5 Batman Stories That Make No Sense

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Batman has been around for almost 90 years, which means he’s been part of countless stories. These range from solo adventures and team-ups to even crossovers with characters from Marvel Comics. While many of these stories are excellent and have become iconic parts of Batman’s history, not all of them are winners. Some are just okay, others are strange, and a few are downright bad. It’s natural that over such a long run, some stories would have plot holes or just not quite work out.

These five Batman stories are confusing, even if they’re still enjoyable. Parts of them don’t quite add up or are hard to follow. One story, in particular, is considered exceptionally bad, and its illogical plot is just one of its many problems.

5) “Joker War”

The “Joker War” storyline is decent overall. It features a large-scale conflict where the Joker tries to ruin Bruce Wayne and everyone close to him, which fits their established history. The Joker taking Bruce’s money also feels right, as it’s consistent with his chaotic nature. However, the events that follow don’t quite add up.

As a fan, it always felt a little strange to me that even when the story showed Bruce Wayne losing his fortune, it didn’t really change anything about Batman. We heard a lot about him having less money, and he moved out of the mansion, but he still seemed to have all the gadgets and resources he always did. His crime-fighting operation didn’t feel any different! That’s what bothered me about the ‘Joker War’ storyline. If they were going to show Batman financially ruined, they really needed to show the consequences of that, not just talk about it. It just didn’t make a lot of sense to me as a reader.

4) Detective Comics #241

This is one of those bizarre stories from the Golden Age of comics. In Detective Comics #241, readers encountered “Rainbow Batman,” a truly nonsensical plot. Batman became worried the public would discover Dick Grayson’s identity as Robin after Dick injured his arm. His solution? To disguise himself by wearing brightly colored, rainbow-themed costumes, believing it would distract everyone from Robin’s injury. It’s a remarkably illogical plan.

Batman briefly wears a brightly colored costume, but switches back to his usual dark one once Dick Grayson’s arm recovers. This resolves the worry about revealing his secret identity, which is funny because even Dick questioned why Batman was changing costumes in the first place. The whole sequence doesn’t really make sense.

3) “I Am Gotham”

“I Am Gotham” is a compelling story with one confusing part. It’s the beginning of Tom King’s run on Batman, where Batman meets a super-powered brother and sister, named Gotham and Gotham Girl. He tries to mentor them, but they’re driven to madness by the villain Psycho-Pirate. The way Batman ultimately deals with them is where the story gets a little hard to follow.

Gotham is shown to be unbelievably strong, even capable of defeating the entire Justice League by himself. Although using his powers ultimately kills him, he’s far more powerful than most of Batman’s opponents and doesn’t have the typical weaknesses they do. That’s why it’s so surprising – and impressive – that Batman was able to defeat him.

2) Batman: Hush

Batman: Hush is a truly memorable Batman story, widely considered a classic within the DC universe. The plot centers around the arrival of Hush, revealed to be Thomas Elliot – a childhood friend of Bruce Wayne seeking revenge. Years ago, Bruce’s father intervened when Thomas attempted to harm his own parents for their inheritance. It’s a compelling story with a villain motivated by a deeply personal grudge, though it does become somewhat convoluted later on.

The story reveals the Riddler is the true villain pulling the strings, but his reasons are confusing. While it’s shown he discovered Bruce Wayne’s secret identity as Batman, the purpose behind his plan isn’t clearly explained. Hush’s motives were understandable, but the Riddler’s are not, and fans are still trying to figure them out years later.

1) All-Star Batman & Robin, the Boy Wonder

Frank Miller’s All-Star Batman & Robin, the Boy Wonder is a truly strange and unsuccessful comic. While it’s meant to show Batman taking in and training Dick Grayson as Robin, it mostly portrays Batman as angry, abusive, and shockingly violent. This version of Batman is far from heroic; he’s consistently unpleasant and acts in ways that completely clash with his established character, making the entire story feel illogical and confusing.

The most baffling part of this story is how Batman treats Dick Grayson. While some rigorous training would be expected for a young Robin, the book depicts Batman locking him in the Batcave and forcing him to survive on rats for a month. He even threatens Alfred when the butler tries to help. This behavior only makes sense if Batman were the villain, which he isn’t, making this part of the story particularly confusing.

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2025-11-06 20:15