Publishers / DC / Detective Comics (1937) / #33
33November 1939
$0.10

Detective Comics #33

DC · November 1939 · on sale 1939-09-30

First appearance: Thomas WayneFirst appearance: Martha WayneFirst appearance: Joe ChillOrigin: BatmanDeath of Martha Wayne
How to read this file
  • Every claim on this page traces to a public bibliographic record; the sources are listed at the bottom of the file.
  • A first-appearance badge means this is the earliest non-flashback appearance on record in this database.
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Identification plate

Series
Detective Comics (DC, 1937 series)
Issue
#33
Publication date
November 1939
Key date
1939-11-00
On-sale date
1939-09-30
Indicia publisher
Detective Comics Inc.
Price
$0.10
Pages
68

Match the book in your hand against this plate before paying an edition-specific price.

Why this issue matters

First appearance of Thomas Wayne - the earliest non-flashback appearance on record for this character.

First appearance of Martha Wayne - the earliest non-flashback appearance on record for this character.

First appearance of Joe Chill - the earliest non-flashback appearance on record for this character.

Origin story on record for: Batman.

Death on record for: Martha Wayne, Thomas Wayne.

The evidence

Claims here come from the story records for this issue, listed under Sources at the bottom of the file. Character hubs with full evidence tables are coming to this site.

Contents

SeqStoryTypePagesCreditsCharacters
0-cover1pencils: Bob Kane; inks: Bob KaneBatman, Bruce Wayne
2The Batman Wars against the Dirigible of Doomcomic story12script: Bill Finger, Gardner Fox; pencils: Bob Kane, Bob Kane; inks: Bob Kane; letters: Sheldon MoldoffBatman Origin, Joe Chill First, Bruce Wayne, Martha Wayne First, Thomas Wayne First
3"Big" Charlie Ruffing, "Pop" Warnercartoon0.5script: Sheldon Moldoff; pencils: Sheldon Moldoff; inks: Sheldon MoldoffCharlie Ruffing; Pop Warner
5Thoria Invades Luxencomic story6script: Jerry Siegel; pencils: Mart Bailey; inks: Mart BaileyBart Regan
6Mine of Mysterycomic story6pencils: H. Fleming; inks: H. FlemingBuck Marshall
7-comic story6pencils: Ken Ernst; inks: Ken ErnstLarry Steele
8Coffee-Colored Diamondstext story1.35script: Frank Thomas
13The Northwoods Mysterycomic story6pencils: Fred Guardineer; inks: Fred Guardineer; letters: Fred GuardineerSpeed Saunders
14The Sewer Robberiescomic story6script: Sven Elven; pencils: Sven Elvén; inks: Sven ElvénCosmo, the Phantom of Disguise
15The White Goddess, Part 1comic story6script: Tom Hickey; pencils: Tom Hickey; inks: Tom HickeyBruce Nelson
16Poroscopy Aids Scientific Sleuths in Solving Crimes!cartoon1script: Vin Sullivan; pencils: Vin Sullivan; inks: Vin Sullivan
17Third Set for Abbeytext article0.5colors: ? (black, red & blue letters); letters: typeset
19Shorty Swallows a Diamondcomic story10script: Jerry Siegel; pencils: Mart Bailey; inks: Mart BaileySlam Bradley, Shorty Morgan
20Flash!promo (ad from the publisher)1pencils: Vin Sullivan, Fred Guardineer, Joe Shuster; inks: Vin Sullivan, Fred Guardineer, Paul Cassidy; letters: Joe Shuster

Plus 4.65 pages of advertisements and other matter across 9 sequences, as published.

Where to read it

CollectionYear
Batman #11940On eBay ›
Secret Origins #11973On eBay ›
Batman Archives #1
ISBN 0-930289-60-9
1990On eBay ›
Batman: The Greatest Stories Ever Told #1
ISBN 1-4012-0444-9
2005On eBay ›
The Batman Chronicles #1
ISBN 1-4012-0445-7
2005On eBay ›
Batman in the Forties #[nn]
ISBN 1-4012-0206-3
2004On eBay ›
Batman: The Golden Age Omnibus #1
ISBN 978-1-4012-6009-5
2016On eBay ›
Batman: The War Years 1939-1945 #[nn]
ISBN 9780785832836
2015On eBay ›

Reading the story costs a fraction of owning the issue. Both routes are on every file.

Before you buy

  • Golden-age paper is brittle. Ask about page suppleness and check edges for chips in the photos.
  • Check for trimmed edges, married covers, and clipped coupons - all common on books this old.
  • Confirm the indicia matches this plate; many golden-age titles changed names mid-run.

Series context

Sources

Found an error in this file? corrections@comicrecord.com