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Robotman 1 of Classic Earth-Two
Real Name: Robert Crane
Current Aliases: Charles "Chuck" Grayson (transplanted into Grayson body after Grayson died)
Nicknames: Bob
Former Aliases: Robotman I; Paul Dennis
Status
Occupation: None
Former scientist specializing in advanced biology and cybernetics
Legal Status: Deceased;
(Pre-Crisis) Robert Crane was legally declared as dead after being murdered and missing for several years as Grayson removed Crane's brain illegally;
Robotman was specificially declared as a legal citizen of the United States in the late 1940s for his heroic acts but not accepted as Robert Crane;
Legal status as Charles Grayson is as a citizen of Classic Earth-Two with no known criminal record
Identity: Public
Marital Status: Unknown
Known Relatives: Richard "Dick" Grayson (cousin)
Group Affiliation: All-Star Squadron; partner of original Charles Grayson; Former associate member of the reformed Justice Society of America
Base of Operations: Formerly New York City on Classic Earth-Two
Origin
Robert Crane was indigenous to the reality commonly referred to as Classic Earth-Two. Earth Two is now the primary nomenclature used to refer to the antimatter universe Earth which is populated by the Crime Syndicate of AmeriKa, the modern version of the Pre-Crisis Earth-Three criminal organization.
First Appearance: Historic: Star-Spangled Comics #7 (April, 1942)
in canon as Earth 2 Robotman:
Place of Birth: Undisclosed
Final Appearance: The Crisis on Infinite Earths #12
Place of Death:
Death as Robert Crane: New York City on Classic Earth-Two;
Death in Charles Grayson body: historic elimination of Classic Earth-Two during the Crisis on Infinite Earths
History
Dr. Robert Crane and his assistant Chuck Grayson worked for years on perfecting a mechanical body that could sustain a human brain after the human body was unable to continue supporting the brain. Criminals found out about Crane's experiment thinking that it could provide a form of immortality and that people would be willing to pay high prices for the highly articulate mobile "iron lung" they tried to steal it and then tried to force Crane to tell them how to operate the robot. Crane refused and attempted to escape. The gangsters shot Crane in order to stop him from turning them in. Seeing their plans ruined the crooks fled leaving Crane to die. The robot was so heavy that they could not take it with them and without the knowledge to make it work they could not sell it. Seeing taht Crane was about to expire completely, Grayson transplanted Crane's brain into the robot body successfully. Robotman let the world believe that Crane was dead and adopted the human alias of Paul Dennis.
As Robotman Crane continued to operate as independent being even joining the All-Star Squadron during WWII and later with the reformed Justice Society. But he was never accepted as an actual person due to his successful deception. In fact, lawyer Sam Slattery attempted to have Robotman be declared property of Crain's heirs, but during the trial Robotman revealed his original human identity of Dr. Crane. He also saved the people in the court from the ceiling collapsing. Because of his heroic actions Robotman was legally declared a "living being" but still not as Dr. Crane. Crane accepted the fact that his body had long since died and with it his original identity and accepted the condition of being only now "Robotman".
When Crane's long time partner and friend died, Grayson had his body frozen to donate it to Crane in order to return to human life. Robotman had been trapped and buried by a criminal named Lashky. When Robotman was finally able to free himself from his decades long imprisonment, he chose to live a few years as full human rather than potentially forever inside his mental shell. Robotman's brain was then transplanted into Chuck Grayson's body, and Dr. Crane started his new life as a human being.(DC Comics Presents #31)
Like all others who were living on Earth-Two at the time of the Crisis on Infinite Earths and did not participate in the battle at the "Dawn of Time", Crane was killed along with all on his entire planet and recreated as a new person.
Notes
References
- Who's Who: The Definitive Directory of the DC Universe #19
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