Comic Title: Detective Comics #388
Publisher: DC (National Periodical Publications, Inc.)
Address: 909 Third Avenue, New York, NY
Cover Date: June 1969
On Sale Date: April 29, 1969 Copyright Date April 29, 1969
Source: Library of Congress, Periodicals 1969

Newsstand Date April 29, 1969
Source: Comic Reader, #72

Frequency: Monthly
Cover Price: $0.15
Page Count: 32
Editor: Julius Schwartz

Title: "Surprise! This'll Kill You"
Pages: 10

Feature(s):
Batgirl (of Earth-1)

Writer: Frank Robbins
Penciller: Gil Kane
Inker: Murphy Anderson

Reprinted In:
Batman in the Sixties TPB (1999)
Showcase Presents:Batgirl Vol. 1 TPB (2007)
Batgirl:The Bronze Age Omnibus Vol. 1 HC (2018)

Feature Character(s)

• Batgirl (last appearance in Adventure Comics #381; next appearance in Detective Comics #389)

Villain(s)

• Darlene Dawson (a stewardess; next appearance in Detective Comics #389)
• A gang of smugglers (Luke named; next appearance in Detective Comics #389)

Other Character(s)

• A group of party guests (Maisie named; no further appearances)

Comments:
This story continues in the second story of Detective Comics #389.

The crooks in this story are dressed in the costumes of Superman, Batman, Flash, and Green Lantern.

Synopsis:
Barbara Gordon responds to a "personals" ad for a free apartment. The owner of the apartment, Darlene Dawson, requests that Barbara take her place at a company costume party while she visits her grandfather on his birthday. Barbara is suspicious, but she agrees to wear a Batgirl costume to the party.

When her escort arrives dressed as Batman, Barbara is attacked. The man tries to kill her, then takes a bag from the apartment. Barbara follows him to the costume party and learns that the crook is a smuggler. Darlene had been helping them smuggle diamonds into the country and double-crossed her partners. Batgirl attempts to stop the crooks, but finds that she doesn't have her utility bag of weapons to help her.