Bug-Eyed Bandit

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Bug-Eyed Bandit
Atom26.jpg
The Bug-Eyed Bandit's debut, on the cover of The Atom #26. Art by Gil Kane.
Publication information
Publisher DC Comics
First appearance The Atom #26 (August–September 1966)
Created by Gardner Fox (script)
Gil Kane (art)
In-story information
Alter egoBertram Larvan
Team affiliations Black Lantern Corps
AbilitiesControl of insects

Bug-Eyed Bandit is the name of two supervillains appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics.

Contents

A female version of the Bug-Eyed Bandit appeared in the Arrowverse shows The Flash and Arrow , played by Emily Kinney.

Publication history

The Bertram Larvan version of Bug-Eyed Bandit first appeared in The Atom #26 (August-September 1966) and was created by Gardner Fox and Gil Kane. [1]

The second version of Bug-Eyed Bandit first appeared in Justice League America #43 and was created by Keith Giffen, J.M. DeMatteis, and Adam Hughes.

Fictional character biography

Bertram Larvan

Bertram Larvan was an inventor who designed a mechanical insect to control insect pests. Unfortunately, he had no financial backing to support his invention. He resolved to steal money he needed for his invention. He later used his invention to steal more. Soon, he had an army of mechanical insects. Two of his many insects were stag beetles who could bite through steel and spiders with webs that could support the weight of a man. Bertram took the name of the Bug-Eyed Bandit. He was thwarted by the Atom. [2]

Later, he accidentally discovered the Atom's identity of Ray Palmer and fought him on different occasions. When he was about to use an amnesiac gas he had invented on Atom, he accidentally uses it on himself. He remains in a state of amnesia for years. During the Crisis on Infinite Earths , millions of Shadow Demons, servants of the Anti-Monitor, attack the Earth. Bertram is one of the many casualties. [3] Marv Wolfman has gone on record saying that he killed both the original Bug-Eyed Bandit and the Ten-Eyed Man because he “couldn’t be part of a company that would print [them]".

In Grant Morrison's Animal Man storyline "Deus Ex Machina", Psycho-Pirate, while in Arkham Asylum, recreated characters removed from continuity. The Bug-Eyed Bandit (or a Pre-Crisis version of him) was one of them. Presumably, this character vanished from existence when the Psycho-Pirate's episode of madness ended, along with his colleagues. [4]

A flashback concerning his death happens in Batman Villains Secret Files and Origins 2005.

Bertram Larvan has been identified as one of the deceased entombed below the Hall of Justice. He is revived as a member of the Black Lantern Corps. [5]

Son of the Bug-Eyed Bandit

Bug-Eyed Bandit
Publication information
Publisher DC Comics
First appearance Justice League of America #43 (October 1990)
Created by Keith Giffen
J.M. DeMatteis
Adam Hughes
In-story information
Team affiliations Secret Society of Super Villains
AbilitiesControl of insects

The second Bug-Eyed Bandit is first presented as such in Adventures of Superman . [6] But his first appearances can be traced as far back as Justice League America #43 (1990), where a Bug-Eyed Bandit appeared even though the original was supposed to be dead at the time. The current one is the son of the original Bug-Eyed Bandit, but not very successful.

Bug-Eyed Bandit recently reappeared in Villains United and Infinite Crisis as a member of Alexander Luthor, Jr.'s Society. His current whereabouts are unknown.

Powers and abilities

The Bug-Eyed Bandit was proficient in the field of robotics and micro-circuitry and used this talent to create a horde of small robotic insects.

In other media

Brie Larvan (Emily Kinney) as seen in The Flash. Emily Kinney Brie Larvan The Flash.png
Brie Larvan (Emily Kinney) as seen in The Flash .

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References

  1. Rovin, Jeff (1987). The Encyclopedia of Supervillains. New York: Facts on File. p. 44. ISBN   0-8160-1356-X.
  2. The Atom #26 (August–September 1966)
  3. Crisis on Infinite Earths (1985)
  4. Animal Man #18-26 (1989–1990)
  5. Blackest Night #4 (2010)
  6. Adventures of Superman #608 (November 2002)
  7. "Emily Kinney Confirmed As The Bug-Eyed Bandit On The Flash". ComicBook.com. February 9, 2015. Retrieved February 9, 2015.
  8. "Emily Kinney's Supervillain Will "Wreak Havoc on the World"". The Hollywood Reporter. April 13, 2015. Retrieved May 4, 2015.
  9. "'Arrow' recap: Star City is abuzz with a returning threat". Entertainment Weekly's EW.com. Retrieved 2016-04-03.