A Batman Comic Cover Promised The Greatest Detective Team-Up Ever – And Didn't Deliver

Everyone knows that Batman is the world's greatest detective. It's an aspect of the character that has gone somewhat overlooked in the films, at least until Matt Reeves focused on the Dark Knight's detective prowess in his emo caped crusader outing "The Batman." But if there's one fictional character who has Gotham's protector beat when it comes to detective work it's Sherlock Holmes. In fact, the Bat was once bested by this iconic investigator in a team-up story that wasn't actually a team-up at all.

In 1987, "Detective Comics" reached its 50th anniversary, and what better way to commemorate the occasion than by having the two most well-known detectives in all of fiction team up to solve a case. That's what the cover of "Detective Comics" #572 promised, anyway. The anniversary issue, which should have been one of the best Batman comics ever, featured Sherlock Holmes hunched over a book with Batman over his shoulder as the pair seemingly pored over the details of a case together. It was a misleading illustration to say the least.

Though Sherlock Holmes might not have held the same cultural sway as Batman in 1987, this was surely a momentous occasion in the latter's history. It was also a no-brainer considering the title of the comics in which Batman made his debut all the way back in 1939 as well as the fact a key facet of his character was his investigative ability. As such, fans were surely hyped to see Holmes and the Dark Knight put their collective detecting skills to work. Unfortunately, they never really got any such thing — though they did get Batman literally saving the Queen of England from a book bomb.

Though "Detective Comics" #572 isn't necessarily one of the most iconic comic book covers, it is memorable for featuring iconic characters. It pictured Batman collaborating with a Sherlock Holmes who seemed very much in his prime, but the issue itself actually delivered a story the only time we see a young Holmes is in a chapter set in the past where Batman — who hadn't even been born yet — doesn't appear.

The story itself actually features multiple sleuths and is told across five chapters spanning multiple timelines. In that sense, you have to give it to DC for at least delivering a grand and ambitious story even if it didn't quite live up to the promise of the cover. Things kick off in Gotham City with private detective Slam Bradley, who's visited by a man looking for his fiancé. After the man is taken hostage by goons, Batman and Robin step in, following the trail to London. Slam continues to investigate in Gotham, eventually finding the missing fiancé who is revealed to be Mary Watson, great granddaughter of Dr. John Watson. Her soon-to-be hubby? Thomas Moriarty, great grandson of Sherlock Holmes' arch nemesis Professor James Moriarty.

Next we follow another detective in the form of Elongated Man as he comes face-to-face with Professor Moriarty's great-grandnephew Edgar, who's trying to secure a manuscript previously hidden by Holmes and Dr. Watson. We then travel back to 1886 where Holmes and Watson foil a plot to kill the Queen. The final chapter sees Batman and Robin discovering Edgar Moriarty's similar plot to take out the monarch with an explosive book. Luckily, Batman manages to reach the Queen before she's incinerated, kicking the lethal tome away from her and saving the day. 

At no point in the sprawling story of "Detective Comics" #572 do we see the Dark Knight work with Sherlock Holmes, who's otherwise shown up in plenty of movies. But as the last few pages reveal, Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's detective was pulling the strings the whole time. After rescuing the Queen from a fiery death, Batman finally encounters Holmes who at this point is well over 100 years old. The secret to his longevity? In the legendary sleuth's own words, "A proper diet, a certain distillation of royal jelly, developed in my beekeeping days, and the rarified atmosphere of Tibet, where I keep my primary residence."

Apparently, Holmes was aware of the modern-day Moriarty's plan to complete his grandfather's work a century later. He was also the one who contacted Batman to intervene and even figured out the Caped Crusader's secret identity. None of which is revealed until the final two pages, leaving fans to wonder what happened to the ultimate team-up they were promised. Things are only made more confusing by the fact that writer Mike W. Barr clearly kept Holmes alive in the modern-day storyline of the issue, immediately undermining the idea that he might have struggled to figure out how to get Holmes and Batman together in 1987.

Years later, the long-awaited team-up did sort of happen in a 2009 episode of "Batman: The Brave and the Bold" entitled "Trials of the Demon." The installment saw Batman teleported back to the 19th Century where he meets his forbear, who once again deduces his real identity. The two then actually work together to stop Jim Craddock from stealing souls for Astaroth. "Detective Comics," meanwhile, is yet to tell any such story.