Detective Comics, Vol. 1

This issue opens with the telling of Batman's origin: as a child, he was walking down the street with his parents, Thomas and Martha Wayne, when they were mugged. The mugger kills both adults, leaving young Bruce with psychological damage that would haunt the criminal underworld for the rest of his life. Devoting his existence to ensuring nobody goes through what he went through, Bruce honed his mind and body into the perfect crimefighter. For the final step, he is searching for a form he can take, guaranteed to strike terror into the superstitious and cowardly hearts of your typical criminals. A bat flies in through his window at that moment, and a legend is born.

The origin story told, this issue's tale begins. An insane scientist named Kruger fancies himself as a new Napoleon, and he has developed a potent death ray which can be fired from a dirigible. Organizing other criminal scientists to his cause, he creates a deadly Scarlet Army. Batman uncovers the plot, and uses his own scientific acumen to protect himself long enough to destroy the group and their weapons.