An intelligent man, Killer Moth has trained and equipped himself to be the anti-Batman. He’s a great athlete and a skilled hand-to-hand combatant - but he’s obviously no match for the Batman. His trick car, the Mothmobile, is a powerful highway monster with exhaust controls that can release smoke, irritant gas and anesthetic gas. And while he doesn’t have a Robin, he has a pair of revolvers to give him an edge over the Batman.

Killer Moth also knows everything that was published about Earth-2 Batman’s vehicles and gadgets, and has a well-stocked utility belt.

The Moth’s Wealth was tied to his identity as Van Cleer - after Batman destroys that cover, Killer Moth enters a Subplot where he no longer has access to his Wealth and most of his gear. He apparently never managed to rebuild any of those, though, after being gravely wounded.

History

The actual name of the Killer Moth may never be documented - as he appeared, he was only referenced as inmate #234026 in the Gotham State Prison. An avid reader of magazine features about Batman, #234026 learned everything that was public knowledge. On Earth-1 that was quite a lot, since there Batman was a famous figure, a quasi-official member of the GCPD and something of a media darling. For instance, interviews were give in the Batcave, and #234026 attentively perused the artists’s renditions of that iconic lair.

Over the years, #234026 formed a complex plan that would make him unto a criminal version of Earth-1’s Batman. When he got out of prison, he recovered his stashed loot - which amounted to a fortune - and used it to buy and build up the fake identity of the respectable Cameron Van Cleer. ”Van Cleer” gradually became a noted Gotham citizen, but he was also working on far more secretive plan.

Under his mansion was dug a secret underground lair much like the Batcave ; #234026 killed the workers when the project was completed so it would remain a secret. In his “Mothcave”, #234026 developed the gaudy masked identity of the Killer Moth, and top-notch equipment imitating that found in the Batcave. The crown jewel of his hoard was the Mothmobile, an impressive roadster matching his costume.

The Killer Moth made himself known as a mercenary to the underworld ; just like the police would summon Batman with the Bat-Signal, he gave his clients special infra-red flashlights that could project the Moth-Signal on passing clouds. Equipped with special lenses in his strange helmet, Killer Moth would see the signal and swoop in to solve the problem facing his clients.

When it was pointed out that, unlike Batman, Killer Moth didn’t have a Robin at his side, the eerie criminal observed that he had a considerable advantage of his own - he packed heat.

The Moth with the most

As Killer Moth answered the Moth-signal for the first time, he started routing the surprised police forces that were attempting to arrest the crooks who summoned him. Batman also responded ; though the Caped Crusader appeared to have a clear upper hand, the Moth managed to run to his motorcar, and when the Batmobile gave chase the Moth used the extensively tricked-out exhaust to gas the Gotham Gladiator and the Boy Wonder.

Greatly enjoying his victory, the Moth put Robin into a moth-themed death trap and forced Batman to take him to the Batcave so he could steal or copy equipment he couldn’t come up with on his own. Robin managed to escape, however, and warned Batman. The police band scanner in the Moth‘’s costume also warned the criminal, and he and Batman ended up dueling on a suspension bridge. Killer Moth accidentally slipped and seemingly fell to his death in the river below.

As it turned out, the Moth survived thanks to the “wings” in his costume, and fled via a convenient storm drain. His street rep was damaged, though - especially after a carful of thugs saw him emerging from the sewers after his apparent death, looking like a drowned rat. The Moth-signal flashlights became a mere novelty in the underworld, and goons stopped using them.

As the respectable Cameron Van Cleer, the former #234026 was part of the board of the Gotham City Museum, along with other idle rich including Bruce Wayne. He was thus involved in the decision to buy an expansive collection of Incan moth statues. As Killer Moth, he used this insider information to commit a Gotham-style heist, assuming that such a daring themed theft would redeem his reputation.

Killer Moth conducted his next theft during the emergency reunion of the boards of director ; Batman foiled him, but the Moth managed to escape. However, the incident left both men certain that they were both among the Museum’s directors in their secret identity. A cat-and-mouse game of surveillance ensued.

Meanwhile, the theft did restore some confidence in the Killer Moth, and the Moth-signal was shone again - but Killer Moth fled the confrontation with Batman, now knowing he was no match for Caped Crusader. Soon after that, Batman determined that Cameron Van Cleer was Killer Moth and stopped him. Captured, #234026 returned to live in prison.

Moth wanted

Though the Moth evenually escaped, he had no civilian identity to fall back on, and his funds were too depleted to set a new one up. He decided to take over an existing identity, capturing a wealthy man and taking his place. After some research, the Moth decided to take over the identity of Bruce Wayne, and had plastic surgery to become his double. The Moth then bushwhacked Wayne and took his clothing and his place, leaving Wayne a prisoner in an abandoned bank vault.

The Moth soon found out who Wayne was, and even started taking his place as Batman. He used this incredible stroke of luck to persuade criminals that Batman was fleeing from confrontations with Killer Moth, by rapidly alternating between costumes, and started rebuilding his clientele. The real Batman soon freed himself, and Robin realised what had been going on. The Moth’s whole plan backfired, and he was repeatedly shot by a customer, who thought the Moth had led him into a trap.

Rushed to the hospital by Batman and Robin, the Moth narrowly survived - though he suffered extensive gunshot wounds to the head. This resulted in his disfigured face having to be rebuilt, and a loss of memory - luckily protecting Batman’s secret identity.

The Earth-1 Killer Moth was never seen again - it is possible that he never recovered from his grievous wounds.

Description

See illustrations.

Personality

At first, Killer Moth was a smooth criminal, building up a power base, giving speeches to the underworld, planning, using the element of surprise against his foes, taking Robin hostage - the usual stuff. He also cleverly concealed his identity and attempted to discover Batman’s, while often relying on deceptive tactics.

Killer Moth soon discovered that he was no match for Batman, and mostly ran away to lead Batman into traps and/or escape. He seemed more courageous when it came to facing cops, though, swinging in with a blazing .38 in each hand. If faced with a powerful opponent, he’ll try to trick shot with gun or fist to topple something big and heavy on his opponent, then run.

Killer Moth enjoyed having his traps, thefts, etc. have a “moth” motif, but this is just a little joke and he doesn’t go out of his way to establish this theme. He occasionally leaves a calling card as a moth sketch on a wall, apparently done with glow-in-the-dark ink. The sketch includes a “KM” symbol on its thorax, just in case somebody missed the point.