History: (Detective Comics I #323) - The colorfully garbed Zodiac Master was an astrologist with a plan to impress the underworld with his precognitive powers. He appeared on the Gotham Pier during the launch of an ocean liner, warning that he could read the stars, and they foretold disaster for the voyage. The police ran him off, threatening to charge him with disorderly conduct, but shortly after he left the liner crashed into a tanker. He next appeared at Gotham airport, warning of ruin for a flight. When he was scoffed at, he told them they were scoffing Ares, and would suffer the wrath of the constellation. He created a giant ram's head from his costume, and used it to damage the plane. The Dynamic Duo of Batman and Robin leapt into action, but he used his Scorpio symbol to trap them and escape. Zodiac had rigged the misfortunes himself, but the underworld took notice of him, and for a fee he would predict the outcome of their heists using astrology. Even when a heist failed he stuck to his claim of being a master astrologist, saying that sometimes the stars were wrong. Batman deduced his game, and disguised as a criminal client he made his way into Zodiac's lair. When he revealed himself, Zodiac fled through the jaws of a mechanical Leo in his parlor. Batman found all the information on his clients, as well as an astrological chart that predicted Zodiac was destined for greater glory. Zodiac was indeed preparing his own heist, stealing a Cretan bull from the Gotham museum, but the heroes had already figured out his plan. He fired a Capricorn goat-head at them, but Batman deflected it back at him with a Cretan shield, knocking out the villain. Zodiac was carted off to jail.

Comments: Created by Dave Wood & Sheldon Moldoff.

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