the Shadow. He and Rat-Man have clashed many times, with the hero always, in some way, emerging victorious. However, it is hinted in the stories that his good and compassionate self, who cared for Deboroh and tried to protect him, is still alive within Janus' conscience, and is till trying to protect his adoptive son. Janus' father, Boda Valker, was also a vessel for the Shadow. The Shadow An ominous and manipulative entity, the Shadow needs a body to control in order to live, in exchange for power or knowledge. The Shadow controls the Government of the Nation in which Rat-Man lives, and is constantly trying to tighten its grip on its citizens, mainly through the Superheroes and their Secret Squads. Three incarnations of this squad have been formed during the years to control the Nation. The current body is Janus Valker, although the Shadow has tried to corrupt Rat-Man to use as vessel. The Buffoon Rat-Man's very first enemy, he is an obvious parody of Batman's Joker. He is later revealed to be Nottolo, the member of the Second Secret Squad who was kicked out to make space for Rat-Boy, and has always resented the hero for this. The Spider Bitten by a radioactive man, he acquired human characteristics such as greed and lack of scruples. He was a comic publisher until he was brought down by Rat-Man. The hero, later on, must travel in the past to defeat him again with the help of the poorly disguised Fantastic Four, as he was a temporal anomaly. The Cat She is the physical embodiment of pleasure and desire, and as such she is very dangerous and ruthless. She has been stranded on our world and tried to return to her sisters through a series of bloody and murderous rituals. The hero, however, managed to stop her. MasterMouse He is the creation of an unknown scientist and is a perfect replica of Ratman. His sole purpose is to aid in the destruction of Ratman and all he stands for. The hero has a difficult time trying to stop his archrival since they have the same powers. The Secret Squads The First Secret Squad, a league of extraordinary individuals who fought crime during peacetime and in the Second World War, inspired a generation's dream for justice and helped control the Nation. The eventually disbanded when they felt that the Government, controlled by