Planet-Master
Context
Planet-Master is an obscure but distinctive Batman villain. He had but one real appearance.
He appeared back in 1961. That was during the “sci-fi sells ! Make all the books sci-fi ! Yes, even Batman !” era at DC Comics.
Weird years, these were.
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Background
- Real Name: Professor Norbet.
- Known Relatives: None.
- Group Affiliation: The Sol system, I suppose.
- Base of Operations: Gotham City.
- Height: 5’7″ (1.70m). Weight: 150 lbs. (68 Kg.).
- Eyes: Blue. Hair: Grey.
Powers & Abilities
Prof. Norbet is an inventive genius. He can produce impossible comic-book technology.
There were many such men in Gotham City back in those days.
His primary speciality might be meteoritics. If so, he should speak to Luc Orient.
Many Volcanoes Emit Mulberry Jam Sandwiches Under Normal Pressure
But his primary schtick was a series of super-powered costumes.
Each was themed after a planet in the Sol system.
- The Mercury (☿) costume can cross the ragingest inferno without hindrance. It can shoot intense blasts of flame. It can burn so hot that the wearer will simply walk through most obstacles, melting even solid steel.
- The Venus (♀) costume can emit large volumes of dense mist.
- There’s no Earth costume. 😿
- The Mars (♂) costume seems to just be a diving suit with a speargun. Because of the canals, see. On Mars.
- The Jupiter (♃) suit can shoot embiggening rays from its helmet. These make normal objects enormous. Because Jupiter is a gas *giant*, yes ?
For instance, Planet-Master enlarged the pistols and holsters of two guards. This pinned them under the sheer mass. - The Saturn (♄) costume is surrounded by floating coloured rings. Three are powerful projectiles – missiles that can smash open reinforced steel doors. The fourth allows the Planet-Master to fly.
- It is perhaps fortunate that the Planet-Master didn’t get to show us his Uranus (♅) costume.
History
Professor Norbet was studying a small meteorite. But when he cracked it, it released… evil gas !
This temporarily gave him a malevolent, Hyde-style double personality.
As the Planet-Master, Norbet built himself improbable crime costumes. He stole gems, cash, furs, museum valuables, the usual. But using planetary powers !
While Batman and Robin failed to stop him, they traced the equipment to Norbet.
The good professor had no recollection of his activities as Planet-Master. But he soon stumbled upon the cache of super-costumes.
Mary’s Violet Eyes Make Johnnie Stay Up Nights Pondering
Only one other person knew about the cache – former lab assistant Edward Burke. And in Silver AgeSuper-hero comics from the late 1950s to the early 1970s comics, lab assistants are always evil.
But Batman and Robin soon established that Burke couldn’t be the Planet-Master.
However, the interrogation inspired Burke to go check within Norbet’s lab. He too thus found the Planet-Master costumes.
Burke hatched a nefarious plan – to ally with Norbet and form a mob. Look, I warned you about lab assistants.
Adνеrtisеmеnt
My Very Elegant Mother Just Sat Upon Nine Porcupines
However, professor Norbet was by then more fully emerging from his trance. He now remembered about the evil gas, and his Planet-Master crimes.
Still groggy, he briefly pretended to go along with Burke. But he then stunned his former assistant. This allowed for Burke’s swift arrest by the four stalwart hands of justice that are Batman and Robin.
Prof. Norbet likely didn’t face consequences for his deeds. What’s a better excuse than siderolithic evil gas ?
Planetary precessions
- The Planet-Master identity would have a legacy. But that came 25+ years after Professor Norbet’s episode.
- The comedy, non-continuity series Ambush Bug: Year None also had what seems to be a Planet-Master appearance.
The joke was that Batman had a secret space prison, where all his embarrassing 1960s sci-fi villains were locked away far from sight.
Mercury costume.
Description
Stock dignified upper-class Gothamite academic.
See the illustrations for his costumes.
Personality
He seemed nice enough. Except when under the influence of the evil gas.
Venus costume.
DC Heroes RPG
Tell me more about the game stats
Planet-Master
| Dex: 03 | Str: 02 | Bod: 03 |
| Int: 05 | Wil: 05 | Min: 04 |
| Inf: 03 | Aur: 03 | Spi: 03 |
| Init: 011 | HP: 030 |
Skills:
Accuracy (Planet-Master costumes): 05, Gadgetry: 09, Scientist: 06, Vehicles (Land): 02
Advantages:
Expertise (Meteoritics), Genius, Scholar (Building planet-themed super-costumes).
Connections:
None demonstrated.
Drawbacks:
None demonstrated.
Motivation:
Power.
Occupation:
Criminal.
Wealth:
005
Equipment:
- MERCURY COSTUME [BODY 05, Flame being: 12, Flame immunity: 12, Flame project: 09, Sealed systems: 06, Shade: 04, Drawback: -3CS RV when it comes to being extinguished by water]. A simple fire hose could somehow put out a suit able to melt thru steel without breaking stride.
- VENUS COSTUME [BODY 04, Fog: 09].
- MARS COSTUME – no data. Because it’s professor Norbet, not professor Soong.
- JUPITER COSTUME [BODY 03, Enlarge: 08, Limitation: Enlarge is presumably limited to unliving objects].
- SATURN COSTUME [BODY 03, Flight: 07, Projectile weapons: 12, Drawback: Projectile weapons has Ammo: 03]. The suit seems to slowly recreate the Projectile Weapons rings once they’ve been expended, one by one. Maybe an hour per ring ?
Mars costume.
Design notes
Nobert *presumably* had lower technical abilities when not huffing meteorites. And no Accuracy.
Sealed Systems and Shade for the Mercury costume are assumed.
And yes, I finally got to use Enlarge. The last time this Power was used on WORG was in Peter’s James Marvel character. And I think that was because of a random roll.
Jupiter costume.
Source of Character: Det 296.
Writeup completed on the 7th of May, 2020.