We are dealing with a unique and highly clever thief, Deane. I'll come down to the museum in the morning and look around. 
- — Cosmo, the Phantom of Disguise
Detective Comics #16 is an issue of the series Detective Comics (Volume 1) with a cover date of June, 1938.
Synopsis for Speed Saunders: "The Case of the Missing Corpse"
After two criminals disposed of a body in a manhole, Speed Saunders was alerted to the discovery of the body. The police later learned that his name was Joseph Bannon who died of pneumonia and brought in his sister who revealed that someone had dug up his grave. Bannon's sister revealed that two years earlier, he got into a car accident but was acquitted of manslaughter due to Mike Bruno's influence as they both belonged to the same athletic club and Bruno also attended Bannon's funeral.
The police later investigated Bannon's grave and found a mutilated body that was not Bannon but Hawley. Speed returned to the manhole and several men appearing to be telephone company workers were working around it and ordered him to leave. Speed investigated their truck and found Miss Bannon inside before ordering all of the men into the manhole and trapping them by moving the truck over it. Speed carried Miss Bannon and when the police later returned to the manhole, they found Mike Bruno and Speed found opium under the manhole. Bruno confessed to placing Hawley in Bannon's grave and Bannon in the manhole with their opium, as well as hiring a fake telephone company truck.
Afterwards, Speed offered to share his reward money with Miss Bannon.
Appearing in Speed Saunders: "The Case of the Missing Corpse"
Featured Characters:
Antagonists:
- Mike Bruno (Single appearance)
Other Characters:
- Joseph Bannon (Single appearance)
- Miss Bannon (Flashback only)
- Hawley (Appears only as a corpse)
- Murdock
Synopsis for Larry Steele: "The Plot to Kill Larry Steele (Part 2 of 2)"
Appearing in Larry Steele: "The Plot to Kill Larry Steele (Part 2 of 2)"
Featured Characters:
Antagonists:
- "Snow" (Final appearance)
Synopsis for Cosmo, the Phantom of Disguise: "The National Museum Mystery"
Appearing in Cosmo, the Phantom of Disguise: "The National Museum Mystery"
Featured Characters:
- Cosmo, the Phantom of Disguise
Antagonists:
- Mr. Korensky (Single appearance)
Other Characters:
- Deane
Synopsis for Bruce Nelson: "Too Many Crooks (Part 3 of 3)"
Appearing in Bruce Nelson: "Too Many Crooks (Part 3 of 3)"
Featured Characters:
Supporting Characters:
- Patricia Barden
Antagonists:
- Freeland (Final appearance; dies)
- Tony (Single appearance)
- Corbett (Single appearance)
- Laura Jessup (Final appearance)
- Caulkins (Mentioned only)
- Strafacchi (Mentioned only)
Other Characters:
- Lloyd Parsons (Final appearance)
- Mr. Morton (Final appearance)
- Detective Horan (Single appearance)
- Detective Jackson (Single appearance)
Synopsis for Bart Regan, Spy: "A Traitor in Our Midst"
Appearing in Bart Regan, Spy: "A Traitor in Our Midst"
Featured Characters:
Antagonists:
- Kleog (Single appearance; dies)
- Barrow (Single appearance; dies)
Other Characters:
- Mrs. Barrow (Single appearance)
Synopsis for "'Fingerprint' Farson the Plain Clothes Man"
Appearing in "'Fingerprint' Farson the Plain Clothes Man"
- Appearances not yet listed
Synopsis for Buck Marshall: "Trading Trouble"
Appearing in Buck Marshall: "Trading Trouble"
Featured Characters:
Supporting Characters:
- Sheriff
Antagonists:
- Ned Tobins (Single appearance)
Locations:
- American Old West
- Sage City
- Sage City
Synopsis for Slam Bradley: "The Broadway Bandit"
Appearing in Slam Bradley: "The Broadway Bandit"
Featured Characters:
Supporting Characters:
Antagonists:
- Boris Desmond (Single appearance)
- Joan Carter (Single appearance)
Other Characters:
- Sergeant Gage
- Captain Drake (Single appearance)
- Mr. Farrell (Single appearance)
Locations:
Notes
- Published by Detective Comics, Inc.
- Slam Bradley:
- Per the memorandum in panel #59 (5th panel, 9th page) this story takes place on and around June 9, 1938.
- Per the caption in the opening panel, Slam and Shorty are visiting New York City in this story.
- First issue for Fred Guardineer art on Speed Saunders.