CATALOG RECORD
Detective Comics #40
first appearance of Clayface
WHY COLLECTORS WANT IT
- Clayface (Basil Karlo, from Batman) — introduction
Dates
- Cover date
- June 1940
- On sale
- May 3, 1940
- Pages
- 68
Editions and covers
- Original editionSource ↗
Facsimile reprints exist
Detective Comics 40 (Facsimile Edition) (2025). A facsimile reproduces this issue with a modern cover price and barcode; check before buying.
Creators
pencils: Bob Kane, Maurice Kashuba, Ken Ernst, Jack Lehti, Fred Guardineer, Don Lynch, Chad Grothkopf, Howard Sherman, Fred Harmaninks: Bob Kane, Jerry Robinson, Maurice Kashuba, Ken Ernst, Jack Lehti, Fred Guardineer, Don Lynch, Chad Grothkopf, Howard Sherman, Fred Harmanscript: Bill Finger, Jack Lehti, Gardner Fox, Chad Grothkopf, Jerry Siegelletters: Jerry Robinson, Fred Guardineer, Chad Grothkopf, Howard Sherman
Stories
- The Murders of Clayface · 12 pages
Learning that Julie has become a movie actress, Bruce and Dick head over to the studio to meet with her. However, a series of events leads Bruce to believe something bad is going to happen, which it does, and the Batman must lend a hand to stop a killer known as Clayface.
- The Forgarian Ball · 6 pages
- An American Reporter in London · 6 pages
- The Mysterious Rays · 6 pages
- The Jewel Robbers · 6 pages
- Theft at the Fair [Part 1] · 1.2 pages
- The Prodigy · 6 pages
- New Air Mails; Stamp Oddities · 0.25 pages
- The New Plane · 6 pages
- The Murder of Slugger Carmen · 8 pages
Characters
Bruce WayneBatmanDick GraysonRobinBasil KarloClayfaceThe Crimson AvengerLee TravisWingWing HowSlam BradleySpeed SaundersShorty MorganBart ReganJulie MadisonSteve MaloneCliff CrosbyRed Logan
Reprinted in
Detective Comics 40 (Facsimile Edition) (2025), Batman from the 30s to the 70s (1971), Batman Archives (1990), The Batman Chronicles (2005), Batman: The Golden Age Omnibus (2015), Batman: The Golden Age (2016), Batman Arkham: Clayface (2017)