A comic book company with a long history can afford to have a long memory.
DC Comics, for example, could publish a story in Action Comics in 1958, and then a sequel in World’s Finest at the end of the next decade.
The World’s Finest team of Superman, Batman and Robin spent a lot of time conning each other. Usually it was some hoax or ruse to protect one of the other members of the team from danger without their knowledge, but sometimes, as in World’s Finest 155 (Feb. 1966), it was just for fun.
On the anniversary of Superman and Batman’s 1,000th case together, a new crimefighter appears who eclipses Batman in every way. Batman unravels the mystery with the logical (if immodest) deduction that the only masked crimefighter who could be as good as Batman would be Batman himself.
And yes, Superman had arranged the whole thing as a treat for Batman, using super-hypnosis to persuade Batman to adopt another identity that would be kept secret even from himself.
Superman is surprised to see Batman and “Nightman” appear together — a trick arranged by the Masked Manhunter using his old Batman robot.
“Once, for a birthday present, Batman dreamed up a puzzle that took all my powers to solve!” Superman explains. “To celebrate our 1000th case together, I decided to return the favor … in spades!”
Superman was making a casual reference to The Super-Key to Fort Superman in Action Comics 241 (June 1958), a tale in which Batman hid out in the Fortress of Solitude in order to provide a birthday puzzle for the Man of Steel.
Interesting that writer Edmond Hamilton would be familiar with an old story by another writer, Jerry Coleman. The Super-Key to Fort Superman had been reprinted in the first Superman annual in 1960, however.
World’s Finest 155 went on sale in December 1965, just one month before Batman would be catapulted to the pinnacle of pop culture stardom.
Cheryl Spoehr said: I always felt that Superman was just humoring his friend when he told Batman that he ENJOYED the "Puzzle" that Batman set for him. Being the World's Greatest Detective, Batman might like that kind of thing, but Superman literally had nightmares and night terrors over it...not exactly a fun present! If you follow this friendship, while they sure do love one another, they are very much like jealous brothers competing with each other. And Superman holds grudges! So I really felt this was a kind of softened revenge from Superman...
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