Joe Potato
Created by Alan Grant and Norm Breyfogle

Hello Mr Smith-

As an avid and growing fan of pulp and detective stories, as well as a writer and owner of a comic book store, I have noticed a small omission on your incredible list of PI's.

A far as I know, this character has shown up only two or three times in Detective Comics, but I believe he deserves a spot on your list. His name is JOE POTATO, and he is your typical hard-boiled detective operating out of Gotham City. He has an unusual feature, as he was born with a scarred face. Combined with his meaty girth, he has the passing features of a baked potato.

Thanks, Brian. I did a little digging, and our spud does indeed seem to show up in some rather weird spots. You forgot to mention that all of Joe's cases involve the Batman in one way or another -- he's never shown up in a solo adventure, as far as I know. And he never appeared outside of Alan Grant’s Bat-stories so, when Grant left, so did Joe.

But there's a pretty good profile of him, supposedly written by the spud himself, full of dubious potato puns, in Who's Who in the DC Universe #10, 1991, that fills in some of the details. And he pops up in a Shadow of the Bat Annual as well, where he takes on Poison Ivy. His best line comes when Joe finally confronts Ivy, who's attempting to use plant-based zombies to take over Gotham City: "You...you must really hate people."

Well, like, d'uh....

COMIC BOOKS

• DETECTIVE COMICS
  (1937-present, DC Comics)
  Joe Potato created by Alan Grant and Norm Breyfogle
  

• First appearance (January 1989, Detective Comics #594)
  

• BATMAN
  (1940-present, DC Comics)
  Joe Potato created by Alan Grant and Norm Breyfogle
  Written by Alan Grant
  Art by Norm Breyfogle), Tim Sale

• "It's a Man's World, Part One" (March 1991, Batman #460; with Catwoman)
• "It's a Man's World, Part Two" (April 1991, Batman #461; with Catwoman)
  

• WHO'S WHO IN THE DC UNIVERSE
  Joe Potato created by Alan Grant and Norm Breyfogle
  Profile by Joe Potato and Kevin Dooley
  Art by Norm Breyfogle
  

• "Joe Potato" (June 1991, Who's Who in the DC Universe #10)
  

• SHADOW OF THE BAT
  (1992-2000, DC Comics)
  96 issues

  "Anarky, Part One: Prophet Of Doom" (1995; #40)"

  "Anarky, Part Two: The Anarkist Manifesto" (1995; #41)

• SHADOW OF THE BAT ANNUAL
  (1992-2000, DC Comics)
  Joe Potato created by Alan Grant and Norm Breyfogle
  

• "Pulp Heroes: Young Romance" (1997, Annual #5, Batman, Poison Ivy and Joe)

RELATED LINKS

• Dixonverse
  You can find an unpublished Joe Potato story, "Fry Me Deadly," here, courtesy of Chuck Dixon, one of DC Comics' harder-boiled writers.
  .
• The Thrilling Detective Web Site: Detective Comics
  A listing of all the private eyes who have shown up in DC Comics.

Respectfully submitted by Kevin Burton Smith. Thanks to Brian and John McDonagh for their help.