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Graded population
CGC records 27 graded copies for Detective Comics #20 (1938). Population is the number recorded by this grading source, not the total print run or all surviving copies.
Speed Saunders: "The Jade Buddha"
Speed Saunders) was reading an issue of Detective Comics when he received a phone call. Later, Speed drove down to a building owned by the Wing Tong and found their leader, Ming Toy, dead with a bullet in his head. Next to Ming Toy's corpse was a Jade Buddha statuette. Next, Speed went to the local library where he found a book of Ancient Chinese lore. Next, Speed went to the police commissioner and told him that the Jade Buddha was stolen from the Anghor Temple in India by Ming Toy's servants and that whoever stole it was cursed to die. Speed visited the Mandarin Hapsu who told him that he wanted the Jade Buddha. Next, the Mandarin Hapsu told one of his servants to take the Jade Buddha from the safe at the police headquarters. Meanwhile, Speed was incarcerated by the Mandarin Hapsu in another room with his hands tied behind his back. Speed spotted a candle and used it to burn away the rope. Next, he opened the window in the room, broke out, and approached a taxi, going to the police headquarters. When Speed arrived at the police headquarters, he saw the Mandarin Hapsu's servant and beat him up. Next, Speed told the police captain to raid the "Yellow Den" where the Mandarin Hapsu was located. When Speed and the police arrived at the Mandarin's headquarters, the Mandarin offered to reveal to them the murderer of Ming Toy in exchange for the Jade Buddha. Speed went to the Wing Tong's building with the Mandarin, where the latter betrayed the former and attempted to kill him. However, Speed subdued him and the Mandarin was turned into police custody.
Creative credits
Writers: Gardner Fox, Will Ely, Homer Fleming, Jerry Siegel, Sax Rohmer, Gardner Fox, Jim Chambers, Jerry Siegel
Interior art: Fred Guardineer, Will Ely, Homer Fleming, Joe Shuster, Leo O'Mealia, Tom Hickey, Jim Chambers, Sven Elven, Joe Shuster
Source records & attribution
Panel Profits keeps each source identity attached to its edition record.
COMICBASE: comicbase:342872
GCD: 345