Signalman (comics)

{{Short description|DC Comics supervillain}} {{Infobox comics character | character_name = Signalman | image = Signalmandcu0.jpg | image_size = 240 | caption = Signalman from ''Detective Comics'' #466,<br> artist Ernie Chan. | publisher = DC Comics | debut = ''Batman'' #112<br>(December 1957) | creators = Bill Finger (writer)<br> Sheldon Moldoff (artist) | real_name = Phillip "Phil" Cobb | species = Human | homeworld =  | alliances = Secret Society of Super Villains | aliases = Blue Bowman | supports =  | powers = Skilled hand-to-hand combatant<br/>Wields various small, compact weapons }} '''Signalman''' ('''Phillip Cobb''') is a supervillain appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics. He is a member of Batman's rogues gallery.

==Publication history== Signalman first appeared in ''Batman'' #112 (December 1957), and was created by Bill Finger and Sheldon Moldoff.<ref name=":0">{{cite book |last1=Greenberger |first1=Robert |author-link=Robert Greenberger |title=The Essential Batman Encyclopedia |date=2008 |publisher=Del Rey |isbn=9780345501066 |page=325}}</ref>

==Fictional character biography== Phil Cobb was a gangster with big ideas. He came to Gotham City intent on hiring a gang of his own and making it big, only to be laughed at when he tried to recruit the gang because he had no reputation. Cobb vowed to prove himself to Gotham's mobsters, and when he noticed how modern society was regulated by signs, signals and symbols, he found the inspiration for his criminal career. As the Signalman, he went on a spectacular crime spree using those signs and symbols as his motif.<ref>{{cite book |last1=Fleisher |first1=Michael L. |title=The Encyclopedia of Comic Book Heroes, Volume 1: Batman |date=1976 |publisher=Macmillan Publishing Co |isbn=0-02-538700-6 |url=https://archive.org/details/encyclopediaofco01flei |url-access=registration |access-date=29 March 2020 |pages=[https://archive.org/details/encyclopediaofco01flei/page/336 336]-338}}</ref>

Ultimately captured by Batman and Robin, he returned for a rematch a year later,<ref>{{cite book |last1=Greenberger |first1=Robert |title=The Essential Batman Encyclopedia |date=2008 |publisher=Del Rey |isbn=9780345501066 |page=325}}</ref><ref>''Batman'' #124 (June 1959)</ref> and then switched gears as the '''Blue Bowman''', a copycat of Green Arrow.<ref>''Batman'' #139 (April 1961)</ref> After that, he remained unseen until ''Detective Comics'' #466 (1976), where he managed to trap Batman inside the Bat-Signal.<ref>''Detective Comics'' #466 (December 1976)</ref>

In the years since then, Signalman has also been a member of the Secret Society of Super Villains and, in that capacity, did battle with the Justice League and the Justice Society.<ref>''Justice League of America'' #195-197 (October - December 1981)</ref>

In the pages of ''Identity Crisis'', it is mentioned that Signalman was kidnapped by Doctor Moon and Phobia, a fact confirmed in the pages of ''Manhunter'', which depicts his torture and seeming death via a video recording. During the "One Year Later" storyline, he appears alive and is a drug-addled informant for Black Lightning.<ref>''Justice League of America'' (vol. 2) #1 (October 2006)</ref>

In ''The New 52'' reboot of DC's continuity (launched in 2011), Signalman first appears as a member of the Secret Society. When Catwoman breaks out of Arkham Asylum, Signalman and Blockbuster confront Catwoman on the rooftop, which ended with Catwoman being knocked out.<ref>''Justice League of America'' (vol. 3) #3 (July 2013)</ref>

During the "Trinity War" storyline, Signalman is sent with Giganta and Vandal Savage to track down Pandora. After Pandora successfully subdues Giganta, Signalman realizes that Pandora is more parahuman than originally thought.<ref>''Trinity of Sin: Pandora'' #2 (September 2013)</ref>

Following the DC Rebirth relaunch, Signalman makes a minor appearance in ''Batman'' #14 (2017), where he is one of several villains taken down by Batman as he is showing Catwoman an "average night" of his crime-fighting.<ref>''Batman'' (vol. 3) #14 (March 2017)</ref>

==Powers and abilities== Signalman has no superhuman powers, but he is a highly skilled hand-to-hand combatant.

===Equipment=== He also carries items such as a knockout-gas gun, miniature flares that cause fires, electric "sparks" capable of controlling the signals to the human brain, and a remote-control device in his belt that alters signals of an electronic nature.

==Other versions== * '''Signalwoman''', a character based on Signalman, makes minor appearances in ''Kingdom Come''. * An elderly version of Signalman appears in ''Batman Beyond'', where he is released from prison and reforms before being murdered by an unknown assailant.<ref>''Batman Beyond'' (vol. 2) #1 (November 1999)</ref>

==In other media== * Signalman makes non-speaking cameo appearances in ''Batman: The Brave and the Bold''. Additionally, Blue Bowman appears in the episode "Deep Cover for Batman!" as an evil alternate universe version of Green Arrow and member of the Injustice Syndicate, voiced by James Arnold Taylor.<ref name="btva">{{cite web |title=Blue Bowman Voice - ''Batman: The Brave and the Bold'' (TV Show) |url=https://www.behindthevoiceactors.com/tv-shows/Batman-The-Brave-and-the-Bold/Blue-Bowman/ |access-date=December 9, 2024 |publisher=Behind The Voice Actors}} A green check mark indicates that a role has been confirmed using a screenshot (or collage of screenshots) of a title's list of voice actors and their respective characters found in its credits or other reliable sources of information.</ref> * Signalman appears as a character summon in ''Scribblenauts Unmasked: A DC Comics Adventure''.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Eisen |first=Andrew |date=October 2, 2013 |title=DC Characters and Objects - ''Scribblenauts Unmasked'' Guide |url=https://www.ign.com/wikis/scribblenauts-unmasked/DC_Characters_and_Objects |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131011130702/https://www.ign.com/wikis/scribblenauts-unmasked/DC_Characters_and_Objects |archive-date=October 11, 2013 |access-date=June 14, 2024 |website=IGN |language=en}}</ref>

==See also== * List of Batman family enemies

==References== {{Reflist}}

==External links== * [http://www.dcuguide.com/who.php?name=signalman DCU Guide: Signalman] * [https://daveslongbox.blogspot.com/2007/03/lame-ass-villain-18-signalman.html A blog on Signalman]

Category:Batman characters Category:Characters created by Bill Finger Category:Characters created by Sheldon Moldoff Category:Comics characters introduced in 1957 Category:DC Comics male supervillains Category:Fictional gangsters