DC had several continuing storylines during the 1960s:
Batman versus the Outsider (Detective #328, #334, #336, #340, #349 and #356). Batman is menaced by a new foe who seems to know all his secrets.
Zatanna's Search for Her Father (Hawkman #4, Detective #336, Atom #19, Green Lantern #42, Detective #355, Justice League of America #51. Zatara, who debuted in Action #1 along with Superman, has disappeared and his daughter is trying to find him. Over the course of about 2-1/2 years Zatanna would show up in one magazine or another chasing down a clue to her dad. Finally she enlists the aid of the entire JLA.
Following the opposite path was Dr. Light (JLA #12, Atom #8, Green Lantern #33, Flash #171, possibly other stories?). He originally battled the JLA, then lowered his sights a little and decided to pick off the individual members rather than the entire group.
JLA #51 was published during the Batmania of 1966-67 (generated by the TV series), so DC wanted to include Batman in the story. Problem: the story was supposed to involve the heroes that had met Zatanna before, and Batman hadn't. Solution: a character from "Batman's Bewitched Nightmare" (Detective #336) turned out to have been Zatanna in disguise.
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