Matches Malone

Matches Malone was the name of a criminal and a common guise adopted by Batman to infiltrate the Gotham's criminal underworld.

Character History
Matches Malone was actually small time crook who was actually a decent human being. Matches and his brother Carver resorted to a life of crime after they were orphaned. Their specialty was insurance fraud and arson, but they never crossed the line into violence. Looking to expand their trade they made a move to Gotham City where they ran afoul of the Batman. Nothing could be proved against the brothers, until Carver was found dead and Matches was both the police and Batman's first suspect. Once again he evaded prosecution, but Batman was not deterred, and he watched Matches every move, until he apparently committed suicide by torching himself with gasoline.

Batman took this turn of events to create an undercover identity to infiltrate the criminal world. Batman buried Malone next to his brother, learned all he could about the late Matches and assumed his identity,donning a fake mustache, plaid suit, and Jersey accent and began impersonating Matches to infiltrate Gotham's gangs.

He's used this identity many times over the years, most notably in the War Games storyline. Batman had developed a plan in an emergency to take over Gotham's underworld by uniting the crime families under Matches. Stephanie Brown, the 4th Robin, was desperate to make a good impression on Batman, found the plan and set it in motion without telling Batman. But when Matches Malone failed to show, it ignited a massive gang war that nearly destroyed Gotham.

Powers and Abilities
Malone possessed the abilities of an arsonist and thief,and though not a very skillful fighter,always carried a pistol for protection.As Malone, Batman actually never carried a firearm.

In other media

 * In the DCAU comic Batman Adventures,Matches Malone was a mid-level enforcer for Rupert Thorne's mob, and he had a deal with Batman. Once a week, he would keep him informed of Thorne's criminal activities and that kept Malone out of jail. The arrangement was condoned by Commissioner Gordon, as long as Malone kept talking. But Malone began to skim money from Thorne's scores--and one week, on the way to his meeting with Batman, Malone got shot by two hit men.

Batman found Malone two hours later, right before he died. Batman removed Malone's sunglasses and, for the first time, saw the haunting resemblance between him and Malone. Malone's last words were "The Imperial Room," a classy restaurant. Going in these clues, Batman assumed the persona of Matches Malone and went into the Imperial Room and waited until someone acted like they had seen a ghost. Once they had rushed out, they were easily taken down and thrown into police custody.

Assuming Match's identity for his own underground uses, Bruce Wayne used the Malone name when attempting to join the False Face Society. Once he got in, he was able to learn of Black Mask's moves before they were made. Black Mask trusted Malone till the very end, until Batman appeared and took down Black Mask. While under the persona of Malone, Bruce met a woman named Charlotte Reade whom he had pulled from a burning Firefly torched after it's owner failed to pay Black Mask protection money. Though they went on a few "dates," once Reade found out that Malone was working for Black Mask, she couldn't be with him anymore.