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Batman #53 cover
Cover: Jim Mooney & Ray Burnley

Batman #53

Jun 1949 · DC · 0.10 USD
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In "A Hairpin, a Hoe, a Hacksaw, a Hole in the Ground!", the Joker takes a bizarre turn, staging a string of thefts that seem utterly nonsensical—stealing items like hairpins, hoes, and hacksaws—while Batman and Robin scramble to find the logic behind the chaos. Bob Kane, Lew Sayre Schwartz, and Charles Paris bring the early days of Gotham’s most unpredictable villain to life, with Jim Mooney and Ray Burnley’s cover capturing the absurd flair of the crime spree.

Contains 6 stories
A Hairpin, a Hoe, a Hacksaw, a Hole in the Ground!
12 pp · Superhero
Batman [Bruce Wayne]Robin [Dick Grayson]The Joker (villain)Lefty (Joker henchman)Commissioner James GordonMaharajah of Nimpah

In "A Hairpin, a Hoe, a Hacksaw, a Hole in the Ground!", the Joker takes a bizarre turn, staging a string of thefts that seem utterly pointless—stealing a hairpin, a hoe, a hacksaw, and digging a hole in the ground—while Batman and Robin scramble to find the logic behind the madness. With the Clown Prince of Crime playing the straight man to his own chaos, the duo must piece together a joke that’s anything but funny.

The Portrait of Doom!
12 pp · Superhero
Batman [Bruce Wayne]Robin [Dick Grayson]The Dapper Bandit [Frank Fabian] (villain, introduction)Carl Marlin (artist)Greta Marlin (Carl's wife)Commissioner James Gordon

In "The Portrait of Doom!", artist Carl Marlin captures more than just a likeness when he paints Frank Fabian—something far darker stirs in the portrait after Fabian murders him. As the painting shifts to reveal a sinister reflection of its subject, the line between art and evil begins to blur.

Untitled Humor story
0.5 pp · Humor
Casey the Cop
Untitled Humor story
0.5 pp · Humor
Peg
Batman Under the Sea!
12 pp · Superhero
Batman [Bruce Wayne]Robin [Dick Grayson]Phaeton (villain, introduction)Stack Hawley (villain, introduction)Theta (introduction, mermaid scientist)Sarin (introduction, ruler of the sea people)

In "Batman Under the Sea!" from Batman #53 (1949), Batman finds himself stranded in an underwater city after being thrown overboard during a chase, where a race of mer-people save his life by transforming him into a mer-man.

Untitled Humor story
1 pp · Humor
DaffyDoodle

ComicBooks.com Value

Our Model is In Beta
Raw (Good) $196
CGC 9.8 · 1 in census $14,394*
CGC 9.6 none in existence
CGC 9.4 · 1 in census $5,638*
CGC 9.2 · 3 in census $3,619*
CGC 9.0 · 6 in census $2,511*
CGC 8.5 · 3 in census $1,753*
Show all 22 grades
CGC 8.0 · 7 in census $1,375
CGC 7.5 · 8 in census $1,104*
CGC 7.0 · 12 in census $917*
CGC 6.5 · 8 in census $770*
CGC 6.0 · 13 in census $688
CGC 5.5 · 8 in census $587
CGC 5.0 · 16 in census $502
CGC 4.5 · 10 in census $435
CGC 4.0 · 11 in census $400
CGC 3.5 · 10 in census $351*
CGC 3.0 · 9 in census $295
CGC 2.5 · 7 in census $220
CGC 2.0 · 3 in census $215*
CGC 1.5 none in existence
CGC 1.0 · 2 in census $138*
CGC 0.5 · 1 in census $108*
* estimate — limited direct-sales data at this grade
Our model’s value — refined as new sales data arrives · CGC census counts shown where available

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Full credits

artist Bob Kane
letterer Ira Schnapp
cover pencils Jim Mooney
cover inks Ray Burnley

Reprints

Reprinted in Batman: The TV Stories #[nn] (2013), Batman: The Golden Age Omnibus #6 (2019)

Key issues in Batman

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