Batman made his first appearance in Detective Comics #27 back in 1939. He’s quickly coming up on 80 years old and during that time, he’s had some memorable and terrifying villains like Joker, Killer Croc, Bane, Poison Ivy, etc. However, also during that time, Batman has faced some really weird villains. Let’s take a look at a few of these villains that are a bit puzzling.

Calendar Man

First Appearance: Detective Comics #259 (1958)

Originally, Calendar Man was a goofy character that only committed crimes on holidays. However, he became quite a chilling figure during the 1996 storyline “The Long Halloween.” He’s one of the few weird villains that got an update, for the better, and he’s even appeared in games like Batman: Arkham Asylum and Batman: Arkham City.

Bat-hombre

First Appearance: Batman #56 (1949)

Luis Peraldo became the Batman of South America, Bat-hombre, but little did Batman and Robin know that Bat-hombre was working for a crime cartel. It’s basically Batman with a mustache and poncho. There’s a good reason no one has seen him since the 60s.

Birthday Boy

First Appearance: Batman: Earth One (2012)

While many of the villains on this list are silly, Birthday Boy is pretty terrifying. He’s a serial killer who keeps killing 15-year-old girls who look like his first victim. However, the burlap sack over his head and party hat make this villain one weird customer.

Lex Joker

First Appearance: Superman/Batman #60 (2009)

When you have two powerful forces in comics, at some point, there is going to be a mash-up of the two, to create a larger, even more powerful force. That’s how Lex Joker came about. You have the brains of Lex Luthor and the complete insanity of Joker, making one heck of an opponent.

Joker’s Daughter

First Appearance: Catwoman #23 (2013)

One day, a woman named Duela found the Joker’s face, which had been cut off. She picked it up, wore it as a mask, and became Joker’s Daughter. While she has no blood relation to the Joker, she took his name, his psychotic attitude, and his face. Most of her appearances come from the weekly Batman Eternal series.

Onomatopoeia

First Appearance: Green Arrow #12 (2002)

Onomatopoeia is a serial killer. His victims are superheroes that have no super-powers, so both Batman and Green Arrow had been targets for this villain. He only speaks in onomatopoeias, like “click,” “pow,” “thud,” etc. He’s come up against Batman a few more times than Green Arrow and lost. What’s most interesting about this villain is that he was created by writer and director Kevin Smith.

Polka-Dot Man

First Appearance: Detective Comics #300 (1962)

Polka-Dot Man is a criminal in a polka-dot suit. The colored dots on his suit can be used as weapons or can teleport him to wherever he needs to go. He’s about as weird and cheesy as Silver Age villains go.

Doctor Freak

First Appearance: Batman: Legends of the Dark Knight #91 (1997)

Doctor Freak is a former Vietnam soldier who created “DCS 2000,” a super-powerful version of LSD he uses on people. This self-proclaimed hippie enjoys bathing in the blood of the people who used his drug. He’s totally far out. As much as this sounds like a character from the 60s, he was shockingly created in 1997 by Garth Ennis.

Johnny Karaoke

First Appearance: Batman #660 (2007)

This short-lived character could probably do a really kicking rendition of “Livin on a Prayer” by Bon Jovi. There’s nothing exceptionally amazing about this villain. He sings into his cane a lot, and he’s really good at staying dead, since he only appeared in two issues of Batman, after being shot in the head by Russian gangsters.

Flamingo

First Appearance: Batman #666 (2007)

Flamingo is a man dressed in pink who rides a pink motorcycle and uses a whip. This character was created by Grant Morrison, so of course, there’s more to the character than that: he’s a serial killer who eats people’s faces. Looks are pretty deceiving.

Emoticon Man

First Appearance: Batman, Incorporated #6 (2011)

Here’s another creation from Grant Morrison: Emoticon Man. This villain led his own gang that wore masks with emoticons on them. As you can see, they were short-lived because they were no match for the power of Alfred Pennyworth.

Condiment King

First Appearance: Batman the Animated Series: “Make ‘Em Laugh” (1994)

Condiment King, the villain who commits crimes with a gun that shoots things like ketchup and mustard, while making condiment-related puns, feels like a villain straight out of the 1960s. However, he originates from Batman: The Animated Series, with his first comic appearance in 2002. Sadly, he died back in 2009. Rest in peace, sweet-pickled prince.

Bootface

First Appearance: Batman and Robin #23.1 (2013)

Bootface was once using a flamethrower and Batman kicked him in the face. That’s his origin. He has Batman’s boot print on his face. Bootface has no powers or special abilities, just a scarred up face.

Bat Head

First Appearance: Batman and Robin #10 (2012)

Following in the footsteps of Bootface, Bat Head once found a Batarang, while fighting Batman and tried to throw it. The Batarang came back and got permanently stuck in Bat Head’s skull.

Calculator

First Appearance: Detective Comics #463 (1976)

Calculator was a villain from the ’70s that got a major revamp to take away from some of his lameness. How lame did he use to be? Well, he used to go across the country, committing crimes, and purposely be defeated by heroes, so he could press a magic button on his chest that would prevent said hero from every capturing him again. Calculator later became an information broker for the criminal underground, which as strange as this sounds, is much cooler.