History: Thomas Blake was a world famous big-game trapper who retired when he no longer found a thrill in the hunt. During his retirement he attended a social club with Bruce Wayne )secretly Batman), and they discussed how bored they were. A social club member jokingly suggested that they'd have excitement in their lives if they became crimefighters like Batman, and Blake took this suggestion to heart. He decided to become Batman's adversary, and after fashioning a costume from cloth he once found wrapped around a cat idol that legend told gave the wearer nine lives he became Catman, King of the Cats.

(Batman I #322-324) - The reformed Selina Kyle was diagnosed with a rare incurable disease by her doctor. He mentioned that it the ancient Egyptians were able to cure it with rare herbs, but their secret was lost to history. The Riverside Museum had a show on Egyptian treasures including jars shaped like cats from a physician’s tomb. The docent said it was theorized the hermetically sealed jars contained preserved herbs and Selina struggled with the impulse to steal them for a shot at saving her life. Catman ended up burglarizing the jars and scratching a guard, who mistook him for Catwoman in the dark. The GCPD named Selina Kyle as the main suspect in the Riverside burglary and Batman, feeling heartbroken, felt that he no choice but to be the one to arrest her. Selina protested her innocence even though Batman promised her that if she turned herself in he’d help her prove her innocence. Selina said she wouldn’t live long enough to see a trial and lobbed her cat at Batman. Th cat tried to scratch his eyes, giving Selina enough time to escape her apartment. She showed up as Catwoman at the Wayne foundation, begging Bruce to just trust in her innocence, saying she had need of his resources. Bruce said he loved Selina, not Catwoman, and asked why she was wearing her old costume. She replied that it made what she had to do easier. Bruce promised her the finest lawyers money could buy, and she told him he didn’t understand her situation and was as useless as Batman before leaving. Batman revisited the Riverside Museum to see if the police missed any evidence and discovered a suspicious fiber. He analyzed it in the Batcave, telling Alfred he was becoming more and more convinced that Selina was innocent. Catwoman visited Pinch, a fence she knew, and said he was going to help her with her problem. He told her about the Apex Import and Export warehouse, under which were catacombs used by bootleggers during prohibition. Catwoman found her headaches becoming more intense and her health deteriorating. Batman met her in the catacombs, and after a brief scuffle and avoiding a few bootlegger boobytraps he convinced her he was there to help. The fell through a trap door into a giant cat’s cradle made of adhesive polymer, and Catman revealed himself, bragging about having them where he wanted them. Catwoman begged Catman to give her the Egyptian urns he stole, saying her life depended on it. Catman said her life and Batman’s were at an end and activated a motor that started stretching the cat’s cradle, threatening to pull Batman and Catwoman apart limb from limb. Catman left them, and Batman threw a batarang at him, but it only managed to clip the heel of his booth. Batman freed himself and Catwoman with a penknife hidden in hid utility belt, but by the time he got to her Catwoman was seriously injured. He took her to the Batcave to get medical treatment and to analyze the piece of Catman’s boot he’d sliced off with the batarang. Catwoman awoke in the Batcave, amazed at seeing it for the first time and saying it was everything she thought it would be. Batman told her Catman had soil on his boots native to the Ionian Islands of Greece and said he was going after him. Batman insisted she recover in the Batcave, but she pointed out that she could be dead by the time he came back, and if he tried to keep her cooped up she’d simply escape, so he agreed to let her go with him. Catwoman flirted with some Greek dock workers and learned the Ionian Islands were all owned by millionaire Andros Akropolis, who was also a collector of ancient artifacts. They realized Catman’s plan was to sell his loot to Akropolis. Catman met Akropolis on his motorboat, showing up with only one of the Egyptian pieces he’d stolen, fearing Akropolis would double-cross him. In return for all the treasures he stole Catman wanted the deed to an abandoned island in the Ionian chain. He planned on retiring there and making it a haven for wanted criminals in exchange for a portion of their loot. Akropolis, his men and Catman landed on the island and Catman showed them the hot springs geyser where he’d hidden his loot. Akropolis pulled a gun on him, and Batman and Catwoman showed up. Akropolis emptied his clip, but Catman managed to escape thanks to the supposedly mystic cloak that gave him nine lives. Akroplis told Batman he was only trying to recover the artifacts for the U.S. government and Batman couldn’t prove otherwise. He said Batman and Catwoman were trespassing and warned them to get off his island before he sped away in his motorboat. Catman was hiding nearby and put his clawed glove to Catwoman’s throat, demanding they help him escape in the Batplane. Catwoman told him she needed the herbs he had to live, but he said he wasn’t in the mood for making bargains. Realizing she had nothing left to lose Catwoman stomped on his foot with her stiletto heel, and he fell into a hot spring geyser, seemingly to his doom. Before he fell Catwoman managed to rip off a piece of his cloak. Catwoman’s health deteriorated and Batman brought her back to Gotham to be treated by Dr. Dundee. Bruce Wayne visited her, and Dundee said she had a miraculous recovery. Selina chalked it up to having the remains of Catman’s cloak. Bruce thought there had to be an explanation besides magic, but he couldn’t think of one.

(Villains United: Infinite Crisis Special #1) - Catman and the Secret Six discussed the future of their team over dinner, and Deadshot suggested they should be a for-hire superteam. Deadshot told them they didn't need to be heros or villains, they would be in it purely for financial gain. Green Arrow called in an old debt from Catman when he asked the Secret Six to get intel about the Society's plans for a worldwide prison break to free every incarcerated supervillain. The Six kidnapped Scarecrow and Professor Amos Fortune, and learned that all the escaped supervillains were going to mass in Metropolis. The Six passed on the information to Green Arrow, who assembled every available hero on Earth to confront the villains in Metropolis. Catman and the Six observed the titanic battle in Metropolis, but Catman decided not to get the team involved.

(Secret Six III #30, Doom Patrol V #19) - The Secret Six were hired by the newly formed criminal organization C.R.U.S.H., run by Eric Fine, the grandson of one of the founders of the 100. They wanted the sovereign nation of Oolong Island as their new headquarters, and told the Secret Six to dispose of Oolong’s protectors the Doom patrol. The Six only agreed after Jeanette and Scandal made it clear they wouldn’t kill any civilians, but Deadshot thought they were acting like babies. The Six engaged the Doom patrol in combat, but Eric decided to double-cross them, and sent suicide bombers to ignite Oolong’s dormant volcano. The DP wanted to call off the fight, but Bane insisted that the disaster meant nothing. DP member Elasti-Woman diverted the lava, and Oolong’s president uncloaked C.R.U.S.H.’s helicopter, which was observing the proceedings. C.R.U.S.H. fled, and the Six realized they wouldn’t be paid for the job, so the conflict ended, and the Six peacefully left Oolong, but Catman admitted he was itching to tussle with the DP again.

Comments: Created by Bill Finger & Jim Mooney.

Cat-Man received a profiles in Who's Who: The Definitive Directory of the DC Universe #4 and Who's Who In The DC Universe #13.

Catman had a cameo in Doom Patrol V #18.

All characters mentioned or pictured are ™  and © DC Comics, Inc. All Rights Reserved. Please visit The Official DC Comics Site at: http://www.batman.com