Detective Comics #27
DC Comics, 1939
Why It Matters
Batman made his debut in Detective Comics #27 in 1939. Bill Finger and Bob Kane's story, The Case of the Chemical Syndicate, introduced the masked figure through a crime investigation rather than the later, familiar account of his childhood.
The distinction matters: this is Batman's first published appearance, while his origin would be developed in subsequent stories.
Object Details
- Series
- Detective Comics (DC, 1937 series)
- Issue
- #27
- Year
- 1939
- Cover date
- May 1939
- On sale
- 1939-03-30
- Publisher
- DC Comics
- Publisher as printed
- Cover price
- 10 cents
- Pages
- Edition
- First appearance
- Batman
- First full appearance
- Cameo appearance
- Credit
- Bill Finger (writer, Batman), Bob Kane (artist, Batman)
- Subject
- Batman
Market snapshot
$2,318,000
Recorded Detective Comics sale.
Heritage, Mar. 2026
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