed loan for his country. Commissioner Gordon assigned Batman to protect him, and Batman foiled an attempt by hardened crook Mayne Malan and his gang to steal the Norania crown jewels. Batman suggested he and King Eric switch places during the public reception to keep the jewels safe and Eric was exhilerated at the thought of getting to be Batman for a day. After the reception Eric asked Batman if they could keep up the charade until his speech because he was having the time of his life. Batman discovered that the crown jewels were fakes, but after questioning Zarits and Viras he was convinced they were innocent and puzzled over when they could have been substituted for the genuine articles. Commissioner Gordon informed “Batman” and Robin that Mayne had been spotted at a helicopter factory, and “Batman” was eager to go after him even though Robin tried to dissuade him. The crooks made off with a helicopter when they trapped “Batman” in a wind tunnel, forcing Robin to save him. Eric, still too excited to return to his role as king, allowed Batman to give a speech at the Television City studio as him asking for a loan from America. Mayne and his men had snuck the helicopter into Television City’s prop lot and tried to get the jewels, but were foiled by Batman and Robin, who kept the king from being harmed. King Eric finally agreed to stop posing as Batman, and thanked the Caped Crusader for a wonderful speech that secured his country’s loan. As Batman suspected King Eric was the one who switched out the crown jewels for fakes, intending on using them for security in case his request for a loan was denied.

(Batman I #111) - The Gotham City Hall of Fame dedicated a bust to Batman, and Vicki Vale covered the story, taking photographs. The ceremony was interrupted by Blair Graeme, who told the crowd that he was after Batman and wanted Vicki to pass on the message. Vicki told Batman and Robin about Graeme and the seemed to be panicked, returning to the Batcave and showing up again wearing k night’s armor saying they needed it for protection against a most dangerous foe. They saved a construction worker form falling off the Barton Building construction site and apprehended fugitive John Marrow, who’d let lions loose at the Gotham Zoo. Their armor encumbered them, but they still found a way to save the day. Vicki dug into who Graeme was, and wondered if he was involved in a recent case where Batman and Robin responded to a robbery of the Gotham Scientific Foundation. Vicki got suspicious when she told Batman she was hot on Graeme’s trail and he insisted that neither she nor the GCPD could catch him and shouldn’t bother trying. Vicki said she knew Batman never believed she had a talent for detective work, but she was determined to crack the case. Batman and Robin found the thieves who robbed the Scientific Foundation hiding in a waterfront warehouse. When confronted the thieves opened the lead vault they were keeping the radioactive atomic fuel they’d stolen, hoping to kill the Dynamic Duo with radiation poisoning. The heroes stripped off their armor to reveal radiation-proof suits underneath and mopped up the crooks. Afterwards Vicki Vale met with Batman, Robin and Commissioner Gordon. Gordon admitted he’d kept details of the Scientific Foundation robbery from the public so as to not cause a panic about radioactive fuel being loose in the city. As Vicki suspected Blair Graeme wasn’t a real crook, he was just Batman in disguise. Batman concocted the ruse as an excuse to wear armor so the atomic thieves wouldn’t suspect he was wearing a radiation-proof suit. He congratulated Vicki on her detective work and said he wouldn’t ever doubt her detective abilities again.

(Detective Comics I #253) - Commissioner Gordon, Batman and Robin responded when an earthquake shook the Gotham bank, and the culprits were the Terrible Trio, who used a boring machine to tunnel underneath the bank. The Dynamic Duo pursued them into their getaway tunnel, but they set off a bomb, causing a cave-in that blocked the heroes' path. Vulture of the Trio next robbed the Freedom Plane containing historical treasures, and parachuted to safety. Batman and Robin saw Vulture ready to hop into the tunneling machine, and destroyed the storefront of a bottling plant, making the sound of gunfire, and scaring the Trio away. Using the Batmobile's sonic range tracker they followed the machine to the Trio's lighthouse headquarters. The S.S. Cairo was scheduled to pass by the lighthouse on its way to delivering treasures from Cairo, and Batman deduced that was the next place the Trio would strike, and asked for Gordon's help setting up a trap. Trio member Shark used his pilot fish ship to latch onto the Cairo, opening a hole in it for the Trio to enter and steal the goods within. They brought their treasure back to their hideout, but Batman and Robin had disguised themselves as mummies, and after ripping off their wrappings they made short work of the Trio.

(Batman I #125) - Commissioner Gordon alerted the Dynamic Duo that international jewel thief el Bolo was in Gotham.

(Detective Comics I #294) - Batman and Robin dropped by Professor Higgins to see his latest invention when they heard a commotion, and saw his lab assistant John Dolan run from the house. Higgins told the heroes that he'd invented a element-convertor, but after Dolan was accidentally exposed to it he gained the power to transform into any element. The change had turned him criminally insane, and when Higgins tried to cure him he struck him and fled. Dolan, now calling himself Elemental Man, assembled a gang, and robbed a beauty contest at a luxury pool. Batman tried to apprehend him, but Elemental Man turned to lead and easily overpowered him. Higgins invented a machine to draw off Elemental Man's power, and lured him to the science museum with an planted story about a radium exhibit. The machine conked out, failing to drain off his power, but turning Batman into an elemental man. Batman and Commissioner Gordon came up with a scheme to get close to Elemental Man; after Gordon arrested Batman, saying he feared him going criminally insane, he escaped, and convinced Elemental Man he'd make a great partner in crime. Batman lead him to a jewelry store, and while they were both lead grasped his hand. Higgins was waiting with his rebuilt machine that used the circuit formed to cure both elemental Man and Batman. Dolan, no longer criminally insane, helped Batman round up his gang.

(Batman I #156) - Commissioner Gordon called Batman, who'd retired because a simulated space flight was causing him hallucinations, to tell him Robin had been abducted by the Gorilla Gang. Batman overcame his hallucinations to save his partner.

(Batman I #165) - Commissioner Gordon had Batman speak to the police academy graduating class, and introduced him to Pat Powell, the first officer to graduate having top scores in academics, physical, firearms, and overall. Pat was excited to carry on in the footsteps of her father, Lt. "Bulldog" Powell, but confessed to Batman that she was often distracted by thoughts of her crush Bruce Wayne. She said she first met him in college when she was on a sorority scavenger hunt, and later at a aqualung and masquerade party. Batman mused to himself that he didn't recognize her because she was always masked, and now he was the one in disguise. Batman wanted to go with Pat on her first case, and Gordon sent them to rescue the kidnapped professor Smedley.

(Batman I #166) - The charity ball where Bruce was supposed to be introduced to Pat Powell was broken up by a masked man and his gang, who were dressed as caterers. They had explosives placed around Wayne Manor, and after the crooks made off with the guests goods the explosives deactivated. Bruce Wayne talked to his caterer, who said Wayne had cancelled the catering job days earlier. Bruce asked him if he remembered any details of the phone call, and he heard a train whistle and a clock strike three when it was fout o'clock. Batman called Gordon with the clues, and he found that the suburbs of Plainview had a train crossing and a clocktower on Eastern Standard Time. Batman brought the crooks to justice with the help of Pat Powell.

(Batman I #167) - Batman met with an Interpol informant at Gotham's airport, but he was shot after debarking. With his dying breathe he told Batman about a madman named Karabi, who planned to set two Asian countries against each other, starting a new world war. The CIA were informed, and met with Batman and Commissioner Gordon. They knew Karabi might change his headquarters if he knew Interpol was on to him, so Gordon called a press conference announcing that Batman and Robin blamed the crime cartel Hydra for the agents death, and vowed to travel the world to clean them up. Hydra made a good smokescreen while Batman went after Karabi because their recent activities were a good target for the Caped Crusader.

(Batman I #168) - Circus strongman Mr. Mammoth was supposed to perform for a PAL charity event, but told his manager he couldn't perform, and wouldn't explain why. Commissioner Gordon told him Batman was planning on being at the event, and Mammoth said Batman might be able to help him with his problem. Mammoth told Batman he had fits of uncontrollable rage that had begun once he entered Gotham City, but he couldn't figure out his trigger. Batman and Robin investigated every place Mammoth had been since arriving in town, and realized the common denominator was radios playing the station WGC. Batman returned to Mammoth to share the information, but the radio in the strongman's room threw him into another fit. Batman battled him until he calmed down, and had WGC change the musical key of their call letters so Mammoth wouldn't be triggered. Batman attended Mammoth's charity event, telling him he could seek medical help after performing for the children.

(Batman I #168) - Batman, Commissioner Gordon, and the rest of the Mystery analysts Club met at their estate. A tape recording awaited them, and a distorted voice claiming to be one of the members said that he'd only joined the club to commit the perfect crime, and dared them to solve the theft of the famous Kashpur Diamond. Batman hung back from the investigation, busting up a gold smuggling ring with Robin. At the next meeting Batman compared the club's verbal reports with their written ones, knowing the criminal would be practicing his script. The only speech to completely match the written report was the one given by Prof. Ralph Vern, so Batman, needing proof of the crime, investigated his background and found he'd spent time in Tibet, the country of origin of the diamond. Batman and Robin went to Tibet, locating the temple where the Kashpur was originally kept, and found that a lens light bounced off the diamond would hypnotize anyone present. Back in Gotham Batman showed the trick on the supposed imitation diamond that the criminal switched for the real one, and the Club were put in a trance. Batman figured out that Vern hadn't actually stolen the diamond until the Club's investigation began.

(Batman I #169) - Gordon rang up Batman when Penguin's weaponized umbrellas were causing chaos in town, but Penguin's scheme was not evident.

(Batman I #170) - Gordon congratulated Batman and Robin on capturing the Getaway Genius' gang, and they explained that they knew the crooks had fool-proof getaways, and never tried to eliminate the Dynamic Duo, so they'd made themselves irresistible targets.

(Batman I #172) - The curator of the Gotham City Museum came to Commissioner Gordon with an unusual case. The museum was displaying 800 year old suits of armor, and 800 year old black opals. Legend had it the knights were sworn to destroy the opals for the Duke of Durnham, but died when the castle the jewels were in collapsed. The night guard noticed the suits being moved overnight, and claimed that one of the suits of armor moved towards him and knocked him out. Gordon called Batman on the hotline, and Batman reasoned that there had to be a scientific explanation. Batman and Robin arrived at the museum after-hours, and the suits attacked them. Batman saw there was noone inside the suits, and the Duo were soon knocked out. When they recovered the opals appeared to have been smashed. Batman concluded that magnets made the suits move, and used a magnetometer to find the source. The guard Jenkins and his brother were behind the scheme, stealing the opals and leaving behind shattered copies, hoping Batman would think the legendary knights had finished their mission. Batman apprehended them, and the opals were restored to the museum.

(Batman I #173) - Commissioner Gordon got a tip about Mr. Incognito's location, and led Batman, Robin and the GCPD on a raid. They captured Incognito's underlings, but the criminal mastermind slipped away into Gotham's sewers.

(Batman I #174) - Gordon and the Mystery Analysts of Gotham City had their meeting interrupted by a porter, who switched on a chandelier, hypnotizing them. He gave directions to the Mystery Analysts to return to their homes, but Batman was unaffected because he'd forgotten to take out his contact lenses he'd just used in a case to see a chemical trail. He knocked out the porter, and sent him to jail, telling the police to meet the club members at their homes, fearing they were walking into a trap. Batman followed club members Saddows and Martin to their houseboat, and saw two criminals leaving the area. He defeated the crooks, and saved his club pals just before a bomb went off in the houseboat. The police found and disarmed bombs waiting for the other club members, and the porter turned out to be criminal Al Cutshaw, who had a grudge against the club members for putting him in jail.

(Batman I #175) - Gordon congratulated Batman and Robin on capturing the Lightfoot Gang, but it turned out that 3-D ghost images of the Dynamic Duo were responsible. Eddie Repp created the ghost-images to outperform the Dynamic Duo, but he was later apprehended by them.

(Batman I #177) - Batman handed over the owner of the Lathrop Gallery to commissioner Gordon. Lathrop had stolen paintings from an undiscovered genius, passing them off as the work of one of his goons to get a Alfred Foundation grant.

(Batman I #178) - Batman and Robin investigated a series of bombings, and tracked the bombers back to loan shark "Shark" Sharkey. They defeated Sharkey and his gang, and told Commissioner Gordon that he's been destroying the homes and businesses of people who owed him money, but they couldn't find his ill-gotten gains. They went to an apartment he rented where grifters Weeper and Rosy had opened his safe, but found it empty. They didn't know the safe belonged to their loan shark, but they owed him $4,000 and were scared for their lives. The safe happened to be in a building across from their apartment, so they saw robbery as their only recourse. The empty safe, and the unlocked apartment clued Batman in that Sharkey's lieutenant Louie had cleaned it out and was still in the room. They apprehended him, and took the grifters to jail as well, and they said they'd learned their lesson that crime didn't pay.

(Batman I #179) - Riddler escaped from prison by carving a skeleton key, and resolved to stop leaving riddles so he'd stop getting caught. He tried to commit a jewel heist, but couldn't bring himself to finish because he hadn't tipped his hat to Batman with a trademark riddle. Riddler couldn't bear a life without crime, so he began studying psychoanalysis, so he could condition himself out of his riddling compulsions. Days later he robbed the Yab Soda Company's antique coins, and was thrilled that he'd overcome his weakness. Gordon reported the crime to Batman and Robin, but were baffled by the change in Riddler's MO. Batman deduced that he had sent riddles, but very surreptitious ones. In the past few days Batman had received a 9 inch blank letter, a honeysuckle plant, and seen the state of Minnesota painted in a bank. Minnesota was "the state where you could always get a soda," a nine inch letter was "Y" because it was one forth of the word yard, and the honeysuckle was like the letter A because it was always followed by a "bee." The clues spelled out Yab and pointed to the soda company, so Batman had Gordon report any hidden clues to him over the next few days. Three strange advertising stunts were clues that led Batman and Robin to the Corsican Glove Factory, where they caught Riddler red-handed. Riddler realized that he hadn't cured himself, when he slept he went sleepwalking setting up clues for the Dynamic Duo. He admitted he couldn't overcome his compulsion, but told the heroes he'd merely devise more clever riddles they couldn't crack.

(Batman I #181) - Gordon and Batman attended a Mystery Analysts meeting, and member Kaye Daye was supposed to receive a Sherlock award that night for her book The Stars Do Kill. Her broach had been rigged with a broadcast device, and the speaker announced that she would die at the award ceremony. The Mystery club accompanied her to the awards while Batman did his own investigation. He reasoned that Kaye was an imposter, because her killer could not have known she'd wear a broach to the Mystery meeting. He went to Kaye's apartment, and found she'd been kidnapped, but managed to scratch the number 117 into the floor with her heel. He found her trussed up in nearby penthouse 117, and freed her after defeating her captors. The imposter was her cousin Fern Hunter, who wanted the inheritance their grandfather left her. She planned on announcing that she'd plagiarized her book to ruin Kaye's reputation before killing her cousin, but the Mystery analysts made sure her perfect crime was foiled.

(Batman I #184) - Batman and Robin didn't answer the Bat-signal from Gordon or their hotline for 13 days, causing a panic. The Dynamic Duo finally responded, and said they didn't know where their missing time had gone. Using a hypnotism disc Batman recalled his memories of rescuing Slippery Sam Lorenzo, head of Robbery Inc. after he was tossed out a window. He'd made a few screw-ups, and his second Lefty Wright tried to put him down. He helped Batman and Robin foil Lefty's robbery that night, and asked for their protection in exchange for turning over evidence against Robbery Inc. They stashed him in a cave he'd once used as a hideout, and turned off the hotline. Batman used his mastery of disguise to pose as criminal Cueball Carson and draw Lefty and his gang to the cave. The Dynamic Duo took them out, but Slippery Sam had no intention of going to jail, and wired the Batmobile with an electrical current that knocked the heroes out and took away their recent memories. Now that everything had come back to him Batman investigated the cave, and found that Sam had tried to flee in a rented car Batman was using as Cueball Carson, but Lefty had rigged it to blow, killing his former partner.

(Batman I #186) - Fred Purley was a robber put away for decades when he was nabbed by a young James Gordon. when he was paroled he kidnapped Gordon, and, imitating his voice, called Batman, luring him to a hotel room. Batman opened the door, and a bomb went off, but he shielded himself with the door, saving his life. Purley wanted to successfully rob the Foxcroft Jewelry Salon, the very job that sent him to jail, so his victory over Gordon would be complete. Robin tried to stop him, but Purley's thugs knocked him cold. Robin saw a commuter pass to Flame Island in one of the thug's pockets, so the Dynamic Duo looked for their hideout there. They saw a makeshift bat-signal that led them to the crooks, and they rounded them up. Gordon revealed that he hadn't intentionally made the signal, he'd absent-mindedly scratched the Batman logo in a window, and it became a signal when Purley set a kerosene lamp behind the window.

(Batman I #188) - Alfred answered the batphone, and Commissioner Gordon needed Batman to investigate the Eraser, a criminal who removed crime scene evidence for other crooks.

(Batman I #188) - Commissioner Gordon called Batman and Robin when Matt Whitson, publisher of Squire Magazine, brought Gordon his concerns that three people on Squire's ten best-dressed list had died under suspicious circumstances. Bruce Wayne, who was also on the list, found his brakes cut earlier that day, and it was only his athleticism that saved him when his car went over a cliff. The Dynamic Duo figured the killer thought Bruce dead, and would target the next man on the list, Hempden Dennis, real estate tycoon. Dennis refused Batman's protection, arousing his suspicion, so the Dynamic duo followed him to a squalid neighborhood, where they uncovered a numbers racket he was running, and brought him to Gordon. They investigated Dennis' house, and found the killer in wait. They captured him, and he turned out to be Whitson. The Duo did some research and told Gordon that Whitson was a prisoner during the last war, and gave away state secrets. Author Deems Davis was trying to blackmail him, so Whitson killed him. Charles Lowry died soon after in an accident, and since they were both on the best-dressed list Whitson planned to kill everyone on the list, misleading the police into looking for a psychopath.

(Batman I #191) - Ira Radon, expert on radiation and crime, doused Batman and his gear with radiation. Radon informed Batman that his body was now radioactive, and unless he auctioned off all his crimefighting career and quit, Radon would boost the radiation in his system and kill him. Batman called a press conference announcing his retirement and the auction, refusing to reveal why he was quitting. He feared dying, so he even kept Gordon, Alfred and Robin in the dark lest they confront Radon and meet a similar fate. The Wayne Foundation bought up the majority of his wares, citing an interest in opening up a museum, but Batman pointed to an imaginary person in the crowd to sell the batarang. Radon read the news reports, and was pleased, but obsessed with learning why. He went to the house of Andrew Kunkel, really an assumed identity of Batman, and the hero got the drop on him, wearing a clay suit to fix the radiation Radon beamed at him. Radon fumbled his radiation emitter, killing himself, and with his threat gone Batman recovered the items he sold, removed the radiation from them and himself, and announced his comeback.

(Batman I #194) - Blockbuster, who’d become peaceful after he and Solomon Grundy knocked the hate out of each other, had a relapse when he spotted Batman merchandise at a local department store. Commissioner Gordon called up Batman, warning him Blockbuster was on the hunt for him. Blockbuster kept reliving his childhood experience of falling into quicksand near his island home and being rescued by Bruce Wayne, so when he fell into the quicksand once again Batman arrived to save him. Blockbuster was now convinced that not only was Bruce Wayne his friend, Batman was as well.

(Batman I #194) - Martin Tellman called a meeting of the Mystery Analysts of Gotham City. For years Tellman had collected cheap copies of famous works of art, but distinguished art expert Haverford Mimmsshocked him by telling him every painting he had was authentic and his collection was worth millions of dollars. The Analysts threw out different theories, that his wife had surprised him with the real deal, that clerical errors had resulted in him having bought originals instead of copies or that someone smuggled in the paintings and was using his home as a hideout. Batman told his fellow analysts none of their theories could be correct, and Tellman agreed, saying he’d already pursued those ideas on his own. Batman asked to interview Reginald Stonefellow and his son Ronald, who’d been bridge partners with Tellman for years. Reginald was an art collector and expert, and should have realized the true value of the paintings. Crooks tried to break into Tellman’s house to steal the collection, but Batman foiled them, puzzled as to how thye could have known Tellman’s collection was actually worth a fortune. Reginald revealed that Tellman had saved his son’s life years ago, but refused any reward, so over the years he bought originals of the paintings in Tellman’s collection and switched them out for the copies. He’d sold the copies to John Burelson of the Gotham Art Curio Shop, the same place Tellman had purchased the copies. Batman deduced that Burelson was behind the robbery, so he and two other analysts disguised themselves as the burglars and arranged a meeting with Burelson in Foundation Park to prove his guilt. Burelson realized the men he was meeting with weren’t the crooks he hired and pulled a gun, but Batman set off the park’s sprinkler system, distracting him long enough for the Caped Crusader to disarm him. Tellman ended up donating his art collection to the gotham Museum of Art, which named an entire wing after him to house the collection.

(Detective Comics I #474) - Silver St. Cloud showed off her convention hall business to Bruce, and was surprised to see Commissioner Gordon there. Gordon informed them that he was canvassing the area because Deadshot had escaped from prison, and the area was his last known hideout. Bruce’s familiarity with Gordon made Silver even more suspicious that Bruce was secretly Batman.

(Detective Comics I #475, 476) - Joker poisoned Gotham’s rivers with a chemical that gave the fish white faces and a rictus grin like his. He visited the Gotham copyright office and demanded full rights to his joker-fish, but G. Carl Francis told him natural resources couldn’t be copyrighted, infuriating Joker. Joker threatened to kill him at midnight, and Francis contacted the GCPD. Commissioner Gordon, not caring if the city council reprimanded him, hit the bat-signal. Batman and Gordon searched Francis’ house for any poison the Joker could have hidden. At midnight chemicals came up through the heating vents, and Francis died with a rictus grin. Batman realized the gas was part of a chemical compound, and Francis was the only one affected because Joker had exposed him to the other part of the compound when he’d visited his office. Joker made a TV broadcast, saying that if he wasn’t given legal rights over his joker-fish another bureaucrat would die. Joker made another broadcast targeting Thomas Jackson of the copyright office for death. Commissioner Gordon and Chief O’Hara kept watch over Jackson at his estate, and Batman came up with the plan to confuse the Joker by disguising himself as Jackson and having Jackson dress up as him. Gordon told O’Hara he was frustrated that Joker was staying one step ahead of them, but O’Hara tried to reassure him that he’d always gotten Joker in the end, and said it was a pity Joker couldn’t face the death penalty because he was criminally insane. Jackson’s cat Ernest came in through the cat-door with a half-eaten Joker fish and displayed a Joker grin. The cat scratched Jackson, recognizing him through his disguise, and Jackson fell to the floor, dead and with a grin on his face. Batman searched the grounds and spotted Hugo Strange’s ghost, who vanished before his eyes. Batman convinced himself he was seeing things, and saw there were no footprints where Strange was and he spotted a vapor analysis meter, which he took with him because he had a gut feeling someone was trying to help him. Batman and the GCPD were guarding another copyright office member that Joker had targeted for death, and the analysis meter picked up something on one of the officers. The “officer” was actually the joker in disguise, and Hugo’s meter picked up a chemical he’d sprayed joker with before the auction for Batman’s identity. Joker’s police badge squirted acid, and he tried unsuccessfully to burn Batman. He fled down a fire escape and they fought across Gotham’s rooftops in a downpour. They made their way to a construction site, where Joker was struck by lightning and plunged into Gotham’s river. Batman searched the river, but found no sign of Joker’s body. Commissioner Gordon informed Batman that the state patrol picked Boss Thorne up after he suffered a nervous breakdown, and he’d confessed to every crime he’d ever committed, and admitted he’d been the one responsible for turning the city council against Batman. Gordon was pleased that he’d be able to work with Batman again with no restrictions.

(Batman I #306) - Batman caught some smugglers at the Gotham marina and called in Gordon and the GCPD when he realized they were handling millions in heroin. Batman and Gordon were sure they’d found the source of the Gotham drug pipeline and could trace the shipment to Hannibal Hardwicke’s pleasure cruiser Golden Girl I. Batman boarded the cruiser, telling Hardwicke he was finished but was surprised to see Black spider, who told Batman reports of his death were exaggerated. Black Spider blasted his automatic rifle at Hardwicke, wanting to see him dead for spreading drugs in Gotham, but Batman cut the lights. Black Spider was furious Batman once again refused to let him fulfill his mission of vengeance and blindly fired his rifle until the lights came back on and he realized Batman and Hardwicke were both gone. Batman brought Hardwicke to GCPD headquarters, asking Gordon to put him in protective custody. Gordon said the Mayor and D.A. Gelman forbade him, because they were afraid that if Hardwicke staid the Black spider wouldn’t think twice about attacking the entire Gotham police force. Batman brought Hardwicke to Bruce Wayne’s penthouse, saying Wayne occasionally helped him on cases, and told Alfred Pennyworth to make him feel at home. Black Spider used magnets on his hands and feet to scale the penthouse, and when batman attacked him he managed to throw the Caped Crusader off the penthouse. Batman was injured, but caught up with him. Black Spider fought savagely, seething that he’d kill the man who used him and tried to kill him with a bomb. Their fight led inside the penthouse, where Black spider inhaled sleeping gas pumped in from the air conditioners and collapsed. Batman told Alfred and Hardwicke they could remove their nose-filters. Alfred told Batman Hardwicke had admitted he was Black Spider’s benefactor who used his hatred to eliminate rival drug dealers. Batman believed Spider knew who his benefactor was all along but chose to ignore it because hate made him blind.

(Batman I #307) - Bruce checked in with Alfred about the crime scene in Gotham, and was intrigued by the murder of Ballerina, a homeless woman found killed with two gold coins placed over her eyes. Batman slipped into Gordon’s office in time to hear him talking to Quentin Conroy, an irate collector who claimed to be the owner of the gold coins, which had been stolen from his collection and demanded them back. Batman talked to the homeless community and learned that Limehouse Jack was murdering the homeless by giving beggars gold coins coated in fast-acting poison. Jack turned out to be Quentin, who suffered from a split personality, believing himself to be his father Jack Conroy, who murdered the homeless to save them from what he saw as a life of loneliness and despair.

(Batman I #308) - Gordon lit the bat-signal when the GCPD discovered the frozen body of businessman Jacob Riker. Batman realized Riker’s death was clearly the work of Mr. Freeze, but wasn’t sure what he stood to gain from such a grisly murder, but promised Gordon he’d bring him to justice.

(Batman I #309) - Batman visited Commissioner Gordon on Christmas Eve to give him a present of pipe tobacco. Sgt. Lansky called them over, saying he had a potential suicide on the line. Batman talked to the woman, Kathy Crawford, who’d been suffering from severe depression over her perceived failures and finally snapped after muggers took the last five dollars she had. She’d overdosed on sleeping pills, but Batman kept her on the phone long enough for the police to get a trace on her number. Gordon sent out a squadcar and Batman rushed to her residence. He found her apartment door ripped off its’ hinges and a few blocks away he spotted her in the arms of Blockbuster. Blockbuster witnessed her suicide attempt, and wanted to save her, but refused to go into any of the hospitals he’d passed because of a traumatic experiment he’d recently undergone at S.T.A.R. Labs. The experiment also left him mute, and he tried to gesture to Batman that Kathy needed help, but when Batman suggested the hospital Blockbuster attacked him and fled into the night with Kathy. Kathy woke up briefly and was at first terrified of Blockbuster because of his hulking appearance but she saw the tenderness in his eyes, and even though she was in a daze she knew he wanted to help her. He saw a man dressed as Santa Claws collecting money for charity and brought Kathy to him, but his suggestion of a hospital made Blockbuster flee again. Batman cornered him near the Gotham River and Blockbuster jumped onto the frozen water. He clashed with Batman again and their fight caused the ice to crack. Kathy was carried off on an ice floe but blockbuster leapt to her aid, and seeing no other choice to save her he threw her to Batman. The ice floe gave way under Blockbuster’s weight and he sank to the bottom of the Gotham River. Commissioner Gordon arrived with an ambulance and Kathy’s life was saved. She told Batman she was amazed at how much a complete stranger cared about her well-being. Batman said she could honor blockbuster’s memory by trying to see the good in herself that blockbuster did and enjoy her life.

(Batman I #311) - The rebuilt Gotham Nuclear Plant went critical for ten minutes, and Batman investigated, finding glowing footprints. He realized Dr. Phosphorus was still alive and a threat to Gotham. Batman told Commissioner Gordon what he’d discovered and met with Peter Curtis, the head of a group of anti-nuclear protesters set to hold a rally the next day. Dr. Phosphorus was skulking nearby and furious that anyone would try to close his plant. Batman went to Arkham to speak to Boss Thorne and see if he had any information about Dr. Phosphorus’ whereabouts. Batman’s presence triggered a psychotic episode in Thorne, who’d just been visited by Phosphorus, who burned through his cell wall to tell him his upcoming plan. Phosphorus outran Batman promising he’d burn Gotham like phosphorus burned when exposed to air and promised to reign over the city. Batman and Gordon attended the anti-nuclear rally where Congresswoman Barbara Gordon was a speaker, railing against the dangers of nuclear power. Gordon glowed at how proud he was of his daughter, and Barbara spoke privately to Batman about the Dr. Phosphorus case. Batman realized that when Phosphorus said he was going to reign over Gotham he meant he was going to poison rainclouds to produce phosphorus rain. Barbara missed working alongside Batman, and as Batgirl she joined him in a visit to the Gotham airport. Phosphorus was about to take off in a plane, but Batman foiled him by ramming it with the Batmobile. The impact knocked Batman unconscious and Batgirl was forced to engage Phosphorus in hand-to-hand combat. She couldn’t hurt him, but remembered Batman was wearing a special radiation-proof suit for the occasion, and grabbed his cape, wrapping Phosphorus in it and smothering his fire. Phosphorus ranted that he would have rained death on all of Gotham and she told him to knock off the melodrama. Batman was proud of how Batgirl handled the situation, and she said Gotham’s villains couldn’t compare to the danger of politics.

(Batman I #312) - Calendar Man planned a crime spree based on the days of the week and their etymology. On Monday he wore a moon helmet that projected magnetic waves and robbed the Gotham Planetarium of stamps hand-canceled by astronauts during a lunar visit. On Tuesday he dressed as the Norse god Tyr and robbed Gotham’s Museum of Military Antiques with an electrified sword. On Wednesday he dressed as Wotan and robbed the Metropolitan Museum. He rode off in an eight-wheeled cycle based on Wotan’s steed Sleipnir, but Batman finally caught up with him. Calendar Man separated the cycle from the chassis when Batman jumped aboard, and Batman leapt from it just in time to save his own life. On Thursday Calendar Man robbed the Van Dyke Art Gallery dressed as Thor, stealing a painting titled Storm King. Batman confronted his and dodged a blow from his hammer. Calendar Man’s helmet produced ultrasonic thunder that damaged Batman’s inner ear and the villain fled. Gordon saw how badly Batman was injured and urged him to let the GCPD handle Calendar Man, saying they’d get him on Sunday because the target was obvious, the golden obelisk of the sun god Ra. Back at home Bruce was examined by Dr. Dundee, who told him he needed bedrest or he would risk his inner ear damage becoming permanent. Alfred assured him he’d make sure Bruce got the rest he needed, and in kept a close eye on him, making sure he left the Calendar Man to the police. On Friday Calendar Man robbed a society wedding as Frigga, goddess of love. On Saturday he dressed as Saturn, god of agriculture and robbed an ecology benefit rally. Bruce’s business partner Lucius Fox met with him, insisting he’d handle the Dennison Merger by himself, telling Bruce he was taking the Western Sun Express to Central City. Bruce weakly objected, but Lucius reminded him he hired him so he wouldn’t have to think about business. Something clicked in Bruce’s head, and he snuck out of his apartment. As Batman he caught Calendar Man boarding the Western Sun Express. He knew the villain would be a fool to go after the sun obelisk, the obvious target, and would use Sunday as a day of rest. Calendar Man tried to flee across the traintracks, but Batman threw a batarang at a switching signal, which swung in Calendar Man’s face, knocking him cold.

(Batman I #313) - Commissioner Gordon lit the bat-signal after discovering the body of Two-Face’s henchman Specs. Specs had helped Two-Face steal the latest binary codes for the U.S. missile defense system, but was overwhelmed by guilt for betraying his country. He’d hidden the codes in a manila envelope and called the GCPD to confess, but Two-Face executed him before he could reveal where the codes were. Batman found Two-Face’s headquarters, and he was joined by King Faraday, who’d been put on the Two-Face case by the U.S. government. Two-Face activated a steel door that divided his hideout in half and escaped. King Faraday didn’t want him getting in his way, but Batman said he had a duty to Two-Face, he’d promised himself to honor the memory of crusading attorney Harvey Dent by never allowing him to hurt anyone else ever again. Batman worked out that Specs had hidden the codes inside a giant piggybank used as a prop for the Gotham Children’s Telethon. Two-Face and his gang posed as security guards loading up the telethon donations from the piggybank into an armored truck and raced off. Batman and Faraday pursued them in the Batmobile, with Batman causing them to crash by blowing out the armored truck’s tires with a laser beam. Two-Face fled with the codes up a fire escape, and Faraday aimed his pistol at him. Batman grabbed his arm, ruining his shot. Batman said Two-Face was mentally ill, and he couldn’t allow Faraday to murder him. Faraday reminded Batman that national security was at stake, and warned Batman to stay out of his way while he dealt with Two-Face as he saw fit.

(Batman I #315) - Batman responded to a break-in at Gotham City Hall and found one of the intruders releasing a kite into the night sky. The next day Bruce asked Alfred on any updates on the Gotham City Hall break-in, and Alfred reported that a number of blueprints had been stolen, and kites were spotted in the skies over Trans-Atlantic Airways shooting off fireworks. Bruce realized Kite-Man was behind the break-in, having his goon send him the blueprints to rob the airline via kite. Kite-Man stole the payroll with box-kites armed with a nerve agent that disabled the payroll security. Batman caught up to him in his bat-glider, colliding with the villain and destroying both of their gliders, but Batman launched a parachute to land them safely. Batman handed Kite-Man over to Commissioner Gordon and the GCPD and wondered why men like Kite-Man could never outgrow their childhood.

(Batman I #316) - Dick Grayson had summer vacation and was excited to spend in Gotham City. He reunited with Batman as Robin and caught an arsonist who set fire to the Gotham Community Hospital. Commissioner Gordon and the GCPD were at the scene and Gordon remarked that the arsonist, like most kids today, had no sense of responsibility. Robin took offense to the remark, even though gordon said he didn’t mean young men like him.  

(Batman I #317) - Commissioner Gordon contacted Batman and Robin after Riddler broke out of jail and mailed police headquarters a book entitled “1001 Riddles For All Occasions.” Riddler knew he had to compulsively leave riddles before committing crimes, but hoped to throw the dynamic duo off his trail by sending clues for his next possible 1001 crimes. Batman and Robin virtually ignored the book, instead interviewing his former cellmate Jake Hammer and learning he was trying to take Jake’s place as a gun-runner.

(Batman I #318) - Batman, Commissioner Gordon and the fire department responded to a tenement fire, the second in a number of days. Batman saved a little girl from burning, and confronted Firebug, the villain responsible for the blaze. Firebug shot flames at Batman to keep him back, but thanked him for saving the girl, saying he didn’t want to hurt anyone, he just wanted to kill the buildings that he blamed for countless deaths. Firebug’s statement of killer buildings mad Batman suspect he was personally tied to them. Alongside Gordon he did research and learned that two members of the rigger family died in the buildings due to neglected safety issues. Another Rigger died of a heart attack in a stalled elevator at Gotham State Building, so they knew Firebug’s next target. Batman deduced Firebug’s identity as the last surviving rigger, a soldier named Joseph who’d been overseas when his family died. Firebug set a fire-bomb in the Gotham State Building, but Batman defused it. They fought, and Batman was prepared, wearing an insulated bat-costume. Firebug reacted by deactivating his costume’s safety features and setting himself on fire. In the ensuing battle Firebug fell from the building and his costume exploded.

(Batman I #321) - Joker planned his own birthday celebration by kidnapping Batman’s friends. He disguised himself as a woman in need of a tire change to lure in Robin, who found the tires of Joker’s car were coated in super-sticky taffy. He flooded the GCPD precinct with laughing gas and made off with Commissioner Gordon. Alfred Pennyworth, Lucius Fox and Selina Kyle were all waiting at the Wayne Foundation for Bruce, and Selina complained that the headaches she was suffering from were growing more severe. Joker blasted his way in with dynamite, and assuming Selina was there to rob the Wayne Foundation he sincerely apologized if he’d ruined a scheme of hers before knocking her out with a spring-loaded boxing glove hidden in a bouquet of roses before taking Fox and Pennyworth with him. At Joker’s Ha-Hacienda he gloated about killing everyone who ever crossed him while all of Gotham watched. He broke out into uproarious laughter, and when he noticed one of his hired goons wasn’t laughing along with him he shot him in the head. Joker organized the Harlequin Bakery Show at the Seaside Coliseum, advertising free samples and drawing an enormous crowd. Joker had his henchmen lock all the doors to the building before revealing himself and showing off a giant birthday cake with his kidnapees all ties to candles. A detonator was set to light the candles ablaze, but Batman revealed he was in the audience, and agreed to surrender and allow  Joker to tie him to a candle in exchange for releasing his friends. Joker went back on his word, but Batman freed himself and severed the fuses of the candles with his batarang. Joker fled on a motorboat with Batman in pursuit, and his boat exploded when it collided with rocky shoals. Commissioner Gordon asked Batman if he thought Joker was dead, but Batman doubted it.

(Batman I #324) - Gordon got a call in the middle of the night to respond to a robbery and murder at the Midtown Jewelry Exchange. The jeweler had been strangled, and the killer scrawled a note on the wall begging to be stopped before he killed again. Gordon recognized the M.O. as that of “Kid Gloves” McConnell, who he’d put away and was currently an inmate at Arkham Asylum.

(Batman I #325) - There was a recall election for Gotham police commissioner, and Gordon’s opposition was Bob Brand. Right before the election there was a crimewave and someone sent the GCPD a death threat aimed at Batman. Gordon couldn’t help but think someone was trying to sabotage his chances at keeping his position. Gordon lit the batsignal to talk the situation over with Batman when a sniper took a shot at Batman. Batman chased down his would-be assassin, who said he worked for the Candy Man Lou Milligan. During a debate between Gordon and Brand Batman showed up to pledge his support for Gordon. Assassins tried to shoot Batman, but he foiled them with the help of Brand, who received a favorable writeup in the Gotham Herald for his heroic actions. Bruce Wayne used his influence to call a meeting of the wealthy and powerful residents of Gotham, hoping they'd back Gordon for keeping his job. Bruce found little support, and Lucius Fox told him he’d done everything he could to help his friend. Bruce told Alfred he wouldn’t be home for dinner because he had a lot of work to do. Batman confronted Candy Man at his bar, and he said Brand was the one who put the hit on Batman. Batman went to Brand’s office to find him murdered by his campaign manager Tom Hamilton, who drew his gun on Batman. He’d tried every dirty trick to get his candidate elected, but when Brand learned what he’d done he was disgusted and Hamilton killed him. Hamilton promised Batman would be the cause of Gordon’s death, and Batman disarmed him. The panicked Hamilton stumbled out the window of Brand’s office to his death. Batman tried to parse Hamilton’s cryptic threat against Gordon and remembered he’d seen repairmen working oin the batsignal. The “repairmen” worked for Hamilton, and had rigged the batsignal with a bomb, and Batman saved Gordon in the nick of time when he lit it and it exploded. Commissioner Gordon kept his job in the election, and he confided in Batman that he was worried he was getting too old for his job, and had been thinking of stepping aside, but Batman assured him he had some good years left in him.

(Batman I #326) - Batman went on patrol, spotting a man on a motorcycle robbing the jewelry exchange. He threw a batarang at his head, which bounced harmlessly off his bike helmet, and the man tried to run Batman down. Batman jammed a metal rod in his front wheel, causing him to crash. He was injured, but took off his helmet, smashed Batman in the head with it and ran off. Batman recognized him as Mad Dog Markham, an Arkham Asylum resident, and checked in with Gordon. Gordon told him about a recent investigation of a murder beariung the earmarks of Arkham inmate Kid Gloves McConnell, and decided to ring up Arkham. The director assured Gordon both men were safely in their cells, but Gordon knew something wasn’t right. Batman decided to go undercover, posing as Shank Taylor, a criminal suffering from paranoid delusions. The director brought him to his office, sedated him, and assured him he’d be friends. The director revealed himself as Professor Milo.

(Batman I #328) - Alfred told batman he heard horrible screams coming from the Batcave, and Batman realized the cries were coming from a wall in the cave that was only a few inches thick. He drove the Batmobile through the wall, finding himself in the Gotham subway. Commissioner Gordon was tied up, and Batman’s presence caused his assailant to flee. Gordon told Batman that on his first day as a patrolman Daryl Richmond robbed his childhood friend Hank Weber’s jewelry store and fatally shot him. He’d caught the killer, but could never find where he stashed his stolen goods. Gordon got a call from someone claiming they could help him solve the 35 year old crime, and even though he suspected a trap he responded. The man who called him was Richmond’s son, whose father had recently passed away, obsessed with his hidden loot to the end. Batman and Gordon followed Richmond’s son through the subway tunnels and cornered him in a dead end, causing him to have a mental breakdown. He still refused to tell Gordon where his dad’s stash was. Back at the Batcave Batman told Alfred part of the cave was once part of Gotham’s subway system, and after some digging he found Hank Weber’s jewelry and returned it to Gordon, saying he could finally close out the case.

(Batman I #330) - Death row inmate Archie Skyler wanted revenge on Batman, the man who put him away. He put a bounty of ten million in gold on Batman’s head, bring out out all sorts of criminals who tried to collect the reward. Batman met Commissioner Gordon, and they both agreed there was too great a danger of civilians being caught in the crossfire as crooks tried to collect their bounty on Batman. Batman made an announcement that he was going to be on Grosvenor’s Island, waiting for any and all would-be bounty hunters who wanted him.

(Batman I #331) - Commissioner Gordon called in Batman when Spike Rafferty was found murdered in an alleyway. Rafferty was a death row inmate whose sentence had been overturned, but a vigilante made sure he was killed by electrocution. The vigilante turned out to be the Electrocutioner, who targeted men he felt had cheated justice.

(Batman I #331) - Batman was alarmed when Mark Reardon, the head of Commissioner Gordon’s mob investigation task force disappeared, and disguised himself as patrolman Al Nelson to investigate. He suspected the other task force members, worried that the mob had gotten to them, and chatted up Reardon’s second-in-command Hank Samuels at the pistol range. Reardon wanted to see how well “Al” shot, but Batman was psychologically unable to use a pistol, so he demonstrated his pinpoint accuracy with a nightstick. “Al” attended a lecture by Gordon on suicide prevention, and was surprised to have learned a thing or two himself. He gave away his ruse to Gordon when they talked and he mentioned Gordon’s hunting lodge, which only Barbara Gordon and Batman knew about. Batman investigated the task force evidence locker to find all Reardon’s work had disappeared. He wanted to see if Gordon’s duplicate files had been stolen. Gordon and Batman were alarmed that the files had been replaced by a bomb, but together they defused it. There was oil on Reardon’s file folders, so Batman suspected Hank, who hadn’t wiped down his hands after visiting the pistol range. They brought him Gordon’s files, and he was gave himself away, frightened because he knew they’d been replaced with a bomb. Batman threw a coffee mug at his head, disabling him, and had Hank lead him to Reardon, who’d been tied up in anticipation of Hank handing him over to the mob.

(DC Retroactive: Batman - The ‘70s #1) - Batman responded to a robbery committed after a drilling machine burst through Gotham’s streets. He was confronted by a brand new Terrible Trio. They were new to the supervillain game, and were surprised at the fight Batman gave them, so they decided to flee. Bruce Wayne was scheduled to meet with Lucius about business, but found him arguing with his son. Tim had fallen in with another rough crowd Lucius disapproved of and wasn’t studying for his college finals. Bruce commiserated with Lucius, who told him how hard it was to be a single father. Batman and Alfred Pennyworth used the Batcomputer for research and learned that the original Terrible Trio were all either in jail or dead. Batman responded when the new Trio hijacked the Gotham Marine Society Charity Ball. Shark called in his submersible to ram the charity ball boat, telling Batman he could fight them or keep the ship from sinking. Batman used the Bat-Sub to patch up the hole with foam. He met with commissioner Gordon and gave him a button to push when the GCPD had extricated his sub from the charity ship so it xould return to the Batcave. Lucius told Bruce he suspected Tim was one of the Terrible Trio, and Bruce suspected they’d target the Wayne Foundation Annual Skyball atop the Wayne Foundation. When they tried to rob the ball Batman released a smoke bomb and activated steel shutters that trapped the Trio at the ball. Batman fended them off, and when Fox threatened to use a detonator to blow up the ball Lucius knocked him out with a dinner plate and Alfred caught the detonator. Lucius was in despair when they were unmasked and he learned Tim Fox was the Vulture. He pleaded with Tim, asking him what he’d done wrong, saying he’d given him everything in life, and Tim said he had everything he wanted except attention.

(Batman I #333) -Robin and Catwoman convinced Ron Watkins t hand over state's evidence in return for amnesty, admitting he targeted the Wayne Foundation because he was on Gregorian Falstaff’s payroll, not because Bruce Wayne was a slumlord. Tim Fox felt disillusioned with the cause that got him in legal trouble, and Lucius said he loved his son and wanted him back home. Lucius admitted they were going through trying times, but wanted his family to be whole again. Commissioner Gordon was pleased with Robin’s work, and informed him that he’d been listening to a special radio band Batman gave him and King Faraday wanted to see Robin in Shanghai for a matter concerning his mentor.

(Batman I #334) - Gordon investigated a murder with the victim having been shot in his office with his own gun that had been stored in a filing cabinet. The suspects were his secretary Lola Stans, his business partner Dave Greber and his widow Betty von Thon, all three knew where he’d kept his gun. There were no fingerprints on the filing cabinet because it’d been wiped down, so Gordon accused the widow because both Greber and Stans would have an expectation of having their fingerprints on the cabinet, only von Thon would have needed to conceal hers.

(Batman I #336) - With Batman gone for weeks during his overseas adventure the rumors circulated that he was dead, emboldening the Gotham underworld. Commissioner Gordon had a full blown crime spree on his hands, and was frustrated that the GCPD couldn’t contain it. The Monarch of Menace had informants that told him Batman was seen in Asia, and wasn’t likely to be back in Gotham City anytime soon. The Monarch gathered a group of costumed crooks including Bouncer, Cluemaster and Spellbinder, claiming he’d captured Batman and would keep him imprisoned as long as they all gave him a cut from their take. Some of the crooks were skeptical, but the Monarch was persuasive, and they agreed to give him his due. Bouncer robbed a jewlry store and spellbinder knocked off a Wells Fargo armored truck, casting an illusion of a gigantic dragon to frighten the security guards. Alfred Pennyworth returned from his stay in Europe, and started to worry about the rumors of Batman’s death until the Caped Crusader surprised him in the Batcave. Cluemaster sent the GCPD map coordinates, daring them to catch him. Batman realized the coordinates were the location of the sunken Titanic, and figured out that Cluemaster and his gang were set to rob the Titanic Appliance Center. Batman made quick work of them and Cluemaster was angry that he’d fallen for the Monarch’s ruse. Batman busted a group of costumed criminals trying to break into a bank, and one of their number escape. He called out the Monarch on his scam, asking for hush money, and the Monarch shocked him unconscious with his electrified scepter. Gordon went on a ride along with the GCPD, hoping to give the public confidence in his police force. They responded to Spellbinder robbing a fur store, and he disoriented them with illusory giant rats. Batman made the scene, and when Spellbinder tried to cast an op art illusion Batman threw strips of aluminum foil at him, reflecting the visual spell at Spellbinder. Monarch called another meeting of Gotham’s underworld, saying he was leaving Gotham City, and promising to kill his “prisoner” if the crooks all paid him a substantial fee. Batman was present, disguised as spellbinder, and revealed himself, proving the Monarch to be a fraud. Batman pursued the Monarch and beat him in hand-to-hand combat. Batman met with Gordon, who asked him to give him a heads up the next time he skipped town.

(Batman I #337) - To keep up his playboy image Bruce hosted a penthouse party, with Alfred serving as host. He was pulled away when Commissioner Gordon contacted him about an armed gunman in  the Sax sporting goods store keeping GCPD S.W.A.T. at bay. As Batman he entered the store, and the gunman  was terrified, ranting about befalling the same fate as his friend Jackie. Batman apprehended him, and after being sedated the gunman told his story. He’d been pulling off robberies with his friend Jackie, but when they entered the sporting goods store they came face to face with the Snowman, who resembled an Abominable Snowman. Snowman froze Jackie solid before robbing the store himself. Bruce returned to the party, where his guest of honor skier Klaus Kristin had just arrived. The boastful Klaus spent his time at the party talking up his skiing ability and his extravagant lifestyle. Bruce noted slush on his shoes, which was unusual since there was snow on the ground, and Bruce suspected he might be the Snowman. Snowman hit a jewelry store, killing a guard while Batman was investigating Klaus’ hotel room. Batman found a diary and took it back to the Batcave. The diary was written by Klaus’ mother Katrina, who revealed that she made love to a Yeti during a U.N. expedition to the Himalayas. She went mad, and died giving birth to Klaus. Batman asked Alfred if the diary could possibly be true, and Alfred said the world was full of unknowns. Batman gleaned that Klaus was headed for Austria’s Summit Peak ski resort from a clue in his room, and decided to follow him. Klaus found the diary back in his hotel room in Austria, and a note from Batman asking him to meet him that night. Klaus confronted him as Snowman, saying he needed to travel to cold climates to survive, but he wasn’t a rich man and needed to steal to survive. Batman knew he was a tormented soul and engaged him in combat reluctantly. During the fight Batman blinded Snowman with a flare, causing him to fall of the mountain, seemingly to his death. Batman wondered if Snowman had hoped his death would be the inevitable outcome of their encounter.

(Batman I #338) - When sportswriter Hank Klugmuun was murdered in Gotham Stadium Commissioner Gordon called in Batman. Batman wondered why the GCPD couldn’t handle what seemed to be a simple homicide, but Gordon informed Batman that a number of sports stars had been murdered over the past few weeks, and he suspected a serial killer. Batman discussed the case with Alfred, who thought it very un-American for someone to target sportsmen. Batman attended a hockey game between the Gotham Goliaths and the Star City Stars. The Sportsman skated onto the ice and tossed a basketball at Goliath Pierre Foote which exploded, killing him. Batman pursued the villain, who threw a buzzsaw tennis racket at him and escaped. Batman traced the gimmicked tennis racket to a sporting goods store, and confronted the Sportsman again. Sportsman explained that he hated sports because his father, driven to make him a “real man” injected him with memory RNA from athles that made him a sports star. As he grew older the RNA ended up deteriorating his nervous system. Within months, he would be dead, so he decided to take revenge on the sports-world. The Sportsman started attacking random people in the store, but after a brief fight with Batman, he was taken away by the police. Batman wished there was a cure for his damaged body and mind, but Sportsman said it wouldn’t matter in a few weeks anyway.

(Vigilante I #44) - Washington extended an invitation to GCPD to send an officer to a three-week seminar on terrorism. Gordon chose Bullock for the job, thinking his klutzy sergeant could use a change of pace.

(Batman: The Cult #1-4) - Gordon contacted Batman when a number of criminals were found brutalized. The violence of the attacks escalated, and soon criminals were found cut into pieces. Batman investigated, and was captured by those responsible, Deacon Blackfire and his cult. Robin contacted Gordon, worried about Batman, who always communicated him, even when he was away on a case. Blackfire's holy mission was a cover for taking over Gotham City with his new power base, and Gordon issued an arrest warrant for Blackfire. This decision proved to be unpopular, as most of Gotham's citizens said they felt safer with Blackfire massacring the criminal element. Blackfire preached that all of Gotham had to burn since the GCPD had proved themselves to be sinners for condemning him. Batman had broken Blackfire's programming after weeks of torture, but this resulted in the cultists shooting him, and a badly wounded Batman floated in the sewers until he arrived at the mass grave where the bodies of Blackfire's enemies were left to rot. Robin had followed him into the sewers, but Batman was incoherent, ranting that he was in Hell for doubting Blackfire. Support for Blackfire in Gotham grew, and out-of-town homeless people entered Gotham to join his crusade. Blackfire's cult murdered anyone who dared speak against him, and when Gordon called a press conference announcing that Gotham was under marshal law Blackfire's men shot him. The national guard went into the sewers, and headed straight into an ambush. The governor evacuated Gotham, and Blackfire urged his men to claim the surface, announcing a brand new day for them. Batman and Robin called Alfred, and Batman said he was leaving Gotham, because Blackfire owned it now. Batman had a dream about the ghosts of Thomas and Martha Wayne urging him to save Gotham, and he woke ready to fight. He ordered armaments from the Stiles Foundation, building a new tanklike Batmobile, and arming himself and Robin with tranquilizer guns. He visited Gordon in the hospital, and the commissioner told him to give Blackfire what he deserved. Batman humbled Blackfire in combat, causing his own followers to turn against him and kill him.

(Question I #26) - Gordon solved one of Riddler's latest clues while the rogue was in prison. He visited Joker in his cell to tell him he was being released because he hadn't been read his Miranda Rights, and the DA didn't think he was worth the time. Gordon told him he was a has-been, and advised him to find a new career.

(Demon III #1-3) - Merlin returned his allies Glenda Mark and Randu Singh to Gotham City with a teleportation spell after they helped him and Jason Blood foil the demon Asteroth's schemes to rule Hell. Merlin's spell created a green glow that was noticed by Jason's neighbor Mrs. Harper, who called the police. Lieutenant Kitch responded, and believing Randu and Glenda to be burglars, took them downtown. He was satisfied that they were not burglars, but Jason's friends who had a key to his apartment, but was suspicious when they couldn't agree as to where their friend was. He gave them some time alone, and they agreed they couldn't tell Kitch their friend was possessed by the demon Etrigan and stuck in Hell. Randu thought he might hypnotize Kitch to make him forget the whole affair, but Kitch returned to the interrogation room, revealing he'd had a tape recorder running in the room while he was gone. Seeing no other choice Glenda and Randu told him Jason and Etrigan's entire history. Kitch had a hard time believing them even though they seemed sincere, and they told him that Batman could confirm their story. Kitch approached Commissioner Gordon, told him the situation, and asked him to turn on the bat-signal. Batman corroborated their story about Etrigan, and believed the malevolent demon had trapped him in Hell. Gordon, remarking that Hell was outside his jurisdiction, was ready to let them go, but D.A. Richard Jaynes was listening outside Gordon's office, and demanded they be kept in custody. He suspected Jason had been murdered, and considered them prime suspects. Jaynes distrusted Batman, and disliked his relationship with the GCPD.

(Showcase '93 #7 (fb)) - Gordon and Batman responded to a body found in the Gotham Museum of Natural History. The victim was gangster Legs Lyman and his corpse was hung inside the skeleton of Apatosaurus. Batman deduced that Two-Face was the killer, because Apatosaurus was once called Brontosaurus and sported two skulls, the current one, and a skull formerly misattributed to it.

(Showcase '93 #3-6) - Robin met with Gordon, informing him that Catwoman was going after rising Gotham druglord Ramon Bracuda, but was being hampered by dirty cops Bracuda had bought off. Gordon promised to root out the dirty cops so Bracuda could be brought to justice. Bracuda had forced out a number of local shop owners to make way for his criminal front, and the former shop-owners started a violent confrontation with them. Robin, Gordon and the GCPD busted up the riot, and Gordon promised the stores would be returned to their original owners. Gordon continued to clean up his force, ignoring objections that the GCPD would be short-staffed because he'd rather have no cops than dirty cops. Robin tracked down Bracuda, and caught him during a heist. Robin defeated Bracuda, and Gordon arrested him, but couldn't make charges stick, and Bracuda soon had to be released. Robin as furious, and told Gordon Batman could have properly nailed Bracuda. Gordon told him to take it easy on himself, because he was still learning the crimefighting trade. Robin learned that Bracuda had put out a hit on him, and told Gordon he'd arranged to meet Bracuda, confident that the GCPD could catch him in the act of attempted murder. Gordon as nervous about Robin's daring, but agreed to send officers to the scene. Robin's risk paid off, and when Bracuda tried and failed in killing him the GCPD arrested him again.

(Batman Versus Predator 3 #2) - After gangbangers were murdered and their skulls and spines removed Batman consulted Gordon, knowing the Predators were once again visiting Gotham.

Comments: Created by Bill Finger & Bob Kane.

Commissioner Gordon received a profile in Who's Who Update '87 #2.

Commissioner Gordon had a cameo in Batman I #322, 676, 682, Showcase '93 #11.