Delbert Billings, better known as Spellbinder (I didn't say well known, just better), first appeared in Detective Comics #358. I think he was some kind of response to the rise of alternative 60s scene. Basically, he forged pop art and accidentally discovered that it could have hypnotic affects on people, made up that suit and a couple hypnotic art pieces, and started his life of crime. Amazingly, he actually had some success. He beat Batman the first two times they met before finally being caught. Rather that be demoralized, he set his sights even higher and fought Superman to a standstill with a sonic turntable and before having his own weapons turned against him. After that though things started to go downhill for Spellbinder . Batman kidnapped him and assumed his identity to infiltrate the Monarch of Menace's supervillain gang. Then he pretty much disappeared for 20 years before his girlfriend made a literal deal with the devil to kill him in exchange for demonic powers. Adding insult to injury, she proceeded to call herself Lady Spellbinder. That's got to hurt.
If nothing else I respect Spellbinder. He's the bravest supervillain I know because he gets out of bed in the morning knowing full well that he has to wear that costume (and amazingly even having a decent explanation for it). He's also responsible for possibly the stupidest comic book explanation ever, that Superman uses Kryptonian lenses in Clark Kent's glasses as well as "super-hypnotism" to keep his secret identity. Most of all, Spellbinder faced off against both members of the World's Finest and held his own using nothing more than the tools crafted by his own hands, and when given the chance for limitless power by the Devil himself turned him down. That's a supervillain who deserves more respect than he's gotten.
Delbert Billings had been a child prodigy--painting, sculpting, photography--it all came as easily to him as breathing. He should have been the greatest artist of his generation, but the problem was people had been telling him that since before he could remember. It didn't go to his head, Billings wasn't that kind of guy, but the pressure just kept building and building. Eventually it was crippling, he couldn't create a new piece to save his life. So he took the easy way out and became a forger. To most of the art world he simply disappeared, and those who knew were disgusted. He wasn't proud of it, but the money was fantastic, and for the first time in his life the pressure was gone. And just like that he was free, but this time he kept it secret, hidden. His work grew more abstract and esoteric, always digging deeper and deeper into his own psyche. It wasn't until he returned from vacation to find his landlord half-starved staring spellbound at one of his paintings that Billings realized he'd accidentally tapped into something primal. Months spent refining his discovery flew by, he'd found his passion again. He had an outlet for his gift, and the Spellbinder wasn't going to let anyone take that away from him again.
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