Comic Title: Detective Comics #214
Publisher: DC (National Comics Publications, Inc.)
Address: 480 Lexington Avenue, New York, NY
Cover Date: December 1954
Approx. On Sale Date: October 28, 1954 Copyright Date October 26, 1954
Source: Library of Congress, Periodicals 1954
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: 32
Editor: Jack Schiff

Title: "The Batman Encyclopedia"
Pages: 12

Feature(s):
Batman (of Earth-1)

Writer: Bill Finger
Penciller: Sheldon Moldoff
Inker: Charles Paris

Feature Character(s)

• Batman (last appearance in Batman #88; next appearance in Detective Comics #215)

Supporting Character(s)

• Robin (last appearance in Batman #88; next appearance in Detective Comics #215)
• Commissioner Gordon (last appearance in Batman #88; next appearance in Detective Comics #215)

Villain(s)

• Herbert Smirt (a scholar; no further appearances)
• Several criminal gangs (no further appearances)

Comments:
Batman's weight is given as 180 pounds in this story.

Synopsis:
Scholar Herbert Smirt has covertly gathered information concerning Batman. Using the information he publishes the Batman Encyclopedia and sells it to the underworld. Using their newfound knowledge crooks are able to elude capture when confronted by the Caped Crusader.

Batman finally manages to get a copy of the Encyclopedia and realizes that it contains a clue to his secret identity. He goes undercover to purchase a copy and find Smirt, but the crook is prepared for him. Batman stop Smirt anyway, but must still retrieve every copy of the book or risk someone discovering his secret.

Batman and Robin alter all their equipment, then return to fight crime. The crooks are upset when their encyclopedias contain incorrect information, due to the changes Batman has made. The crooks go to Smirt to demand a refund, but instead walk into a trap. Batman recovers and destroys the remaining books, that contain a picture showing him rescuing Bruce Wayne. The photo also shows a scale, which gives his weight and that of Bruce. Had the crooks looked closely they would have realized that Bruce must have been a dummy, because he weighed only 20 pounds.