Ace the Bat-Hound
Ace the Bat-Hound | |
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Trish Mulvihill. | |
Publication information | |
Publisher | DC Comics |
First appearance | Batman #92 (June 1955) |
Created by |
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In-story information | |
Species | Domestic dog (Canis lupus familiaris) |
Place of origin | Earth |
Team affiliations | Justice League Legion of Super-Pets Space Canine Patrol Agents |
Supporting character of |
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Abilities |
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Ace the Bat-Hound is a
The character made its cinematic debut in the animated film DC League of Super-Pets, which was released in the United States on July 29, 2022.[1]
Publication history
Ace debuted in
Ace, along with
Fictional character biography
Pre-Crisis
Ace was a
Wilker later took a new job that made it difficult for him to take care of Ace, so he left the dog to Bruce Wayne.[8] Wilker was never aware that Bruce Wayne was Batman.
An early case involved Ace tracking down a mentally unhinged ancient weapons expert who was using his own weapons to commit crimes.[9] At one point, Ace acquired superpowers thanks to Bat-Mite, but this was short-lived.[10] He did have his own training. For example; his specialized radio collar, when activated, told him to don his own mask (via a hands-free device) and track down Batman and Robin.[11] Ace was used less and less over time, and for various reasons. When Bruce was overcome with night terrors, Robin suggested that Ace sleep beside him.[12]
Ace disappeared from the Batman comics after Julius Schwartz took over as editor in 1964. His last appearance was a cameo in a story where Batman had lost his fighting spirit.[13]
Post-Crisis
A version of Ace is seen in the cosmic realm of Limbo when the hero Animal Man takes a trip through it.[14]
A post-Crisis version of Ace was reintroduced in Batman #462 (June 1991) by the late
He did not wear a mask, nor was he ever referred to as Bat-Hound, and has the appearance of an English Mastiff with a bat-shaped dark patch on his flank. Ace has at times helped Batman on cases[15] and is depicted to be very affectionate towards his owner and vice versa.
After Batman is disabled by the villain Bane,
Ace disappeared without explanation after the events of the
A traditional Ace was seen in
The original Ace appeared in a flashback scene in
The New 52
In Batman and Robin Vol. 1: Born to Kill, as part of The New 52 (a 2011 reboot of the DC Comics universe), Bruce is seen purchasing a black Great Dane from a kennel. He later gives this dog to his son, Damian, who names him Titus. Damian rejects the dog at first, but eventually bonds with him.[20] Writer Peter Tomasi revealed that he thought about naming Damian's dog Ace, but "it was best not to drop [Ace] in at this point in the New 52".[21]
DC Rebirth
In DC Rebirth, a different Ace was introduced in Batman vol. 3 Annual #1, in which he is depicted as a former guard dog of the Joker who fought Batman until Joker left him and the other dogs without food in a ditch to fight amongst themselves. The dogs had card symbols on them, and the brown dog with an ace on it killed the others. He was sent to the Gotham Pound, and Alfred adopted him two days later. To facilitate this, Alfred actually purchases the Gotham Pound, turning it into the Martha and Thomas Wayne Humane Society. Alfred spends the next couple of months training the dog despite Bruce's objections, as he thinks Ace's wounds from the Joker's actions cannot be healed. Despite this, Alfred manages to properly train him in time for Christmas, and Bruce starts bonding with the dog after getting injured during one of his night shifts. He gets Ace a bat-mask for Christmas and calls him a "Bat Hound". Though the Gotham Pound owner described Ace as a female, Bruce and Alfred have called Ace a him, leaving the gender ambiguous.[22]
Ace is seen later, playing with visitors. He again obeys Alfred without question.[23]
Titus is seen as a pet living in Wayne Manor. It alerts Alfred of Duke Thomas's sneaking out.[24] Titus and Ace are later shown sleeping in twin baskets, confirming that both dogs now exist in the same continuity.[25] Ace is seen following Bruce Wayne around the manor after he has a difficult night out.[26] Bruce Wayne takes Ace to an outing in the park in Bludhaven. [27]
Much like the TV show Batman Beyond, a Great Dane named Ace is shown to have been owned by Bruce in his old age.[28]
Other versions
In
Pre-Crisis, Superman's Batman-like identity of Nightwing included a Kandorian counterpart to Ace the Bat-Hound, a telepathic dog named "Nighthound".[30]
In other media
Television
- Ace appears in series set in the DC Animated Universe (DCAU), with vocal effects provided by Frank Welker.
- First appearing in Batman Beyond, this version is a Great Dane mix who was involved in an illegal dog fighting ring as a puppy, but eventually escaped and was adopted by an elderly Bruce Wayne, becoming his sole companion in Wayne Manor until they meet Terry McGinnis.
- Ace makes a cameo appearance in the Static Shock episode "Future Shock".
- Ace appears in Krypto the Superdog, voiced by Scott McNeil. Similarly to Batman, this version employs various gadgets and equipment in his crime-fighting efforts, sees himself as Batman's partner instead of his pet, and battles the pets of Batman's rogues gallery such as the Joker's hyenas, Bud and Lou, the Penguin's Bad News Birds, and Catwoman's pet cat Isis. Additionally, he joins the Dog Star Patrol later in the series.
- Ace appears in Batman: The Brave and the Bold, with vocal effects provided by Dee Bradley Baker.[31]
- Ace appears in the "DC Super-Pets!" segment of DC Nation Shorts, voiced by Diedrich Bader.
- Ace appears in Robot Chicken DC Comics Special 2: Villains in Paradise.
- Ace appears in the Justice League Action episode "Best Day Ever".
- Ace appears in Commissioner Jim Gordon.
- A young Ace appears in Batwheels.
Film
- The DCAU incarnation of Ace appears in Batman Beyond: Return of the Joker, with vocal effects provided again by Frank Welker.
- Ace appears in Lego DC Comics Super Heroes: The Flash as a member of the Justice League.
- A robotic Ace appears in Batman Unlimited: Animal Instincts and Batman Unlimited: Monster Mayhem. It was originally created to serve in the Penguin's "Animiltia" before Batman reprogrammed it to help him thwart the Penguin.
- Ace appears in boxer who, as a puppy, was given to a shelter by his adoptive family after he bit the infant daughter's arm while saving her from falling down a flight of stairs. In the present, he is exposed to orange Kryptonite, gaining super-strength and invulnerability, and joins forces with Krypto and other empowered shelter pets to rescue the Justice League. Following this, Ace is adopted by Batman and becomes a founding member of the titular League of Super-Pets.[32][33]
Video games
- Ace appears as an unlockable playable character in Lego Batman 3: Beyond Gotham, with vocal effects provided again by Dee Bradley Baker.
- Ace appears as a playable character in DC League of Super Pets: The Adventures of Krypto and Ace.
Miscellaneous
- Ace's appeal is discussed in Mythology: The DC Comics Art of Alex Ross. Ross feels that as a child, the idea of Batman having a dog is "cool", but as an adult the same idea is "outrageous".[34]
- Ace appears in DC Super Hero Girls (2015).
- The robotic Ace appears in the Batman Unlimited shorts.
References
- ^ Hipes, Patrick (May 22, 2019). "Warner Bros' 'DC Super Pets' Animated Movie Moves To 2022". Deadline.
- ^ Ace the Bat-Hound at the Grand Comics Database
- ISBN 978-0-7566-6742-9.
Once Superman had a dog, Batman got one too, in "Ace, the Bat-Hound!" In the story by writer Bill Finger and artist Sheldon Moldoff, Batman and Robin found a German Shepherd called Ace.
- ISBN 978-1605490458.
- ISBN 0-13-275561-0. Retrieved March 31, 2020.
- ISBN 9781605490540.
- ISBN 0-02-538700-6. Retrieved March 29, 2020.
- ISBN 0-87349-668-X.
- ^ Batman #130 (March 1960)
- ^ Batman #158 (September 1963)
- ISBN 0-81184-232-0.
- ^ Batman #156 (1963)
- ^ Batman #162 (1964)
- ^ Animal Man #25 (July 1990)
- ^ Batman #471 (November 1991)
- ^ Batman #500 (October 1993)
- ISBN 9780345501066.
- ^ Final Crisis: Superman Beyond 3D #1-2 (October–November 2008)
- ^ Batman Inc. #4 (October 2012)
- ^ Batman and Robin vol. 2 #2
- ^ "Peter Tomasi on Batman and Robin". January 20, 2012.
- ^ Batman vol. 3 Annual #1 (January 2017)
- ^ Batman vol. 3 #33 (December 2017)
- ^ All-Star Batman #7 (April 2017)
- ^ Super-Sons Annual #1 (January 2018)
- ^ Detective Comics #1015 (2019)
- ^ "Nightwing" #92 (2022)
- ^ Batman Beyond: Rebirth #1
- ^ DCeased: Unkillables #1 (2020)
- ^ World's Finest #143 (August 1964)
- ^ Battaglia, Carmen (April 23, 2013). "Dogs, Hollywood, and the Entertainment Industry". The Canine Chronicle.
- ^ Agard, Chancellor (November 17, 2021). "Dwayne Johnson's Krypto assembles a team in DC League of Super-Pets first look". Entertainment Weekly. Archived from the original on November 17, 2021. Retrieved November 18, 2021.
- ComicBook.com. Archivedfrom the original on November 18, 2021. Retrieved November 18, 2021.
- ISBN 978-0375422409.
External links
- Ace the Bat-Hound at DC Comics Wiki
- Titus at DC Comics Wiki
- Ace the Bat-Hound at Comic Vine
- Modern day Ace biography at the Unofficial Guide to the DCU Archived 2015-09-23 at the Wayback Machine.