Radio

Before the movie serials, people would gather around their radios and tune into their favorite radio program. Some of these programs included The Shadow and Zorro They ranged from Mysteries, Romance, Science Fiction and of course, comic books. While Batman did not have his own program, he did star in 13 Broadcasts of The Adventures of Superman.

On 5 September 1945, the Man of Steel came to the rescue of an unconcious boy adrift in a rowboat. Quick to notice the young lad was wearing a red vest with the letter "R" under his street clothes, Superman exclaimed, "Great Scott. If this is who I think it is, this is serious business!" Superman had rescued Robin, the Boy Wonder, Batman's sidekick. Later Superman would also rescue Batman, who would repay the favor by pinch-hitting for Superman during the years to come - especially when Collyer needed time off for family vacations.

Stacy Harris was the first actor to play Batman on radio. Matt Crowley took over the role in the middle of the second Superman-Batman serial and would become the voice most associated with Batman on radio. Ronald Liss played Robin in all the radio team-ups. He and Crowley had worked together on many radio programs previously.

Although Superman and Batman had appeared on symbolic comic book covers and in a brief cameo in a 1941 issue of All Star Comics, the  September 10th, 1945 broadcast was the first to feature the Man of Steel and the Caped Crusader working together as a team. Batman and Robin would guest-star with Superman in 13 radio serials over the next several years, including the greatest adventure serial in the history of the series, "The Atom Man".

Efforts were made to launch a Batman radio series in 1943 and again in 1950, but neither came to fruition.

The Monster Of Dumphreys Hall:

"Dr. Bly's Confidence Gang" (September 1945, 14 parts): Dixie LaMarr, a member of a criminal gang run by the smooth Dr. Bly, has shot a federal agent in broad daylight. Bly discovers that Dixie is an exact double of Lois Lane, and he engineers Lois' kidnapping. He dresses Lois in Dixie's clothes, and delivers her to the police, doctoring evidence that suggests that Lois was leading a double life as Dixie. As Lois goes on trial for her life, Batman and Robin search for the real Dixie LaMarr.

"Looking for Kryptonite" (December 1945 - January 1946, 25 parts): Looking through Sidney's apartment, Clark and Jimmy find a coin with the symbol of a crescent moon and star -- which leads them to the Crescent and Star mob, a secret organization run by a mysterious hypochondriac, Mr. Jones. Realizing that he needs help, Clark contacts Bruce Wayne (who is actually Batman) and reveals himself as Superman. On the trail of the Crescent and Star gang, Batman and Robin are captured and placed into "Room Zero", a special room with a ceiling that slowly descends to crush them. Superman tracks them down just in time, but Jones gets away. Jones tracks down the Scarlet Widow and discovers that she sold kryptonite to the Laugher; then he shoots her. Using the Laugher's chunk of kryptonite, Jones captures Superman and brings him to Mount George, where a Japanese scientist traps Superman in a cyclotron with the kryptonite. Superman is saved by Batman and Robin, all the bad guys go to jail, and all of the kryptonite is accounted for... or so Superman thinks.

"Is There Another Superman?" (January - February 1946, 13 parts): Batman tells Clark about a rash of bank robberies in which the vault doors have been ripped off their hinges. The thief wears a blue costume and a red cape, and escapes by taking off into the sky. Batman is convinced that there's another Superman around, but Superman wonders if he's somehow suffering from amnesia and pulling off the bank jobs himself...