PROFESSOR BATTS

Real Name: Batts (first name unrevealed)

Identity/Class: Alternate reality (Earth-54225) human (Post World War II-era)

Occupation: Scientist, criminal

Group Membership: None

Affiliations: Hector

Enemies: Marvelman (Michael Moran), Young Marvelman (Dicky Dauntless), Kid Marvelman (Johnny Bates)

Known Relatives: None

Aliases: None

Base of Operations: Mountain lab somewhere near an unidentified city (see comments), United States of America

First Appearance: Marvelman Family#8 (July 1957)

Powers/Abilities: Professor Batts was a genius scientist who had developed a gigantic speech scrambler device that broadcast radio waves that disrupted the speech centers of human brains worldwide, causing everyone who heard the broadcast to speak in gibberish; people could get eventually specific words out if they tried repeatedly, and still heard and understood speech perfectly, but lost their ability to express themselves verbally. Once triggered this effect would continue even after the victim was away from the radio, but ended immediately when the scrambler was deactivated. Batts also designed helmets that protected the wearer from these effects.

Height: 5'8" (by estimation)
Weight: 130 lbs. (by estimation)
Eyes: Unrevealed
Hair: Unrevealed

History:
(Marvelman Family#8 (fb) - BTS) - Professor Batts was a scientist who believed mankind's greatest achievement was speech, as without the ability to communicate ideas efficiently with one another civilization would collapse. With this in mind he spent ten years designing and then building a device that could broadcast waves over the radio that caused anyone listening to lose the ability to verbalize the correct words - those affected could still understand normal speech and verbalize, but the words they wanted to say would be replaced by random words or nonsense sounds, or come out in the wrong order. Somewhere during this process the scientist decided he could use the device to conquer the world. 

(Marvelman Family#8) - Batts was visited at his house by Daily Bugle copyboy Micky Moran, secretly the superhero Marvelman, who had brought him some proofs to check (see comments). The lad told the professor that he'd found the content most interesting, and the Professor seemed genuinely complemented, agreeing that the foundation of civilization was an intriguing subject and asking Micky what he thought mankind's greatest achievement was. Considering for a moment, Micky suggested the discovery of fire, but Batts corrected him, insisting it was speech, which had allowed the interchange of ideas that led to most of man's discoveries. He pointed out how humanity used words constantly, and stated that the communication of ideas was the basis of all progress, before adding ominously that if people were somehow robbed of their speech then civilization would collapse. As Micky departed thanking him for the lecture, Batts reciprocated by thanking the lad for listening.

(Marvelman Family#8 - BTS) - Later that same day Batts headed to his mountain lair and activated the scrambler, hijacking radio station signals worldwide to broadcast his signal to anyone within earshot of a radio; he and his assistant Hector were protected by helmets Batts had created. The resulting confusion caused chaos worldwide, getting the attention of the Marvelman family - Marvelman, Young Marvelman and Kid Marvelman - almost immediately. Though initially scrambled by the signal too, after repeated efforts each eventually managed to say their magic word and transform into their superhero alter egos, who proved immune to the scrambler's effects. Recalling his discussion with Batts, Marvelman suspected his involvement with the crisis. Though they found his home empty and failed to trace the source of the scrambling signal, the trio tracked where the professor had gone using a pair of bloodhounds.

(Marvelman Family#8) - At his mountain lair, Batts was informed by Hector that the scrambling signal was being transmitted worldwide, so Batts delivered an ultimatum via the radio stations his signal had hijacked, telling the people of the world that if they wanted the ability to speak back they must depose their rulers for him. Batts was convinced he would soon become dictator of the world, but then Hector spotted the approaching Marvelman family. Catching sight of the mountain lair, the three heroes immediately flew up and flattened it, the Marvelman punched the professor, smashing his helmet and stunning the rogue scientist. 

Comments: Created by Mick Anglo and Don Lawrence.

   It's not made clear what proofs the Daily Bugle editor would need to send to Batts, who is a scientist, not a journalist. Did Batts make some extra cash writing a science column for the paper? Or had he done an interview for them and the paper was sending him the copy before it was published?

   The city Professor Batts lives in isn't identified in this story, but he appears to stay in the same city as the Marvelman family, and in Young Marvelman#114 a criminal robs the Ballahoo City Bank, suggesting that all three heroes, and thus also Batts, are based in Ballahoo.

   This profile was completed on 08/22/2026, but its publication was delayed as it was intended for the Appendix 25th anniversary's celebratory event to represent the Marvelman Family.

Profile by Loki.

CLARIFICATIONS:
Professor Batts has no known connections to:

Hector

Hector was the professor's assistant in his plans for world domination, preparing the equipment and ensuring it was broadcasting properly. In return Batts had promised that Hector would be his right hand once he became Dictator of the World. Soon after the device was activated however Hector spotted the Marvelman family approaching their mountain base. He wasn't seen while the heroes smashed up the base, nor when the heroes captured Batts, so it is unclear whether he was apprehended too, or perhaps fled the moment he realized who he was facing.

--Marvelman Family#8

images: (without ads)
Marvelman Family#8, p9 of story, pan3 (main image)
Marvelman Family#8, p2 of story, pan4 (headshot)
Marvelman Family#8, p9 of story, pan2 (scrambler)
Marvelman Family#8, p9 of story, pan6 (Hector)

Appearances:
Marvelman Family#8 (July 1957) - Mick Anglo (writer), Don Lawrence (art)

First Posted: 09/09/2026
Last updated: 08/22/2026

Any Additions/Corrections? please let me know.

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