Eric Barroc

The villainous inventor of a diabolical "transformation machine" whose "electronic ray," fo­cused on wild animals, has the power to transform them into terrifying "beast-humans," humanoid crea­tures who retain the basic facial characteristics - as well as other of the bestial attributes, such as "fantastic strength" - of the original wild animals. Barroc and his henchman, Roscoe, use their assortment of beast­ humans to commit a series of spectacular crimes in Gotham City. They are finally defeated and apprehended in March 1964 through the heroic efforts of Batwoman, Robin, Bat-Hound, and Batman, who is more a hindrance than a help throughout much of the adventure because Eric Barroc's transformation machine has temporarily transformed him into an apelike creature with no recollection whatever of his human existence.