Detective Comics #13 is an issue of the series Detective Comics (Volume 1) with a cover date of March, 1938.
Synopsis for Speed Saunders: "The Little Tomm Murder Case"
Speed is on the hunt for a missing witness in the Little Tomm murder case. He spots Saro's car driving below him, so Speed jumps from the overpass into the backseat! The driver loses control and crashes the car into a steel pole! Speed and Mike Saro fight it out until the police come by to break them up. Later, the police chief tells Speed to stick around; now that Saro's been caught, the murder trial should get interesting. Having caught his man, Speed relaxes down at Barney's Bar to see his friends. When it's time to go, Speed saunters down the sidewalk, while watching him is one of Mike Saro's gang. The man trails him until he heads into an alley, when he pulls out a gun and shoots Speed in the back! By the time a cop shows up, the thug has left, while Speed gets up off the ground and brushes himself off. He tells the shocked officer to call him a cab. Back at police headquarters, he reveals to the chief how he survived the attempt on his life; he'd been wearing a bulletproof vest the whole time. But Speed wants the police to announce his death to all the papers, then stand by and watch what happens at the trial.
The next day, to the courts surprise, the prosecution calls Speed Saunders to the stand. Little Tomm and his lawyer are understandable shocked when Speed, alive and well, sits down in the witness chair. The judge also seemed rattled, though he does his best to keep his composure. The prosecuting attorney asks Speed if he knows the identity of the man who tried to kill him. Speed responds that the assassin was in this very courtroom, and offers to point him out. The defense objects in a desperate plea but the judge, unnerved, has to allow Speed to continue. Speed points at one of Mike Saro's men sitting in the audience. The man panics, claiming it was the judge who put him up to it, shouting the judge was a crook. Frantically, the judge runs from the bench and leaps out the window to his death!
That evening, Speed sits at home with his nephew, reading the paper which tells all about his work on the Little Tomm case. He takes the opportunity to give words of advice to his nephew, that crime does not pay no matter who you are.
Appearing in Speed Saunders: "The Little Tomm Murder Case"
Featured Characters:
Antagonists:
- Mike Saro (Single appearance)
- Mulore (Single appearance)
- Little Tomm (Single appearance)
- Judge Tugg (Single appearance; dies)
Other Characters:
- Officer Casey (Single appearance)
- Barney (Single appearance)
- Speed's unnamed nephew (First appearance)
Locations:
Vehicles:
- Mike Saro's car (Destroyed)
Synopsis for Larry Steele: "The Jenks Kidnapping Case (Part 2 of 3)"
His own car being totaled, Larry Steele flags down a civilian and, after explaining he was a policeman, commandeers the guy's vehicle. Larry speeds on, picking up the trail of the kidnappers again, and staying right on their tail while ignoring all traffic lights and stop signs. The chase soon grabs the attention of a few cop cars, who only see two recklessly speeding cars. The kidnappers fire their tommy-gun at Steele, and once again it wins out over his automatic, sending him crashing through a store window! By some miracle, he survives with just a few scrapes. Quick explanation to the police, they let him ride along as they chase after the kidnappers car.
The gang has a good lead over their pursuer now. The boss orders them to pull over and ditch the car since it's too hot now. Nancy Jenks regains consciousness at this time, so they force her into a cab with them. The taxi is taken for a short ride across town, where the gang's boss tells the driver to stop two blocks shy of their hideout. Nancy has little choice but to walk with them, as they've got her with a gun hidden in their pocket. Inside, she looks around, saying she expected someone named "Blackie" to be meeting her. He's the one who's been calling her, after all. The boss calls Blackie a punk, saying he's in charge now, subtly implying that he killed Blackie.
Larry and the police officers find the gangs sedan, but no sign of Nancy or her kidnappers.
Appearing in Larry Steele: "The Jenks Kidnapping Case (Part 2 of 3)"
Featured Characters:
Antagonists:
- Kidnappers (Unnamed)
- Blackie (Mentioned only)
Other Characters:
- Nancy Jenks
- Nick Orsatti (Mentioned only)
Locations:
Synopsis for Cosmo, the Phantom of Disguise: "The Killer Clown"
The circus has come to town! Cosmo is on his way to visit an old friend who runs the circus, Tim Reynolds. The two pals meet in Reynold's wagon, which serves as both his office and living quarters, where Tim invites him to see the opening act. The show starts off without a hitch, elephants, clowns, and loud music are introduced to the joy of the audience. But during the opening trapeze act, one of the ropes snaps, sending the male performer into a deadly plummet. Impressively, his female co-star's able to swing out and grab him, carrying him to safety. Cosmo meets Tim outside, who says to him that it's the second time this month something like that happened. For the past six months, the circus has faced incidents where a performer had almost died, each one seemingly centered around Sheila, the girl from the trapeze troupe. Cosmo offers to help solve the mystery, explaining how he'll join the circus as a sleight of hand magician until he can figure out what's going on.
A few days later, Cosmo is introduced to Sheila the trapeze artist. She and her trapeze partner Paul were engaged to be wed, and he is also the man whose life she'd saved before. A few nights later, Cosmo notices a man cast in shadow skulking near the window to Sheila's wagon. Upon spotting Cosmo, the man flees into the black alleys between the trailers, vanishing before the detective can get a look at him. The very next morning, an attempt is made on his life as a bullet whistles just past his head! He hurriedly tells Tim what happened and they both agree that the man from last night had it in for the detective. In the afternoon, the circus's parade starts up, and Cosmo dons his turban to play the magician's part, when he sees Sheila talking to a man dressed as a clown. Before he can reach them, however, they get lost in the circus parade. During the main show, the trapeze act again takes off. This time, though, it's Sheila's rope that's been cut, causing her fall. Cosmo foresaw this and had a net set up beneath her, which catches the frightened girl harmlessly. It isn't over yet, a tiger is released from its cage! The beast first stalks towards Cosmo and Sheila, but once they freeze in place, its attention is diverted to the clown who let it out. The tiger lunges, strikes! The clown is mauled to death, much to the horror of all those watching. Handlers eventually manage to force it back into it's cage.
Sheila finally relates the full story. Beppo the clown had a crush on her, and her engagement to Paul made him so jealous he threatened he'd kill one of them. His insane jealousy ended up dooming him to a grisly end.
Appearing in Cosmo, the Phantom of Disguise: "The Killer Clown"
Featured Characters:
Antagonists:
- Beppo (Single appearance; dies)
Other Characters:
- Tim Reynolds (Single appearance)
- Sheila (Single appearance)
- Paul (Single appearance)
Locations:
- The Reynolds Circus
Synopsis for Bruce Nelson: "Murder In the Clouds (Part 2 of 2)"
Harry Ward pointed his gun at Bruce, who calmly took another sip of ginger ale before throwing the drink in his face! Jerking the gun out of Ward's hand, Bruce now holds him at gunpoint. He once more warns Ward that he'll either confess, or be forced to get on the plane that was due to explode. Ward finally agrees to talk, if only because he thinks the courts won't convict him anyway. Bruce learns the explosives are snuck aboard in the luggage. The extortionist had some crooked airport porters keeping an eye out for suitcases that were identical to the victims, then they'd just pull a switch without the passenger's knowledge. Bruce demands that Harry tell him who the mastermind is. A shadow then appears in the doorway. A hooded figure stands with a gun primed on them. Ward pulls his trigger, but he forgot to turn the safety off! The mysterious man fires at Ward, then turns his gun on Nelson! Bruce shoots the lights out, plunging the room in darkness. He fires his automatic in the direction where the hooded man was standing. When he turns his flashlight on, he finds the hooded man gone, and the body of Harry Ward lying on the floor. He gets in his car and races back home.
The first thing Bruce does when he gets home is call Steve Harrison. Harrison's wife answers instead and says Steve wasn't there, that he hadn't even been home for supper. Right when Bruce hung up the phone, a call comes in from Mr. Clifford at the airport. He tells Cosmo he found something, asking to come over to show it to him. When he arrives, he's carrying a suitcase, which Cosmo immediately deduces has a radio inside. It was the best way for the killer to set off the bombs on the plane without needing to be aboard. Cosmo then accuses Clifford of being the one responsible. He had been sending extortion letters using Ward's name. The telegram he got was actually from Harry Ward, who had discovered the plot and wanted hush money. Clifford confesses that, yes, he made a good hundred grand from the racket. More importantly, he ruined Great American Airways, and its owner President Long. Clifford blamed Long for his brother being ruined in Wall Street, causing him to commit suicide, and had sought vengeance ever since. And now it was Bruce's turn, Clifford poured prussic acid in Nelson's glass and, with his finger on the radio transmitter, told him to drink up. Steve Harrison was sent on a flight in Denver, Clifford sneers, and there was a bomb aboard the plane he was on. Bruce slowly lifts the glass to his lips, then throws the liquid in Clifford's face! The suitcase-radio is kicked away, while Clifford pulls out a gun and gets two shots off before Bruce tackles him to the ground, his hands around the killer's neck! Hearing the commotion, Steve Harrison comes in, curious to why Bruce is strangling the life out of Mr. Clifford. Bruce stops, rising to face Steve with sweat on his brow. He explains everything that happened to the bewildered chief detective, the extortion, Harry Ward's involvement, and Clifford's threat against his life. Steve tells Bruce that Clifford had been bluffing, since he clearly wasn't on any plane, and in fact no flight was due to depart Denver for another hour. On the ground, Clifford starts to come around, gasping as he slowly sat up... In his future there was a cell waiting, followed by the chair!
Appearing in Bruce Nelson: "Murder In the Clouds (Part 2 of 2)"
Featured Characters:
Antagonists:
- Harry Ward (Final appearance; dies)
- Mr. Clifford (Final appearance)
- Shifty Levis (Mentioned only)
Other Characters:
- Mrs. Harrison (Single appearance)
- Steve Harrison (Final appearance)
Locations:
Synopsis for Bart Regan, Spy: "The Peter Rawley Case"
An unusual assignment comes up for Bart and Sally; to curb a a young lad's gambling addiction. Peter Rawley is the son of a prominent American politician, and his gambling habits have started eating into the family finances. Bart and Sally are given 3000 francs to use at the casino where Peter was last seen.
When they find Peter, he is at the roulette table trying to win big. First, they try putting on a little show in front of him, playing the part of a couple who just gambled away all of their life savings. At first, it seems to work as Peter listens to their story, but then he suddenly hits a lucky streak as his number keeps winning. So they switch to Plan B... Leaving the casino, Bart and Sally hide in some bushes, donning masks so they won't be recognized. Later, when Peter finally steps out, they rob him! Holding a gun on the scared boy, Bart orders him to give them all of his cash, or else! As soon as he does so, Peter runs away yelling that he was done with gambling. Their job done, the conniving couple are about to head back to HQ when they, themselves, are set upon by robbers. Its not much of a problem for Bart and Sally to dispatch their foes with ju-jitsu.
Back at the American Spy Headquarters in France, the chief tells them that Peter took the first boat he could catch back to America. The money Bart and Sally took off him will be returned to his father.
Appearing in Bart Regan, Spy: "The Peter Rawley Case"
Featured Characters:
Antagonists:
- Two unnamed robbers (Single appearance)
Other Characters:
- Peter Rawley (Single appearance)
- Spy Chief
Locations:
Synopsis for "The Pine Road Mystery"
Captain Brown was a curmudgeonly old man, who stuck to a strict schedule and expected his housekeep and caretaker to do the same. He'd have his supper at seven, then nap in his chair for an hour afterward, and would not dare be disturbed. He had a bitter hatred of the town banker, Flint, whom he claims cheated him in a business deal.
One day, Flint heads out to see the Smiths, but he never makes it. At the toll of eight, Flint was shot three times and died before the doctor could save him. The only witness was Dopey Davis, who is reputed as a bit of an odd half-wit. Davis swears up and down that Flint was murdered by Brown, but the housekeeper, the caretaker, and two others all say that the old man was taking his nap at the time. The police call in One-Sniff McGonigle, a famous sleuth, to help solve the case.
One-Sniff discovers the truth, that both sides were correct in what they saw, though there was a deception on one end. The person in the chair had actually been a wax dummy of Captain Brown, who had indeed gone out to murder Flint.
Appearing in "The Pine Road Mystery"
Featured Characters:
- One-Sniff McGonigle (Single appearance)
Antagonists:
- Captain Brown (Single appearance)
Other Characters:
- Anna (Single appearance)
- Beggs (Single appearance)
- Reuben Flint (Single appearance; dies)
- Ab Day (Single appearance)
- Hiram Peabody (Single appearance)
- John Bowers (Single appearance)
- Dopey Davis (Single appearance)
- Bill Edwards (Single appearance)
- Sam White (Single appearance)
- Hank (Single appearance)
Synopsis for Buck Marshall: "Crooked Trail"
Buck Marshall was riding his horse on the trail when he heard the sound of rushing hoofbeats coming up fast. He sees Speck Lowden, whose prison term ended recently, galloping towards Sage City. Buck rides up on him to find out what was going on. Speck had just found Jack Henion's body all shot up, and he was on his way to tell the sheriff. So Buck goes along with him.
At the Sheriff's Office, the sheriff listens as Lowden explains how he went to see Jack for a horse trade. But when he got there he saw Henion arguing with Seth Smith, the owner of the Bar S ranch. Speck says he left them, only to come back later to find Jack dead! Buck and Lowden posse up with the sheriff as he heads over to Jack's place for clues. The body's still there when they arrive. The sheriff notices Jack's gun was still full, indicating he hadn't fired a single shot. It was cold-blooded murder. Next, they pay a visit to the Bar S ranch to speak with Seth, but the foreman tells them he hasn't been there since he left to see Jack, three hours ago. The foremen suggests he could be back at the sheriff's office to file charges. The Bar S has been losing its stock lately, including four steers whose hides had been discovered buried behind Henion's shed.
While the sheriff and Speck head back to the office, Buck goes to investigate Henion's cabin. Once there, he finds an old roll-top desk in the corner, with a memoranda book inside. Jack kept all his sales history written down, and the last entry happened yesterday. Four steers, shot and drained, were delivered to a Butch Weever down at Silver Creek. Buck puts the memo book in his pocket and heads out back to the shed. Inside is just some old farming equipment that hadn't been used in awhile, but a hand-print on the dust-covered wall attracts his attention. The one who made it has a crooked little finger. Buck gets a hunch, and takes his horse over to Silver Creek to speak with Butch. Buck asks him about the hides he bought from Jack, so Butch lets him look at their brands. They were marked with the Circle H, Jack's own ranch, not the Bar S that Seth says was stolen. Satisfied, Buck returns to the shack and looks around for tracks. He easily finds a trail leading away, and he follows it towards the ridge. Searching, Buck eventually finds a crevice in the rock face, that opens into a cave. When he investigates, the ground shifts under him and he falls into a shaft, the end of which leads to a large underground storage room with crates full of hides and hay bales! A figure starts entering the room, their pinky finger crooked, just like the handprint showed. A known rustler, Claw Kemball, walks in. Buck pulls his gun out and sticks the muzzle in Claw's back. The real murderer, he had tried framing Henion by planting the hides of the stolen steers by Jack's shed. Claw murdered him after he saw him quarreling with Seth, thinking he could pin the murder on the Bar-S owner. But the one clue he had overlooked was his own unique handprint on the wall of the shed. The sheriff had been looking for Claw for a long time, now he could finally arrest the thieving murderer.
Appearing in Buck Marshall: "Crooked Trail"
Featured Characters:
Antagonists:
- Claw Kembal (Single appearance)
Other Characters:
- Sheriff
- Speck Lowden (Single appearance)
- Seth Smith (Single appearance)
- Butch Weever (Single appearance)
- Jack Henion (Appears only as a corpse)
Locations:
- American Old West
- Sage City
- Sage City
Synopsis for Slam Bradley: "At Sea"
Itching for a good fight, Slam, along with his unfortunate partner Shorty, heads to the waterfront where the meanest saloon in the city was located. Dressed in his best suit, Slam enters while putting on an act of a high society man. The regulars, rough-looking sailors and ne'er-do-wells, don't take kindly to him, just as Slam hoped. Things quickly escalated to a full-on bar fight! Slam fought against the odds while Shorty just did his best to not get hit. After the brawling ends and all of his opponents lay dazed on the barroom floor, the restless Slam tells his pa Shorty it's time to leave. Shorty can't seem to find his wallet in any of his pockets. There was one lying near an unconscious barfly, so Shorty picks it up believing it's his. He doesn't realize his err until later, when he tries paying for some snacks at a food stall and discovers the wallet wasn't his! There was no identification or much else besides a few coins and a note. The note had a name on it, Danny Burke, and it said to "come armed" to the Clarion tonight. It seemed like someone was planning to rob a ship called the Clarion. Slam and Shorty had to hurry and warn its skipper!
Minutes later, the duo are at the dock where the Clarion is preparing to launch. When they show the captain the note, he invites them into his cabin. As soon as they enter, Shorty witnesses his pal get whacked on the head! After Slam goes down, Shorty has a gun pulled on him as the captain calls on his crewmen to throw the snoopers in the brig. They had stumbled across a pirate operation!
The swaying movement of the Clarion out on the water helps to revive Slam. The door of their cell opens, and the captain puts them to work scrubbing the deck. There was only one man guarding them during the chore, so Slam had Shorty fake exhaustion. The guard walks over to check on Shorty after seeing him pass out on the ground, giving Slam the chance to throw a full bucket of water at the man's head! With that done, Slam gets the idea to eavesdrop on the captains cabin and find out what's going on. At least, he thought it'd be a good idea... but one of the crew catches him by the window and hits him over the head with a pin! Slam wakes up back in the brig again with Shorty. As if their luck wasn't bad already, smoke starts seeping in under the door. Slam takes the guards gun that he swiped out of his pocket and empties it into the lock. The door opens and the two jailbreakers flee to the forward deck of the ship. There, out on the water, they spot a Navy liner coming to investigate. When they round the corner of the cabin, Slam and Shorty quickly fall back. The pirates were building a controlled fire on the deck, using the smoke to attract the ship's attention, while they hid machine guns under sheets. They were going to loot the liner! Something needed to be done, and Slam picks Shorty as the one to do it. With Shorty again acting as a distraction, getting the pirates to chase him around the deck. Slam grabs a fire hose and steps in the path of the pirates, spraying them down with force.
The liner sends a rowboat over, whose crew is surprised to learn what almost transpired. The Navy captain thanks Slam and Shorty.
Appearing in Slam Bradley: "At Sea"
Featured Characters:
Supporting Characters:
Antagonists:
- Danny Burke (Single appearance)
- his gang of pirates (Single appearance)
Other Characters:
- Joe (Single appearance)
Locations:
Vehicles:
- The Clarion (a ship) (Destroyed)
Notes
- Published by Detective Comics, Inc..
- At this time, More Fun Comics and New Adventure Comics were still being published by "Nicholson Publishing Co., Inc."
- Final issue for Malcolm Wheeler-Nicholson as Editor-in-Chief.
- Also in this issue:
- "Just Like Junior" a strip by Stan Asch.
- "Dental Detective", a text story written by Gardner Fox (as Paul Dean).
- "Lieutenant Alan McLeod: Hero of the Air", a one-page comic by Will Ely about Alan McLeod.
Trivia
- The name of Buck Marshall's horse is given in this issue as "Pepper".
See Also