Manic Monday--Diplomatic Immunity

Hey, remember that one time that Iran made the Joker their ambassador to the United Nations??


Yeah, Death In The Family kind of sucked.

But it does present us with an idea that we must explore: whatever idea you have for your comic story, no matter how lame...Bob Haney had it first!!

Let's travel back to 1976. Plans for a secret U.S. "cryptographic machine" have been stolen, and agents for the despotic government of Sudaria (including Catwoman!!) have been smuggling it out of the country in pieces. This means "America's entire defense communications network will be useless! We'll be at the mercy of any attacker!"

So Batman and Wonder Woman have been tracking down the pieces, but fail to stop them from leaving the country every time. Good job, guys.

Sudaria's ambassador leaves the country with the penultimate piece, and obviously won't be allowed back in. So Bruce and Diana are going to watch the new ambassador like a hawk...

But they're in for a big surprise:

Really? Yup!

Really?!? Yup.

THIS REALLY HAPPENED!!

Well, Bats and Wondy manage to prevent the final piece from getting out of the country. But we never get to test the diplomatic immunity idea, because Catwoman a) fakes her death, and b) "vanishes" at the end of the caper.

Which is too bad, since she's guilty of at least one murder (!), not to mention several attempted murders, espionage and treason. It would have been interesting to see the legal wrangling. OK, no it wouldn't have. And of course, the whole thing is never mentioned again, not even her "renounced" U.S. citizenship.

So, that makes Catwoman and Joker who have been U.N. ambassadors for hostile foreign powers. What other Gotham crooks have made that job transition? Mad Hatter? Scarface? Riddler?!?

And remember...when you want to chuckle at Austin Powers for folks in colorful costumes at the United Nations...


Bob Haney did it first!!!

From Brave And The Bold #131 (1976)