Signalman
Created by Created by Bill Finger & Sheldon Moldoff
+ History
Phil Cobb was a small-time crook who moved to Gotham City in hopes of joining a major gang. He was rejected from various criminal organizations because he had no rep on the streets. Spotting the Bat-Signal in the sky, he was inspired to create the identity of Signalman. He now committed crimes using signals and left clues for Gotham�s defender Batman II, also with signals. He was indeed earning a reputation, and even managed to steal the Batboat. While making a getaway in the Batboat he ignored a signal, a bell buoy, and drove straight into a shoal, at which point he was arrested. (Batman #112)
Signalman now had the reputation of being a failure, but he still sought underworld approval. He shared a jail-cell with Bullseye, an old foe of Green Arrow II, and came up with the great idea to steal Bullseye�s trick arrows. Under the new identity of the Blue Bowman, he once again fought Batman, but this gimmick proved to be another failure. (Batman #139)
Several years later he was released from prison and reassumed the identity of Signalman. He realized sending clues to Batman was stupid, so he restrained himself, though he did base his new crime wave on a deck of cards motif. He even captured Batman and imprisoned him in the Bat-Signal so that when the police tried to call him, they would burn him to death. Batman escaped, figured out the predictable nature of Signalman�s crime wave, and once again defeated him. (Detective Comics #466)
When Batman was rumored dead, a jury of villains was formed to see who should get the credit, and Signalman was one of the six jurors. Batman was present in disguise, and he captured a number of the jury. (Batman #291-294)
Signalman is freed from prison in a massive jail break, never to be heard from again. (Batman #400)
+ Powers
Signalman relies on a variety of gimmicks such as a knockout-gas gun, miniature flares that cause fires, and a remote-control device in his belt that can alter signals of an electronic nature. Signalman is a devious foe, and is more likely to use treachery against an enemy than confront them face-to-face. As the Blue Bowman he used a number of trick arrows armed with deadly weapons such as explosives.
Appearances + References
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Batman
#112, 124, 139, 291-294, 400
