The Black Bat: The History and Origins (The Original Batman)

The Black Bat | The Original Batman | Pulp Heroes of the Golden Age | The Black Book Detective The Black Bat comic book pulp hero The Black Bat
Upon hearing of a Pulp hero named The Black Bat, many claim he's a rip off of the Bob Kane and Bill Finger created Batman from DC Comics. However, this couldn't be further from the truth, as Batman made his first appearance in Detective Comics #27 in March 1939. The Black Bat however was created by Murray Leinster and made his first appearance in Black Bat Detective Mysteries in 1933. In 1939, Ned Pines introduced a new Black Bat in a series entitled Black Book Detective.
This story followed the crime fighting career of Former District Attorney Anthony Quinn. Quinn became the pulp hero known as the Black Bat after being blinded and disfigured by acid from a mob boss in court.
Sound Familiar? It should. It's an origin story that's been re-used over and over for the DC hero Doctor Mid-Nite in All American Comics #25 in April 1941 and Batman villain Two Face in Detective Comics #66 August of 1942. And Later even Marvel comics used a similar idea for Daredevil in April 1964. Who actually not only borrowed the origin of The Black Bat but also the name and costume from the Lev Gleason Publications golden age hero Daredevil whofirst appeared in Silver Streak #6 Sept. 1940. The orginal Daredevil however, now goes by the name The Death Defying Devil in Dynamite comics.
According to Wikipedia:
Both the Black Bat and Batman hit the newsstands around the same time, and both claimed that the other was a copy. The threat of lawsuits ended when DC editor Whitney Ellsworth intervened. Ellsworth had once worked for the Black Bat's publishers and brokered a deal that allowed both characters to co-exist peacefully. It is probable that the costumes of both characters were copied from the 1933/34 Black Bat series which featured costumed illustrations of the Black Bat inside the pulps though actually the "Black Bat" in the stories was indistinguishable from any other man in his choice of clothing. Batman creator Bob Kane always contended that the only bat-like man he had seen was the villain from the 1930 film, The Bat Whispers. However, the Black Bat did have a permanent influence on the Batman: chief Batman scribe Bill Finger called Kane's attention to the unique gauntlets the rival character wore. Subsequently, similar "fins" were added to Batman's gloves which remain to this day.
In the first issue, DA Tony Quinn is blinded by acid thrown by a thug working for Oliver Snate, a crime lord, and believes his career is over until a mysterious woman arrives (Carol Baldwin). She tells him that her father is a small town policeman who is dying from a gangster's bullet and that a surgeon is willing to perform an operation to graft his corneas onto Tony Quinn's eyes so that he can see again. The operation is done in secret and when the bandages are removed four months later, Quinn finds that he can not only see normally but can even see perfectly in darkness too. While blind, Quinn had developed the necessary skills of the blind; sharper hearing, more sensitive touch, a better sense of smell, etc.
This however was slightly altered in Dynamite Comics' MASKS graphic novel which also tells Black Bat's origin story. But rather than having surgery to fix his eyes, he just discovered that he was light blind but could see perfectly in the dark.
In 2013, Dynamite Entertainment came out with a new Black Bat series written by Brian Buccellato and illistrated by Ronan Cliquet. The new series doesn't pick up with The Black Bat's origins right off the bat. In stead we're given bits and peices after Tony Quinn has already dawned a mask and began fighting against the mob as a vigilante. It's revealed that this new interpretation of The Black Bat was a Mob defense lawyer named Anthony Quinn. His father was The DA and for years had tried to turn Anthony away from the money that came with defending the mob. But it wasn't until his father was on his death bed laying in a hospital, the Anthony descided to turn his life around. The mob came at him with a deal but Anthony chose to tell them no. As he was heading to the hospital to say his good byes to his father, the mob abducted him and gave him one last chance to do as they say. When he told them no again, they cut out his eyes. He was then rushed to the hospital where he found out that his dad had just passed away. It was then he made a vow to change his life and make the mob pay no matter what.
A secret organization approached Anthony and offered him new eyes, training and resources to become an agent for them. working toward the same end goal. He agreed and after 2 years he was ready. With his new eyes he could see in different spectrums... especially in the dark. The black Bat uses duel pistols but only shoots to injure but never kill. In the same way as The Phantom. He will also severely injure criminals much in the same way as Daredevil or Batman.