The Killer Moth Appreciation Thread

[MajorHoy]

Y'know, Killer Moth really should be a better, more respected villain, not a lame joke of a character.



The concept, as presented in his first appearance in Batman #63 (February-March 1951), is simple and straight-forward: a costumed character that does for crooks what Batman does for the honest citizens of Gotham (though, of course, there are some differences . . . like the fact that Killer Moth charges for his services).



But, alas, despite a few appearances in the 1950s, he never was quite the same when he appeared in the 1960s and 1970s.

Don't know if it was his . . . questionable . . . fashion sense or what, but after being taken down by the efforts of the neophyte Batgirl when Barbara Gordon first appeared in costume, he didn't really get any respect at DC for a while.

[byrd156]

I love it when he's teamed-up with Firefly. They have a really great dynamic together.

[scary harpy]

AUTOIMAGES-MTN2816lg.jpg


Great looking action figure.

[signalman112]

I love it when he's teamed-up with Firefly. They have a really great dynamic together.

And here they are from BATGIRL: YEAR ONE. Sorry don't know the issue number.






KillerMothFirefly.jpg

[signalman112]

Killer Moth plotting his revenge on B:TB&TB.

[jb681131]

[Mistah K88]

The original Anti-Batman. It's a shame that he wasn't taken seriously after his first appearance (I'm sure it's due to his costume). However he, like The Eraser make for good "support villains" who are better off aiding others than having their own schemes. He is there to throw Batman off of the crook's tail. Unlike Wrath where the parallels are a bit TOO on the nose (what are the odds about his parents being murdered like Bruce's was by the opposite of a crook?), Moth clearly took inspiration from Batman. He saw an untapped market in the criminal underworld and he took it. Can you imagine if someone like Riddler hired Killer Moth and the Eraser to mess with his crime scenes (since he can't help himself) to REALLY mess with Bats?

[GamerSlyRatchet]

Choice of Zsasz and maybe Grundy aside, having lesser villains create their own group and become actual threats had premise. Too bad Tynion just treated Killer Moth as a joke character, like many before or after him.

[failo.legendkiller]

I love it when he's teamed-up with Firefly. They have a really great dynamic together.

Love them too, especially in Knightfall

[TheNewFiftyForum]

Killer_Moth.jpg

I thought Lemire and Sorrentino had an interesting take on him in their Green Arrow run, but it never went anywhere and he soon reverted back to being a joke villain when other writers used him, even if they kept the new design.

[ngroove]

Choice of Zsasz and maybe Grundy aside, having lesser villains create their own group and become actual threats had premise. Too bad Tynion just treated Killer Moth as a joke character, like many before or after him.

He (Killer Moth) was quite deadly serious in "The Misfits", Batman: Shadow Of The Bat #7-9 (December 1992 - February 1993) as well as "Resurrection Night!" Batman #400 (October 1986) despite he was only part of an ensemble and "Crime Calls Killer Moth!", Detective Comics #486 (November 1979), before he was defeated by a shoe from Batgirl, but he was up to his back to basics, protection for criminals racket, and murdered all inventors of his then-latest costume and weaponry.

[signalman112]

KillerMoth359.jpg


Killer Moth in action from DETECTIVE COMICS #359

[Hypestyle]

so what happened to him, last I remember he made a deal with Neron and became a were-moth...

[MajorHoy]

so what happened to him, last I remember he made a deal with Neron and became a were-moth...

Don't know if that's still in play or not these days . . .

[byrd156]

Don't know if that's still in play or not these days . . .

I like this idea, just not with Killer Moth.