The Batman 1943 film serial was the initial debut of the dynamic duo, Batman and Robin, on the big screen. It was the first live-action film that features the popular DC Comic character who first appeared in Detective Comics #27.
In addition to being the first film, it was also the first appearance of the Batcave and Batman’s secret entrance. Also, it was where the clean-shaven and overweight Alfred changes into its present thin mustache and slim body form.
This film series is composed of 15 chapters and was released by Columbia Pictures in 1943. It stars Lewis Wilson and Douglas Croft as the film’s main characters (Batman and Robin).
List of Batman 1943 Film Serial Chapters
Chapter 1: The Electrical Brain
In this first Batman 1943 film chapter, Japan’s attack on Pearl Harbor transforms Batman and Robin into secret government agents. They were investigating the kidnapping of Martin Warren, the uncle of Bruce Wayne’s girlfriend.
This chapter introduces the villain of the film series, Dr. Daka. He is the Japanese spy ring leader that operates in Gotham.
The chapter ends with Daka’s man stealing the stored Radium while Batman is falling over a ledge.
Chapter 2: The Bat’s Cave
After surviving the fall, Batman and Robin captured one of Daka’s henchmen and the Radium gun. After that, they brought him to the Batcave to interrogate him about the location of Daka’s hideout.
Dr. Daka was furious about losing the gun, and he orders his men to kidnap Linda Page to recover it. Meanwhile, after learning about the location of Daka’s hideout, the dynamic duo heads to the House of the Open Door to rescue Linda.
The scene ends with both Batman and Linda falling from the building due to an explosion.
Chapter 3: The Mark of the Zombies
The chapter starts with Robin rescuing Batman and Linda from a deadly fall using a rope from his utility belt. Then, Daka transforms Linda’s uncle into one of his zombies because he refuses to join the New Order.
After that, the bad guys fell into Batman’s trap when trying to retrieve the gun. They were able to escape, but they left their plans to blow a military supply train, forcing Batman and Robin to go to that location.
This chapter ends with Batman being left unconscious on the bridge while a train moves towards his location.
Chapter 4: Slaves of the Rising Sun (Batman 1943 Film Serial)
Continuing with the Batman 1943 film serial, Robin shoves Batman off the bridge to save him. They were unable to capture any bad guys, but they were successful in saving the train.
Meanwhile, Foster and Daka got into an argument which ended with Foster falling into a pit full of crocodiles. After that, the bad guys steal the receipt for the shipment of Radium, but Batman and Robin chase after them.
Batman was able to get into the goon’s truck during the chase, but it crashes and tumbles down the mountainside.
Chapter 5: The Living Corpse
Batman, Robin, and Alfred return to Wayne Manor after Batman escapes the falling truck. Then, Dr. Daka receives a message about a package containing a Japanese soldier. This soldier instructs Daka to steal an experimental engine from a Lockheed plane.
Meanwhile, Bruce Wayne also receives a message ordering him to secure the same plane. They go undercover at the Lockheed plant and sneaks onto the plane.
Daka’s zombies steal the plane forcing the military to shoot it down while Batman and Robin were still on it.
Chapter 6: Poison Peril
After surviving the plane crash and saving the mechanics, Batman discovers what allows Daka to control people. After that, Daka’s men attack Colton when Daka learned about his Radium mine.
However, Batman and Robin come to the rescue, which forces the bad guys to run away. Alfred poses as Colton and goes into an abandoned factory when they learn about Daka’s new plan.
Batman and Robin burst into the factory, but Batman becomes unconscious as the factory burns.
Chapter 7: The Phoney Doctor
After escaping death in the factory, Bruce Wayne warns Colton to be careful of his visitors. He and Dick then went into the police headquarters where they identify one of Daka’s men.
Meanwhile, Colton was abducted by a fake doctor and was taken into their hideout. Batman and Robin learn about the kidnapping which leads them into the Nakina Laundry.
A fight ensues between the duo and a group of Daka’s men. Batman was overpowered which forces him to fall into the bottom of a shaft.
Chapter 8: Lured by Radium (Batman 1943 Film Serial)
At the beginning of this Batman 1943 film chapter, Robin saves Batman by turning off the power to the lift. They then join Linda in trying to find where Colton is.
In the meantime, Colton agrees to divulge the location of the Radium mine to avoid becoming a zombie. When they went into the location, Colton was able to escape by heading deeper into the mine.
Batman and Robin arrive at the location of the mine and a fight occurs. Colton tries to blow the mine, but one of Daka’s henchmen accidentally triggers the detonator forcing the mine to collapse.
Chapter 9: The Sign of the Sphinx
Batman and Robin survive the explosion and takes one of Daka’s henchmen, Marshall, into the Batcave. They allow him to escape, tricking him into making a call to their hideout so that they can trace it.
Bruce then uses a disguise to infiltrate the hideout but fails to prove that he is a Marshall friend. Robin saves him by distracting the bad guys while Bruce changes into Batman.
A fight happens on the docks where Batman lost and becomes unconscious.
Chapter 10: Flying Spies
Batman escapes the docks, and he and Robin return to the Batcave. Daka learns of another source of Radium and orders his men to retrieve it.
Batman infiltrates the gang and joins them in retrieving the Radium. In the drop location, Batman tries to retrieve the Radium and drive away from the bad guys.
However, a bad guy shoots his tire forcing him to lose control of the vehicle, which eventually crashes down a hill.
Chapter 11: A Nipponese Trap
After escaping the crash, Batman realizes that the bad guys got away with the Radium. Bruce decides to take on Chuck’s identity once again so that he can befriend Marshall in jail.
The plan was successful, and Marshall gives him an address on where he should go to. They orchestrate a car crash to escape Daka’s men, and then they go to the address that Marshall gave.
However, they lost to Daka’s men, and one of the bad guys sets off a bomb to destroy the building.
Chapter 12: Embers of Evil (Batman 1943 Film Serial)
After escaping the explosion during the last Batman 1943 film serial chapter, Batman and Robin go back home to meet Alfred. Meanwhile, Daka orders Bernie to kill Marshall by giving him a special brand of cigarette called Medusa.
Bruce discovers the cigarette is poisonous using his Young Scientist chemical set. Dr. Daka then decides to target Linda to ambush Batman.
Batman and Robin discover her whereabouts and tries to rescue her. However, a fire breaks out, trapping them in the basement.
Chapter 13: Eight Steps Down
Escaping death once again, Batman tries to find Linda in the building before getting himself to safety. He then learns that Bernie is still at large and finds him hiding in a room in the Sphinx Club.
After that, Batman and Robin discover a tunnel that leads to Daka’s lair. However, while they try to rescue Linda, Batman falls into a trap door into a room with large spikes on both walls.
Chapter 14: The Executioner Strikes
With Robin’s help, Batman escapes the spike room. After that, the dynamic duo tries to find another way into Daka’s lair.
Dr. Daka then detonates the charges to collapse the tunnel after finding out that the duo escaped his trap. Batman and Robin return to their car but was seen by Daka’s men who decided to follow them.
A fight occurs and the henchmen were captured and taken back to the Batcave. Alfred then finds a note asking Bruce Wayne to meet Linda at an old house.
As soon as Batman enters the house he was taken by Daka’s men and was put inside a wooden crate. Upon arrival in Daka’s lair, the crate was dropped into Daka’s crocodile pit.
Chapter 15: Batman 1943 Film Serial Finale – The Doom of the Rising Sun
In the final chapter of the Batman 1943 serial, Batman escapes the crocodile pit by tricking them that he was still inside the crate. The truth is that he escaped the box earlier with the help of Robin.
Batman and Robin then sneak into Daka’s hideout. A fight occurs where Batman was captured by two of Daka’s zombies where he was tied to a chair and was threatened to be turned into a zombie.
Fortunately, Robin saves him and captures Daka. After that, they free Linda and the others from being a zombie.
In the end, Daka fell into the crocodile pit as the police arrived.
