“THE STAGE IS SET…FOR MURDER!” During a modern-dress production of Macbeth, Batman must discover which cast member is a would-be murderer.

Batman stars in the murder mystery, "The stage is set for murder!" When an actor from a Shakespearean theatre company is murdered, his fellow actors are all suspects. Batman has to deduce if it is the "Director", "Lady Macbeth", "Macbeth" "Macbeth II" or "Porter" who is the guilty actor. As the show goes on, Batman discovers much ill feeling among the cast members. The director has a crush on Lady Macbeth, but she only has eyes for the actor playing Macbeth. The Director also has a tense relationship with the actor playing Macbeth II and when the two come to blows, Batman has to break them apart.

Eventually Batman realises it is the mentally deranged "Porter" who is the culprit. Leaping on stage and rescuing the "witches" from a cauldron that was about to explode, Batman confronts "Porter" who goes mad - declaring that the Director is a disgrace to Shakespeare - modern clothes and costumes have no place in Macbeth and the cast of this production deserve to die. Needless to say, Batman saves the day.

Jason Bard stars in the "Open-and-Shut Case!" Already missing Barbara Gordon, Bard has little time to dwell on his romantic feelings,as he is called to a murder scene. Heading for the home of the prime suspect, Bard is caught out when the suspect jumps him. Something isn't right - especially when Bard realises the suspect has the mental age of a child. Retracing his steps, Bard realises the real killer was the nurse he met at the scene of the crime, who first pointed the finger elsewhere.

1. "The Stage is Set...for Murder!!" written by Denny O'Neil, penciled by Irv Novick and inked by Dick Giordano.
2. "Open-and-Shut Case!" written by Frank Robbins, penciled and inked by Don Heck.

Notes

• Letter to the editor from Clem Robins of Sheffield, Massachusetts.
• First Jason Bard backup story.