Harold Allnut
| Harold Allnut | |
|---|---|
 Harold Allnut on the cover of Batman 458 |
|
| Publication information | |
| Publisher | DC Comics |
| First appearance | The Question #33 (Dec 1989) |
| In-story information | |
| Full name | Harold Allnut |
| Team affiliations | Batman Family |
| Supporting character of | Batman |
| Abilities | Gifted technologist |
Harold Allnut is a fictional character in DC Comics, an aide of Batman. He helped to design, build, and repair Batman's equipment.
Contents |
[edit] Character appearance and disabilities
Harold has two major disabilities: he is mute; he also has a misshapen body, much like a hunchback. However, he proved to be very gifted in terms of technology and electronics.
[edit] Fictional character biography
[edit] Early years
Harold first appeared in The Question #33 (December 1989), where he was expelled from his house in Gotham City, he hit the road and ended up in Hub City. His first appearance in a Batman comic was in Batman # 448 (early June 1990), which was Part 1 of the Penguin Affair. He was originally a henchman for the Penguin, who conned Harold to work and build deadly machines to threaten Gotham City. Months after Batman put an end to Penguin's scheme, he found Harold in an abandoned building and saved Harold from a mob of angry parents that mistook him for a child molester.
[edit] Knight-Saga
Batman then gave Harold a home and gave him a position as a technological aide in the Dark Knight's war on crime. During the Knightsaga, Jean-Paul Valley displaced him, along with Ace and Robin, from the main Batcave. He managed to sneak into a hidden subsection of the cave and work there, eventually aiding Nightwing, Robin, and Bruce Wayne to retake the Mantle of the Bat. He then continued as Batman's technological aide and is the one who designed Nightwing's newest costume.[1] He worked with Azrael (Jean-Paul Valley) by request of Batman for a time before the death of the former. [2]
[edit] Hush saga and death
Harold had been tricked into undergoing surgery from Hush which fixed his voice and his stature. In exchange, Harold had to place a hidden circuitry relay onto the Batcave's main computer, which, in turn, led to subliminals which affected Batman's mind. Harold was shot and killed by Hush just before he could reveal who Hush was. In his final words, Harold stated, "I knew that even if I had been tricked...you [Batman] are my hero. You would always win", Batman responding with the assurance that he can forgive Harold's betrayal as he understands how powerful the desire to be happy can be.[3] Harold was buried in a grave which overlooks Wayne Manor. Harold's last name was not revealed until Batman 'did some digging' and engraved the name "Harold Allnut" on Harold's grave marker.[4]
