Comic Title: Batman #53
Publisher: DC (National Comics Publications, Inc.)
Address: 480 Lexington Avenue, New York, NY
Cover Date: Jun/Jul 1949
Approx. On Sale Date: April 13, 1949 Copyright Date April 11, 1949
Source: Library of Congress, Periodicals 1949
Until 1958 DC did not report actual on sale dates to the copyright office
The publication dates listed in LoC records are NOT release dates.

Frequency: Bi-monthly
Cover Price: $0.10
Page Count: 48
Editor: Jack Schiff

Title: "A Hairpin, a Hoe, a Hacksaw, a Hole in the Ground"
Pages: 12

Feature(s):
Batman (of Earth-2)

Penciller: Lew Sayre Schwartz
Inker: Charles Paris

Reprinted In:
Batman:The TV Stories TPB (2014)
Batman:The Golden Age Omnibus Vol. 6 HC (2019)

Feature Character(s)

• Batman (last appearance in Star Spangled Comics #93; next appearance in Batman #53)

Supporting Character(s)

• Robin (last appearance in Star Spangled Comics #93; next appearance in Batman #53)
• Commissioner Gordon (last appearance in Star Spangled Comics #93; next appearance in Batman #53)

Villain(s)

• Joker (last appearance in Batman #52; next appearance in Detective Comics #149)
• The Joker's gang (Lefty named; no further appearances)

Other Character(s)

• The Maharajah of Nimpah (no further appearances)

Synopsis:
The Joker returns on a new crime spree in which he steals seemingly useless items such as a hairpin, a hoe, a hacksaw, and a hole in the ground. Batman deduces that the name of the items all begin with "ha-ha-ho-ho". Joker then leaves a clue giving Batman enough information to predict where the Joker will strike next.

Batman finds the Joker on a golf course stealing the solid gold golf clubs of the Maharajah of Nimpah. Batman chases his foe into a warehouse filled with comedy props. The Joker captures Batman and gives him a choice of dooms. Batman escapes the death-trap using a water pistol. Then he apprehends the Joker.