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Title: DETECTIVE COMICS No. 142
Publisher:DC [Indicia: Detective Comics, Inc.]
Date Published: December, 1948
Description: CGC certified: G/VG (3.0). Purple label: Restored (C-4). Off-white pages. Grader notes: "Tape cover; color touch on front cover; creasing to cover; light cover tanning; piece added with tape cover C-4; spine stress lines to cover; staining to cover; staple tears." Provenance: The DC UNIVERSE COLLECTION.
 
CGC Census: 85 graded copies (79 Universal, 1 Qualified, 5 Restored).
 
GPAnalysis: Only two recorded sales of restored copies in any grade. A 3.0 (SA) sold for $218 in 9/05, and a 1.8 (SA) sold for $150 in 9/11.
 
For comparison purposes, here are recent Universal sales: A 3.0 sold for $1799 in 7/21; a 2.5 sold for $1450 in 3/23.
 
Credits: Cover: Jack Burnley (Charles Paris inks). Scripts: Bill Finger. Art: Jack Burnley (ghosting as Bob Kane), Lee Harris, John Daly, Curt Swan. Overstreet: "2nd Riddler story."Bat-cyclopedia: "In December 1948 the Riddler returns. This time, his theft of the prize money from a nationwide puzzle contest provides him with an inspiration for yet another series of spectacular crimes. 'I'll run a big puzzle contest of my own!' he exclaims. 'One that will make me rich!' Soon the Riddle launches a spectacular puzzle contest for the benefit of the general public, providing enigmatic clues to the location of the prize money.... The real motive behind the contest, however, is to enable the Riddler to draw huge crowds of money-seekers to various parts of the city, so that the turmoil caused by their presence will enable him to commit a series of crimes there....
 
"Batman and Robin thwart the [scheme], but the Riddler escapes by parachuting off the roof. Later, the Riddler provides the public with an elaborate charade clue which draws crowds of people into the Gotham Museum, where the Riddler hopes to steal some priceless Egyptian relics. Batman and Robin arrive on the scene, however, and swiftly apprehend him." — Michael L. Fleisher, The Encyclopedia of Comic Book Heroes Vol. 1: Batman. Macmillan: 1976, pp. 121, 316.
 
The Riddler's Routine: "The Riddler first appears as a sideshow carny who cheats customers with rigged puzzles and games. Aching for greater thrills, he heads to Gotham and dons a costume specifically so he can challenge Batman, whom he sees as a potentially worthy adversary. Gotham's Caped Crusader and costumed crooks directly inspire this man to become an archcriminal.... He loves the limelight. Attention feeds him.... There's a kind of honesty in everythng the Riddler does. He'd rather tell the truth creatively than lie outright — hence, the riddles.... However much he sometimes wants to commit a crime without sending a riddle... he cannot.... Dr. Rakul K. Parikh diagnoses the Riddler with obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD)." — Travis Langley, Batman and Psychology: A Dark and Stormy Knight. Wiley: 2021, pp. 138-139.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.