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Walter Reilly was a member of the United States Senate serving as the democratic representative from New York City.

He was affectionately referred to as the last liberal in New York. Outside of the political arena, Walter possessed a passion for only two things; fine antiquities and his daughter, Lorraine – his connection to both resulting in strife on more than one occasion.

Walter Reilly once owned an extensive collection of Native American artifacts. He donated the priceless relics to the New York Museum of Natural History. An aging Native American shaman known as Bison-Black-As-Midnight-Sky used his magic to possess the body of his great-grandson, John Ravenhair, transforming him into the villain known as Black Bison. Bison believed that people like Reilly had stolen his people's heritage from him and sought revenge against the Manhattan senator. He kidnapped his daughter, Lorraine, and held her hostage at Central Park. The local super-hero known as Firestorm fought Bison and returned Lorraine safely back home.

Soon after, Walter's interests in ancient artifacts involved him in another debacle when he purchased the legendary Pipes of Pan from a merchant named Pandrakos. A villain named the Pied Piper broke into the Reilly townhouse and attacked Walter and Lorraine in an effort to steal the pipes. He trapped Walter inside one of his own Persian rugs. Once again, Firestorm arrived to save the day.

Following this event, Walter Reilly gained the attention of a secret organization known as the 2000 Committee. One of the Committee's benefactors was a wealthy industrialist named Henry Hewitt. Hewitt wanted Reilly to vote on the senate floor in favor of an energy bill that would affectively allow Hewitt Industries to monopolize the atomic research industry. Reilly refused to buckle under Hewitt's extortion attempts and threatened to veto the vote. Hewitt hired a mercenary named Multiplex and instructed him to kidnap Lorraine Reilly. He later performed experiments upon her, transforming Lorraine into the powerful Firehawk. Reilly tried to negotiate with Hewitt, but the angry industrialist kidnapped him as well and held him captive on board his flying command carrier. Firehawk eventually destroyed Hewitt and freed her father.

In the wake of Henry Hewitt's demise, a special senate judiciary panel convened and questioned Senator Reilly at length concerning his voting history as it relates to Hewitt Industries. Reilly ultimately convinced the panel that he did not sell his vote to big business, but carefully concealed all knowledge concerning Lorraine and her transformation into Firehawk.

Robin - Burt Ward
Holy anachronisms, Batman!
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Abilities

  • Charisma: Walter Reilly is highly skilled in the arenas of debate and congressional protocol.


  • Although this character was originally introduced during DC's Earth-One era of publication, their existence following the events of the 1985–86 limited series Crisis on Infinite Earths remains intact. However, some elements of the character's Pre-Crisis history may have been altered or removed for Post-Crisis New Earth continuity, and should be considered apocryphal.

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Footnotes


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