Heading:
Title: DETECTIVE COMICS No. 46
Publisher:DC [Indicia: Detective Comics, Inc.]
Date Published: December, 1940
Description: CGC certified: Poor (0.5). Purple label: Restored (C-5). Off-white pages. Grader notes: "Detached cover; tape cover; tape interior cover; color touch on front cover; large, multiple Missing piece page(s) margins affects story; pieces added cover C-5." Provenance: The DC UNIVERSE COLLECTION.
 
CGC Census: 91 graded copies (75 Universal, 2 Qualified, 1 Signature Series, 13 Restored).
 
GPAnalysis: A restored 0.5 (wrong back cover) sold for $500 in 12/21. 
 
For comparison purposes, here are recent Universal sales: A 0.5 (page 27 missing, incomplete) sold for $1000 in 4/23; a 1.0 sold for $888 in 4/23.
 
Credits: Cover: Bob Kane (Jerry Robinson and George Roussos inks). Scripts: Bill Finger, Jerry Siegel, Jack Lehti, Henry Boltinoff, Chad Grothkopf. Art: Bob Kane (Jerry Robinson and George Roussos inks), Ed Moore, Irwin Hasen, Jack Lehti, Ed Winiarski (signed Fran Miller), Don Lynch, Chad Grothkopf, Howard Sherman. Overstreet: "Death of Hugo Strange."Bat-cyclopedia: "In December 1940 Professor Strange returns, this time with a plan to seize control of the United States Government with the aid of his diabolical 'fear dust,' which, when sprayed on human beings, makes them panicky and fearful. 'I can be dictator of America!' gloats the villain. 'Under the influence of my 'FEAR DUST' the WORLD will bow!' ...Not long afterward, Batman is captured... and taken to Professor Strange's hideout.... In the furious battle that follows, a blow from Batman's fist sends Professor Strange hurtling over the side of a craggy cliff to certain doom on the rocks below. 'Well...' muses Batman grimly. 'This time it really looks as if it's the end of the evil career of Professor Hugo Strange!'" — Michael L. Fleisher, The Encyclopedia of Comic Book Heroes Vol. 1: Batman. Macmillan: 1976, pp. 344-345.
 
Batman's Kill Count: In a plot twist perhaps derived from Sherlock Holmes' fateful last encounter with Professor Moriarty in Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's "The Final Problem," Batman clobbers Professor Hugo Strange and sends him toppling over a cliff to his doom. This marks Professor Strange's final Golden Age appearance, although his death (like Holmes's at Reichenbach Falls) was later retconned away.The DC UNIVERSE COLLECTION comprises over 40,000 comic books, including a copy of every single DC comic published for retail sale from 1934 to 2014. The collection was amassed by British music producer Ian Levine over the course of several decades, and it's been hailed as the single greatest collecting accomplishment in comic book history. This collection served as the basis for former DC Comics president Paul Levitz's monumental book 75 Years of DC Comics: The Art of Modern Mythmaking, published by Taschen in 2017. PBA is proud to present this epic collection in a series of themed sales over the next two years. To join the DC Universe Collection notifications list, contact pba@pbagalleries.com.
Enjoying PBA's Batman sale? A very small number of softcover and limited edition hardcover auction catalogues are available for purchase. The catalogues are fully illustrated, thoroughly researched, and make excellent reference works for Batman fans. To order a copy, or to inquire about consignment opportunities, contact Ivan Briggs, PBA's Director of Comics: ivan@pbagalleries.com.