Fictional character biography
Matthew Thorne
| Crime Doctor | |
|---|---|
 The Crime Doctor as depicted on the cover of Detective Comics #77 (July 1943). Art by Bob Kane. | |
| Publication information | |
| Publisher | DC Comics |
| First appearance | Detective Comics #77 (July 1943) |
| Created by | Bill Finger (writer) Bob Kane (artist)(writer) Michael Gaydos (artist) |
| In-story information | |
| Alter ego | Dr. Matthew Thorne |
| Species | Human |
| Place of origin | Earth |
| Team affiliations | Secret Society of Super Villains |
| Abilities | Skilled surgeon Expert torturer Use of injector gun and scalpel |
Earth-Two
On Earth-Two, Matthew Thorne is a doctor who treats criminals. His consultation with his patients have attracted the attention of Batman and Robin. Thanks to Batman's tracer invention, they are able to find his hideout. After an injured man shows up during the confrontation. Batman and the Crime Doctor work together to save the man's life. Afterwards, the Crime Doctor traps Batman and Robin and has them tied up. He and his assistant target a formula that can change the atomic order of objects. Upon obtaining it, the Crime Doctor heads to Eastington Atom Smasher to turn the base metal there into gold. After escaping, Batman and Robin catch up to the Crime Doctor. They defeat the Crime Doctor and his assistant, who are arrested. [3]
Shortly after this, the Crime Doctor escapes prison and reopens his clinic far away from Gotham. Batman and Robin learn of his escape and chase the Crime Doctor to California, where the Crime Doctor saves Robin's life after he is shot by one of the doctor's henchmen. In the end, the Crime Doctor is betrayed by one of his own men, who shoots him in the back. Before dying, the Crime Doctor apologized to Batman for his criminal actions. [4] [5]
Bradford Thorne
| Crime Doctor | |
|---|---|
| Publication information | |
| Publisher | DC Comics |
| First appearance | Detective Comics #494 (September 1980) |
| Created by | Michael Fleisher (writer) Don Newton (artist) |
| In-story information | |
| Alter ego | Dr. Bradford Thorne |
| Species | Human |
| Place of origin | Earth |
| Abilities | Skilled surgeon Expert torturer Use of injector gun and scalpel |
On Earth-One, Bradford Thorne is a notorious physician who provides criminal services as the Crime Doctor. Thorne assists criminals using his medical knowledge in return for a small percentage of the stolen loot. His modus operandi stumps the authorities of Gotham City and causes Batman to turn his attention on his crimes. Thorne eventually learns Batman's secret identity when Bruce Wayne goes to see him, seeking his medical support. When the underworld learn that Thorne knew Batman's secret, Thorne is kidnapped by businessman Sterling Silversmith, who poisons him with mercury to make him reveal the truth. Batman stops Silversmith, but Thorne's body had been damaged by mercury poisoning. It is stated that Thorne would likely be left in a permanent vegetative state; if he recovered, his memory would be completely wiped out. [6]
The Crime Doctor later recovers from his poisoning. In the "Progeny" arc of Birds of Prey , the Crime Doctor tries to "defect" from the Secret Society of Super Villains. The Society sends Prometheus to repay the Crime Doctor by torturing and killing his daughter as he had done to his victims. After a battle, the Birds of Prey almost manage to subdue Prometheus, but the Crime Doctor decides to kill himself, thus ensuring his own punishment. His daughter Bethany, alone and outcast by the other children, is manipulated by Lady Shiva. [7]
The Crime Doctor is resurrected following the "Infinite Frontier" relaunch. [8]
Anica Balcescu
| Crime Doctor | |
|---|---|
| Publication information | |
| Publisher | DC Comics |
| First appearance | Manhunter (vol. 3) #32 (September 2008) |
| Created by | Marc Andreyko (writer) Michael Gaydos (artist) |
| In-story information | |
| Alter ego | Dr. Anica Balcescu |
| Species | Human |
| Place of origin | Earth |
| Team affiliations | Secret Society of Super Villains |
| Abilities | Skilled surgeon Expert torturer Use of injector gun and scalpel |
Following Matthew Thorne's death, a new Crime Doctor named Anica Balcescu, is introduced. She is a Romanian widow and a survivor of Nicolae Ceaușescu's regime who later joins the Secret Society. [9]
When working for Cheetah's Secret Society of Super Villains, Crime Doctor grafted the Lasso of Truth that was stolen from Wonder Woman onto Genocide. [10]
