19 of the weirdest Batman stories ever told in Batman comics

LONDON, ENGLAND - FEBRUARY 22: A Batman costume from the 2012 Dark Knight Rises film worn by Christian Bale and designed by Lindy Hemming is on display at the DC Comics Exhibition: Dawn Of Super Heroes at the O2 Arena on February 22, 2018 in London, England. The exhibition, which opens on February 23rd, features 45 original costumes, models and props used in DC Comics productions including the Batman, Wonder Woman and Superman films. (Photo by Jack Taylor/Getty Images)
LONDON, ENGLAND - FEBRUARY 22: A Batman costume from the 2012 Dark Knight Rises film worn by Christian Bale and designed by Lindy Hemming is on display at the DC Comics Exhibition: Dawn Of Super Heroes at the O2 Arena on February 22, 2018 in London, England. The exhibition, which opens on February 23rd, features 45 original costumes, models and props used in DC Comics productions including the Batman, Wonder Woman and Superman films. (Photo by Jack Taylor/Getty Images) /
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Batman’s beautiful singing voice stops crime

Batman #219 holds the rare distinction of being one of the dullest Batman stories to ever get published. That’s a real shame, given that Batman has a real playground in the confines of Gotham City, not to mention a wide array of fantastic villains to punch with onomatopoeic fervor.
Guess they can’t all be winners, though. “The Silent Night of the Batman” at least has some weird character notes and plot points that are worth pointing out, however. Like how Batman really, really loves Christmas.

It’s true. Remember earlier, when Batman battled with a phantom bear, an animate tree and an at least kind of racist kung-fu stereotype to save Gotham’s tree lighting ceremony? That’s only the tip of the iceberg. Even movie Batman has a lot to do with the holiday, as in Tim Burton’s perpetually snowy Batman films.

We won’t get any angry holiday bears in this tale, however. Instead, this 1969 story features Batman singing carols with the police. One officer even comments on how Bats should add his “deep vocal chords” to the officers’ choir.

Bats obliges. His vocal chords are apparently so well tuned that the people of Gotham simply cannot commit crimes. Criminals everywhere see what think is the figure of the Batman and back away from their misdeeds. One despondent woman, about to jump off a bridge, sees a vision of the bat symbol in the water and thinks better of her plan. At the end of it all, it appears that Batman himself has been hallucinating the whole thing, thanks to some good old Christmas spirit.