Bat-Mite

Bat-Mite is a fictional character appearing in stories published by DC Comics. Bat-Mite is an Imp similar to the Superman villain Mister Mxyzptlk. Appearing as a small childlike man in an ill-fitting costume, Bat-Mite possesses what appears to be near-infinite magical power, but in reality is highly advanced technology from the fifth-dimension that cannot be understood by our limited three-dimensional views. Bat-Mite idolizes Batman and thus he has visited Batman on various occasions, often setting up strange events so that he could see his hero in action. Bat-Mite is more of a nuisance than a supervillain, and often departs of his own accord upon realizing that he has angered his idol.^[1]

Fictional character history

Pre-Crisis

Bat-Mite regularly appeared in Batman, Detective Comics, and World's Finest Comics for five years. Bat-Mite and Mr. Mxyzptlk teamed up four times in the pages of World's Finest Comics to plague Superman and Batman together, as well. In 1964, however, when the Batman titles were revamped under new editor Julius Schwartz, Bat-Mite vanished along with the other extraneous members of the Batman family such as Ace the Bat-Hound. After this, only three more Bat-Mite stories were published in the pre-Crisis DC Universe: two Bat-Mite/Mr. Mxyzptlk team ups in World's Finest Comics #152 (August 1965) and #169 (September 1967) (which were not edited by Schwartz but by Mort Weisinger), and "Bat-Mite's New York Adventure" from Detective Comics #482 (February–March 1979), in which the imp visits the DC Comics offices and insists that he be given his own feature in a Batman comic. This story featured protestors with picket signs shouting "We want Bat-Mite!" outside the Tishman Building (where DC's editorial offices were located at the time), and was accompanied by an editorial comment that this story was published specifically to acknowledge the actual requests of fans for this character's revival.

Later Bat-Mite appeared in a one-page story in the 200th issue of The Brave and the Bold.

Post-Crisis

After the continuity-changing 1985 limited series Crisis on Infinite Earths was published, Bat-Mite was mostly removed from the Batman comics canon. Bat-Mite made an appearance in the series Legends of the Dark Knight, although he may have been the hallucination of a drug-addled criminal named Bob Overdog. This comic states that Bat-mite is one of the many admirers of superheroes from another dimension. This version of Bat-Mite later appeared in Mitefall, a one-shot book which was a parody of the "Knightfall" Batman storyline (with Overdog in the Jean-Paul Valley role). In #6 of the 1999 World's Finest miniseries, Mr. Mxyzptlk encountered Bat-Mite, shortly after being mistaken for him by Overdog. While in this story the post-Crisis Bat-Mite encountered Batman for the first time, Superman and Batman subsequently concluded that Mxyzptlk had created him, inspired by Overdog's ravings.

Bat-Mite also appeared in the 2000 one-shot Elseworlds comic special World's Funnest, in which he battles Mr. Mxyzptlk, destroying the pre-Crisis multiverse and the post-Crisis DC Universe, as well as the Elseworlds of Kingdom Come, Batman: The Dark Knight Returns, and the DC animated universe. As an Elseworlds story itself, World's Funnest has no impact on continuity, as inferred from Dark Knight Returns and Kingdom Come being introduced to the official DC multiverse as a result of the series 52.

Apart from World's Funnest, there has been no direct connection between Bat-Mite and Mr. Mxyzptlk. In the Bizarro Comics anthology, Mxyzptlk's native 5th Dimension seemed to include beings similar to Bat-Mite and Johnny Thunder's Thunderbolt. Neither of these comics are considered canonical; however, in a JLA/JSA crossover in JLA and in JSA #78–80 it was revealed that both Mxyzptlk and Thunderbolt come from the 5th Dimension. Letter columns and writer interviews suggest that Bat-Mite comes from there as well, although this has never been shown thus far in the comic stories themselves.

In the post-Crisis issue Superman/Batman #25, it was revealed that the Joker had gained Fifth Dimensional powers by maintaining the essence of Mr. Mxyzptlk from the earlier "Emperor Joker" storyline; at the end, Bizarro was able to extract this latent magical essence from the Joker, which manifested in a form recognizable as Bat-Mite. As such, a Bat-Mite has been fully reestablished into the current continuity as an outgrowth of Mr. Mxyzptlk incubated within the Joker.^[2]

The first post-Infinite Crisis appearance of Bat-Mite was in Batman #672, written by Grant Morrison.^[3] Batman is confronted with Bat-Mite (or "Might") after being shot in the chest and suffering a heart attack. Might, who bears a green insectoid creature on his back, claims to have come from "Space B at the Fivefold Expansion of Zrfff" ^[4] (At times Zrfff has been used as the name of Mr. Mxyzptlk's home dimension). Only Batman sees him. As Batman is having an increasingly difficult time keeping his grip on reality during this period, it is possible that Mite is a mental delusion.

In Batman #678, Might reappears at the last page, commenting, "uh-oh" to Batman's increasing delusions. He then, throughout the whole Batman R.I.P. series, appears to counsel the Batman of Zur-En-Arrh, a delusional personality manufactured by Bruce himself to keep Batman able to fight in case he was mindwiped, or driven to insanity. Batman #680 reveals that Might is indeed a product of Batman's imagination being Batman's rationale, although when asked by Batman whether he is an extra-dimensional being or a figment of his imagination, Bat-Mite responds that the fifth dimension is imagination.^[5]

In Superman/Batman #52, Bat-Mite appears having had a bet with Mr. Mxyzptlk similar to that of World's Funnest. This Bat-Mite appears to admire Batman, and Batman addresses him with familiarity.^[6]

In other media

Television

• Bat-Mite was a regular character of the 1977 Filmation animated series The New Adventures of Batman voiced by Lou Scheimer. He was depicted as a well-meaning magical fan of the superhero. As such, he tried to help Batman even though he usually complicated matters, with a whiny "All I wanna do is help!" as a near-catchphrase. One episode featured his home planet called Ergo as well as a villain of Bat-Mite's species named Zarbor. He also has a crush on Batgirl.^[7][8]

• An animatronic Bat-Mite briefly appeared in the Batman: The Animated Series episode "Deep Freeze" voiced by Pat Fraley. Bat-Mite enthusiastically greeted Batman, saying, "Greetings, Dynamic Duo! I'm your biggest fan!" before kissing Robin, who was shocked. It then malfunctions and falls apart, stuttering "I just wanna help!". It is revealed just to be a robot toy, created by robotics expert Karl Rossum (voiced by William Sanderson). In the background, an animatronic Mister Mxyzptlk, Streaky the Supercat, and Krypto the Superdog can also be seen in Rossum's apartment.

• Bat-Mite first appeared in the Batman: The Brave and the Bold episode "Legends of the Dark Mite" voiced by Paul Reubens. This version of Bat-Mite is 'powerful' enough to regularly break the fourth wall and read to Batman his past, present, and future exploits from real world comic books, and make fun of real world comic convention fans. He first appears goading some bank robbers and creating more robbers to see Batman in action. He eventually shows himself and makes Batman fight more and more villains. After believing he has convinced Bat-Mite to return home, Batman unwittingly insults him which leads to the creature deciding to use him as a toy in a battle against imaginary monsters. Batman is able to escape by convincing Bat-Mite to use his powers to become the Dark Knight himself. In doing so, Bat-Mite comes to understand the peril of Batman's role and agrees to leave in peace. Bat-Mite reappears in the episode "Emperor Joker." After helping Batman foil a robbery by the Ten-Eyed Man, Bat-Mite shows Batman the museum tribute to Batman & the Joker's rivalry. Bat-Mite frees Joker from Arkham so he can watch a fight between the two first hand. Batman makes Bat-Mite promise not to use his powers and Batman confronts the Joker. When it seems Joker has the upper hand during a fight, Bat-Mite accidentally transfers his powers to the Joker. Bat-Mite is forced to watch helplessly as Joker uses his reality warping powers to toy with Batman. Joker also creates a being called Joker-Mite to deal with Bat-Mite. Batman tricks the Joker into entering his mind, then forces the Clown Prince of Crime into a scenario that leaves the Joker desperate to escape, even if it means giving up his new power. Bat-Mite regains his powers and returns everything to normal, though he keeps Joker-Mite around and forces him to go back to the Fifth Dimension with him so they can be superhero and archenemy. Bat-Mite returns in "Bat-Mite Presents: Batman's Strangest Cases!". Situated in live-action comic book shop surrounding his Batman trophy room, he watches the MAD Magazine parody 'Bat-Boy and Rubin' on a clip reel, then addresses the viewer and says that he is going to host a look at different incarnations of Batman. He proceeds to show the viewer a Batman Manga in which the Dynamic Duo face off against their recurring foe Lord Deathman, and a crossover between the Dynamic Duo and the Scooby-Doo Mystery Inc. gang in the style of The New Scooby-Doo Movies. At the end of Batman manga story, makes a sarcastic remake about Robin's comment that Lord Deathman "paracuted to safety and winks to the viewer while making reference to the english dubbing of Japanese anime. During the latter adventure, Bat-Mite occasionally pauses the story to interject with a comment. During Scooby-Doo crossover Bat-Mite interjects several times, once to point out an animation mistake (Batman's neckline was miss-colored) and during the chase scene Bat-Mite explains how during that era of cartoons Batman wasn't allowed to throw a punch, but reminds the viewers he possesses near-infinite reality-warping powers and them uses them to turn the chase scene into a fight scene by using his powers to grant the Dynamic Duo, the villains, and even Shaggy and Scooby-Doo the ability to fight. He appeared in the series finale "Mitefall!" where he took on a major antagonist role by trying to end the show - which would also end the universe the characters live in - because the series is now boring and he wishes for a darker Batman series. He used his powers to ruin the series so that the producers will cancel it. Despite Ambush Bug's telling the heroes the situation and fighting to stop it at the last moment, he succeeded and became excited for the grittier Batman series which would be made in CGI. However, he was shocked while watching its promo that the main protagonist is revealed to be Batgirl while Batman is a supporting character. To make it worse, Ambush Bug appeared to tell him that since the show is going to be cancelled, he will be disappearing too, since he is a character of the show and he won't fit into the darker series. Bat-Mite was shocked at this horrid revelation but accepted his fate before his removal from existence. In every end of an episode which he has appeared, he used Porky Pig's famous catchphrase, "That's all folks!" to end the episode (complete with the same music and visual), except for this last one, where in a silent white void, he said the same line before disappearing into oblivion.

References