10 Terrible Mistakes That Almost Ruined Batman For Everyone

8. Ludicrous Storylines

Throughout the illustrious history of Batman comics, even beyond the influence of Julius Schwartz, there have been some mind-numbingly stupid storylines dedicated to the caped crusader.

In the interest of adding some colour and diversity to the Batman universe (a quest for variety that now seems ridiculously misplaced,) some writers charged with looking after the character whored him out in the interest of entertainment. At various times throughout his history, Batman has been an undercover fortune teller, a caveman and a medieval bandit (sort of) and has been the subject of romantic storylines (involving a furious spurned Vicki Vale) that would have no place in the modern, darker Batman world.

There have been some monumentally odd storylines - like the strip-offer shown above, and the time Batman and Robin were turned into 2D characters by a rainbow monster. Or when he became Bat-Baby and continued to foil crimes. And these aren't even drops in the ocean of idiocy.

Every time a story like that emerged, a strip of credibility was ripped away from the property, and it's no surprise that the most enduring periods of stupidity coincide quite obviously with the lowest sales points in Batman comics history. Hopefully the writers now know we don't respond well to Batman goofing off.