Batman – Episode 11: The Goon Goes West (1943)

Starring Lewis Wilson and Douglas Croft

Genre: Superhero, Crime, Adventure
Country: United States
Director: Lambert Hillyer
Runtime: ~18 minutes

---

📖 STORY
Dr. Daka expands his criminal operations to the West Coast, sending his chief enforcer to establish a new sabotage network. Batman and Robin pursue the villain across state lines, following a trail of industrial sabotage targeting West Coast military installations. The episode features dramatic sequences at a hydroelectric dam and leads to a dangerous confrontation in a canyon, where the heroes must prevent both the destruction of critical infrastructure and the escape of Daka's top lieutenant.

---

⭐ HIGHLIGHTS
• Geographic expansion of the criminal conspiracy
• West Coast settings including industrial and natural locations
• Focus on infrastructure protection themes
• Canyon chase sequence with dramatic landscape
• Cliffhanger involving industrial sabotage

---

🎬 PRODUCTION DETAILS
• Genre: Superhero, Crime, Adventure Serial
• Director: Lambert Hillyer
• Runtime: 18 minutes
• Cast: Lewis Wilson (Batman/Bruce Wayne), Douglas Croft (Robin/Dick Grayson)
• Studio: Columbia Pictures
• Country: United States

---

🎪 BEHIND THE SCENES
• Hydroelectric dam sets created using miniatures and forced perspective
• Canyon scenes filmed at regional locations near Los Angeles
• Industrial sabotage themes reflected wartime production concerns
• Episode showcased West Coast defense infrastructure importance
• Travel narrative expanded scope beyond Gotham City

---

🏛️ CULTURAL LEGACY
This episode reflected genuine WWII-era concerns about protecting American industrial capacity and infrastructure from sabotage. The geographic expansion demonstrated Batman's willingness to operate beyond his home city, establishing his role as a national protector. The focus on critical infrastructure like power systems showed how superhero stories could address real-world security concerns while maintaining adventure entertainment value.

---

💬 DISCUSSION
How does the geographic expansion affect the Batman narrative? What does the focus on infrastructure protection add to the series? How effectively did the episode balance regional storytelling with ongoing serial plots?

---

🔔 Subscribe to Retro Cinema Wood for more cross-country serial adventures!
👉 Like and share your thoughts about this western expansion!

---

#Batman1943 #LewisWilson #DouglasCroft #TheGoonGoesWest #ClassicBatman #SuperheroSerial #RetroCinema