Cavalier (character)

Last updated
The Cavalier
Cavalierdcu0.jpg
Cavalier from Detective Comics #81. Art by Bob Kane.
Publication information
Publisher DC Comics
First appearance Detective Comics #81 (November 1943)
Created by Don Cameron (writer)
Bob Kane (artist)
In-story information
Alter egoMortimer Drake
Species Human
Team affiliations Secret Society of Super Villains
Suicide Squad
AbilitiesGood athlete
Skilled hand to hand combatant and swordsman
Carries a rapier that emits electric blasts
Feather plume-like steel tipped dart on his hat

Cavalier (Mortimer Drake) is a supervillain appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics.

Contents

Publication history

The character first appeared in Detective Comics #81 (November 1943) and was created by Don Cameron and Bob Kane. [1]

Fictional character biography

Mortimer Drake

Mortimer Drake is a man of exotic and idiosyncratic taste who turns to crime to obtain exotic valuables for his collection. [2] [3] His code of gallantry was important to him; in one story, he helps an old woman carry groceries while in the middle of making his escape. [4]

Drake matched wits against Batman and Robin several times, and escaped them in each encounter, but Batman deduces the Cavalier's identity, leading to Drake's imprisonment. [1]

In Batman Family #10 and #15, Cavalier allies with Killer Moth and temporarily abandons his code of honor to battle Batgirl. [5] [6]

Before Crisis on Infinite Earths , the Cavalier existed on both Earth-One and Earth-Two. The stories where he harmed women are established as existing on Earth-B, an alternate Earth that includes various non-canon stories. [7] [8]

Post-Crisis, Cavalier is revealed to be in a closeted gay relationship with Captain Stingaree. [1]

In Batman: Battle for the Cowl , Cavalier temporarily becomes Leslie Thompkins' bodyguard. [9] [10] [11]

In The New 52 continuity reboot, Cavalier wields the strength-enhancing drug Venom. [12]

Hudson Pyle

The second incarnation of Cavalier, Hudson Pyle, was created by writer James Robinson and writer Tim Sale, and first appeared in Batman: Legends of the Dark Knight #32 (June 1992). [13]

Pyle is a former Hollywood stuntman who becomes the vigilante Cavalier in search of fame. He battles Batman before being killed by police officers. In Blackest Night , Cavalier returns as a Black Lantern. [14] [15]

DC Rebirth

An unidentified Cavalier resembling the Hudson Pyle incarnation appears in DC Rebirth as a member of the Suicide Squad before being killed during his first mission. [16] [17]

Powers and abilities

While he has no superhuman abilities, the Cavalier is a skilled athlete, hand-to-hand combatant, and swordsman who carries a rapier that emits electric blasts. [18] Additionally, the feather plume in his hat is a steel-tipped dart.[ citation needed ]

In other media

Television

Video games

The Mortimer Drake incarnation of the Cavalier appears as a character summon in Scribblenauts Unmasked: A DC Comics Adventure . [21]

Miscellaneous

See also

References

  1. 1 2 3 Wallace, Dan (2008). "Cavalier". In Dougall, Alastair (ed.). The DC Comics Encyclopedia. New York: Dorling Kindersley. p. 76. ISBN   978-0-7566-4119-1. OCLC   213309017.
  2. Fleisher, Michael L. (1976). The Encyclopedia of Comic Book Heroes, Volume 1: Batman. Macmillan Publishing Co. pp. 174–175. ISBN   0-02-538700-6 . Retrieved 29 March 2020.
  3. "The World's Finest - Backstage - Unused Villains Database - The Cavalier". Worldsfinestonline.com. Retrieved 2010-12-30.
  4. Mitchell, Kurt; Thomas, Roy (2019). American Comic Book Chronicles: 1940-1944. TwoMorrows Publishing. p. 180. ISBN   978-1605490892.
  5. "Cosmic Treadmill - Batman Family #10 reference". Cosmictreadmill.com. 2004-06-10. Archived from the original on 2011-06-04. Retrieved 2010-12-30.
  6. "Cosmic Treadmill - Batman Family #15 reference". Cosmictreadmill.com. Archived from the original on 2010-12-23. Retrieved 2010-12-30.
  7. letter page on Who's Who: The Definitive Directory to the DC Universe #9 (November 1985)
  8. Crisis on Infinite Earths: Absolute Edition (Nov. 2005)
  9. Gotham Gazette: Batman Alive? #1 (July 2009)
  10. Red Robin #16
  11. Batman/Catwoman: Follow the Money #1 (Jan. 2011)
  12. Batman: The Dark Knight (vol. 2) #2 (October 2011)
  13. Greenberger, Robert (2008). The Essential Batman Encyclopedia. Del Rey. p. 85. ISBN   9780345501066.
  14. Blackest Night #1 (September 2009)
  15. Blackest Night #4 (December 2009)
  16. Batman (vol. 3) #14
  17. Suicide Squad (vol. 6) #1. DC Comics.
  18. Steranko, Jim (1970). The Steranko History of Comics, vol 1. Supergraphics. p. 48.
  19. "The World's Finest - Backstage - Unused Villains Database - The Cavalier".
  20. 1 2 "Cavalier / Mortimer Drake Voices (DC Universe)". Behind The Voice Actors. Retrieved August 4, 2024. A green check mark indicates that a role has been confirmed using a screenshot (or collage of screenshots) of a title's list of voice actors and their respective characters found in its credits or other reliable sources of information.
  21. Eisen, Andrew (October 2, 2013). "DC Characters and Objects - Scribblenauts Unmasked Guide". IGN. Retrieved August 4, 2024.
  22. Archived at Ghostarchive and the Wayback Machine : "Children's Topics & Stories Radio: Batman Knightfall full". YouTube .