10 Dumbest Batman Moments You Won't Believe

There's something a little silly baked into the genre of superheroes. All that pathos wrapped in brightly colored skintight suits. But Batman has always had an edge on the other guys. When the billionaire playboy dons his cowl and takes to the shadows of Gotham fighting crime, he's calm, collected, and definitely cool.

Which is maybe why there's something extra delightful about when Batman goes dumb. All of a sudden, the little details that work in a strong story start fitting together to form some uncomfortable questions. Is it really a good idea for a grown man to take in a twelve-year old child just to train him up on the violent streets to battle baddies? Or, why would a wealthy billionaire think the best way to solve corruption is not through even more strategic uses of his lavish funds, but with his fists? And, how exactly have so few people figured out his identity?

The best thing about the Dark Knight's stupid stories is that even at his worst he's still the goddamn Batman... and that's good enough for me.

The original Batman comic series is known for having some very silly issues, but one that is particularly well remembered for its ridiculous plot is the third story of issue #147, where "Batman Becomes Bat-Baby." Despite what the name would imply, Batman is not actually transformed into a baby, instead he is struck by a ray that "reverses his growth." Giving him the appearance of a child.

Batman stubbornly decides that if he looks like a kid, he may as well lean into it, and dress like one too! That will show the villains what's what. On the plus side Batman has retained his adult intelligence and strength which helps him fight crime as Bat-Baby. What follows are some ridiculously scenes, like Batman: fighting crime on a rocking horse, convincing Kathy Kane that Bruce Wayne is a cheating bastard, and creepily hanging out at a park with other actual children.

The story ends with a cured Batman staring sadly at his old Bat-Baby costume on display, saying, "Just a reminder-- of a brief childhood." As if Bat-Baby were the only true childhood of the traumatized Dark Knight.