Cornelius Stirk

Last updated
Cornelius Stirk
Cornelius Stirk.jpg
Cornelius Stirk as depicted in Detective Comics #593 (December 1988). Art by Norm Breyfogle.
Publication information
Publisher DC Comics
First appearance Detective Comics #592 (November 1988)
Created by Alan Grant (writer)
Norm Breyfogle (artist)
In-story information
Species Metahuman
Notable aliasesFear
AbilitiesCan cause fear or hallucinations through telepathy

Cornelius Stirk is a fictional character appearing in DC Comics. He is a cannibalistic supervillain with the ability to cause fear or hallucinations through telepathy and appears as a recurring adversary of Batman.

Contents

Publication history

He first appeared in Detective Comics #592 (November 1988) and was created by Alan Grant and Norm Breyfogle. [1]

Fictional character biography

Stirk is a serial killer who, like fellow Batman villain Scarecrow, uses fear to get to his victims. Stirk can make other people see him as someone else, allowing him to get close to his victims. He operates under the delusion that he requires the nutrients from people's hearts to stay alive.

In his first appearance, Stirk is released from Arkham Asylum, having been imprisoned there since he was 16. After his release, Stirk stops taking his medication and becomes a serial killer.

In Batman: Knightfall , Stirk works with the Joker in an attempt to kidnap Commissioner Jim Gordon. However, Stirk tries to kill Gordon rather than kidnap him, during which Gordon hallucinates him as Batman. [2]

In the Madmen Across the Water storyline, Stirk is imprisoned in Blackgate Penitentiary after Arkham is destroyed. [3]

Stirk makes minor appearances in Batman: No Man's Land and Batman: The Widening Gyre .

Powers and abilities

Cornelius Stirk can generate a hypnotic aura which allows him to take on any face he chooses, generally a face that people will trust.

In other media

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Arkham Asylum</span> Fictional psychiatric hospital in DC Comics

Arkham Asylum is a fictional forensic psychiatric hospital appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics, commonly in stories featuring Batman. It first appeared in Batman #258, written by Dennis O'Neil with art by Irv Novick. Located in Gotham City, the asylum houses patients who are criminally insane, as well as select prisoners with unusual medical requirements that are beyond a conventional prison's ability to accommodate. Its high-profile patients are often members of Batman's rogues gallery.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Scarecrow (DC Comics)</span> Supervillain in the DC Universe

The Scarecrow is a supervillain appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics. Created by writer Bill Finger and artist Bob Kane, the character first appeared in World's Finest Comics #3, and has become one of the superhero Batman's most enduring enemies belonging to the collective of adversaries that make up his rogues gallery.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Riddler</span> Comic book supervillain

The Riddler is a supervillain appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics. The character was created by Bill Finger and Dick Sprang, and debuted in Detective Comics #140 in October 1948. He has become one of the most enduring enemies of the superhero Batman and belongs to the collective of adversaries that make up his rogues gallery.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jim Gordon (character)</span> Fictional character in the DC Universe

James W. "Jim" Gordon Sr. is a character appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics, most commonly in association with the superhero Batman. Created by Bill Finger and Bob Kane as an ally of Batman, the character debuted in the first panel of Detective Comics #27, Batman's first appearance, making him the first Batman supporting character ever to be introduced.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bane (DC Comics)</span> Comics character

Bane is a supervillain appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics. Created by Chuck Dixon and Graham Nolan, the character first appeared in Batman: Vengeance of Bane #1. He has become one of the superhero Batman’s most enduring enemies belonging to the collective of adversaries that make up his rogues gallery.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Clayface</span> Fictional character

Clayface is an alias used by several supervillains appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics. Most incarnations of the character possess clay-like bodies and shapeshifting abilities, and all of them are adversaries of the superhero Batman. In 2009, Clayface was ranked as IGN's 73rd-greatest comic book villain of all time.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Hugo Strange</span> Fictional comic book supervillain

Hugo Strange is a supervillain appearing in comic books published by DC Comics, commonly as an adversary of the superhero Batman. The character is one of Batman's first recurring villains, and was also one of the first to discover his secret identity. The character first appeared in Detective Comics #36.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mad Hatter (DC Comics)</span> Fictional DC Comics character

The Mad Hatter is a supervillain appearing in comic books published by DC Comics, commonly as an adversary of the superhero Batman. He is modeled after the Hatter from Lewis Carroll's novel Alice's Adventures in Wonderland, a character often called the "Mad Hatter" in adaptations of Carroll. A scientist who invents and uses technological mind control devices to influence and manipulate the minds of his victims, the Mad Hatter is one of Batman's most enduring enemies and belongs to the collective of adversaries that make up Batman's rogues gallery.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Killer Croc</span> DC Comics character

Killer Croc is a supervillain appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics. Created by Gerry Conway, Don Newton and Gene Colan, the character was introduced in Batman #357. He has become one of the most enduring enemies of the superhero Batman and belongs to the collective of adversaries that make up his rogues gallery.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Victor Zsasz</span> Fictional villain in DC Comics

Victor Zsasz, also known as Mr. Zsasz or simply Zsasz, is a villain appearing in comic books published by DC Comics. The character first appeared in Batman: Shadow of the Bat #1. He is a sadomasochistic and psychopathic serial killer who carves a tally mark onto himself for each of his victims. A recurring adversary of the superhero Batman, Zsasz belongs to the collective of enemies that make up Batman's rogues gallery.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Carmine Falcone</span> Fictional DC Comics character

Carmine Falcone is a villain appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics, portrayed as a powerful mob boss, an enemy of Batman, and an acquaintance of the Wayne family. He has also been depicted in some versions as the illegitimate father of Catwoman.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Black Mask (character)</span> Comic book supervillain

Black Mask is a supervillain appearing in comic books published by DC Comics. Created by Doug Moench and Tom Mandrake, the character debuted in Batman #386. He is commonly depicted as a brutal and ruthless crime lord in Gotham City who has a fixation with masks and derives sadistic pleasure from the act of torture. Black Mask is one of the most enduring enemies of the superhero Batman and belongs to the collective of adversaries that make up his rogues gallery.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Firefly (DC Comics)</span> Supervillain created by DC Comics

Firefly is a supervillain appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics. Created by France Herron and Dick Sprang, he made his debut in Detective Comics #184. Initially portrayed as a criminal who utilized lighting effects to commit robberies, Firefly was later reimagined as a sociopathic pyromaniac with an obsessive compulsion to start fires following Crisis on Infinite Earths' reboot of the DC Universe in the 1980s. This darker depiction of the character has since endured as one of the superhero Batman's most recurring enemies and belongs to the collective of adversaries that make up his central rogues gallery.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Hush (character)</span> DC Comics character

Hush is a supervillain appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics. Created by Jeph Loeb and Jim Lee, the character first appeared in Batman #609 in January 2003 as part of the twelve-issue storyline Batman: Hush. Hush serves as a criminal foil to the superhero Batman, as an example of what Batman could have been had he used his intellect and wealth for malice, and belongs to the collective of adversaries that make up his rogues gallery.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Calendar Man</span> Comic book character

Calendar Man is a supervillain appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics, as an enemy of the superhero Batman, belonging to the collective of adversaries that make up Batman's rogues gallery. Calendar Man is known for committing crimes that correspond with holidays and significant dates. He often wears costumes to correlate with the date of the designated crime. His name is a reference to the Julian and Gregorian calendars. In his debut, the character was presented as a joke villain, but in later years, writers developed Calendar Man as a dark, disturbed criminal who toys with Batman.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Alberto Falcone</span> Comics character

Alberto Falcone is a fictional comic book villain appearing in books published by DC Comics, in particular the Batman books. In addition to being a mobster, he has also made appearances as the Holiday Killer, a serial killer featured in Batman: The Long Halloween and Batman: Dark Victory.

The Dollmaker is the name of several supervillains appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Flamingo (comics)</span> Comics character

Flamingo is a supervillain appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics, commonly as an adversary of Batman.

Jane Doe is a character appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics. She first appeared in Arkham Asylum: Living Hell #1 and was created by Dan Slott and Ryan Sook.

References

  1. Greenberger, Robert (2008). The Essential Batman Encyclopedia. New York City: Del Ray. p. 335. ISBN   9780345501066.
  2. Batman #494
  3. Showcase '94 #3–4
  4. White, Peter (October 16, 2021). "Gina Rodriguez To Voice Barbara Gordon In Spotify's DC Podcast Series Batman Unburied". Deadline. Retrieved November 15, 2024.