Bat-Hound Week; Day 4: Bat-Hound and Bat-Mite!

Hello, and welcome to Bat-Hound Week; Day 4: Bat-Hound and Bat-Mite. Today, we'll look at Batman #133 by Bill Finger and Sheldon Moldoff.

"Just give me superpowers later and we'll call it even."

Before we start, I'll let you guys know that the other 2 stories this issue will probably be the issue I'll review after Bat-Hound Week.

Let's Begin:

I don't know about you, but I haven't exactly read Bat-Mite's debut. It's probably not to hard to guess what happened though. (This issue does give a flashback)

So there's the intro, but what about Bat-Hound? He is the reason we're all here. So i'll just have to skip to the part where our Four Footed Detective comes in.

"Lucky thing I was in the cave when you came"

So Bat-Mite decides he would like it to seem like Batwoman solved a crime on her own, so he enlists Ace's help to do so. They find the crooks' hideout, but right when Batmite is about to phone Batwoman the whereabouts, she arrives with Batman and Robin.

"I want there to be some action without them knowing it's me! I better make everything giant so they won't guess who could help!"

So that's why they hate him. What a jerk.

After a giant prop fight, the crooks begin to get away when Bat-Hound steps in, revealing that they were shrunken, not that other things were made big:

"Prepare for Judgement"

But then mini Batman intervenes and epically mounts Bat-Hound and declareth:

"And after that is done..." No narrator, show us them growing back to size! That's just lazy story telling.

So when they are returned to normal size, Bat-Mite leaves and the issue ties up.

Which is where our tale ends. So that's that, Batman #133. Not really a Bat-Hound centered issue, but he saves the day in the end.

Well, my ride's here:

See you tomorrow on Bat-Hound Week; Day 5!

Bat-Hound Week Day 3: Whitey The Thief-Dog!

Welcome to Bat-Hound Week! This is Day 3, in which we look at the Return of Ace The Bat-Hound in Batman #97 by Sheldon Moldoff and Bill Finger.

Who knew Batman and Robin made meth in their spare time? Ace did, and is willing to blackmail them.

But I affectionately nick named this issue:

The Dark Dog Returns

It's the closest I could find to the cover of  DKR #1 with Bat-Hound.

Because i'm going to make annoying and unnecessary DKR references. And because the story is actually called The Return Of Bat-Hound. This stuff writes itself.

Let's begin:

Bat-Hound always gets the best art. I swear. You'll see, it get's even better later.

So Narrator, where are we today? Ah yes, the Gotham Phonogragh Record and Needle CO, during a robbery. Over at Comics Make no Sense Adam was just talking about how sometimes comics date their media. Having a phonograph company in your comic would be a good example of that.

Little does Millen know, it's all actually an act and Whitey is their leader. Would you honestly expect anything else from Gotham?

And thus, we are shown the awesome power of Thief-Dog!

"LAD-DE-DEEE-DEE"

So during this robbery, Millen attempts to foil it on purpose, but this was part of Whitey's plan most likely. Look at him and tell me he's not a villain:

Anyways once out heroes arrive, our villains have already gone! But they make a startling discovery: Paw Prints!

So guessing deducing that the crooks used a dog (when in actuality the dog used some crooks), Batman makes a tough call:

That Ace must come out of retirement!

And thus...

The Dark Dog Returns

"You know it in your soul, for I am your soul... You cannot escape me"

"You cannot stop me, not with wine or vows or the weight of age — you cannot stop me, but still you try. Still you run. You try to drown me out... But your voice is weak."

"The time has come."

I'm sorry, I can't help myself. So anyways Ace joins the search for the Mutant Leader Dog-Thief.

Following a lead they uncover that the mastermind Criminal Canine is none other than Whitey, the prize dog of all competitions. Suddenly our heroes are called to headquarters, where they learn the true danger of Thief-Dog's antics

The possibility of a Dog Crime Racket, which would destroy Gotham!

Batman shares what he has with Gordon, and they soon learn the whereabouts of Thief-Dog. Next they give Bat-Hound a little upgrade, and sett him lose to find Whitey!

Upon discovering Thief-Dog's hideout, Bat-Hound lets them know that he found it. Next he peers through window to learn the crooks plans, but Whitey is aware of his presence!

And what did I say?

Bat-Hound always gets the best art.

So Bat-Hound purposely makes his presence known, and then flees into the night with info of the hideout's location. Nay, he is the night.

Just look at his Smugness:

"lol missed me"

So by the time our heroes arrive, Thief-Dog and the gang have already abandoned the bas and are on the way to the Diamond Mint. Batman, Robin and Bat-Hound all pile into the Batmobile and race towards the mint...

And actually beat them there. Everything always goes better with Ace on the Case. They decide to take the criminals by surprise when they do arrive, so they have the upper-hand.

So after about 10 minutes or o, the thieves arrive as well and set Thief-Dog to business.

Totally missed an opportunity to do an environmental takedown like in Arkham City.

And thus, they hear out Millen, who explains everything from  his point of view, whilst Whitey acts innocent. Than Batman concocts a plan to prove whether or not the story is true:

Which ties up our issue.

One more DKR reference:

"We could have changed the world…now…look at us…I've become a hound…and…you…you're a joke."

"I want you to remember, Whitey…in all the years to come…in your most private moments…I want you to remember…my paw…at your throat…I want…you to remember…"

"The one mutt who beat you."

So that's that. Batman #97. Join me tomorrow for Bat-Hound Week; Day 4: Bat-Hound and Bat-Mite!

Now time for an Awesome-Ace montage:

Well, my ride's here:

See you tomorrow on Bat-Hound Week; Day 4!

Bat-Hound Week Day 1: A Swimming Pooch

At long last, welcome to Bat-Hound week! A week of dedicated to the four footed wonder, Ace The Bat-Hound! (Partially inspired by Absorbascons Penny Plunderer Week & Bully say's: comics oughta fun's 365 days with Alfred Pennyworth)

Let me clarify this before we begin:

Bat-Hound is probably the coolest dog. You don't quite know him well enough yet, but you will. So here we go, lets meet Bat-Hound.

Onto Batman #92 by Bill Finger and (checks online) Sheldon Moldoff.

See? Four Footed Wonder! They should have stuck with that nick name in my opinion.

So as always, the narrator takes us back to the day before to explain how we get to the events in the opening:

Yeah Batman! What are you thinking! He could have rabies or turn rabid when he comes to.

So when Batman and Robin get home, Ace starts feeling, um, perkier, and they decide it's time to start running an ad in the paper looking for them. Then they decide to leave him all alone in the cave, a brilliant idea, until Ace does otherwise and chases the Batmobile.

I spotted Bowers sneaking in there, and called in an alarm! I didn't arrest him or anything because I figured i'd wait 20 minutes for you guys hoping he was going to take his time! I'm such a good cop!"

So they answer a robbery call from a very apathetic cop, when Robin decides it would be a good idea to bring the dog in. I mean he is 12-13, so his logic isn't always on top, but really kid. Animal endangerment is a thing. It's a good thing that Ace meets all of their high expectations, because they suck at dog training.

Meanwhile inside, everyone nearly gets killed by a gigantic clown prop if it weren't for plot Ace moving out of the way sensing danger.

Oh no! they'll bust my robbery of this, um, Circus warehouse! Drat! I better commit murder so they can't foil my plans of , um, terrorizing Gotham with jolly clown props! HAHAHA!"

Ace nabs whats-his-face and they decide the pup isn't so useless after all. More useful than the cop anyways. So Batman the criminal calls him the first thing that came to his mind, and thus dubbing him as the "Bat-Hound".

When they got home, they received a tip of where the master was leading them to John Wilker's cottage.

The lamp still being on has to be an error. No light bulb in the 1950's lasts 3 days.

They find the place looking like a college kid's dorm room, and discover Wilker works for an engraving company.

Following their lead, they check into the Gotham Printing And Engraving Company to see if Wilker happened to trash his house, throw his dog in the river, and go to work for three days straight.

Not at work either! I knew something was fishy about his house's condition and his dog drowning in a river! So this leads me to conclude..."

So it turns out that Wilker was most likely kidnapped, though they don't say anything to his boss who he has probably worked with for 20 years, and leave.

Back in the Cave, they decide to use Ace to track down Wilker, but then try to leave him again despite what Batman just said.

"Criminals Beware... Bat-Hound is coming!"

Actually, Bat-Hound is way ahead of them, already racing to Gotham to fight scum. So they pick him up in the Batmobile and are off.

That's actually pretty cool.

So in the office of Commissioner Jim Gordon, Batman and Robin receive separate reports of stolen paper and a missing 4 year old. Robin and Bat-Hound go after the kid, and Batman decides to follow the lead of the paper.

Why paper you ask? Robin wonders about Batman interests also:

"But stolen paper isn't important enough to..."

"Don't question me Robin."

"Yes Boss."

So Robin and Bat-Hound go to see what Batman's up to:

"Unless they're the same men who stunned him and abducted his master, John Wilker! If my theory is right, they'll-." You can stop right there Batman. That's enough World's Greatest Accidental Detective for one day.

So they follow more leads (if you can call it that) to the ink factory and Bat-Hound jumps out and rushes ahead to meet his master.

The criminals spot Bat-Hound and promptly knock him out with a barrel of ink.

Next they use Wilker as a hostage and take Batman and Robin captive while they leave to their hideout.

I gotta say, seeing Bat-Hound take a hit like that made me feel bad. He didn't deserve that, you criminal scum.

So when alone, Batman and Robin begin planning their escape, but decide they need Bat-Hound's help. Batman begins constructing a way to contact Bat-Hound in his head and instructs Robin how they will do it.

Which is where I'm leaving off! What are Batman and Robin constructing? Will they be able to contact Bat-Hound? Is Bat-Hound alright? Will they be able to save John Wilker? Tune in tomorrow to find out!

Same Bat-Time,

Same Bat-Blog!

I bet i'm the first blogger to use that line.

Well, my ride's here. See you tomorro-
Ace, Wait up!

Oh, and happy birthday to me.