Killer Moth
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Killer Moth is a fictional character in the DC Comics universe. He first appeared in Batman #63 published in 1951. Killer Moth originally wore a garish costume with striped purple and green spandex, orange cape and a moth-like mask.
Killer Moth is not to be confused with the similar Batman villain Firefly. The name of the cryptid, "Mothman", was derived from "Killer Moth".
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[edit] Cameron van Cleer
The original Killer Moth, Cameron van Cleer, is a millionaire who set himself up as the "anti-Batman," using the identity of Killer Moth, complete with Moth-signal, Mothmobile and Mothcave. He hires himself out to Gotham City's criminals to help them elude capture by police.
In his second appearance (Batman #64 Mar 1951) Killer Moth kidnaps Bruce Wayne and learns his secret identity. However, he is shot by other criminals and the resultant cranial injury caused amnesia. He remains a persistent enemy appearing through the Silver Age of comics. He is frequently remembered as being the first criminal Batgirl encounters in Detective Comics #359.
[edit] Drury Walker
In the 1990s, the Moth's history was retconned. Post-Crisis, the millionaire van Cleer is a fictional identity, and Killer Moth is portrayed as an unsuccessful criminal who no one takes seriously. His real name is Drury Walker. This version first appears in Batman: Shadow of the Bat #7 (Dec 1992), with a more detailed origin appearing in Batgirl: Year One.
In Shadow of the Bat, Killer Moth sets up a team called "the Misfits", comprising second-string Batman villains such as Catman and Calendar Man, to make another kidnap attempt on Bruce Wayne, as well as other prominent citizens. This team proves unsuccessful, turning against Moth when they realise he plans to kill the hostages.
He is one of the villains who sells their souls to the demon Neron in Underworld Unleashed, where he asks to become feared. He is metamorphed into a moth-like like monster called Charaxes. As Charaxes, Walker resembles a vaguely humanoid, giant brown moth. He consumes humans and spins cocoons to keep his prey in.
In a later story, Charaxes begins laying hundreds of eggs, all of which hatch into duplicates of Drury Walker. Charaxes despises his progeny, but is unable to destroy them. Following his capture, these duplicates are taken into government custody. During an argument between various bodies as to what should be done with them, they attack a scientist, and are killed. [issue # needed]
At around the same time, Oracle is confronted by a man who claims to be the real Killer Moth (the one she had defeated), and that Drury Walker had been an imposter. [issue # needed]
In Infinite Crisis, Charaxes is ripped in half by Superboy-Prime during the Battle of Metropolis, and presumed deceased.
[edit] Unknown
A character named Killer Moth appears in Batman #652, during the storyline "Face the Face". Nothing is revealed about the identity of this Killer Moth.
[edit] Appearances in other media
[edit] Batman (TV series)
A short episode of the 1960s live-action Batman television series that premiered Batgirl featured Killer Moth as the villain, but it was never aired. It has been circulated through bootlegs on the internet or at conventions. However, in the character's simultaneous comic book introduction (Detective Comics #359, January 1967), "The Million Dollar Debut of Batgirl", Killer Moth is Batgirl's first and main adversary after he leads her to believe that he killed Bruce Wayne. Batgirl later learns that Wayne has not died, after confronting Batman and Robin.
[edit] Videogames
Killer Moth appears at the end of the first stage of the NES game loosely based on the 1989 Batman film, in a suit of flying insect-like armor.
Killer Moth also appears as a boss character in the Nintendo video game Batman: Revenge of the Joker.
[edit] Teen Titans
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In the Teen Titans animated series episode "Date with Destiny," Killer Moth is a costumed criminal who bio-engineers giant moth creatures. These creatures wreck havoc on the city in order to blackmail Robin into taking Killer Moth's spoiled daughter Kitten to the prom. As Killer Moth never takes off his costume, it is undetermined if it is a costume at all, or physical condition.
Killer Moth returns in "Can I Keep Him?," where he turns Starfire's pet worm Silkie against the Titans; he is eventually taken down by his own creation when Silkie decides that he prefers Starfire over Killer Moth.
Killer Moth and Kitten become members of the Brotherhood of Evil, and Kitten returns to race against Robin, but is thwarted by Red X. The two join in the final battle against the Titans in "Calling All Titans" where Killer Moth is armed with a laser-whip. while Kitten steal Starfire's communicator with the aid of giant moths. Kitten is captured and Killer Moth is turned into an ice sculpture when Más y Menos put him through Chang's flash-freezing machine.
Killer Moth was voiced by Thomas Haden Church in his first appearance and by Marc Worden in subsequent appearances. His animated incarnation is much more dangerous then his comic appearance; he is a twisted genius with enhanced strength, speed, and agility. His only real limitation is the spoiled demands of his daughter, which rather undermines his otherwise menacing presence.
[edit] The Batman
Killer Moth appears in the series The Batman, voiced by Jeff Bennett. The character is a physically weak coffee boy for The Penguin's gang in the episode "Team Penguin". He is transformed into a massive, powerful version of Charaxes after being exposed to chemical fumes during a robbery with Penguin. Moth still maintaines his milquetoast personality and poor combat abilities despite his size and strength. He is mentioned by Batman, but not seen, in the episode "Rumors".
