Post by Hoosier X on Sept 21, 2016 13:47:38 GMT -5
I've finished my Top Ten Stories from the Late Jack Schiff Era (1959 to 1964) and I'll be posting that in a few days. Today, I'm posting the honorable mentions.
I started with close to 20 stories, whittled it down to 14 pretty easily, but dropping the last four was pretty difficult. So today I'm posting those four stories to make sure that these fun stories get a little recognition. I'm posting them in the order they were published.
![det292](http://comicbookdb.com/graphics/comic_graphics/1/222/107059_20071114114707_large.jpg)
"The Colossus of Gotham City!"
Detective Comics #292 (June 1961)
As much fun as the "weird transformation" stories can be, they are extravagantly silly, more than a little contrived and frequently very formulaic. I picked out two that I really like for consideration for the Top Ten list, this one and "The Bizarre Batman Genie" from Detective Comics #322. I like the twist in the genie story a lot. Gangsters have turned Batman into an all-powerful genie under their control, and Robin and Bat-Girl (Betty Kane) have to figure out how to outwit an all-powerful entity! So I picked that one over "The Colossus."
But it's still fun, crazy and weirdly inventive! A mysterious gas from outer space is being examined by scientists and Batman inhales it and grows to 100 feet tall! He has to live in a cave on the outskirts of Gotham because he's too big to go in the city. And what about his secret identity? Kathy Kane (Batwoman) will undoubtedly get suspicious if she sees Bruce Wayne 100 feet tall the same week the same thing happened to Batman!
It's hilarious! In one scene, the bad guys escape by blowing sneezing powder in giant Batman's face and his sneezing knocks over a billboard! While he's grabbing the billboard and putting it back in place, the generic bad guys get away. Stuff like that happens on just about every page.
![wf123](http://comicbookdb.com/graphics/comic_graphics/1/219/108929_20071028182552_large.jpg)
"The Incredible Team of Bat-Mite and Mr. Mxyzptlk!"
World's Finest #123 (February 1962)
Writer: Jerry Coleman
Art: Dick Sprang and Sheldon Moldoff
I haven't read much World's Finest Comics from this era, so I wasn't considering stories from this series for the competition. But I did come across this story while I was making sure I hadn't missed anything, and I decided to put it into consideration. Batman and Superman are fighting a crime gang that uses a Crime Rocket to land, commit the crime and then take off before anyone can do anything. (I love the Crime Rocket! A hilarious concept that wouldn't pass muster at all after 1965 or so, not even in a DC comic!) Bat-Mite and Mr. Mxyzptlk show up independently and both decide at the same time to cast a magic spell to make things more interesting. (More interesting than the Crime Rocket? What is wrong with these two little deviants?) The unintentional mixture of magic from two different magic dimension wreaks havoc, summoning bizarre creatures that look like giant hedgehogs or living magnets or whatever and wreaking havoc all around. Even Bat-Mite and Mr. Mxyzptlk are a little embarrassed by how little control they have over their own magics under these conditions.
Weird, weird, weird! I love it! But not quite Top Ten material.
![det312](http://comicbookdb.com/graphics/comic_graphics/1/222/107068_20071114120218_large.jpg)
"The Secret of Clayface's Power!"
Detective Comics #312 (February 1963)
Writer: Bill Finger
Art: Joe Certa and Sheldon Moldoff (According to the Comic Book Database. The CBD has its limitations. I'm a little dubious about this.)
It breaks my heart not to include this in the Top Ten! It's great! It just barely didn't make it. I thought about making it a Top Eleven just to include this! Batman finds the secret grotto that gives Matt Hagen his powers, becomes a Clayface himself and fights it out with Hagen! (While Robin stands in the corner and says "Golly Gee Jeepers!")
![det316](http://comicbookdb.com/graphics/comic_graphics/1/230/112807_20071211130929_large.jpg)
"Double Batman vs. Double X!"
Detective Comics #316 (June 1963)
I love this one too! Doctor X is up to his old tricks, escaping from the Happydale Sanitarium and bringing back the Double X energy being for his evil plans. (These plans include the theft of the flying tank that I love so much! The flying tank is awesome! More flying tank, DC!) Batman finds the Double X machine and creates a Double Batman energy being that helps to apprehend the bad guys! Scintillating Silver-Age Bananashenanigans!
I started with close to 20 stories, whittled it down to 14 pretty easily, but dropping the last four was pretty difficult. So today I'm posting those four stories to make sure that these fun stories get a little recognition. I'm posting them in the order they were published.
![det292](http://comicbookdb.com/graphics/comic_graphics/1/222/107059_20071114114707_large.jpg)
"The Colossus of Gotham City!"
Detective Comics #292 (June 1961)
As much fun as the "weird transformation" stories can be, they are extravagantly silly, more than a little contrived and frequently very formulaic. I picked out two that I really like for consideration for the Top Ten list, this one and "The Bizarre Batman Genie" from Detective Comics #322. I like the twist in the genie story a lot. Gangsters have turned Batman into an all-powerful genie under their control, and Robin and Bat-Girl (Betty Kane) have to figure out how to outwit an all-powerful entity! So I picked that one over "The Colossus."
But it's still fun, crazy and weirdly inventive! A mysterious gas from outer space is being examined by scientists and Batman inhales it and grows to 100 feet tall! He has to live in a cave on the outskirts of Gotham because he's too big to go in the city. And what about his secret identity? Kathy Kane (Batwoman) will undoubtedly get suspicious if she sees Bruce Wayne 100 feet tall the same week the same thing happened to Batman!
It's hilarious! In one scene, the bad guys escape by blowing sneezing powder in giant Batman's face and his sneezing knocks over a billboard! While he's grabbing the billboard and putting it back in place, the generic bad guys get away. Stuff like that happens on just about every page.
![wf123](http://comicbookdb.com/graphics/comic_graphics/1/219/108929_20071028182552_large.jpg)
"The Incredible Team of Bat-Mite and Mr. Mxyzptlk!"
World's Finest #123 (February 1962)
Writer: Jerry Coleman
Art: Dick Sprang and Sheldon Moldoff
I haven't read much World's Finest Comics from this era, so I wasn't considering stories from this series for the competition. But I did come across this story while I was making sure I hadn't missed anything, and I decided to put it into consideration. Batman and Superman are fighting a crime gang that uses a Crime Rocket to land, commit the crime and then take off before anyone can do anything. (I love the Crime Rocket! A hilarious concept that wouldn't pass muster at all after 1965 or so, not even in a DC comic!) Bat-Mite and Mr. Mxyzptlk show up independently and both decide at the same time to cast a magic spell to make things more interesting. (More interesting than the Crime Rocket? What is wrong with these two little deviants?) The unintentional mixture of magic from two different magic dimension wreaks havoc, summoning bizarre creatures that look like giant hedgehogs or living magnets or whatever and wreaking havoc all around. Even Bat-Mite and Mr. Mxyzptlk are a little embarrassed by how little control they have over their own magics under these conditions.
Weird, weird, weird! I love it! But not quite Top Ten material.
![det312](http://comicbookdb.com/graphics/comic_graphics/1/222/107068_20071114120218_large.jpg)
"The Secret of Clayface's Power!"
Detective Comics #312 (February 1963)
Writer: Bill Finger
Art: Joe Certa and Sheldon Moldoff (According to the Comic Book Database. The CBD has its limitations. I'm a little dubious about this.)
It breaks my heart not to include this in the Top Ten! It's great! It just barely didn't make it. I thought about making it a Top Eleven just to include this! Batman finds the secret grotto that gives Matt Hagen his powers, becomes a Clayface himself and fights it out with Hagen! (While Robin stands in the corner and says "Golly Gee Jeepers!")
![det316](http://comicbookdb.com/graphics/comic_graphics/1/230/112807_20071211130929_large.jpg)
"Double Batman vs. Double X!"
Detective Comics #316 (June 1963)
I love this one too! Doctor X is up to his old tricks, escaping from the Happydale Sanitarium and bringing back the Double X energy being for his evil plans. (These plans include the theft of the flying tank that I love so much! The flying tank is awesome! More flying tank, DC!) Batman finds the Double X machine and creates a Double Batman energy being that helps to apprehend the bad guys! Scintillating Silver-Age Bananashenanigans!