Cavalier (Mortimer Drake) is a supervillain appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics.

Publication history

The character first appeared in Detective Comics #81 (November 1943) and was created by Don Cameron and Bob Kane.

Fictional character biography

Mortimer Drake

Mortimer Drake is a man of exotic and idiosyncratic taste who turns to crime to obtain exotic valuables for his collection. His code of gallantry was important to him; in one story, he helps an old woman carry groceries while in the middle of making his escape. Drake matched wits against Batman and Robin several times, and escaped them in each encounter, but Batman deduces the Cavalier's identity, leading to Drake's imprisonment. In Batman Family #10 and #15, Cavalier allies with Killer Moth and temporarily abandons his code of honor to battle Batgirl. Before Crisis on Infinite Earths, the Cavalier existed on both Earth-One and Earth-Two. The stories where he harmed women are established as existing on Earth-B, an alternate Earth that includes various non-canon stories. Post-Crisis, Cavalier is revealed to be in a closeted gay relationship with Captain Stingaree. In Batman: Battle for the Cowl, Cavalier temporarily becomes Leslie Thompkins' bodyguard. In The New 52 continuity reboot, Cavalier wields the strength-enhancing drug Venom.

Hudson Pyle

The second incarnation of Cavalier, Hudson Pyle, was created by writer James Robinson and writer Tim Sale, and first appeared in Batman: Legends of the Dark Knight #32 (June 1992). Pyle is an former Hollywood stuntman who becomes the vigilante Cavalier in search of fame. He battles Batman before being killed by police officers. In Blackest Night, Cavalier returns as a Black Lantern.

DC Rebirth

An unidentified Cavalier resembling the Hudson Pyle incarnation appears in DC Rebirth as a member of the Suicide Squad before being killed during his first mission.

Powers and abilities

While he has no superhuman abilities, the Cavalier is a skilled athlete, hand-to-hand combatant, and swordsman who carries a rapier that emits electric blasts. Additionally, the feather plume in his hat is a steel-tipped dart.

In other media

Television

Video games

The Mortimer Drake incarnation of the Cavalier appears as a character summon in Scribblenauts Unmasked: A DC Comics Adventure.

Miscellaneous