The Brave & The Bold #235 - Batman and Miss America - homage to Spider-Woman #15

Latest Golden Age Team-Up Project commission - The Brave & The Bold issue #235, teaming Batman with Miss America, adapted from the Bill Sienkiewicz / Bob McLeod cover to Spider-Woman #15, as reimagined by Bambos Georgiou.

1949 - and at the end of the last issue, Batman was paralysed by a blow from the Villain From Valhalla's hammer, lofted above the villain's head, and thrown from the roof of the Gotham Museum Of Antiquities to the street below! Unable to move, Batman's only hope is that Hawkman can save him - but as he approaches the ground, it becomes clear that the Winged Wonder is nowhere to be seen! The Gotham Guardian hurtles towards the street --- and a truck below him is transformed ino a giant pillow, cushioning the impact, by the transmutational powers of Miss America, who (as reporter Joan Dale) had rushed to the Museum when news of the battle between heroes and villain was relayed over police radio!

Batman and his new ally rush back to the roof, with Batman filling Miss America in on the events that led to his plight, but when they reach the top of the building, the Villain From Valhalla has vanished - and Hawkman is similarly nowhere to be seen! As the two search for clues, Miss America finds a partially-burned note, and her transmuting powers are able to restore some of it - enough that the heroes can see a sphinx symbol at the bottom of the page.

This gives Batman the last piece of information he needs: as Bruce Wayne, he's become aware of a mysterious secret organisation - the Sphinx Society - which has been active in Gotham City in recent months, dedicated to ancient Egyptian culture. Although it had seemed harmless, indications of a more sinister purpose had stopped Wayne joining the group when he was approached. Aware of their meeting place, he and Miss America race across the rooftops to the site of the group's activities, and peer though a skylight, to find both Hawkman and Hawkgirl, stripped of their Nth Metal wings and bound on an altar, in front of a giant sculpture of Horus!

Crashing through the skylight, the two heroes are attacked by a group of members of the Sphinx Society, who are directed by a distorted voice coming from the statue of Horus to stop both Batman and Miss America - and sacrifice Hawkman and Hawkgirl! As the heroes beat back their opponents, the Villain From Valhalla charges into the room, and tackles Batman, once again swinging his electro-mechanical hammer in an attempt to paralyze the Gotham Guaridan - only for his hammer to be transformed into a rubber chicken by Miss America's powers!

Batman quickly immobilises the surprised villain with a martial arts blow, tying him up with his bat-rope, and then joins Miss America in subduing the remaining members of the Sphinx Society and reviving Hawkman and Hawkgirl. The two Hawks suspect that the voice from Horus' statue is a sign that one of their oldest foes - Professor Anton Hastor - has returned, using his Egyptian memories to mobilise the Sphinx Society, and using the Villain From Valhalla as a dupe. Although Batman offers his help in locating the mastermind, Hawkman and Hawkgirl refuse, saying that they need to find him themselves, and fly off - leaving Batman and Miss America to hand over both the Villain From Valhalla and the members of the Sphinx Society to the arriving police.

... and in a room miles away, a shadowed figure lowers the microphone he had been using to project his voice through the Horus statue - Hawkman and Hawkgirl may be free, but they have fallen for his misdirection, and have no idea that the true mastermind is, in fact --- Vandal Savage!

A new adventure - next issue!

Historical note: the "Sphinx Society" have never appeared before, but their visual appearance is taken from a one-off criminal mob (the Sphinx Gang) who appeared in Worlds Finest Comics #139, Feb 1964 - although the Society are obviously a Golden Age precursor.