Spellbinder (DC Comics)

Spellbinder
Spellbinder from Detective Comics #358. Art by Carmine Infantino
Publication information
Publisher	DC Comics
First appearance	Delbert Detective Comics #358 (December 1966) Unnamed Justice League International vol. 2, #65 (June 1994) Fay Detective Comics #691 (1995)
Created by	Delbert John Broome (writer) Sheldon Moldoff (artist) Fay. Chuck Dixon Staz Johnson Scott Hanna
In-story information
Alter ego	Delbert Billings Unnamed Fay Moffit
Notable aliases	(Fay) Lady Spellbinder
Abilities	(Delbert) Use of optical and aural devices that hypnotize people Minimal hand-to-hand combatant (Unnamed) Genuine mystical abilities (Fay) Illusion-casting powers

Spellbinder is the name of four fictional characters that appear as supervillains in comic books published by DC Comics. Versions of the character have appeared on the animated series Batman Beyond and The Batman.

Spellbinder (Delbert Billings) first appeared in Detective Comics #358 (December 1966), and was created by John Broome and Sheldon Moldoff. He was a painter who used optical illusions and hypnotic weapons to commit crimes.

Delbert was a forger of pop art who decided to put his talents to use as a supervillain. He created the Spellbinder identity, designed hypnotic weapons, and assembled a team of henchmen. He ran into Batman during his first robbery, but hypnotized the crimefighter into believing he was involved in an entirely different situation, as his gang made their getaway. This ploy worked twice, but on his third robbery, Batman was able to overcome it and send him to jail.

After leaving prison, Spellbinder faced off with Superman in Superman #330 (1978). Using a miniature turntable, he was able to create sonic blasts that would make targets more susceptible to his hypnotic suggestions. The addition of a shock absorbing chin-guard to his helmet protected him from being knocked out by Superman, and special lenses protected him from hypnosis by the Man of Steel. He was finally defeated when his own sonic blasts were echoed back on him (rendering him unconscious). This issue also revealed how Superman uses sub-conscious hypnosis (heightened by the Kryptonian lenses in his glasses) to successfully disguise himself as Clark Kent.

Spellbinder joined a loosely knit conglomerate of crime organized by the Monarch of Menace. He was the first member of the group to be captured by Batman, who later disguised himself as Spellbinder to infiltrate the group and capture the Monarch.

Later, Spellbinder was on the run from the law with his new girlfriend, Fay Moffit, when he was confronted by the demon-lord Neron. Neron made an offer of immense power in exchange for Spellbinder's soul, but he declined. Fay, however, thought it sounded like a great idea, so she shot Spellbinder in the head and accepted the offer for herself. Neron was not surprised and explained that he had never actually been addressing Spellbinder with the offer; he had been addressing her all along.