| Ratcatcher | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Publication information | |
| Publisher | DC Comics |
| First appearance | Detective Comics #585 (April 1988) |
| Created by | Alan Grant (writer) John Wagner (writer) Norm Breyfogle (artist) |
| In-story information | |
| Alter ego | Otis Flannegan |
| Species | Metahuman |
| Place of origin | Gotham City |
| Abilities |
|
TheRatcatcher (Otis Flannegan) is a character appearing inAmerican comic books and other media published byDC Comics, primarily as an enemy ofBatman. He belongs to the collective of adversaries that make up the Dark Knight'srogues gallery. Once an actualrat-catcher inGotham City, Flannegan sank into a life of crime. Calling himself the Ratcatcher because of his special ability to communicate with and train rats, Flannegan has used his minions to plague Gotham on more than one occasion by unleashing hordes of the vermin.
A female version of the character namedCleo Cazo / Ratcatcher 2 appears in theDC Extended Universe filmThe Suicide Squad (2021), portrayed byDaniela Melchior.Taika Waititi portrays the first Ratcatcher, Cleo's father.
The Ratcatcher first appeared inDetective Comics #585 (April 1988) and was created by writersAlan Grant andJohn Wagner, and artistNorm Breyfogle.[1]
Otis Flannegan is a formerrat-catcher in theGotham City Sanitation Department who claims he could train rats to attack before he is arrested and sentenced to ten years inGotham State Penitentiary after stabbing a man to death in a street fight. After being released, Flannegan kidnaps the officials responsible for his arrest and tortures them with his rats.[2]
After five years of captivity, one of Flannegan's prisoners escapes. Though he orders his rats to kill him, the latter reaches the surface, whereBatman discovers his body, tracks down Flannegan, and easily defeats him upon dispersing his rats.[3] After being re-incarcerated, Flannegan escapes hisparole hearing using a flute he carved to control rats via a high-pitched frequency, only to be foiled byDick Grayson disguised as Batman and captured again.[4]
InInfinite Crisis, Flannegan is revealed to be anOMAC before being killed by a civilian.[5]
InThe New 52 continuity reboot, Flannegan is resurrected and makes a minor appearance inBatman Eternal.[6]
The Ratcatcher possesses the ability to communicate and control an army of rats and in-depth knowledge of Gotham City's sewer system andBlackgate Penitentiary's layout. Additionally, he wields a gas gun and can manipulate various objects with cyanide gas.
An original, female incarnation of the Ratcatcher namedCleo Cazo / Ratcatcher 2 appears inThe Suicide Squad, portrayed byDaniela Melchior.[11][12] This version is the daughter of an unnamed previous Ratcatcher (portrayed byTaika Waititi),[13] who was originally fromPortugal and died from aheroin overdose. Following this, Cazo came to America and used her father's equipment to become a criminal, only to be arrested for armed bank robbery due to authorities considering rats as weapons and incarcerated inBelle Reve Penitentiary. Sometime later, Cazo and her pet rat Sebastian (vocal effects provided byDee Bradley Baker) join the eponymous squad to infiltrate and destroy Jötenheim, aCorto Maltesean laboratory containing the alienStarro. Along the way, she forms bonds with her teammatesBloodsport, despite hisfear of rats, andKing Shark.
