Every day this month will have the five goofiest moment from a five-issue stretch of a particular comic book run. Once a week it will be the ten goofiest moments of a ten-issue stretch. Here is a list of the moments featured so far.

Today we're looking at the first ten issues of Batman's solo comic book. The first nine issues of Batman were produced by writer Bill Finger and the art team of Bob Kane, Jerry Robinson and George Roussos (each issue had multiple stories). 1942's Issue #10 added writers Joseph Greene and Jack Schiff to the mix, plus layout artist Fred Ray.

As always, this is all in good fun. I don't mean any of this as a serious criticism of the comics in question. Not only were these writers certainly never imagining people still reading these comics decades after they were written, great comics often have goofy moments (Kirby/Lee's Fantastic Four is one of the best comic book runs of all-time and there were TONS of goofy stuff in those 100 plus issues!).

HONORABLE MENTIONS

As you well know by now, the editors at DC told the Batman creative team to stop having Batman use guns. When he uses one in #4, then, we have a quick editor's note to explain why this is an exception...



In #1, Hugo Strange has been turning men into monsters. He has injected Batman with the same serum and Batman only has five minutes to come up with a cure and he is surrounded by two monsters. But he has a plan...





I just love the panel of Batman in the foreground working with the chemicals and the monsters in silhouette killing each other. Hilarious.

In #3, Batman must not have anything else better to do...



They should totally have Batman do that nowadays. Jump into action to make sure people don't bump into each other on the street (and yes, Batman likely figured the guy was trying to rob the other fellow - it is just funny to imagine Batman policing the manners of pedestrians).

At the end of #1, we learn about Robin's club...



Nationalism? For serious?

After defeating the Cat (now known as Catwoman), Batman acts kind of funny around her...





You have to love him practically drooling over her in the last panel.

In #9, we get a Christmas story. Yes, a kid named Tim Cratchit and his father, Bob.



Subtle, they are not.

Later in the story, we get a touching speech from Batman...



But I like how the panel didn't leave room for the conversation to go in the right order.

In #1, Joker might not have heard of a bulletproof vest, but I dunno if the writers of the book had, either, as that really isn't how it works...



"What? They're not, like, force fields making you invulnerable to bullets?"

In #5, the Joker forms a gang with other card-themed villains, including a Queen. She dances with Bruce Wayne....



In the following panel, she notes that he seems nice.

Later, she complains when Joker throws Wayne overboard.

That is all the interaction she has with Bruce in the issue.

Until the end of the story...





"I guess I loved you the whole time"? You mean, all of tonight?

In #9, Batman has an odd reaction to getting shot three times...



Sissy? Seriously, Batman?

10. Damn you, time-wasters!!!

In #6, we learn about some dreaded enemies of mankind....



9. Dickie Howser, M.D.

In #2, Dick has to perform surgery on Bruce.





I just love how non-chalant the whole thing is. "This makes perfect sense for my kid sidekick to remove a bullet from me!"

8. Is Robin going to have to slap a Batman?

In #3, Batman is being mind-controlled. While under control of the Puppet Master, he encounters Robin...



How awesome is the sight of Robin just laying out Batman with one punch?

7. Butterfly in the sky...

During the 1950s, the following wouldn't seem that bizarre (what with Batman going on all sorts of bizarre adventures), but in the early 1940s when his typical bad guys were gangsters and one guy dressed as a clown, this is awfully out there...



I dig how entering fiction is analogous to flying or making a telephone call.

6. Batman on speed

In #10 (in a story written by then brand new Batman writer, Joseph Greene), it is Dick's birthday, but it is Bruce who is way too excited...



It's like he's re-creating Crank.

Go to the next page for the top five!

5. Fun with lobotomy...

In #2, upon learning that the Joker survived, Batman has a plan...



I think it is awesome that Batman thinks it is okay to steal a criminal out of police custody and lobotomize them. Sure makes his actions during Identity Crisis seem kind of hypocritical, eh?

4. Remember, kids, guns are never the solution - only hand-to-hand combat. Physical violence is always the answer.

In the third story in #1, someone has stolen a priceless jewel while on a yacht. Surprisingly, it was stolen BEFORE a bunch of gangsters showed up trying to steal the jewel themselves. So Batman and Robin stop the gangsters. However, do note that we're just in the middle of the story. They still need to find out who stole the jewel.

And yet, we take a break (in the middle of the story!) for the following...





If that was the END of the story, it might not be AS weird (it'd still be weird), but in the middle of the story just makes it insanely goofy.

3. Don't turn the Batplane into a den of lies, Robin!

While on their aforementioned birthday flight, Batman and Robin come across an island...







Batman's treatment of Robin is priceless.

2. "Should we save the day, Batman?" "Eh, my favorite show is on. Maybe later"

In #1, we meet the Joker, who has killed a couple of people and stolen a valuable gem. Batman's reaction?



"I don't even get out of bed unless the bad guy's death total in double digits, Robin."

1. Batman can be so insightful sometimes...

In the Catwoman story in #1, Batman figures out who the Cat is disguised as...



but when she doesn't like him trying to reveal her identity....



You tell her, Batman! Don't take any guff from her!

"Papa spank"...oh lordy.