Gentleman Ghost
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The Gentleman Ghost is a recurring nemesis of Hawkman and Hawkgirl. He first appeared during the late 1940's as the mysterious "Ghost" or "Gentlemen Ghost", seemingly manifesting astral abilities although whether or not this was his true nature was left ambiguous. When he reappeared during the 1960's, he moved to Earth-One and gained new adversaries such as Batman. His true origin was speculated without any hard evidence as to his actual background prior to the Crisis on Infinite Earths, when the nature of his pair of arch-foes and the planet he resides on changed forever.
[edit] Post-Crisis Background
"Gentleman Jim" Craddock was the son of an English gentleman who abandoned both Jim and his mother, forcing them into poverty. Being poor made Craddock greedy and when he grew up he was a notorious highwayman and robber who terrorized England in the 1800s. He journeyed to the United States and encountered the gunslingers Nighthawk and Cinnamon. The hot-headed Nighthawk captured and ended Craddock's life with a noose and gallows, but Craddock transcended death as a surprisingly cultured phantom.
The Gentleman Ghost learned he would wander the earth until the spirit of his killer moved on to the next plane of existence. Unfortunately for Craddock, Nighthawk and Cinnamon were the reborn incarnations of Egyptian royals Prince Khufu and Chay-Ara, and their souls (due to their exposure to the Thanagarian Nth Metal) could never truly pass on. Both were eventually resurrected as Hawkman and Hawkgirl, and the Gentleman Ghost became their recurring nemesis during the 1940s. Craddock has over the decades menaced other heroes, including Max Mercury and Stargirl, but the vengeful Ghost always returns to his main foes, the Hawks, sometimes as a foe and sometimes as a friend.
Gentleman Ghost did clash with Batman and Superman on different occasions. In JSA Classified, issues 5-7, the Gentleman Ghost was a member of the Injustice Society. In Villains United #1, he joined the Secret Society of Super Villains. His origin was currently explored and altered in the pages of JSA #82-87 (2006). Still natural son of an abusive father and a poor mother, young Jim Craddock soon slipped into a life of crime, making contacts with the supernatural. After being prophetized by a gipsy that he would be able to trascend death and return to life fighting and killing his enemies in England soil, his villainous career was put to an end when he was captured and sentenced to death. Returning as a ghost, he battled the JSA hoping for the prophecy to realize.
When the rightful time arrived, he gained the additional power of calling upon him vengeful ghosts from his enemies' (the JSA) past. His plan was foiled by Wildcat, surprisingly a descendant of the Royal House of England, so able to fight with him as only Diana Prince of Earth-2 formerly could, and Stargirl, who, as a virgin girl, was impervious to ghastly attacks. Finally vanquished, he apparently disappeared for good. However, he most recently reappeared in the Villains United miniseries, cameoing for one panel, in which he agreed to join Lex Luthor's cause.
[edit] Other media
Gentleman Ghost was seen in the All New Super Friends Hour episode titled "Ghost" where a man casts a spell to bring Gentleman Ghost to the living so that he can take revenge on Superman and Wonder Woman for imprisoning his spirit. He used his powers to turn U.N. representatives into ghosts and later turned Superman and Wonder Woman into ghosts, but the curse was eventually broken. After which, the Superfriends used the mystical Rods of Merlin to send Gentleman Ghost back to his grave, never to return.
The Gentleman Ghost is seen as a member of Gorilla Grodd's Legion of Doom shown on Justice League Unlimited. In one particular appearance that showcased him trying to outrun the Green Lantern until Hawkman caught him with a net made from Nth Metal. He is voiced by Robin Atkin Downes.
