Publisher DC Comics Creators Irv Novick, Frank Robbins | Alter ego Val Kaliban Fictional universe DC Universe | |
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Created by Frank Robbins and Irv Novick Abilities Master of hypnotism and escapology
Use of gadgets First appearance Detective Comics #434, (April 1973) Similar Ten‑Eyed Man, Jason Bard, Spitfire, Bat‑Mite, Guardian | ||
The Spook is a fictional character in the DC Comics universe. He first appeared in Detective Comics #434 published in 1973.
Contents
Fictional character biography
Val Kaliban is a great escape-artist and hypnotist and has used his extraordinary abilities together with special effects to commit spectacular crimes and make people believe he is a real ghost. He has been stopped by Batman every time. When last seen, Spook II was an inmate in Arkham Asylum.
Spook II was a former government operative who went mad and believed himself to be dead. As the Spook, he murdered several corporate heads whose companies he blamed for his "death", before being defeated by the Batman.
Spook was recently killed by Damian Wayne after holding the Mayor hostage. Damian beheaded him, putting an end to the confrontation. It is unknown if this was Val Kaliban, Spook II, or another person posing as the Spook.
Powers and abilities
Despite appearances, the Spook has no superhuman or supernatural abilities, although his mastery of escapology and hypnotism is very impressive indeed. He used a variety of gadgets such as inflatable effigies of himself that can float through the air, finger-tip and boot suction cups for scaling buildings, and smoke machines for obscuring the perceptions of others to support his supernatural persona.