Comic Title: Batman Archives Vol. 6 HC
Publisher: DC
Cover Date: 2005
On Sale Date: June 2, 2005 Direct Market Date June 15, 2005
Source: Previews, Vol. 15 #4 (#196)

Direct Market Date June 2, 2005
Source: ComicList, New Comic Book Releases List for Thursday, June 2, 2005

Cover Price: $49.99
Page Count: 224
Editor: Dale Crain

See Also: The Guide to Graphic Novels and Collected Editions

Title: "The Box"
Pages: 12

Feature(s):
Batman (of Earth-2)

Writer: Bill Finger
Penciller: Bob Kane
Inker: Charles Paris

Reprinted From:
Detective Comics #130 (1947)

Feature Character(s)

• Batman (last appearance in Batman #44; next appearance in Detective Comics #131)

Supporting Character(s)

• Robin (last appearance in Batman #44; next appearance in Star Spangled Comics #76)

Villain(s)

• Highwire Joe Foster, Duds Deblin and his mob, Roger Gormet, his unnamed butler, and Snag Corlin (all die in this story; no further appearances)

Other Character(s)

• Briggs Carson (no further appearances)

Synopsis:
A small box is stolen from a hotel room by a crook named Highwire Joe. When he opens the box, he is horrified to discover what awaits for him inside. Just then another crook murders Joe and takes the box. Batman sees the murder and follows the killer.

The killer gets away temporarily, but immediately after opening the box, he is killed by another crook. The crook takes the box to his boss, who opens it, and dies immediately from shock. Batman finally catches up to the box, only to have yet another crook steal it.

When the last crook finally opens the box, he finds a message inside telling him that the box contains a fortune in jewels, but he won't be able to profit from them, since the lock of the box was rigged with a poison needle. The crook is frightened by his impending doom and runs into the street where he is killed by a passing motorist.

Batman finally recovers the box. He almost opens it too, but decides to x-ray it first. He sees the jewels and the poison needle inside, plus a microphone and speaker. A voice emerges from the speaker telling Batman where to find the box's creator. Batman then learns that the box was made by a diamond collector whose son was killed by a stray bullet. The crooks involved in the shooting weren't convicted because evidence disappeared. So the diamond collector planted the box, then led each of the crooks involved to it. Each of the crooks that died when they opened the box was involved in the shooting. The collector, Briggs Carson, has his revenge, and he himself has less than a month to live, so he won't live through his own murder trial.