James "Gentleman Jim" Craddock was a gambling-addicted noble who lost most of his fortune and became a highwayman that targeted the poor. After eventually being hanged, his vengeful spirit would return centuries later to prevent his descendant from selling the family estate as the Gentleman Ghost.
History
James Craddock was a member of one of the founding families of Gotham City. Of noble birth, he hated the thought that all men are created equal.
Eventually, he squandered his money away gambling while the taxes went to the less fortunate. Infuriated and wrongly blaming democracy for his misfortune, Craddock took to the streets on horseback as the highwayman Gentleman Jim, targeting the poor as sort of reverse Robin Hood. After he was caught and hung for his crimes, the other town founders, who naturally were disgusted by his cruel deeds, sought to wipe Craddock from the records which led to only a small handful of people remembering him.
Craddock would come back as a ghost centuries later to continue his quest to harm those in need when his remaining descendants chose to sell off the family estate to make way for a public housing project. Repeatedly confronted by Batman, who initially refused to believe in his supernatural nature, Craddock's ghostly powers proved more than the vigilante could handle. After accepting that Craddock was indeed a real ghost Batman was forced to seek the aide of occultist Papa Midnight to defeat the ghost. Batman and Alfred managed to complete a ritual that destroyed Craddock's physical form, leaving him little more than a cloud of smoke Batman trapped in a glass vial Papa Midnight had prepared. Once Craddock was contained, the vial was handed over to Papa Midnight, much to the ghost's horror.
Powers and Abilities
Powers
Abilities
- Equestrianism: Craddock rides a phantom steed when committing robberies or chasing his enemies
- Firearms: Craddock is an expert marksman, wielding dual pistols.
- Thievery: Craddock was master thief in life and his skill did not dimmish with death
Notes
- This version of the character is exclusive to the continuity of the television series Batman: Caped Crusader and is an adaptation of Gentleman Ghost. The original character was created by Robert Kanigher and Joe Kubert and first appeared in Flash Comics #88.
- Gentleman Ghost is voiced by Toby Stephens.
Related
- 1 Appearances of James Craddock (Caped Crusader)
- 1 Images featuring James Craddock (Caped Crusader)
- 1 Quotations by or about James Craddock (Caped Crusader)
- Character Gallery: James Craddock (Caped Crusader)
Footnotes
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