Johnny Witts

JOHNNY WITTS

Real Name: Johnny Witts

Class: Human

Occupation: Professional criminal

Group Affiliation: Gangland Guardians

Known Relatives: None

Aliases: Swami

Base of Operations: Gotham City

First Appearance: Detective Comics I #344 (October, 1965)

Powers: Johnny Witts was a brilliant criminal mastermind and a master tactician and strategist.

History: (Detective Comics I #344) - Johnny Witts was a criminal mastermind and master of deductive reasoning. Batman and Robin made their nightime rounds and met “Apple Alice” who always had an apple for the Boy Wonder. That night she seemed fearful and hesitant about giving Robin the apple and Batman noticed Witts watching her from the shadows. Batman told Robin to only feign taking a bite and then pretend to be poisoned. Batman made a ruse of rushing Robin to the hospital in the Batmobile before going back to shadow Witts, following him back to his apartment. Batman lowered himself from the roof with his batrope and heard Witts tell his associate Batman was at the hospital with Robin, so he could go ahead with his caper. The associate and his gang drove off, with Robin tagging along by hiding inside the truck. The crooks pulled over and dragged Robin out, saying their boss knew Batman and Robin were faking. Witts introduced himself to Batman, bragging about how he would always stay a step ahead of the Caped Crusader and told him he had a man on the roof ready to cut the batrope. Batman swung into the apartment, chasing Witts, who slammed a door ahead of him. Batman rushed in to find an elevator shaft, and nearly fell to his death. Witts had escaped through a trapdoor in the ceiling and made it clear he could have killed batman if he’d felt like it. Batman and Robin met back at the Batcave and determined that “Aple Alice” was actually wanted criminal Flo Murcell and had an outfit she ordered from a fashion salon bugged. They tailed her all day until she met Johnny Witts and his gang at his brownstone that night. Witts said he knew Batman and Robin were there, and that Flo was a decoy, because with them busy tailing her his gang was free to pull off a robbery. Flo had already removed the bugging device, but Batman was two steps ahead and had his own bugging device he used to signal the GCPD. Witts’ gang rushed Batman and robin, intending to use them as hostages, but Johnny assured them their plan was flawed. He tried to think of a way out of the situation, but was distracted by the fisticuffs and batman apprehended him. In his jail cell Witts had some peace and quiet and realized how he could have turned the situation to his advantage. He looked forward to breaking out of jail and matching wits with Batman again.

(Batman I #192) - Batman and Robin were on their nightly patrol and drove through Gotham’s Chinatown, where they spotted Lisan Ku, wife of wealthy tea merchant Chen Ku, sobbing. Lisan told the Dynamic duo she feared her husband didn’t love her anymore because he’d spent all week in his office fretting over a jade statue of a white lotus. Batman said he’d set things right, but when he and robin got to Chen’s office they found him being roughed up by criminals who called themselves the Fearsome Foursome and were trying to steal the statue. The Foursome worked for the Swami, a crimeboss who claimed to be a mystic that could predict the future with his crystal ball, ensuing his gang would always pull off successful capers. The Swami assured them they’d get away when Batman came for them and fought fearlessly. Batman and Robin were distracted by Silent Sam, the bruiser of the group, and managed to subdue him, but the others got away. Batman disguised himself as Silent Sam, going to his apartment and finding the rest of the Foursome waiting for him. Swami arrived and his crystal ball said one of his men was Batman in disguise. The crystal ball shone a light on Batman, who found himself bolted to his chair. The crooks beat him unconscious, and Swami revealed himself to Batman as Johnny Witts in disguise. He needled Batman that he could still stay a step ahead of him. He knew Batman would tumble onto his new gang and instructed Silent Sam to take the fall when they met so he could lure Batman into a trap. Witts set up a lensometer that flashed color and sound, telling Batman it would drive him mad and kill him. Batman broke the lensometer by flinging his boot at it, and looked into the Swami’s crystal ball, seeing an image of a private art gallery. Batman and Robin kept Witts and the Foursome from robbing the gallery and Witts admitted defeat, saying he didn’t bother to think a step ahead because he thought Batman was dead. Batman returned the white lotus to Chen, who said he still loved his wife, but he’d been obsessed with the statue because a Tong leader entrusted it into his safekeeping for a week. He was happy to return it safe and sound and wasn’t about to question the motives of the Tong.

Comments: Created by Gardner Fox & Sheldon Moldoff.