Black Templar

BLACK TEMPLAR

Real Name: Unrevealed

Class: Human

Occupation: Would-be conqueror

Group Affiliation: None

Known Relatives: Buckton (ancestor)

Aliases: None

Base of Operations: Buckton City, 1940s era

First Appearance: Flash Comics #92 (February, 1948)

Powers: The Black Templar wore a suit of armor and was armed with a sword, lance and shield. He was a skilled horseback rider.

History: (Flash Comics #92) - 400 years ago the knight Black Templar claimed land in the New world, founding Buckton City. His descendant put on a suit of knight armor, declared himself the new Black Templar and with a band of knights and the wizard Merlin took over Buckton city, declaring himself the ruler. He cut the city’s communications, cut the power and imprisoned hundreds of citizens underground, making Bukton resemble a medieval city. The Templar then build a wall and moat around the city to keep it isolated. Flash fought the Templar and beat him, but the black Templar threatened to execute the prisoners he held if Flash didn’t leave. Flash read a newspaper report of an emergency Congressional meeting to decided on bringing in the National Guard to take back the city. Flash decided to make another attempt at defeating the Black Templar, challenging him to a duel. Merlin told the Black Templar Flash was too fast to be seen when he ran at superspeed, so he gave him the magic gem the Flame of Buckton so that he could always see flash’s shadow. During their joust Flash was caught unaware, surprised that the Templar could see him and was struck with the knight’s lance. Flash’s girlfriend Joan Williams read of Flash’s defeat in the newspaper and went to Buckton to plead with the Templar, saying his prisoners would die without fresh water and medical treatment. The Templar cared little for his prisoners, and threw Joan in with them. The Templar’s knights lowered the bound Flash into a well with a hungry octopus they figured would finish him off, but Flash escaped. He met Joan in the prisoners’ quarters and drilled into the ground to provide them with fresh water. The Black Templar was prepared to pull a flood control switch to drown the prisoners, but Flash was too quick, knocking him out and ending the Templar’s reign.

Comments: Created by John Broome & Lee Elias.

In the pre-Crisis on Infinite Earths DCU Black Templar lived on Earth-2.