Batman #173

Secret Identities For Sale!

Batman, Robin, Commissioner Gordon, and several of Gotham City's finest, prepare to raid the secret headquarters of Mr. Incognito, the mysterious masked mastermind of Gotham City's underworld. With the Dynamic Duo leading the way, the officers storm Mr. Incognito's building. A fierce melee breaks out, as the Caped Crusaders, along with Gordon's officers, battle against Mr. Incognito's criminal forces. All the while, Mr. Incognito calmly watches from his throne. Seemingly out of nowhere, an apparent news photographer appears and begins snapping pictures. Officers roughly escort the man from the premises. Batman and Robin close on the still seated Mr. Incognito. Suddenly, a steel barrier descends, separating them from their quarry. By the time the police can cut through the adjoining wall, Mr. Incognito has escaped through a trapdoor, into the sewers. Though Mr. Incognito's syndicate is broken, Gordon is clearly disappointed that the man himself got away. Late the next day, Gotham City's mayor is approached by one Elwood Pearson, the photographer from the police raid. Pearson claims to have a photograph that reveals the secret identity of Mr. Incognito. For a cool million dollars, Pearson is willing to sell it. Pearson, an ambitious member of the paparazzi, sought out a way to get the exclusive photographs no else could. A gifted inventor, Pearson crafted a special camera that could shoot through solid objects, like walls, doors, or masks. Pearson gives the mayor one day to consider making the purchase.

Once Pearson departs, the mayor immediately contacts Bataman and Robin, and asks them to look into Pearson's background. Knowing his true identity, Pearson contacts Mr. Incognito, with an offer to sell a photograph that reveals the true identities of Batman and Robin. The price is, again, one million dollars. Batman and Robin arrive at Pearson's photography studio, and take the fire escape up to the roof. Mr. Incognito enters the studio through a secret basement entryway, one entirely unknown to Pearson. Producing the photograph of Batman and Robin, Pearson holds the picture up to a mirror. The reflected photograph reveals the faces of Bruce Wayne and Dick Grayson. Looking in from the studio skylight, Batman and Robin are horrified to see their true faces revealed to Mr. Incognito. Fortunately, neither Pearson, nor Mr. Incognito, recognize the true identities of the Caped Crusaders. Crashing through the skylight, Batman and Robin descend into Pearson's studio. Mr. Incognito is quick to draw on the Dynamic Duo, who are quicker to take cover. While Robin distracts Mr. Incognito by hurling exploding flood light bulbs around him, Batman closes and disarms the masked mastermind. Robin takes down Pearson, After a brief struggle, Batman defeats Mr. Incognito. Though their faces are now known to Pearson and Mr. Incognito, the Caped Crusaders count on neither man ever learning the names that go with those faces.

Walk, Batman--To Your Doom!

Despite overwhelming and conclusive evidence of his guilt, Bunky Galliver is acquitted at his trial. Batman and Robin are summoned to the district attorney's office. The district attorney shows Batman a series of jury photographs, all from different trials. In each photograph, the same man, wearing a different disguise each time, appears as a juror at those trials. The man is identified as one Franklin Knott, an independent candidate, currently running for the office of Governor. Robin is sent undercover to keep an eye on Galliver, with an ear towards learning of the crook's next planned score. Batman, as Bruce Wayne, attends a political rally, in support of Knott's bid for the Governorship. Despite Wayne's distaste for Knott, he can't seem to shake the compulsion to vote for the man, come election day. Robin reports that Galliver is planning to hit the home of deceased millionaire, Barton Keller. Batman and Robin intercept Galliver and his gang, at Keller's mansion, and quickly take the band of criminals down.

Looking into Knott's background leads Batman and Robin to Gotham Junction, specifically to the isolated laboratory of scientist, John Grover. Grover's research into epsilon radiation resulted in the discovery of "E Rays". By varying the positive or negative wavelengths of the epsilon radiation, Grover discovered he could influence the behavior of the laboratory mice. Batman theorizes that Knott, Grover's former assistant, may be using the epsilon radiation to influence people. As if on cue, Knott appears and confirms Batman's notion. Before they can react, Knott bathes Grover and the Dynamic Duo in positive waves of epsilon radiation. Now compelled to follow his orders, Knott commands the trio to walk straight into Pima Lake. As the men walk farther and farther out into the lake, the water rises higher and higher. Remembering that he has already been influenced to vote for Knott, Batman focuses on the earlier compulsion, hoping that by doing so, he can override the command to walk into the lake. He does, then forcibly drags Robin and Grover out, locking them away until he can reverse the effects of the epsilon radiation. Batman catches up with Knott at another political rally, one where Knott is announcing his candidacy for President , and apprehends Knott.