Detective Comics #373

Detective Comics #373 (On Sale: January 30, 1968) has Irv Novick's first Batman cover.

"Mr. Freeze's Chilling Deathtrap" is by Gardner Fox, Chic Stone and Sid Greene. Aunt Harriet must undergo lifesaving cryosurgery. However, the freezing machine the doctors are using malfunctions and must be replaced or Harriet will die within a few hours. Fortunately, Mr. Freeze, formerly Mr. Zero, possesses a cold gun that could help the doctors.

Batman and Robin track down Mr. Freeze. During the fight they take possession of the cold gun. Robin then takes the gun back to the hospital while Batman continues the fight. Mr. Freeze nearly kills Batman by freezing him, but the Caped Crusader uses a thermal unit to thaw out quickly.

The back-up Elongated Man story, "The Riddler on the Roof," is by Gardner Fox, Gil Kane and Sid Greene. Elongated Man visits Gotham City and sees the Bat-Signal. He answers the signal hoping to meet Batman and Robin. Instead he meets Commissioner Gordon, who informs him that Batman is out of town, and that the signal was activated without his consent.

When Gordon and Ralph reach the roof, they discover a clue left by the Riddler. Elongated Man interprets the clue and finds the crook in the middle of a jewel robbery. Ralph defeats the Riddler just as Batman arrives, having returned to town.

Edited by Julius Schwartz.