Gentleman Ghost
Encyclopedia
Gentleman Ghost is a fictional character
, a supervillain
published by DC Comics
publications. He first appeared in Flash Comics
#88 (October 1947), and was created by Robert Kanigher
and Joe Kubert
.
and robber who terrorized England
in the 1800s after a prophecy from a gypsy said he would be a highwayman. He encountered the ghosts of other highwaymen and Dick Turpin
left him a horse. He journeys to the United States
and encounters the gunslinger
s Nighthawk
and Cinnamon
. The hot-headed Nighthawk lynches Craddock after wrongly assuming that he sexually assaulted Cinnamon, but Craddock somehow eludes death to rise again as a phantom
.
The Gentleman Ghost learns he must wander the earth until the spirit
of his killer moves on to the next plane of existence
. Unfortunately, Nighthawk and Cinnamon turn out to be the reincarnation
s of Ancient Egypt
ian royalty Prince Khufu and Chay-Ara: their soul
s (due to their exposure to the Thanagar
ian Nth metal
) can never truly pass on. Both are eventually resurrected as Hawkman and Hawkgirl
, and the Gentleman Ghost becomes their recurring nemesis during the 1940s. Craddock has over the decades menaced other heroes, including Batman
, The Atom
, The Flash
, The New Teen Titans, 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 has clashed with Batman
and Superman
on different occasions. In JSA Classified, issues 5-7, the Gentleman Ghost is a member of the Injustice Society
. In Villains United
#1, he joins the Secret Society of Super Villains
.
His origin is explored and altered in the pages of JSA #82-87 (2006). The natural
son of an abusive father and a poor mother, young Jim Craddock soon slips into a life of crime, making contacts with the supernatural. After a gypsy prophesies that he will be able to transcend death and return to life fighting and killing his enemies on English soil, his villainous career is put to an end when he is captured and sentenced to death by hanging after he is tricked by a woman he is trying to seduce who summons Redcoats. Returning as a ghost, he battles the JSA, hoping for the prophecy to come true.
The Ghost is briefly seen in the Infinite Crisis
, during the Secret Society of Supervillains' attack on Metropolis and its dozens of superpowered and human defenders. Afterwards, the Ghost becomes involved in a fight with Alan Scott
. This ends badly for Scott, leaving him in a coma.
When the rightful time arrives, the Ghost gains the additional power of summoning vengeful ghosts from his enemies' (the JSA) past, like someone Scott accidentally killed with an electrical accident, although this is a fake, and other highwaymen. His plan is foiled by Stargirl, who, as a virgin
girl, is impervious to ghostly attacks, an army of ghostly nobles who attack his army, and Wildcat
, surprisingly a descendant of the Royal House of England, who decapitates him. Vanquished, he disappears.
Gentleman Ghost is seen as one of the villains sent to retrieve the Get Out of Hell Free card from the Secret Six
.
The Gentleman Ghost is apparently unable to touch or be touched by virgins. This is confirmed by his inability to do harm to both Stargirl and Jakeem Thunder
. However, he can pick up a real weapon and be able to hurt them, as when he brandished the Cosmic Rod.
As a supernatural being, Gentleman Ghost cannot be killed and is very hard to hurt. However, those with royal blood can physically harm him and, when unaware, energy hitting him causes pain.
In the episode "Dawn of The Deadman" of Batman the Brave and The Bold animated series, it is shown that if he is hit with Nth metal, he will momentarily show his true form, reverting to a decayed version of himself with black suit and hat. As shown in the same episode, he can also be hurt by other ghosts, as Deadman
is able to hit him. It is also shown that if he is out cold then he remains in his black form. Also, despite the fact that he is easily defeated by Batman during the early episodes, Gentleman Ghost later demonstrates that he is a skilled hand-to-hand/martial combatant, as shown for example when he simultaneously fights with Batman and Deadman. His heroic Earth-Three
counterpart reverses his color scheme, appearing as a ghost with a black suit and hat and turning white when hit.
episode titled "Ghost." In this show, he is referred to only as "Gentleman Jim Craddock" instead of "Gentleman Ghost." 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 uses his powers to turn U.N. representatives into ghosts and later turns Superman and Wonder Woman into ghosts. The curse is eventually broken, after which the Superfriends used the mystical Rods of Merlin
to send Gentleman Ghost back to his grave, never to return.
In Justice League Unlimited
, Gentleman Ghost (voiced by Robin Atkin Downes
) is seen as a member of Gorilla Grodd
's Secret Society
. In "Ancient History," he is shown trying to outrun the Green Lantern
until Hawkman catches him with a net made from Nth metal.
Gentleman Ghost appears in several episodes of the animated series Batman: The Brave and the Bold
, voiced by Greg Ellis
. He first appears in the pre-credits teaser of "Terror on Dinosaur Island!", where he is defeated by Batman, Plastic Man
, and Fire
. He is the featured villain in "Dawn of the Deadman!", in which he has Batman buried alive. The Ghost is subsequently defeated by Batman, Deadman
, and Green Arrow
. A heroic version of the Ghost appears in "Deep Cover for Batman!", which is set in an alternate universe based on DC Comics' Earth-Three
. The Gentleman Ghost appears in the season 1 episode, "Trials of the Demon!" where his origins are revealed in late 19th century London
. Originally known as Gentleman Jim Craddock, he made a pact with a demon named Astaroth to become immortal in return for stealing ten souls that Astaroth needed to enter the mortal realm (probably based on Jack the Ripper
's murders). Craddock steals the tenth soul from Sherlock Holmes
and is granted what seems to be his wish in spite of Batman's warning of what will come to pass. Etrigan and Batman defeat Craddock and Astoroth in battle, although Jim tried to frame Jason Blood. Holmes and the other nine victims have their lives restored as Craddock is sentenced to death, emerging from his grave later in his well-known ghostly form, the -real- meaning of Asaroth's promise that Craddock's spirit would never leave the earthly realm. Now Gentleman Ghost and blaming Batman for his condition, Craddock vows to wait through the centuries to gain revenge on him. Craddock appears again in "Death Race to Oblivion!" he is kidnapped by Mongul with other superheroes and supervillains and forced to drive in a death race. He teamed-up with Black Manta in order to take Batman's Batmobile out of the game, but Batman managed to survive and Black Manta betrayed him, destroying his old black car, which resembles a hearse
, and disqualifying Craddock. He was also seen in the opening for "Crisis: 22,300 Miles Above Earth" as part of the audience that attended the Joker's
celebrity roast. In one of the scenes, he laughed so hard that his disfigured ghostly face was shown.
. Greg Ellis reprises the role. Gentleman Ghost hires Clock King
to lure Batman to London, England, and later lures him and Hawkman
into the underworld, in order to offer them to Asteroth as a sacrifice in exchange for his life back. When that fails, a vengeful Craddock attempts to bury them under, and later fights them in a graveyard. After being humiliated, Hawkman teaches Batman to have respect even for his enemies, and picks up the villain respectfully to take him to jail.
Fictional character
A character is the representation of a person in a narrative work of art . Derived from the ancient Greek word kharaktêr , the earliest use in English, in this sense, dates from the Restoration, although it became widely used after its appearance in Tom Jones in 1749. From this, the sense of...
, a supervillain
Supervillain
A supervillain or supervillainess is a variant of the villain character type, commonly found in comic books, action movies and science fiction in various media.They are sometimes used as foils to superheroes and other fictional heroes...
published by DC Comics
DC Comics
DC Comics, Inc. is one of the largest and most successful companies operating in the market for American comic books and related media. It is the publishing unit of DC Entertainment a company of Warner Bros. Entertainment, which itself is owned by Time Warner...
publications. He first appeared in Flash Comics
Flash Comics
Flash Comics was an anthology comic book published by All-American Publications and later National Periodicals . The title ran for 104 issues between January 1940 to February 1949. Although the name of the comic book was Flash Comics, the Flash was only one of many different series featured in the...
#88 (October 1947), and was created by Robert Kanigher
Robert Kanigher
Robert Kanigher was a prolific comic book writer and editor whose career spanned five decades. He was involved with the Wonder Woman franchise for over twenty years, taking over the scripting from creator William Moulton Marston. In addition, Kanigher spent many years in charge of DC Comics' war...
and Joe Kubert
Joe Kubert
Joe Kubert is an American comic book artist who went on to found The Kubert School. He is best known for his work on the DC Comics characters Sgt. Rock and Hawkman...
.
Fictional character biography
"Gentleman Ghost" Jim Craddock is the son of an English gentleman who abandoned both Jim and his mother, forcing them into poverty. Craddock grew up to become a notorious highwaymanHighwayman
A highwayman was a thief and brigand who preyed on travellers. This type of outlaw, usually, travelled and robbed by horse, as compared to a footpad who traveled and robbed on foot. Mounted robbers were widely considered to be socially superior to footpads...
and robber who terrorized England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
in the 1800s after a prophecy from a gypsy said he would be a highwayman. He encountered the ghosts of other highwaymen and Dick Turpin
Dick Turpin
Richard "Dick" Turpin was an English highwayman whose exploits were romanticised following his execution in York for horse theft. Turpin may have followed his father's profession as a butcher early in life, but by the early 1730s he had joined a gang of deer thieves, and later became a poacher,...
left him a horse. He journeys to the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
and encounters the gunslinger
Gunslinger
Gunfighter, also gunslinger , is a 20th century word, used in cinema or literature, referring to men in the American Old West who had gained a reputation as being dangerous with a gun...
s Nighthawk
Nighthawk (DC Comics)
Nighthawk is a fictional character, a cowboy in the DC Comics universe. His real name is Hannibal Hawkes and he first appeared in Western Comics #5. In his secret identity, he worked as a traveling repairman...
and Cinnamon
Cinnamon (comics)
Cinnamon is the name of two Western characters in DC Comics, one inhabiting the wild west, the other living in the modern era. The character first appeared in Weird Western Tales #48...
. The hot-headed Nighthawk lynches Craddock after wrongly assuming that he sexually assaulted Cinnamon, but Craddock somehow eludes death to rise again as a phantom
Ghost
In traditional belief and fiction, a ghost is the soul or spirit of a deceased person or animal that can appear, in visible form or other manifestation, to the living. Descriptions of the apparition of ghosts vary widely from an invisible presence to translucent or barely visible wispy shapes, to...
.
The Gentleman Ghost learns he must wander the earth until the spirit
Spirit
The English word spirit has many differing meanings and connotations, most of them relating to a non-corporeal substance contrasted with the material body.The spirit of a living thing usually refers to or explains its consciousness.The notions of a person's "spirit" and "soul" often also overlap,...
of his killer moves on to the next plane of existence
Plane (metaphysics)
In esoteric cosmology, a plane, other than the physical plane is conceived as a subtle state of consciousness that transcends the known physical universe....
. Unfortunately, Nighthawk and Cinnamon turn out to be the reincarnation
Reincarnation
Reincarnation best describes the concept where the soul or spirit, after the death of the body, is believed to return to live in a new human body, or, in some traditions, either as a human being, animal or plant...
s of Ancient Egypt
Ancient Egypt
Ancient Egypt was an ancient civilization of Northeastern Africa, concentrated along the lower reaches of the Nile River in what is now the modern country of Egypt. Egyptian civilization coalesced around 3150 BC with the political unification of Upper and Lower Egypt under the first pharaoh...
ian royalty Prince Khufu and Chay-Ara: their soul
Soul
A soul in certain spiritual, philosophical, and psychological traditions is the incorporeal essence of a person or living thing or object. Many philosophical and spiritual systems teach that humans have souls, and others teach that all living things and even inanimate objects have souls. The...
s (due to their exposure to the Thanagar
Thanagar
Thanagar is a fictional planet in the . Thanagar is the original home of the humanoid Thanagarian race, noted for the discovery of gravity-defying Nth metal...
ian Nth metal
Nth metal
Nth metal is a fictional metal in the .-Fictional history:It is native to Thanagar, the home planet of Katar Hol and Shayera Thal, the Silver Age Hawkman and Hawkwoman. Among the unusual properties of Nth metal is the ability to negate gravity, allowing a person wearing an object made of Nth...
) can never truly pass on. Both are eventually resurrected as Hawkman and Hawkgirl
Hawkgirl
Hawkgirl is the name of several female fictional superhero characters, all owned by DC Comics and existing in that company's universe. The character is one of the first costumed female superheroes...
, and the Gentleman Ghost becomes their recurring nemesis during the 1940s. Craddock has over the decades menaced other heroes, including Batman
Batman
Batman is a fictional character created by the artist Bob Kane and writer Bill Finger. A comic book superhero, Batman first appeared in Detective Comics #27 , and since then has appeared primarily in publications by DC Comics...
, The Atom
Atom (comics)
The Atom is a name shared by several fictional comic book superheroes from the DC Comics universe.There have been five characters who have shared the Atom codename. The original Golden Age Atom, Al Pratt, was created by Ben Flinton and Bill O'Connor and first appeared in All-American Publications'...
, The Flash
Barry Allen
The Flash is a fictional character, a superhero in the DC Comics universe. He is the second character known as the Flash. The character first appeared in Showcase #4 , created by writers Robert Kanigher and John Broome and penciler Carmine Infantino. His name combines talk show hosts Barry Gray...
, The New Teen Titans, Max Mercury
Max Mercury
Max Mercury is a fictional character, a DC Comics superhero based on Quality Comics' Quicksilver.- Publication history :He first appeared in Quality's National Comics #5, cover dated November 1940, as Quicksilver...
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 has clashed with Batman
Batman
Batman is a fictional character created by the artist Bob Kane and writer Bill Finger. A comic book superhero, Batman first appeared in Detective Comics #27 , and since then has appeared primarily in publications by DC Comics...
and Superman
Superman
Superman is a fictional comic book superhero appearing in publications by DC Comics, widely considered to be an American cultural icon. Created by American writer Jerry Siegel and Canadian-born American artist Joe Shuster in 1932 while both were living in Cleveland, Ohio, and sold to Detective...
on different occasions. In JSA Classified, issues 5-7, the Gentleman Ghost is a member of the Injustice Society
Injustice Society
The Injustice Society is a group of fictional supervillains in the . They are the main antagonists of the Justice Society of America.-Original team:...
. In Villains United
Villains United
Villains United is a six-issue comic book limited series, written by Gail Simone with art by Dale Eaglesham and Wade Von Grawbadger, published by DC Comics in 2005...
#1, he joins the Secret Society of Super Villains
Secret Society of Super Villains
The Secret Society of Super Villains is a group of comic book supervillains that exist in the DC Universe...
.
His origin is explored and altered in the pages of JSA #82-87 (2006). The natural
Legitimacy (law)
At common law, legitimacy is the status of a child who is born to parents who are legally married to one another; and of a child who is born shortly after the parents' divorce. In canon and in civil law, the offspring of putative marriages have been considered legitimate children...
son of an abusive father and a poor mother, young Jim Craddock soon slips into a life of crime, making contacts with the supernatural. After a gypsy prophesies that he will be able to transcend death and return to life fighting and killing his enemies on English soil, his villainous career is put to an end when he is captured and sentenced to death by hanging after he is tricked by a woman he is trying to seduce who summons Redcoats. Returning as a ghost, he battles the JSA, hoping for the prophecy to come true.
The Ghost is briefly seen in the Infinite Crisis
Infinite Crisis
Infinite Crisis is a 2005 - 2006 comic book storyline published by DC Comics, consisting of an eponymous, seven-issue comic book limited series written by Geoff Johns and illustrated by Phil Jimenez, George Pérez, Ivan Reis, and Jerry Ordway, and a number of tie-in books...
, during the Secret Society of Supervillains' attack on Metropolis and its dozens of superpowered and human defenders. Afterwards, the Ghost becomes involved in a fight with Alan Scott
Alan Scott
Alan Scott is a fictional character, a superhero in the and the first superhero to bear the name Green Lantern.-Publication history:The original Green Lantern was created by young struggling artist Martin Nodell, who was inspired by the sight of a New York Subway employee waving a red lantern to...
. This ends badly for Scott, leaving him in a coma.
When the rightful time arrives, the Ghost gains the additional power of summoning vengeful ghosts from his enemies' (the JSA) past, like someone Scott accidentally killed with an electrical accident, although this is a fake, and other highwaymen. His plan is foiled by Stargirl, who, as a virgin
Virginity
Virginity refers to the state of a person who has never engaged in sexual intercourse. There are cultural and religious traditions which place special value and significance on this state, especially in the case of unmarried females, associated with notions of personal purity, honor and worth...
girl, is impervious to ghostly attacks, an army of ghostly nobles who attack his army, and Wildcat
Wildcat (comics)
Wildcat is the name of several fictional characters, all DC Comics superheroes. The first and most famous of these is Ted Grant, a long-time member of the Justice Society of America...
, surprisingly a descendant of the Royal House of England, who decapitates him. Vanquished, he disappears.
Gentleman Ghost is seen as one of the villains sent to retrieve the Get Out of Hell Free card from the Secret Six
Secret Six (comics)
The Secret Six is the name of three different fictional comic book teams in the , plus an alternate universe's fourth team. Each team has had six members, led by a mysterious figure named Mockingbird, whom the characters assume to be one of the other five members.-Original Secret Six:The Secret Six...
.
Powers and abilities
Originally, the Gentleman Ghost seemed to rely on devices to simulate a ghostly existence; the original 1940s stories left the question of his nature open to speculation. Later, however, he is retconned into a true ghost and his abilities altered to follow suit. As a ghost, Craddock has several abilities. He can become intangible and pass effortlessly through solid material. He can become completely invisible. In fact, the appearance of his head as a floating hat and monocle is actually him rendering his decayed face invisible. He has been shown as being able to teleport as short a distance as a few rooms or as far as across states. Gentleman Ghost can also summon spectral weapons including a cane that shoots spectral fire and flintlock pistols. When passing through Craddock's ghostly form, people will sometimes experience an intense feeling of cold. Since this does not happen every time, it would seem that he can control this effect. Craddock can apparently track psionic energy and travel across dimensions as he did when he followed an astral tether from the Wizard to Johnny Sorrow. On certain occasions most of the manifestations of his abilities like teleportation and phasing are accompanied by a purple glow of spectral energy or transparent mist (possibly courtesy of different pencilers). Around the time of his prophesied return to life, he gains the power to summon and control the spirits of the dead due to his mother's spirit spending centuries recruiting them to help her son. It is unknown if he can still call upon them.Jakeem Thunder
Jakeem Thunder , initially called J.J. Thunder, is a fictional character in the DC Comics Universe, a member of the superhero team the Justice Society of America. Jakeem first appeared in Flash Jakeem Thunder (Jakeem Johnny Williams), initially called J.J. Thunder, is a fictional character in the...
. However, he can pick up a real weapon and be able to hurt them, as when he brandished the Cosmic Rod.
As a supernatural being, Gentleman Ghost cannot be killed and is very hard to hurt. However, those with royal blood can physically harm him and, when unaware, energy hitting him causes pain.
In the episode "Dawn of The Deadman" of Batman the Brave and The Bold animated series, it is shown that if he is hit with Nth metal, he will momentarily show his true form, reverting to a decayed version of himself with black suit and hat. As shown in the same episode, he can also be hurt by other ghosts, as Deadman
Deadman
Deadman is a fictional character, a comic book superhero in the DC Comics universe. He first appeared in Strange Adventures #205 , and was created by Arnold Drake and Carmine Infantino.-Publication history:...
is able to hit him. It is also shown that if he is out cold then he remains in his black form. Also, despite the fact that he is easily defeated by Batman during the early episodes, Gentleman Ghost later demonstrates that he is a skilled hand-to-hand/martial combatant, as shown for example when he simultaneously fights with Batman and Deadman. His heroic Earth-Three
Earth-Three
Earth-Three is a fictional alternate universe set in the . It is the Earth of an alternate reality in the DC Multiverse. It first appeared in Justice League of America #29 .-Pre-Crisis:Its history is a mirror image to the Earth we know...
counterpart reverses his color scheme, appearing as a ghost with a black suit and hat and turning white when hit.
Television
Gentleman Ghost appears in the All New Super Friends HourSuper Friends
Super Friends is an American animated television series about a team of superheroes, which ran from 1973 to 1986 on ABC as part of its Saturday morning cartoon lineup...
episode titled "Ghost." In this show, he is referred to only as "Gentleman Jim Craddock" instead of "Gentleman Ghost." A man casts a spell to bring Gentleman Ghost to the living so that he can take revenge on Superman
Superman
Superman is a fictional comic book superhero appearing in publications by DC Comics, widely considered to be an American cultural icon. Created by American writer Jerry Siegel and Canadian-born American artist Joe Shuster in 1932 while both were living in Cleveland, Ohio, and sold to Detective...
and Wonder Woman
Wonder Woman
Wonder Woman is a DC Comics superheroine created by William Moulton Marston. She first appeared in All Star Comics #8 . The Wonder Woman title has been published by DC Comics almost continuously except for a brief hiatus in 1986....
for imprisoning his spirit. He uses his powers to turn U.N. representatives into ghosts and later turns Superman and Wonder Woman into ghosts. The curse is eventually broken, after which the Superfriends used the mystical Rods of Merlin
Merlin (DC Comics)
Merlin, is a fictional character, a comic book magician published by DC Comics. Myrddin debuted in New Comics #3, , and was created by Rafael Astarita...
to send Gentleman Ghost back to his grave, never to return.
In Justice League Unlimited
Justice League Unlimited
Justice League Unlimited is an American animated television series that was produced by Warner Bros. Animation and aired on Cartoon Network. Featuring a wide array of superheroes from the DC Comics universe, and specifically based on the Justice League superhero team, it is a direct sequel to the...
, Gentleman Ghost (voiced by Robin Atkin Downes
Robin Atkin Downes
Born in London, England, Robin Atkin Downes is an English actor who is one of the most prolific voice-over actors in Los Angeles. He is well known for his work in film, television and voice acting...
) is seen as a member of Gorilla Grodd
Gorilla Grodd
Gorilla Grodd is a supervillain appearing in DC Comics, primarily as an enemy of The Flash. He debuted in Flash v.1 #106 , and was created by writer John Broome and artist Carmine Infantino....
's Secret Society
Secret Society of Super Villains
The Secret Society of Super Villains is a group of comic book supervillains that exist in the DC Universe...
. In "Ancient History," he is shown trying to outrun the Green Lantern
Green Lantern
The Green Lantern is the shared primary alias of several fictional characters, superheroes appearing in comic books published by DC Comics. The first Green Lantern was created by writer Bill Finger and artist Martin Nodell in All-American Comics #16 .Each Green Lantern possesses a power ring and...
until Hawkman catches him with a net made from Nth metal.
Gentleman Ghost appears in several episodes of the animated series Batman: The Brave and the Bold
Batman: The Brave and the Bold
Batman: The Brave and the Bold is an American animated television series based in part on the DC Comics series The Brave and the Bold which features two or more super heroes coming together to solve a crime or foil a super villain...
, voiced by Greg Ellis
Greg Ellis (actor)
Greg Ellis is an English actor known for his TV, movie, and video game voice over work. He has appeared in films such as the Pirates of the Caribbean series, the 2009 Star Trek film , Titanic, Beowulf, To End All Wars, and Mr. and Mrs. Smith...
. He first appears in the pre-credits teaser of "Terror on Dinosaur Island!", where he is defeated by Batman, Plastic Man
Plastic Man
Plastic Man is a fictional comic-book superhero originally published by Quality Comics and later acquired by DC Comics. Created by writer-artist Jack Cole, he first appeared in Police Comics #1 ....
, and Fire
Fire (comics)
Fire is a fictional character, a comic book superhero from the DC Comics universe. A version of her first appeared in Super Friends #25, , and was created by E. Nelson Bridwell and Ramona Fradon...
. He is the featured villain in "Dawn of the Deadman!", in which he has Batman buried alive. The Ghost is subsequently defeated by Batman, Deadman
Deadman
Deadman is a fictional character, a comic book superhero in the DC Comics universe. He first appeared in Strange Adventures #205 , and was created by Arnold Drake and Carmine Infantino.-Publication history:...
, and Green Arrow
Green Arrow
Green Arrow is a fictional superhero that appears in comic books published by DC Comics. Created by Mort Weisinger and George Papp, he first appeared in More Fun Comics #73 in November 1941. His secret identity is Oliver Queen, billionaire and former mayor of fictional Star City...
. A heroic version of the Ghost appears in "Deep Cover for Batman!", which is set in an alternate universe based on DC Comics' Earth-Three
Earth-Three
Earth-Three is a fictional alternate universe set in the . It is the Earth of an alternate reality in the DC Multiverse. It first appeared in Justice League of America #29 .-Pre-Crisis:Its history is a mirror image to the Earth we know...
. The Gentleman Ghost appears in the season 1 episode, "Trials of the Demon!" where his origins are revealed in late 19th century London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
. Originally known as Gentleman Jim Craddock, he made a pact with a demon named Astaroth to become immortal in return for stealing ten souls that Astaroth needed to enter the mortal realm (probably based on Jack the Ripper
Jack the Ripper
"Jack the Ripper" is the best-known name given to an unidentified serial killer who was active in the largely impoverished areas in and around the Whitechapel district of London in 1888. The name originated in a letter, written by someone claiming to be the murderer, that was disseminated in the...
's murders). Craddock steals the tenth soul from Sherlock Holmes
Sherlock Holmes
Sherlock Holmes is a fictional detective created by Scottish author and physician Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. The fantastic London-based "consulting detective", Holmes is famous for his astute logical reasoning, his ability to take almost any disguise, and his use of forensic science skills to solve...
and is granted what seems to be his wish in spite of Batman's warning of what will come to pass. Etrigan and Batman defeat Craddock and Astoroth in battle, although Jim tried to frame Jason Blood. Holmes and the other nine victims have their lives restored as Craddock is sentenced to death, emerging from his grave later in his well-known ghostly form, the -real- meaning of Asaroth's promise that Craddock's spirit would never leave the earthly realm. Now Gentleman Ghost and blaming Batman for his condition, Craddock vows to wait through the centuries to gain revenge on him. Craddock appears again in "Death Race to Oblivion!" he is kidnapped by Mongul with other superheroes and supervillains and forced to drive in a death race. He teamed-up with Black Manta in order to take Batman's Batmobile out of the game, but Batman managed to survive and Black Manta betrayed him, destroying his old black car, which resembles a hearse
Hearse
A hearse is a funerary vehicle used to carry a coffin from a church or funeral home to a cemetery. In the funeral trade, hearses are often called funeral coaches.-History:...
, and disqualifying Craddock. He was also seen in the opening for "Crisis: 22,300 Miles Above Earth" as part of the audience that attended the Joker's
Joker (comics)
The Joker is a fictional character, a comic book supervillain published by DC Comics. He is the archenemy of Batman, having been directly responsible for numerous tragedies in Batman's life, including the paralysis of Barbara Gordon and the death of Jason Todd, the second Robin...
celebrity roast. In one of the scenes, he laughed so hard that his disfigured ghostly face was shown.
Video games
Gentleman Ghost also appears as a villain in Batman: The Brave and the Bold – The VideogameBatman: The Brave and the Bold – The Videogame
Batman: The Brave and the Bold – The Videogame is a video game based on the comic book character Batman and the television cartoon series Batman: The Brave and the Bold. It was developed by WayForward Technologies and distributed by Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment...
. Greg Ellis reprises the role. Gentleman Ghost hires Clock King
Clock King
Clock King is a title used by two fictional characters, supervillains published by DC Comics. The first Clock King debuted in World's Finest Comics #111 , and was created by France Herron and Lee Elias.-Publication history:...
to lure Batman to London, England, and later lures him and Hawkman
Hawkman
Hawkman is a fictional superhero who appears in comic books published by DC Comics. Created by writer Gardner Fox and artist Dennis Neville, the original Hawkman first appeared in Flash Comics #1, published by All-American Publications in 1940....
into the underworld, in order to offer them to Asteroth as a sacrifice in exchange for his life back. When that fails, a vengeful Craddock attempts to bury them under, and later fights them in a graveyard. After being humiliated, Hawkman teaches Batman to have respect even for his enemies, and picks up the villain respectfully to take him to jail.