ACE (THE BAT-HOUND)

PERSONAL DATA First Appearance: (original version): Batman #92 (June 1955) (current version) Batman #463 (June 1991)

  This dog first appeared out of nowhere to the 130-year-old Indian shaman Black Wolf who had been cast out of his tribe for not agreeing on executing the descendants of U.S. soldiers who had wronged them in the past. Blind and alone, Black Wolf took comfort in his newfound canine company, seeing its arrival as a sign. Later, Batman appeared and saved Black Wolf from assassins of his tribe. Taking Black Wolf and the dog with him, he tracked down the assassins and hindered the executions. When Black Wolf decided that it was time for him to die, the dog remained by Batman’s side.

  Batman named the dog Ace and entrenched him in the Batcave. Occasionally Ace would use his tracking skills to assist in Batman’s cases, but mostly, he stayed in the Batcave in the company of its resident technician, the mute Harold Allnut, who delighted in creating mechanical toys for the hound. When Bruce Wayne's back was broken by Bane, and Jean-Paul Valley took over the identity of the Batman, Ace took up permanent residence in Harold's quarters.

  When the Cataclysm earthquake destroyed most of Gotham, Harold and Ace left the scene. Harold later returned and was killed by Hush after betraying Batman, but Ace's current whereabouts are unknown.

  [Note: The original version of Ace was a masked dog that accompanied Batman and Robin on several of their adventures. These stories are no longer canonical. In current continuity, Ace has never been called 'Bat-Hound'.]