Batman's First Case

In Gotham City Park during the unveiling of a new "Batman Clock" to celebrate the heroes Batman and Robin, a costumed villain called The Clock appears, destroying the statue. The clock threatens Batman and then leaps to a hidden motorcycle and drives away. Batman recognizes his face.

A flash back sequence shows the death of Bruce Wayne parents at the hands of Joe Chill, a mugger who demanded Martha Wayne's necklace and then shot both Martha and Thomas Wayne. Bruce promised that he would dedicate his life to finding their killer, and to fighting all crime. He attended a school of criminology and trained his body to physical perfection. When he was ready for his career of crime-fighting, he knew he would need a disguise to instill fear in criminals. A bat flew into his window, and he took this as an omen. He would become a Batman.

The flash back then goes on to show the story of the first criminal Batman ever saw on patrol. Batman tangled with a thief and traced him to the abandoned Gotham Glass Works. The thief throws a net on Batman which teaches Batman to never underestimate a criminal. Batman is left tied up in the basement, but he uses a bucket of rouge to help him slip out of his bonds. Batman confronts the thief, and the thief shoots at him. It is revealed that Batman tricked the thief into shooting a mirror. Batman takes the thief out from behind, and explains his ruse.

Robin remembers reading this story about "Kyle" in Batman's Diary. They visit Kyle's former cellmate Tom Rogers for answers. Rogers explains that Kyle laughed at them for trying to go straight. Kyle developed an obsession with learning about clocks so he could use them to take revenge on Batman. This is supposed to be ironic, because Batman made him "do time" in prison. (We know, we know. I'm sorry.) The prison warden confirms that Kyle was incarcerated years ago at 3pm, which is why The Clock chose that time. The Clock sits in his hideout full of clocks and vows that just like he was Batman's first case, he will also be Batman's last. The Clock leaves another warning for Batman that his next caper will be "the tiniest clock crime." The Clock disguises himself as a reporter to visit the Gotham Watch Co. These watches are easily damaged by acid, and The Clock throws a pocketful of orange peels to distract the employees. While they're busy, he steals a bag of valuable tiny watch screws. Batman and Robin arrive. The Clock accidentally drops his watch while jumping out the window. They pursue him outside onto a giant clock. The Clock knocks Robin off his perch, and Batman is forced to save Robin while The Clock escapes. Batman investigates the dust inside The Clock's wristwatch, and finds an unusual amount of flour. This can only mean the abandoned flour mill outside of town. They step inside and an alarm clock goes off. The Clock reveals that he knew the watch would lead them to him, and he set a trap. The Clock knocks Batman and Robin out by dropping flour bags on them.

Batman wakes up tied to a clock. Wow, big surprise there. The Clock explains that Batman will die at 3pm when the clock he's tied to explodes. Then The Clock leaves. Robin is tied to a pole and forced to watch. Batman is still wearing The Clock's wristwatch and he swings back and forth to smash the wristwatch against a wall. Using the tiny broken shards, he cuts his bonds and they both escape. The Clock sees the explosion while he's driving away, and assumes Batman and Robin are dead. The Clock goes to Gotham City's Clock Fair, where a giant pocketwatch replica contains giant real jewels. Bursting out of a giant cuckoo clock, The Clock throws smoke capsules so he can steal the jewels. Batman and Robin rush in to stop him. The Clock tears off the pocketwatch's giant hour hand and uses it as a weapon. Batman kicks the mainspring housing, and The Clock becomes trapped inside its coils. Robin remarks that The Clock was caught by a clock. Exactly 1 hour and 13 minutes later, The Clock is back behind bars in prison. Batman visits him and remarks that they've given The Clock a cell that faces the prison clock