| Black Bat | |
|---|---|
 | |
|
Real Name |
Tony Quinn |
|
First Appearance |
Black Book Detective(July 1939) |
|
Original Publisher |
Nedor |
|
Created by |
Norman A. Daniels |
Golden Age Origin
Tony Quinn was a district attorney until an angry criminal threw acid into his face leaving him blinded and scarred. Quinn vowed revnege and began to train his other senses and his body. He later secretly received an eye transplant from a slain police officer. His new eyes allowed him not only to see, but he now had night vision due to his time spent as a blind man.
Tony decided to his new ability to become a costumed hero known as the Black Bat. He carried twin .45s and often would leave a bat shaped scar on his victims. Black Bat used a secret crime lab and drove a heavily modified car. Law officer were against his vigilante activities and tried to deduce his identity. One officer in particular, Captain McGrath, believed Tony and the Black Bat were one and the same and tried to prove it.
Powers and Abilities
Black Bat had night vision as well as superhuman senses of touch, smell, hearing, and taste. He was also a good shot with a gun and a skilled brawler.
Golden Age Appearances
- Black Book Detective(July 1939- Summer 1953)
Notes
- The ownership of the earlier Nedor comics and pulps which were renewed, including the Black Bat's origin, is somewhat unclear. Many of them were renewed by Popular Library, which was eventually bought out by Fawcett Books. When Fawcett Books went out of business Popular Library was sold to Warner Brothers, who owns DC. However, it is not known whether the copyright to the books was part of these sales. At any rate, a number of different publishers are currently using characters who originated in these comics, and whoever actually owns them doesn't seem to know or care, so any action over them is highly unlikely.
- While in America the Black Bat's adventures ceased publication in 1953, but in Germany he continued as "Schwarze Fledermaus" in about 700 German language adventures
- Black Bat's origin was the inspiration for Two Face's backstory.
- The Mask was initially created as a pulp fiction character called Black Bat. The comic version was changed in several respects because of the agreement between Nedor and National Comics over how they may use their respective bat-themed characters.