Ratcatcher

Otis Flannegan was a ratcatcher for the Gotham City Sanitation Department who claimed that he could train rats to attack. Flannegan lost his job when he killed a man in a barroom brawl, stabbing him to death. After spending 15 years in Gotham State Penitentiary for his crime, he kidnapped and imprisoned those who helped convict him in the Gotham Sewers. Titling himself Ratcatcher, he held them captive in the Gotham sewers for years whilst training Gotham’s rats to kill before eventually being apprehended by Batman. The Ratcatcher used his abilities to remain a rogue to the Dark Knight for the rest of his days, until he met his demise at the hands of an OMAC.

Durability

• Tanks multiple strikes from Batman, including a fly-kick and a right hook before being eventually knocked out (source) ([D])

Intelligence

• Defeats Batman in their first brief encounter, flooding the sewer-pipe after attacking him with rats (source)
• Whilst in jail, carved himself a makeshift Rat Whistle to summon the city’s rats (source)
• Stated to have trained the rats of Gotham to kill at his command (source)
• In an attempt to bring Gotham to its knees, planned to block the city’s main aqueduct with millions of rat bodies - which would overflow the pump and destroy the city’s infrastructure (source)
• Another one of his schemes involved pumping tens of thousands of poisonous rat carcasses into Gotham’s water supply, spreading plagues through the city (source)
• Using audio and visual stimulation aids, evolved rats to a point of self-consciousness, to the extent that his army of rats were being marshalled by their own generals. They even abandoned him to prioritise their own survival, something that he considers a complete and utter success (source)

Gear

• Commands his mischief of rats to flee upon signal (source)
• Travel with him, flocking around him like family pets would (source)
• Let him know that there’s trouble in the sewers (source)
• Its sound disorientates some prison workers, with one of them stating that she could “feel it more than hear it” (source)
• Used his rats to deliver goods and messages through Arkham, teaching them a code for every room in the complex (source)
• Suggests that he can command millions of Gotham’s rat population, including that they will be willing to die for him (source)
• Successfully commanded his rats to steal enough poison to wipe out the entirety of Gotham city (source)
• Able to command them even whilst being pummelled by Batman (source)
• Seemingly knows some rats by name and is able to communicate with them on a low-level. With one of them locating and leading him to Robin (source)
• Commands a mischief of rats to pursue and kill an escaping prisoner, ripping him to pieces and tearing out his jugular (source)
• Sends rats to attack Batman, proceeding to rip through his suit and drop him into the sewer (source)
• Block a batarang from Batman for Ratcatcher (source)
• Orders his mischief to attack a group of police officers, quickly overwhelming them to the point using firearms is useless (source)
• Directs a mischief of rats to harass Batman and Robin, posing enough of a threat that Batman warned Robin to concede (source) ([D])
• Bite through Catwoman’s rope (source)
• Carry a variety of diseases such as leptospirosis and rabies (source)
• Are intelligent enough to disarm Batman of his utility-belt, as well as steal it (source)
• Instructs his rats to pursue Robin, quickly overwhelming him (source)

Miscellaneous

• Claims the Gotham sewers to be his domain (source)
• Who’s Who entry (source)
• After being caught by Batman and arrested, was sentenced to twenty years in jail for abduction, aggravated assault, second degree murder and destruction of public property (source)
• Was able to learn valuable survival lessons from his rats (source)
• Incase you were in need of clarification, has never dressed like a bat (source)
• Batman considers him to be more of a threat than Two Face without prep-time (source) ([D])
• Was originally hired by Gotham city to keep the rat population down through poisoning and extermination (source)
• Observes that rats are hated, shunned and maligned - something he believes he and they have in common (source)
• Has philosophical story-time sessions with his rodent friends (source)
• Believes himself to be the one to lead Gotham’s rats to both salvation and vengeance (source)