The Alien Batman

Vicki Vale takes a picture....proving Batman is really an alien from outer space?

That's the basis for the story of "The Alien Batman" in Detective Comics #251 (January, 1958) by Edmond Hamilton, Sheldon Moldoff and Charles Paris.

At this time in Batman's history, it was indeed possible, but...in this case there is a bit of trickery going on.  Brand Ballard and Keener come up with a plot to shake Gotham's faith in the caped crusader, and make make up to trick Vicki into reporting this as truth, so that the police and citizens (and even his closest friends) doubt Batman.  Batman catches the criminals, and Gotham's faith in their hero is restored!

Gotham's Batman Replacement Mysteryman

Batman isn't quite up to the task, with Commissioner James Gordon being ordered by the mayor to call in the dynamic duo to help against smugglers...and Batman and Robin become "The Dynamic Trio", adding Mysteryman to the group in Detective Comics #245 (July, 1957), with the story by Edmond Hamilton, Sheldon Moldoff and Charles Paris.


Reporter Vicki Vale wonders who Mysteryman is, and how he's able to order around Batman and Robin, following him around as they capture villains and thugs, first thinking he was a robot, then, believing him to be Superman....


...as for who he is, keep reading!

Mysteryman only had the one appearance, but that appearance was reprinted in Batman Annual #7 (Summer, 1964), Batman Family #2 (November-December, 1975) and in the Batman Annuals Hardcover #2 of 2010 (and the name of that man is on the reprint covers), but he also had a one page cameo in Kingdom Come #4 (August, 1996) with an unexplained appearance...

...so, go find one of these issues for the secret (if you don't want it spoiled....)

Or keep reading for the solution!

The secret of Mysteryman was discovered  by Vicki Vale....

....and the mystery hero is....

....the man known as....

...the man who did not want to disobey the mayor, but wanted to continue on the case, the Gotham Commissioner James Gordon!