Star Spangled Comics #74 (1947)

Inside Gotham State Penitentiary, The Clock is being harassed and called a harmless worm that learned that the early bird that caught the worm was Robin. One Day in the prison machine shop, which The Clock is assigned, the prison warden is performing rounds. He mentions to one of the accompanying guards that his watch stopped again. The Clock overhears this conversation, realizes this is his chance. The Clock goes up to the warden and explains I can fix your watch I'm an expert. This triggers one of the guards to ask if could fix his watch too. In time, The Clock is made a prison trusty and assigned to repair the guards' watches. The Warden comes by to check in on The Clock. The Clock tells the warden he is fixing watches. The Warden is pleased and tells The Clock the prison is on strict schedule, and everyone's watch needs to be synced. Next day during recess hour The Clock knows his time to strike is 12:00pm sharp. A guard spots The Clock trying to escape in the yard as 12:00 approaches. As 12:00 hits every guard in the prison collapses and fall unconscious. Each watch was rigged and at 12:00 a small needle in each watch scratches their wrists. As The Clock is climbing the prison wall, he states that the needles in each watch were poisoned, he has escaped by "fixing" clocks. A month later The Clock is seen, and he has donned a new disguise making him look like his namesake, a clock. A bald man with a thin mustache that mimic clock hands, wearing a modest suit making him resemble a grandfather clock. Meanwhile at Wayne Manor... Robin, the Boy wonder is reading the newspaper. After looking over the paper Robin notes it's been too quiet since The Clock escaped. Robin thinks he should warn the local clock companies incase The Clock has targeted them. The Clock in his hideout, as 1:00pm nears The Clock knows his plan starts once 1:00 hits and all he needs is a satchel of orange peels. Posing as Mr. Ticker, The Clock arrives at the Accurate Clock Company carrying the satchel. Taking a tour with the manager, he explains the factory and relays to The Clock the rooms are completely sterile so no food allows. After hearing this he opens the satchel and swings it above his head causing the orange peels to fly everywhere. As the employees frantically try to clear the room of the orange peels, The Clock scoops up piles of watch screws putting them in the satchel. The Clock manages to reach the manager's office. Suddenly Robin rushes into the office fist flying. He lands a hit on The Clock causing him to drop his wristwatch. Hoping Robin would emerge The Clock jumps out the window leaving the office. The Clock lands on a scaffolding hanging above a giant clock attached to the factory building. The Clock knew the scaffolding was there as he had planned this heist out in advance. Robin comes swinging out of the window and lands on the scaffolding to confront The Clock. The Clock grabs a red can on paint and throws it at Robin covering him in red paint. The Clock then lows the scaffolding causing to it drop down quickly. Dazed Robin quickly grabs on to one of the giant clock hands and holds on for dear life. As Robin senses come to, he realizes The Clock has fled the scene causing Robin to climb back into the window to safety. Later, inside the factory Robin interviews the factory manager. Robin tells the manager The Clock only stole some tiny watch screws. The manager explains those screws have to be expertly made and most are silver or gold. He confirms the ones stolen were indeed the gold screws which are worth a small fortune in gold. Back in his office the manager shows him even a small thimble can hold 12,000 of these screws and believes a ransom will soon come. Robin notices the watch The Clock dropped during their encounter and heads back to the Batcave to put his scientific detective training to work. Robin using the Bat-microscope he analyzes the particles in the watch. He finds smoke particles, tobacco, fabric fibers and an overlarge amount of flour. Checking the Gotham map, he wonders if The Clock is using the old-abandoned Flour Mill as his hideout. It's worth a look. Later in front of the old mill, Robin arrives and looks for way to gain entrance. Robin spots a window on the second floor and proceeds to scaling the building to reach it. As Robin enters the mill he trips on a tripwire trigger an alarm clock that begins buzzing. Robin is attacked from the shadows as The Clock knocks Robin out after hitting over the head with an object. When Robin awakens, he discovers he is bound and gagged hanging mid-air from a giant clock as if he was the pendulum. Robin notices The Clock over a sharpen wheel sharpen arrow points that look like clock hands. He placed seven arrows into a crossbow. He tells Robin in seven minutes, when the clock strikes 4 o'clock 7 minute hands will strike Robin. The Clock flees leaving Robin to his fate. Robin notices that the wall behind him is wood but cement bricks to each of his side. As Robin thinks of a plan to escape, he remembers he's wearing his wristwatch under his gloves. Robin begins swing back and forth like a clock pendulum, as he swings, he exposes the watch and when he hits one of the concrete walls, he slams the watch into the wall causing the glass to shatter. Robin takes a shard of glass from watch and begins cutting the rope to free himself. As the minutes countdown, right as 4 o'clock hits the clock chimes and the crossbow releases the arrows. As arrows come flying toward Robin, the rope snaps and Robin falls to the ground as the arrows hit the back wall missing him by mere seconds. Free, Robin searches the mill and finds The Clocks office. In the office is a schedule written on a chalkboard. After examining the schedule Robin proclaims, "Thanks to his mania for time schedules, I know where he will strike next." At the clock fair, a line of people focuses on a giant cutaway model of a pocket watch on the ground. A man explains it's a Lifesize replica and all the parts are real and many natural gems through it making it very valuable. Suddenly a giant cuckoo clock chimes 4:30 and out springs The Clock riding the cuckoo bird as he drops a smoke bomb on the crowd, proclaiming no one will stop him now. As The Clock begins looting the giant pocket watch he notices Robin swinging through the smoke to reach him. Robin begins fighting The Clock. Robin catches the Clock in the midsection with a well time punch. As The Clock falls back, he reaches for one of the clock hands and pulls it free. With the giant clock hand, he delivers a stunning blow to Robin. This sends Robin towards the exposed gears where he gets one leg stuck in the cogs. Robin quickly realizes that The Clock is stand over the main clock spring. With a well-aimed kick Robin causes the main spring to pop up, and it wraps around The Clock immobilizing him in the process. Back at Gotham State Penitentiary Robin is seen locking The Clock up behind bars. The Clock warns Robin, "I'll get out you can't keep me in here! See!" "Is that "see" or the letter "C" ? Remember in the word "Clock" there's a "lock" and that's what you've got now, SEE!"