▁was ▁created ▁by ▁Frank ▁Rob b ins , ▁Ir v ▁Nov ick , ▁and ▁Dick ▁Gi ord ano . ▁ ▁F ict ional ▁character ▁bi ography ▁ ▁Pre - C ris is ▁Philip ▁Re ardon ▁served ▁as ▁a ▁soldier ▁in ▁the ▁U . S . ▁Special ▁Forces ▁during ▁the ▁Vietnam ▁War ▁until ▁he ▁was ▁honor ably ▁dis charg ed ▁after ▁a ▁gr en ade ▁fragment ▁hit ▁him ▁between ▁the ▁eyes . ▁He ▁returned ▁to ▁civil ian ▁life ▁as ▁a ▁w are house ▁security ▁guard . ▁One ▁night , ▁he ▁was ▁knock ed ▁out ▁by ▁th ieves ▁who ▁plant ed ▁a ▁bomb ▁to ▁blow ▁up ▁the ▁w are house . ▁When ▁Bat man ▁arrived ▁at ▁the ▁scene , ▁Re ardon ▁recovered ▁but ▁his ▁vision ▁was ▁bl ur red . ▁M ist aking ▁Bat man ▁for ▁one ▁of ▁the ▁th ieves , ▁Re ardon ▁batt led ▁him . ▁When ▁he ▁recognized ▁Bat man , ▁the ▁w are house ▁expl oded ▁and ▁Re ardon ' s ▁ret inas ▁were ▁burn ed , ▁which ▁impact ed ▁his ▁war ▁injury ▁and ▁blind ed ▁him ▁perman ently ▁in ▁both ▁eyes . ▁A ▁brilliant ▁o ph th alm ologist ▁named ▁Dr . ▁Eng st rom ▁t ended ▁to ▁Re ardon ▁after ▁being ▁brought ▁to ▁him ▁by ▁the ▁cro oks ▁where ▁he ▁recon ne cted ▁Re ardon ' s ▁opt ic ▁n erves ▁to ▁the ▁sens ory ▁cells ▁in ▁his ▁f ing ert ips . ▁In ▁addition ▁to ▁this , ▁Dr . ▁Eng st rom ▁granted ▁Re ardon ' s ▁fingers