Batman and Robin visited Professor Higgins to see his latest invention when they heard a commotion, and saw his lab assistant John Dolan run from the house. Higgins told the heroes that he'd invented a element-converter, but after Dolan was accidentally exposed to it he gained the power to transform into any element. The change had turned him criminally insane, and when Higgins tried to cure him he struck him and fled. Dolan, now calling himself Elemental Man, assembled a gang, and robbed a beauty contest at a luxury pool. Batman tried to apprehend him, but Elemental Man turned to lead and easily overpowered him. Higgins invented a machine to draw off Elemental Man's power, and lured him to the science museum with an planted story about a radium exhibit. The machine conked out, failing to drain off his power, but turning Batman into an elemental man. Batman and Commissioner Gordon came up with a scheme to get close to Elemental Man; after Gordon arrested Batman, saying he feared him going criminally insane, he escaped, and convinced Elemental Man he'd make a great partner in crime. Batman lead him to a jewelry store, and while they were both lead grasped his hand. Higgins was waiting with his rebuilt machine that used the circuit formed to cure both Elemental Man and Batman. Dolan, no longer criminally insane, helped Batman round up his gang.
