We begin this issue with Batman in "A Vow from the Grave" by Denny O'Neil, Neal Adams, and Dick Giordano. Batman is on the trail of an escaped killer on the outskirts of Gotham when he manages to corner the criminal in a rocky area, but he is attacked by a big man, who allows the killer to escape. Forced to confront the big man, Batman manages to knock him unconscious. Batman meets three more people, all of whom are physically different. Their leader explains that they used to be circus freaks and that they retired to live in seclusion. They also inform Batman that the big man, whose name is Goliath, didn't intend to attack him.
The killer still on the loose, Batman continues his search and stumbles upon an abandoned town hall, which is being used as the freaks' home. When he hears the fat lady scream, Batman investigates and learns that the thin man had been hanged a few moments prior. Batman notices that the escaped killer is just outside the building and he captures the criminal, taking him inside. Batman has deduced that the killer did not murder the thin man, but rather, that the crime was committed by Goliath, seeking to eliminate his competitor for the fat lady's affections.
Batman follows Goliath to the bell tower, where he threatens to drop the seal-boy unless Batman jumps down first. Batman complies, but Goliath tosses "Flippy" anyway. However, he is rescued by Batman, who was still hanging from the tower with help from his Batrope. Afterward, Batman confronts Goliath and the killer, both of whom started to work together against a common enemy, and Batman gets help from the fat lady and Flippy. With their help, Batman manages to capture two killers and as dawn breaks, he takes them back to meet their justice. This story has been reprinted in Limited Collectors' Edition C-59 (1978), Saga of Ra's Al Ghul #4 (1988), Batman in the Seventies TPB (2000), Batman Illustrated by Neal Adams Vol. 2 HC (2004), Batman Illustrated by Neal Adams Vol. 2 TPB (2013), Showcase Presents: Batman Vol. 6 TPB (2016), and Batman by Neal Adams Vol. 2 TPB (2019).
This issue's backup story is Batgirl in "Battle of the Three M's" by Frank Robbins, Don Heck, and Dick Giordano. When a popular fashion model, Mamie Acheson, is injured and has to select one of three models (Maxi, Midi, or Midi) to act as her replacement while her leg heals, it causes quite a stir in the fashion world. Batgirl soon finds herself involved after a suspicious visit from a member of a fashion company to her library seeking to get certain books.
Learning that they were last taken out by J. Thayer, Mamie Acheson's fashion designer, a curious Barbara decides to check things out as Batgirl. Arriving at the fashion studio, Batgirl finds a man there attempting to take pictures of the fashion from a skylight. Batgirl fights him off and follows him back to another garment manufacturer, where it turns out that they are indebted to a crook named Serpy who threatens to kill them if they don't square up an I.O.U.
Batgirl tries to intervene, however, is easily knocked out and soon finds herself strapped into a fabric cutter, with Serpy getting ready to slice her in two. This story is continued next issue and has been reprinted in Showcase Presents: Batgirl Vol. 1 TPB (2007) and Batgirl: The Bronze Age Omnibus Vol. 1 HC (2018).
Edited by Julius Schwartz.
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