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Title: BATMAN No. 40
Publisher:DC [Indicia: National Comics Publications, Inc.]
Date Published: April-May 1947
Description: CGC certified: Good+ (2.5). Purple label: Restored (C-4). Off-white to white pages. Grader notes: "Detached cover; tape cover; tape spine; color touch on spine & cover; creasing to cover; light cover tanning; piece added with tape spine & cover C-4; spine stress lines to cover; writing on cover." Provenance: The DC UNIVERSE COLLECTION.
 
CGC Census: 311 graded copies (287 Universal, 7 Qualified, 17 Restored).
 
GPAnalysis: A restored 2.5 (C-2) sold for $350 in 11/18.
 
For comparison purposes, here are recent Universal sales: A 2.5 sold for $700 in 6/21; a 2.0 sold for $500 in 9/23.
 
Credits: Cover: Jack Burnley and Charles Paris (inks). Scripts: Bill Finger, Don C. Cameron (?), Jack Farr. Art: Dick Sprang, Gene McDonald (inks), Jack Farr. Overstreet: "Joker cover/story."Bat-cyclopedia: "In April-May 1947 Batman and Robin battle the JOKER; apprehend the BEETLE BOLES gang and get the goods on HENRY BUSH; and investigate a series of grisly murders at the Gotham City Opera (see VANNING, COLIN)." — Michael L. Fleisher, The Encyclopedia of Comic Book Heroes Vol. 1: Batman. Macmillan: 1976, p. 120.
 
Details: A mysterious cabal of men known as the 13 Club launches a television program featuring its members violating superstitions and bad luck omens, trying to spread anti-superstitious rhetoric. The Joker gets an idea while watching the program, and begins to commit crimes based on the supposed consequences that these superstitions are meant to incur. For example, after one member allowed a black cat to cross his path, the Joker lets a black panther loose in his house, allowing the Crime Clown and his henchmen rob it of its valuables. Batman and Robin eventually catch the Joker and bring an end to his canard-based crimes.The DC UNIVERSE COLLECTION comprises over 40,000 comic books, including a copy of every single DC comic published for retail sale from 1934 to 2014. The collection was amassed by British music producer Ian Levine over the course of several decades, and it's been hailed as the single greatest collecting accomplishment in comic book history. This collection served as the basis for former DC Comics president Paul Levitz's monumental book 75 Years of DC Comics: The Art of Modern Mythmaking, published by Taschen in 2017. PBA is proud to present this epic collection in a series of themed sales over the next two years. To join the DC Universe Collection notifications list, contact pba@pbagalleries.com.
Enjoying PBA's Batman sale? A very small number of softcover and limited edition hardcover auction catalogues are available for purchase. The catalogues are fully illustrated, thoroughly researched, and make excellent reference works for Batman fans. To order a copy, or to inquire about consignment opportunities, contact Ivan Briggs, PBA's Director of Comics: ivan@pbagalleries.com.