Detective Comics #212

In "The Puppet-Master," a 1954 issue of Detective Comics, reclusive puppeteer Jonathan Bard, isolated by his own quiet genius, steps into the shadows to commit crimes—using his mastery of strings and mechanics to manipulate both puppets and people. Batman and Robin must unravel a mystery where every move is choreographed, and nothing is as it seems. Written by Bill Finger and illustrated by Dick Sprang with inks by Charles Paris, the cover by Win Mortimer captures the eerie precision of a man who controls more than just marionettes.