The Bat-Signal! Commissioner Gordon needs us, Batman! 
- — Robin
Detective Comics #123 is an issue of the series Detective Comics (Volume 1) with a cover date of May, 1947.
Synopsis for Batman: "The Dawn Patrol Crimes"
Batman is called to help track a gang of thieves stealing radium from the Ross Radium Company, and flying it into Canada. While trailing a suspicious plant worker, Batman is nearly killed. He later confronts the worker, Limpy, and learns that the man is part of the gang.
Batman disguises himself as Limpy and infiltrates the gang, but when he is discovered, the crooks capture him and leave him to die in a burning building. Robin locates Batman and helps him escape. Then the two get help from a group of antique aircraft pilots to track down the gang leaders. When the gang is rounded up, Batman exposes the gang boss as Smythe, the radium company manager.
Appearing in Batman: "The Dawn Patrol Crimes"
Featured Characters:
Supporting Characters:
Antagonists:
- The Shiner (Single appearance)
- Blacky Cain (Single appearance)
- Limpy (Single appearance)
Other Characters:
- The Dawn Patrol
- Mart Morris (Single appearance)
- Eddy Bacher (Single appearance)
- Sam (Single appearance)
- Mr. Ross, Ross Radium Company (Single appearance)
Locations:
- Gotham City
- GCPD Headquarters
- Ross Radium Co. refinery
- Dawn Patrol's farm / airfield
- Canada (Destination)
Items:
- Bat-Signal
- Batarang
- Radium
Vehicles:
- Batplane
- Dawn Patrol's antique aeroplanes:
- Bacher's 1920s Bleriot monoplane (Destroyed)
- Sam's 1910s Wright biplane
- four other rickety antique planes
- two hot air balloons
- Shiner's modern monoplane (Destroyed)
Synopsis for Slam Bradley: "South of the Border"
Slam and Shorty follow a gang of jewel thieves across the border into Mexico. The crooks grab Shorty and dress him as a bull fighter. He is then released into an arena to fight a bull. Shorty survives the bull, which then starts chasing the crooks. The thieves are trampled, allowing Shorty and Slam to recover the stolen loot
Appearing in Slam Bradley: "South of the Border"
Featured Characters:
Supporting Characters:
Antagonists:
- Jewel Thief Gang
Other Characters:
- two museum guards (Gunned down)
Locations:
- New York City
- Metro Museum
- Mexico
- Border City
- Stadium
- Border City
Items:
- valuable gem
Synopsis for Boy Commandos: "Heroes for a Day"
The Boy Commandos take a vacation at Spring Camp. They inspire a trio of other boys to dress as their heroes and become the Spring Camp Commandos. When Tommy Van Hoot is kidnapped by gangsters, the Spring Camp Commandos try to rescue him. They fail, but the real Boy Commandos find them and stage their own rescue. The Spring Camp Commandos succeed in helping their heroes capture the crooks and receive credit for the victory.
Appearing in Boy Commandos: "Heroes for a Day"
Featured Characters:
Supporting Characters:
Antagonists:
- Pickup Pete & his Gang (Single appearance)
Other Characters:
- The Spring Camp Commandos (Single appearance)
- other Spring Camp Campers
- Tommy Van Hoot (Single appearance)
Locations:
- Spring Camp
- nearby farmhouse w/ water tower
Synopsis for Air Wave: "The Voices of Spooky Sommers"
Bob Russell, an honest man, is forced to take a loan from loan shark Duke Dugan to help pay for his daughter's medical bills. When Russell misses one payment, Dugan forecloses and repossesses Russell's furniture.
Air Wave learns about Russell's misfortune. He decides to help by planting the idea that the furniture is worth millions in the mind of gang boss Spooky Sommers. At auction, Spooky bids heavily for the furniture, then begins feuding with Dugan. Air Wave breaks up the fight and apprehends the crooks, but not before earning Russell enough money to pay his bills.
Appearing in Air Wave: "The Voices of Spooky Sommers"
Featured Characters:
Supporting Characters:
Antagonists:
- Duke Dugan, loan shark
- Repo Crew
- Spooky Sommers, chief of the underworld
- his gang
Other Characters:
- Bob Russell, electrician
- Bob's Wife
- Cora, their daughter
Locations:
- New York City
- Russell's house
- Dugan's office
- District Attorney's office
- Sommers's apartment
- Loan Company warehouse
Items:
- Russell's furniture
Vehicles:
- moving van
Notes
- Published monthly by National Comics Publications, Inc.
- Batman:
- While disguised as Limpy, Batman is head-konked unconscious with a pistol butt, and tied up.
- "The Dawn Patrol Crimes" is reprinted in Batman Archives Vol 6.
Trivia
- Also appearing in this issue of Detective Comics were:
- Editorial Advisory Board (1/3 page promotional text)
- "S is for Skunk" (2/3 page ad for the current issue of Sensation Comics #65)
- "Talent Hunt" (text story) by Max Olin
- "Batman and Robin Fans! Attention!" (full page ad for the current issue of Star-Spangled Comics)
- Casey the Cop by Henry Boltinoff
See Also