1965's issue of Justice League of America (#35 written by Gardner Fox and drawn by Mike Sekowsky) features a knock-down, drag-out brawl of the world's greatest heroes fighting their greatest villain's costumes!
The story begins with the imprisoned Demons Three trying to free themselves. Using latent magical energies that have gotten onto the hero's costumes, they bring the clothes to life which are supposed to free the demons... but the attempt fails. So instead, they transfer the magic to the costumes of supervillains that were stored at the police station. (Are super-villain costumes more effective than heroic ones? Hey, no one said comics had to make sense!)
The collection of villains in the story are quite eclectic: The Pied Piper, The Mask, our pal Killer Moth, Dagon and Dr. Polaris. To be honest, I had only heard of three of these characters before I read this story as a kid. Then, the next thing the heroes know, the villains are back in their costumes and on a rampage, robbing the Meadow City Bank.
The Justice League heroes leap into action to stop them, however, in the process, their costumes are torn up. (it's all part of the Demon's cockamamie plot.) I love this panel of the Killer Moth using an sonic attack ability that he's never used since... although it seems like it could be pretty useful! Come on, DC writers!
Despite having their costumes torn, the heroes manage to save the day... but to their surprise, the villains return to cause havoc, only this time its the costumes without the villains inside!
The heroes are thrown for a loop as they try to find a way to defeat the empty uniforms.
As the heroes square off against the body-less foes, Batman makes short work of the Killer Moth's costume by sewing it together into a bundle! And you thought that only Alfred did the sewing!
I'm not gonna lie, this story is pretty bonkers. Although it is good to see Batman battling the Killer Moth - even if it is for only half of the story. The rest of the time the Killer Moth isn't in the costume! It just goes to prove that the Killer Moth is twice is dangerous as those other bat-foes. You don't see the Joker or Catwoman's costumes causing this much trouble for Batman!
Stay tuned, and we'll feature another classic Killer Moth story in celebration of National Moth week!