Detective Comics #88

In "The Merchants of Misery!", Bruce Wayne and Dick Grayson go deep undercover to expose a loan shark preying on the desperate, exploiting their misfortunes with crushing interest rates and deadly consequences. Written by Joseph Greene and brought to life with sharp, dynamic art by Ed Kressy and Dick Sprang—whose inks define the shadows and tension of the story—this 1944 issue delivers a gritty, early Batman tale with a moral edge. The cover by Dick Sprang captures the noir menace of the plot in bold, striking lines.