Detective Comics #62
☆ Be the first to review + Add to your collection — Join freeDetective Comics #62 (April 1942) occupies a quiet but genuinely important corner of early Batman lore: its lead story, 'Laugh, Town, Laugh,' contains the first moment in which a Batman villain has an unmasked, helpless Bruce Wayne within reach — and that villain is the Joker, who chooses to let the mystery stand because the game itself is what he craves. That scene, scripted by Bill Finger, is one of the earliest explicit articulations of the Joker's psychological relationship with Batman as an end in itself rather than a means to crime, a character note that would define the villain for the next eight decades. The issue also carries the Joker's second full cover appearance in the Detective Comics title, making it a visually significant artifact in the evolution of how DC marketed its most recognizable antagonist.
In "Laugh, Town, Laugh!", the comedic world of Gotham is thrown into chaos when the late comedian Happy Hanson leaves behind a bizarre will: five top comedians must compete in a joke-off to uncover clues to a fortune. But when the Joker—already infamous for his brand of twisted humor—enters the contest, the stakes shift from laughter to danger. Written by Bill Finger and illustrated by Bob Kane, with inks by Jerry Robinson and George Roussos, and lettered by Ira Schnapp, this 1942 classic features a cover by Fred Ray and Jerry Robinson that captures the absurd tension perfectly.
In "Laugh, Town, Laugh!", the sudden passing of beloved comedian Happy Hanson sets off a bizarre chain of events when his will reveals a contest: five top comedians must deliver the funniest joke to claim hidden clues to a fortune. But when the Joker shows up, claiming his own comedic crown, the stakes shift from laughter to something far more dangerous—especially when the punchline might just be someone's last.
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The lead story was written by Bill Finger and pencilled under Bob Kane's studio byline, with Jerry Robinson and George Roussos sharing inking duties — a standard Golden Age production arrangement for the Batman titles at the time. Whitney Ellsworth served as the credited editor (listed on the indicia as F. W. Ellsworth), with Murray Boltinoff and Mort Weisinger contributing as uncredited assistant editors, a backstage configuration typical of DC's wartime editorial operation. Per copyright registration records preserved in the Grand Comics Database, the issue went on sale February 21, 1942, roughly two months before its April cover date.
Trivia · 7 facts
- Lead story: 'Laugh, Town, Laugh!' (13 pages) — script by Bill Finger, pencils by Bob Kane, inks by Jerry Robinson and George Roussos, letters by Ira Schnapp.
- Cover art by Jerry Robinson — this is the Joker's second cover appearance in the Detective Comics series.
- Pivotal narrative moment: the Joker captures a bound, unmasked Batman and explicitly chooses NOT to learn his secret identity, preferring the ongoing contest of wills. Widely cited as the earliest on-panel articulation of the Joker's compulsive, game-obsessed relationship with Batman.
- One of the last Golden Age stories in which the Joker is depicted killing victims outright; the very next Joker appearance (Detective Comics #64) would pivot the character away from on-panel murder under editorial guidance.
- Back-up features include: 'The Counterfeiters' (Bart Regan, Spy), 'The Adventure of the Champagne Corks' (Cliff Crosby), 'The Case of the Crazy Crimes' (Crimson Avenger, by Jack Lehti), an Air Wave story, 'The Case of the Murdered Commander' (Larry Steele, by Cliff Young), and 'Hogan's Happy Hollow!' (Slam Bradley).
- Editor: Whitney Ellsworth (credited as F. W. Ellsworth); assistant editors: Murray Boltinoff and Mort Weisinger (both uncredited).
- 'Laugh, Town, Laugh' has been reprinted in: Batman Archives Vol. 2 (DC, 1991), Batman Chronicles Vol. 6 (DC, 2008), Batman: The Golden Age Omnibus Vol. 2 (DC, 2016), Batman: The Golden Age Vol. 3 (DC, 2017), and The Joker: 80 Years of the Clown Prince of Crime: The Deluxe Edition (DC, 2020).
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Reprinted in Batman Archives #2 (1991), The Batman Chronicles #6 (2008), Batman: The Golden Age Omnibus #2 (2016), Batman: The Golden Age #3 (2017), The Joker: 80 Years of the Clown Prince of Crime: The Deluxe Edition #[nn] (2020)
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