Comic Title: Detective Comics #96
Publisher: DC (Detective Comics, Inc.)
Address: 480 Lexington Avenue, New York, NY
Cover Date: February 1945
Approx. On Sale Date: December 22, 1944 Copyright Date December 19, 1944
Source: Library of Congress, Periodicals 1945
Until 1958 DC did not report actual on sale dates to the copyright office
The publication dates listed in LoC records are NOT release dates.

Frequency: Monthly
Cover Price: $0.10
Page Count: 48
Contains: Ownership Statement
Editor: Jack Schiff

Title: "Alfred, Private Detective"
Pages: 12

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

Writer: Don Cameron
Artist: Dick Sprang

Reprinted In:
Batman Archives Vol. 4 HC (1998)
Batman:The Golden Age Omnibus Vol. 4 HC (2018)

Feature Character(s)

• Batman (last appearance in Batman #27; next appearance in Detective Comics #97)

Supporting Character(s)

• Robin (last appearance in Batman #27; next appearance in Detective Comics #97)
• Alfred Beagle (last name Beagle revealed; last appearance in Batman #27; next appearance in Batman #28)

Villain(s)

• Stoney Peters (alias Pete Stone; a bank robber; no further appearances)
• Fingers and Eel (no further appearances)

Other Character(s)

• J.C. Willis (a banker; no further appearances)

Synopsis:
Alfred goes to the nearby town of Middleton to become a private detective. His first client is Pete Stone, who hires Alfred to watch banker J.C. Willis. Alfred completes his assignment, and Stone uses the information to rob Willis. Alfred is arrested for the crime and detained.

Batman and Robin see the crime reported in the newspaper. They suspect Stoney Peters, whom they have been chasing. When they arrive in Middleton and question Alfred in jail, he tells them where he met Pete Stone. Batman leaves to search the hide-out. Then Alfred remembers an important detail, so he escapes jail to follow Batman.

Alfred is caught by the crooks and taken to their hide-out. Batman has also followed clues and located the hide-out aboard a houseboat. Batman, Robin, and Alfred then defeat Stoney Peters and his gang.