Today in Comics History, March 4, 5:37 PM: Riddle my body with gunshot holes, Batman!

from Batman: Killing Time #3 (DC, July 2022), script by Tom King, pencils and inks by David Marquez, colors by Alejandro Sánchez, letters by Clayton Cowles

Today in Comics History, April 1: Those were the days, my friend

from Batman: The Long Halloween #11 (DC, October 1997), script by Jeph Loeb, pencils and inks by Tim Sale, colors by Gregory Wright, letters by Richard Starkings

Today in Comics History, February 4: Reggie notes that Archie doesn't like coconuts, which eventually leads to him being murdered by the Riddler

from Archie Meets Batman '66 #2 (Archie, October 2018), script by Jeff Parker and Michael Moreci, pencils by Dan Parent, inks by J. Bone, colors by Kelly Fitzpatrick, letters by Jack Morelli

Today in Comics History, September 10, 1919: Riddler does not understand how eBay works

from Detective Comics #707 (DC, March 1997), script by Chuck Dixon, pencils by Graham Nolan, inks by David Roach, colors by Gloria Vasquez, letters by John Costanza

Batman's Great Escapes Month, Day 16: What's black and yellow and gone when you look twice?

Panel from Batman/Riddler: The Riddle Factory one-shot (1995), script by Matt Wagner, pencils and inks by Dave Taylor, colors by Linda Medley, letters by Bill Oakley

The Delightfully Defined Derrière of Mr. Edward Nigma

Panel from Batman #362 (August 1983), script by Doug Moench, pencils by Don Newton, inks by Alfredo Alcala, colors by Adrienne Roy, letters by Ben Oda
Well, just as always...Batman gets him in the end.

Today in Comics History, March 4: Batman has obviously read Detective Comics Annual #8

from Detective Comics #364 (June 1967), script by Gardner Fox, pencils by Sheldon Moldoff, inks by Joe Giella

365 Days of DC House Ads, Day 62

House ad for Showcase #63 [The Inferior Five] (July-August 1966); printed in Teen Titans v.1 #4 (July-August 1966)
Comic cover art: pencils by Joe Orlando, inks by Mike Esposito
Ad designed and lettered by Ira Schnapp
Why yes, that is a big green giant in purple pants on the cover:




Panels from Showcase #63 [The Inferior Five] (July-August 1966), script by E. Nelson Bridwell, pencils by Joe Orlando and Jerry Grandenetti, inks by Mike Esposito
Why yes, that is a Nazi version of the Qwirky Qwartet version of the Avengers:




Why yes, that is some seriously meta breaking of the fourth wall.

Today in Comics History, June 13: The hiring of the blindest bank security guard in Gotham City

from "Questions That Begin With a Queue" in Batman Adventures (2003 series) #11 (DC, April 2004), script by Dan Slott, pencils by Rick Burchett, inks by Terry Beatty, colors by Zylonol, letters by Rob Leigh

Election Day: Demarche of The Penguin*

Happy Election Day, everyone! I hope you'll all have time to read this so you can get back to the couch and be sure not to miss the annual viewing of You're Not Elected, Charlie Brown and Rudolph's Hanging Chad Adventure followed by the all-new Faith Hill Family Election Night Musical Special! Boy, I can not wait until that spinny thing comes out and says it's a CBS special presentation!


Say, trivia buffs...do you know what long-running CBS TV program that "CBS Special Presentation" music is taken from? (No, no, it's not Kate and Ally.) It's actually from the Hawaii 5-O soundtrack. Look for the puece titled "Call to Danger" and you'll hear it towards the end of that track!

But back to election day. As Batman reminded you yesterday, the American political structure is based on the common citizen's ability to see past the glitz and glamor of contemporary politics to examine the real issues at hand. Like pollution. Urban crime. And all those parking tickets the Batmobile gets when Batman and Robin leave it in front of Gotham City's police headquarters.

That still and speech were taken from a Batman '66 episode, "Hizzoner the Penguin," in which that foul fowl featured fiend, Oswald Cobblepot, The Penguin, ran for (and almost won) mayorship of Gotham City, USA! Holy rigged elections, Batman! So inspiring was this concept that Tim Burton later made it a plotline in his blockbuster 1992 motion picture Batman Returns, a movie especially noticed for its creation of a Catwoman who can come back from the dead and still can't hide seams in her costume and the line "You know, mistletoe can be deadly if you eat it. " Good advice by Batman, folks! But it's not until the comic book series Batman Adventures (2003 series) that the idea becomes a reality: Penguin really does get elected to become Gotham's Mayor! Aieeee! That's pretty dire! I mean, I can't think of a single worse person to become mayor...


cover of Batman: Dark Detective #1 (DC, July 2005), pencils by Marshall Rogers, inks by Terry Austin, logo design by Todd Klein
Hmmm, okay. Point taken.

Halloween Bonus Feature: Riddle me this, Batman?

Q: What's more scary than Evil Riddler Mask?



A: All-day Halloween madness right here on Comics Oughta Be Spooky! Stay tuned, pumpkin!

Batman Tells Another Joke

As we saw in a previous installment, Batman has no sense of comedy timing. Or...does he?


Panels from Detective Comics #780 (May 2003), script by Ed Brubaker, pencils by Tommy Castillo, inks by Wade Von Grawbadger, colors by Jason Wright, letters by Todd Klein

Ummmm...no, he doesn't.

On the other hand, every stand-up comic sometimes has a bad audience. What happens if Batman practices his stand-up routine on a guy who appreciates a good guffaw?


Panels from Detective Comics #781 (June 2003), script by Ed Brubaker, pencils by Tommy Castillo, inks by Wade Von Grawbadger, colors by Jason Wright, letters by Todd Klein

Ah, there you go! Batman was just playing to a tough audience. If you're ever attending Batman's comedy act in front of the brick wall down at the Chuckle Hut, make sure you laugh. You don't want to be that guy. Don't be...the Heckler!


Panel from The Heckler #2 (October 1992), co-plot and pencils by Keith Giffen; co-plot by Tom Bierbaum and Mary Bierbaum; inks by Malcolm Jones III, colors by Tom McCraw, letters by Bob Pinaha

So remember: Criminals are a cowardly, superstitious, and easily-amused lot.



Also, don't work blue. Isn't that right, Superman?