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    Gray Ghost

    Character » Gray Ghost appears in 35 issues.

    The Gray Ghost is a TV character that Bruce Wayne admired from his childhood.

    Short summary describing this character.

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    Origin

    A man calling himself "The Grey Ghost" helps Batgirl during a fight with the Order of the Scythe: however, the man is misguided and does not really have much fighting experience. He shot one person who was about to sneak up behind Batgirl with a rubber buckshot, and afterwards tries to team up with Batgirl.

    Character Creation

    The Gray Ghost was created by Tom Ruegger. Clancy Johnson was created by Bryan Q. Miller

    Major Story Arcs

    After assisting Batgirl in a fight he informs Batgirl that if they were to pair up and form a partnership then he'll need to maintain total anonymity. Steph tells the Grey Ghost that she is not looking for any sidekicks or partners. In response to this, the Grey Ghost proclaims that he is Batgirl's 'guardian angel' and he issues Steph a warning that one day she will need him more than ever but he won't come to her.

    Steph asks Oracle to look up any information on the Grey Ghost. As it turns out, the Grey Ghost's real name is Clancy Johnson but he usually goes by his alias "Johnny C". Clancy was the self proclaimed "Mad Bomber" that Stephine put away. He was imprisoned for attempting to blow up a city-centre train. When he was in jail, Clancy declared his undying support to Batgirl. Eventually, he was released on "reasons of mental instability". He recently returned by following Batgirl. Batgirl admits she never watched the old tv show (which reveals in this continuity there was a tv show), but she doubted the original was a well-intentioned lunatic.

    One night, Steph slips into her Batgirl suit and surprises her stalker Clancy Johnson aka the Grey Ghost, to find out why he has been observing her for the past week. However, before she could get any answers out of him, Steph receives a transmission from Wendy Harris aka Proxy. Proxy informs Steph that she has been tracking Slipstream’s speedy signature by via satellite. According to Proxy, Slipstream has passed through a bridge toll booth, nineteen sets of traffic lights in a matter of seconds and now he has arrived at another bank. Grey Ghost overhears Proxy’s discussion with Steph and decides to take the initiative by heading toward the bank.

    Just as he was finishing up his mission, Slipstream, a member of the Order of the Scythe, soon realizes he is being held at gunpoint by the Grey Ghost. Slipstream takes the advantage by sending Grey Ghost out of the bank vault and then having him crash through a window. As the Grey Ghost plummets to ground below, Steph grapples to the rescue. Both the Grey Ghost and Batgirl team up against Slipstream but their combined efforts are not enough to stop him.

    After being knocked off her feet, Steph notices Slipstream’s suit is emitting an electrical shock which causes Slipstream to cry out in agony. It seems that the Reaper's installed an override kill switch in Slipstream's suit which prevents him from killing Batgirl because it's not part of the plan yet. Slipstream makes a quick getaway and Stephanie is left battered and bruised since the Grey Ghost has already vanished.

    The Grey Ghost makes another appearance deep within the catacombs beneath Gotham. He wants to help Steph defeat Harmony before Harmony retrieves the DNA of a long deceased nun who possessed healing abilities. Steph defeats Harmony but she spurns Grey Ghost's devotion to helping her. Later on, the Grey Ghost comes into contact with the Reapers and agrees to help their "Client" if they agree not to harm Stephanie. The Reapers reluctantly agree and the Grey Ghost gives them a vile of the DNA that Harmony was supposed to retrieve.

    Other Media

    The Gray Ghost, according to Batman: The Animated Series, was a television character and vigilante that Bruce Wayne watched as a child, and may have been an inspiration for the Batman mantle. Voiced by Adam West, who played Batman in the 1960's live action television show and film. In the series, his masked crime fighter was played by an actor called Simon Trent.

    In another episode of The Animated Series, Batman confronts the once "Gray Ghost" hoping to uncover clues leading to a terrorist that is using ideas and gadgets from the classic Gray Ghost television show. Apprehensive to help at first, Trent would ultimately assist Batman in apprehending the culprit: an obsessive toy collector, bent on using vintage Gray Ghost toys to terrorize the city for ill-gotten gain.

    The Gray Ghost appears in other DC media. In Batman Beyond, most notably is in the episode "Black Out" where Bruce Wayne wears the Grey Ghost mask as Inque attacks the Batcave. His name makes a cameo in the Justice League Unlimited episode "Epilogue". A young Terry Mcginnis and his parents were walking out of theater after watching a Gray Ghost movie are seen in a flashback sequence. This was supposed to be the moment when the Phantasm kills his parents, but she had a turn of heart and didn't go through with Amanda Waller's order to create another Batman.

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