The Bat

Real Name: Travers

Identity/Class: Human technology user

Occupation: Burglar

Affiliations: None

Enemies: Sir John Ryder, The Phantom

Known Relatives: Unnamed father (scientist and inventor)

Aliases: None

Base of Operations: Unknown

First Appearance: Pow Annual 1971

Powers/Abilities: The Bat's suit has suction pads built in to allow him to scale sheer walls, and he carries a gun that fires a strong, but near invisible thread which he uses to glide between buildings.

History: (The Phantom, Pow Annual 1972). Travers' father was an inventor who designed a number of astounding gadgets. But industrialist Sir John Ryder stole the patents off him with "clever lawyer tricks". Vowing revenge, Travers became Sir John's private secretary to allow him to get close to the man, and then adopted a costumed identity of the Bat in order to publicly steal from him, ensuring embarrassment as well as financial loss.

But Jim McGuire, a reporter for the Daily World newspaper, began investigating. An accident turned McGuire into the superhero The Phantom, and eventually the hero discovered Travers true identity and passed it on to the police.

Comments: The Bat claims he was merely committing the crimes to pay back Sir John Ryder, and that the proceeds from his stolen goods were given away. This doesn't explain why he was leading a raid on a chemical plant (nothing obvious to steal, and all the rest of the time he works alone and targets jewels and paintings), nor the way he gloats when he thinks Jim McGuire has been killed by falling into a chemical vat. Is the Bat at the chemical plant a different individual using an identical costume (not that great a stretch - you let the other guy whose costume you are wearing take the rap, and if he denies it, no-one believes him because he's already a wanted criminal)? When the Phantom next confronts the Bat he doesn't make mention of the previous encounter, so it could be a different guy.

Thanks to Chris Adams, who informed me of the existence of this character and gave me my initial information about him.

CLARIFICATIONS:Not to be confused with

Any Additions/Corrections? Please let me know.

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