The Black Bat by Big Dad

The artwork below was posted by one Big Dad about ten days ago on a site with which I was unfamiliar, Fur Affinity.

To be honest, from appearances alone, I initially thought that this image had nothing to do with "our" Black Bat but Dad's caption makes it clear it does. 

Who'd a thought that the 1930s would birth TWO bat themed vigilantes... and only one of them had actual bat-like characteristics

I assume this in reference to Quinn's ability to see in the dark.

Black Bat art normally includes the character's cape. I'm sure it would appear "wrong" to some to not do so, but Tony Quinn shed the cape in a story called Markets of Treason. We're so used to a certain "look" that it's easy to forget that.

The issue of Black Book Detective in which Markets of Treason is featured was cover-dated Winter 1944. There were 61 published Black Bat stories in all in Black Boot Detective and Markets of Treason was #27. Therefore, the 34 subsequent stories did not include the cape. He's actually spent more time without it than with it.

As usual, I'm just stoked when I stumble into new material, even if it's just a single image, and grateful when someone gives the character a little more exposure. Nice job, Big Dad, I'd love to see how you pull off the Black Bat's more commonly-known look.