As if the grim, dark costume, menacing aura, night-prowling tendencies, and lurking in the shadows weren’t indication enough, it is a well-known fact that Batman has always had a strong connection with otherworldly elements since the very beginning. So much so that Batman can be regarded as the first Gothic superhero, as the unsung co-creator artist Bill Finger had imbued the character with a darker shade of a world that went beyond the trappings of logic and reason. This aspect of the character was reflected very well in Batman: The Animated Series, where the stylized world design, background score, emotional trappings, and characterizations worked in unison to blend neo-noir and gothic horror elements.
Batman: Caped Crusader emulated its predecessor by balancing the gritty crime drama with paranormal elements, which presents a compelling challenge for the leading detective protagonist—creating an evocative admixture of the known and the unknown. Two obscure DC characters, Papa Midnite and Gentleman Ghost, are at the forefront of the horror side of Caped Crusader, and their role in the series and presence in comics deserve a due discussion.
Spoilers Ahead
Papa Linton Midnite Has Quite a History in Comics
In the sixth episode of Caped Crusader, titled “Night Ride,” Batman faces his most unique adversary in the form of the spirit Gentleman Ghost, and as ever one of Bruce’s conventional crimefighting methods fail, he has no other option except to heed the counsel of Alfred, who suggests he take guidance of a certain Linton Midnite. Bruce approaches Midnite in his bookshop in Gotham, who provides Bruce with a grimoire which contains a rite of passage and details the way to entrap the spirit. Later on, as Bruce and Alfred manage to capture Gentleman Ghost after a prolonged struggle, Papa Midnite is seen present to collect his dues, and he takes the spirit with him, as it is hinted that not only do the duo share a history, but that Midnite’s presence terrifies even a two-century-old ghost.
In comics, Papa Linton Midnite is a Haitian/Jamaican (depending upon the version) voodoo shaman and a mainstay character in the “Hellblazer” titles who is often pitted as a long-time adversary of John Constantine. DC fans will surely remember that both in the Constantine TV series and movie, Papa Midnite was present as a rival of the foulmouthed British paranormal sleuth. Born in the late eighteenth century, Linton Midnite learned about the dark arts of voodoo and shamanism from his parents, and pairing them with his wits and guile, he managed to survive through a hostile time. The character’s backstory is intriguing in the sense that it is integrated with the foundation of the United States itself, as Papa Midnite had unwittingly betrayed a group of slave revolutionaries during the War of Independence, resulting in their deaths. The surviving revolutionaries rounded up Linton and his sister, Cadella. After all of them get captured by slavers, Linton kills his sister to save her from a worse fate than death, and one of the revolutionaries curses him with eternal damnation on earth. Linton became immortal and started gathering knowledge and power from various cursed tribal spirits who had been wronged by the white oppressors. Eventually, Papa Midnite took his revenge on the slavers and went on to become the most powerful voodoo priest in the world. As a character with deep roots in horror and mystery, Papa Midnite’s appearance in Caped Crusader indicates that in the near future the showrunners might introduce characters like Jason Blood, Madame Xanadu, or John Constantine—all adept occult sorcerers who have crossed paths with Bruce at some point in their lives.
A Subversive Take on Gentleman Ghost
Caped Crusader altered the backstory of Gentleman Ghost, aka James Craddock, quite a bit, rooting him in the very foundation of the city of Gotham. In the comics, born in the 18th century, James Craddock came from a humble beginning and had a sordid childhood as he was subjected to abuse by a negligent father, who abandoned James and his mother much early in his life. James turned to a life of crime, became a highwayman, and after venturing to the States, became a Robin Hood-like figure—exactly opposite to the version the animated series, Caped Crusader has showcased. Although there are multiple versions of his origin, Craddock’s death is almost always entangled with the reincarnations of Hawkman and Hawkgirl. After his death, Craddock learns he needs to await his ascension until his killer(s) get transferred to the afterlife. Due to Prince Khufu and Chay-Ara (original identities of Hawkman and Hawkgirl) being bound to the mortal plane, cursed to get reincarnated forever for eternity, James Craddock never gets spirited away either and remains trapped on earth as a ghost. Gentleman Ghost occasionally appears as a Justice Society villain, and on most occasions he has been presented as a goofy, harmless spirit who simply takes pleasure in pulling pranks on other heroes.
In Caped Crusader, the role of Gentleman Ghost, who is showcased akin to the Headless Horseman of Sleepy Hollow, is quite interesting, as he not only represents Gotham’s troubling past of aristocracies mooching on the blood of impoverished, but also a counter to Bruce’s dependency on science, reasoning and logic.
