Black Mask



The 2004 animated series The Batman was the first time that Black Mask (voiced by James Remar) was portrayed on television. Here, the crimelord's true identity is unknown; he is mentioned to lack fingerprints, and he is never seen without his (apparently irremovable) mask. This incarnation of Black Mask is once again the leader of an enormous criminal organization, complete with a deputy always referred to as "Number One". Throughout the series, Black Mask has shown a habit of cruelly and violently disposing of these deputies at a moment's notice, before promoting a randomly-selected henchman to be his new Number One.

Black Mask first appeared in the Season Four episode "The Breakout", where he acted as a terrorist who threatened Gotham City with an "electromagnetic shockwave generator" that could destroy entire buildings within seconds. After demonstrating the weapon's effects on a building, Black Mask demanded an enormous ransom from Gotham, to be paid at midnight the next night. The city failed to pay on time, but Batman managed to track down and capture Black Mask before he was able to carry out his threat. Even in custody, however, the crimelord's threat was far from extinguished; his organization still had the doomsday device, and plotted to break their boss out of police headquarters. Though Robin and Batgirl admirably attempted to stave off Black Mask's henchmen, the crimelord was ultimately freed, and soon climbed aboard a waiting helicopter, ready to enter the weapon's firing code. The two young crimefighters were able to capture Black Mask aboard the helicopter, but it was Batman who managed to deactivate the weapon in time, rendering the firing command useless.

Black Mask later made a cameo in the episode "Rumors", as one of the many super-villains who had been captured by the new vigilante Rumor. Once freed, he joined the other criminals in attacking Batman and Robin, but was quickly subdued.

Later still, in the Season Five opening episode "The Batman/Superman Story", Black Mask makes another appearance as the ally of Lex Luthor (along with fellow Gotham criminals Clayface II, Bane, and Mr. Freeze). He assists Clayface in transporting a kidnapped Lois Lane to Gotham, to serve as bait for Superman. Upon Superman's arrival, Black Mask shot the Man of Steel with a special energy weapon designed to mimic red sun radiation, sapping Superman of his powers. Black Mask's men then provided backup as Bane, Freeze, and Clayface attacked Superman, shooting at the Last Son of Krypton from afar with laser rifles. However, the tide began to turn in Superman's favor with Batman's well-timed arrival; as the two heroes felled his allies one-by-one, Black Mask attempted to escape, only to be tripped by the captive Lois. As Black Mask was taken into custody, Lois told Batman and Superman of Luthor's involvement in the scheme, having earlier overheard a phone call that Black Mask had made in her presence.

Black Mask's final appearance was in the episode "What Goes Up...", where he was shown for the first time as an inmate of Arkham Asylum, strapped to an operating table and seconds away from having his mask removed by Arkham's doctors. He was freed, however, with the help of his newest partner, the Shadow-Thief. Shortly afterward, Black Mask and the Shadow-Thief staged a museum robbery, stealing a meteorite made of Nth Metal. With the meteorite, Black Mask produced a special anti-gravity powder, with which he planned to rob the Gotham Gem Depository; after sending Shadow-Thief to distract the Dynamic Duo (as well as the recently-arrived Hawkman), the crimelord applied a special "hoop" of the anti-gravity powder around the foundations of the gem depository, lifting the building into the air and allowing his helicopter to tow it away.

As Black Mask and his men looted the depository's vaults, however, Batman, Robin, and Hawkman caught up to him and the airborne building. After a climactic battle, Black Mask was defeated once more.

Biography
When GCPD failed to meet his ransom demands, Black Mask began blowing up buildings in retaliation with an electro magnetic shockwave generator. He was arrested after he was defeated by The Gotham Knights and eventually arrested. With Blask Mask being the only one with the firing code, he was interrogated but wouldn’t budge. His crew eventually broke into Police Headquarters and broke him out, before Batgirl and Robin manages to again cage him beneath police headquarters.

He and his thugs eventually captured The Batman whilst Robin and Batgirl stayed guarding Black Mask. His thugs eventually got through and realized him. Black Mask thanked number one for his help and electrocuted him for his troubles. He eventually fought Batman, Robin and Batgirl on his getaway helicopter before eventually was caught by Batgirl in a bat-bola. Batman managed to stop the electro magnetic shockwave generator from blowing up any further buildings and Black Mask was arrested.