Detective Comics #277

In "The Jigsaw Menace from Space," Batman and Robin investigate a crashed spaceship near Gotham City, uncovering an alien explorer who warns them of the dangerous Kraal—a shape-shifting creature capable of splitting into three forms. As the duo captures two of the entities, the alien’s sudden shift in intent raises questions about his true motives, leaving Batman to unravel the mystery before the final piece is joined.

In "The Plundering Plant," a bizarre root capable of growing uncontrollably when exposed to carbon dioxide becomes the centerpiece of a criminal scheme when a petty crook steals it to crack a bank vault. With the police on the scene and the root escaping containment, Roy spots a clue in the plant’s strange attraction to a thermometer manufacturer, leading to a desperate plan involving a barrel of mercury.

In "The Menace of Mr. Moth," John takes on a thief obsessed with glowing treasures, starting with a radium-painted clock and escalating to a phosphorescent Atlas statue. As Mr. Moth exploits the dark to steal priceless glowing objects, John outsmarts him by turning the tables with a clever trap involving coal dust and a gold planetarium display.