Story: The Factor of Fear! (22 pages)
Writer(s): Chuck Dixon
Pencils: Dick Giordano
Inks: Dick Giordano
Characters:
Bruce Wayne / Batman (appears also as his alter ego Matches Malone)
Minor Characters / Guest Appearances:
'Happy' Haskins, Mac MacFindley, Johnny Rasta, Tony Tank, Spinell, Leo, Titus, Dutch, Sugar, Soapy
Synopsis:
Titus, Spinell and Leo are sitting in a bar planning to rob a truck with electronic equipment. Spinell tells stories about Batman persecuting criminals, but Leo says he's not afraid of "the Bat." Batman is also in that bar, disguised as his alter ego Matches Malone. Though there's no indication that Batman actually interferes with their crime, or is even near them, all of them see Batman, i. e. mostly the distinct silhouette, in everyday shapes and shadows, and their crime is foiled by their fear (and their own incompetence) without Batman ever really doing anything (maybe not even following them). Leo ascribes their failure to Batman and flees, and again feels like he's followed by Batman, until he's such an exhausted nervous wreck that Batman can just pick him up without resistance and hand Leo over to the police. Finally Matches Malone is once again in the bar, and pays a round for the "good entertainment" of the Batman tales.
Gotham City Details:
- There's a neighborhood in Gotham called Tricorner. [p. 1]
Trivia:
- Gotham's criminals (at least the everyday kind of criminals) call Batman "The Bat" [p. 2f, 13, 16]
- The name of the bar is "My Alibi Bar & Grill". [p. 3]