BATMAN, JUNIOR

Real Name: John Vance

Class: Human

Occupation: Engineer

Group Affiliation: None

Known Relatives: unnamed parents

Aliases: None

Base of Operations: Gotham City

First Appearance: Detective Comics I #231 (May, 1956)

Powers: Batman, Junior was a gifted athlete and a proficient hand-to-hand combatant.

History: (Detective Comics I #231) - Young John Vance witnessed a robbery by Birrel Binter and his gang. He told Batman, who dressed him up as Batman, Junior so he could lead him to Binter without Binter knowing the boy's real identity. Junior was an athlete and helped him round up Binter's gang, but that was their only case together. Binter swore to uncover Junior's identity, convinced he knew who Batman really was. Years later Batman and Robin saw a news report about Birrel Binter's prison break, and Batman said he had to take care of him, but told Robin to stay in the Batcave because it was a personal case. Robin was hurt, and when Batman left his personal files open Robin snuck a look at a picture of Batman with a young man dressed as him named Batman, Junior. Robin was shocked to think he wasn't Batman's first partner, and finding that Junior's real name was John Vance, decided to track him down, worried that he could reveal Batman's identity. Binter was in Vance's apartment, and Robin's appearance spooked him. Batman chided him, saying he'd set a trap for the crook with Vance. Vance and the Dynamic duo pursued Binter to his hideout in old movie prop warehouse, and engaged in a battle with his gang using props of a mechanical dragon and a Trojan horse. The gang was rounded up, but Binter again made his escape, and Robin was jealous of Vance, thinking batman preferred crimefighting with him, especially when he told Robin to go home and get some sleep. Robin's research found that Vance was a submarine engineer, and went to his job, boarding the sub, where Binter got the drop on him. Vance also appeared, and Binter said he'd sink the sub and drown them unless one of Batman's partners revealed his secret identity. "Vance" turned out to be Batman in disguise, and they freed themselves by prying open one of the sub's plates and captured Binter. Robin feared this would be his last acse because of his botches, and accused Batman of liking Vance more than him. Batman revealed the case he worked with Batman, Junior, and promised there was only one Robin.

Comments: Created by Edmond Hamilton & Sheldon Moldoff