Character(s):
Batman [Bruce Wayne]; Robin [Dick Grayson]; Merko the Great (magician); Moriarity Gang (villains); Pete (villain); un-named gang "Boss" (villain)
Synopsis:
The great magician Merko is kidnapped by a gang "Boss", wanting him to find a way to remove a pair of handcuffs from his wrists that were put on him by a rival gang and which supposed contain explosives. Batman and Robin substitute for Merko and his assistant on stage until they get a lead to the whereabouts of Merko, and can save him.
Notes:
Belief exists this was scripted by Gibson. Stylistically, it has the structure and parallel storylines common to his novels that were not usually found in Finger's scripts ... and it also shows a familiarity with real stage magic illusions. The scriptwriter also clearly indicates that Batman has found his own, different ways of performing the illusions other than the ones regularly used by stage magicians... which makes one suspect that this was written by a real magician who did not want to explain/ruin the actual gimmicks performed by his fellow illusionists. Also, even though editor Mort Weisinger was notorious for giving one writer's plots to another writer, he would probably want to have a story about stage magic written by the best writer to do it ... the real magician and former manager of the huge Blackstone touring show.