Ten-Eyed Man

Last updated
The Ten-Eyed Man
Ten-Eyed Man hurts himself.jpg
Reardon in his first appearance as depicted in Batman #226 (Nov. 1970).
Art by Irv Novick
Publication information
Publisher DC Comics
First appearance Batman #226 (Nov. 1970)
Created by Frank Robbins (writer)
Irv Novick (artist)
In-story information
Alter egoPhilip Reardon
Species Metahuman
Team affiliations Suicide Squad
Notable aliases"Three-Eye" Reardon
Abilities360° and limited periscopic vision
Superb hand-to-hand combatant and marksman
Magic user

The Ten-Eyed Man (Philip Reardon) is a fictional character in DC Comics. He first appeared in Batman #226 (Nov. 1970) and was created by Frank Robbins and Irv Novick. [1]

Contents

Fictional character biography

Pre-Crisis

Philip Reardon served as a soldier in the U.S. Special Forces during the Vietnam War until he was honorably discharged after a grenade fragment hit him between the eyes, leaving a scar which gave him the nickname "Three-Eyed Reardon". He returned to civilian life as a warehouse security guard. One night, he was knocked out by thieves who planted a bomb to destroy the warehouse. When Batman arrived at the scene, Reardon recovered, but his vision was blurred. Mistaking Batman for one of the thieves, Reardon battled him. When he recognized Batman, the warehouse exploded and Reardon's retinas were burned, blinding him. Wanting to make use of Reardon, the thieves took him to a doctor who states that his eyes cannot be repaired. Ophthalmologist Dr. Engstrom tended to Reardon, performing an experimental procedure that connected his optic nerves to the sensory cells in his fingertips and enabled him to see through them. Reardon blamed Batman for what had happened and tried to take revenge on him. As Batman was also affected by the blast, he used black contact lenses to help him out. As Reardon attacked Batman, Alfred Pennyworth helped Batman by coordinating instructions to him through the microphone in Batman's mask. Upon finding out that Reardon can see through his hands, Batman used this to his advantage by using his cape to wrap up the Ten-Eyed Man's hands and then knocked him unconscious. After Batman contacted Dr. Engstrom, Reardon got away. [2] [3] [4]

Waking up one night in his apartment following a nightmare involving Batman attacking him with a flamethrower, Philip Reardon finds himself unable to see, thinking that Batman blinded him again, only to remember that he had placed gloves on his hands since his "eyes" lack eyelids. He then goes to apply for a job as an air marshal, which he passes with his talents and starts making plans to have his revenge on Batman. After hijacking an airplane to lure Batman to Vietnam, Reardon led Batman on a chase through the jungle before being defeated. [5]

Redesign as a Man-Bat villain

When incarcerated at Gotham State Penitentiary, Readon was kept in a jail cell, where the correction officers had his hands locked in a special opaque box to restrict his vision. Director Lowell has him released from prison. Due to Reardon's nerve grafts starting to fail him, Director Lowell has him go after Man-Bat and capture him where he will find a way to transfer Man-Bat's sonar energy to him. Reardon was given a costume that includes opaque goggles and became Ten-Eyed Man where he went after Man-Bat. Ten-Eyed Man was defeated by Man-Bat and fell off the building to his apparent death. [6]

During the "Crisis on Infinite Earths" storyline, Ten-Eyed Man was killed by Anti-Monitor's shadow demons before eventually being resurrected by the Psycho-Pirate. [7] [8]

The New 52

In September 2011, The New 52 rebooted DC's continuity. In this new timeline, Ten-Eyed Man first appears among the inmates at Arkham Asylum who attack Batwing and Jim Corrigan. [9]

DC Rebirth

In 2016, DC Comics implemented another relaunch of its books called "DC Rebirth", restoring its continuity to a form much as it was prior to "The New 52". Ten-Eyed Man is one of the many villains taken down by Batman and Catwoman after he takes her along with him on an average night of his job. [10]

Ten-Eyed Man later kidnapped a girl named Jade who was under Killer Croc's protection and plans to sacrifice her to find out the doom that is coming for him. One of his fingers sees Batman, Killer Croc, and Jason Bard above as they leap down towards him upon being discovered. [11] Batman, Jason Bard, and Killer Croc work to stop Ten-Eyed Man before he can sacrifice Jade so that he can open an inter-dimensional portal. His plot is thwarted by Batman and Jason Bard. [12]

Following Arkham Asylum's destruction, the Gotham City Police Department's headquarters is filled with its inmates. Maggie Sawyer tries to get the answers on what happened there from the inmates, starting with the Ten-Eyed Man. He tells Maggie that he can help her with the answers she needs if she would remove the hand masks from his hands. After being unable to get answers from Ten-Eyed Man, Maggie Sawyer then attempts to get answers from Maxie Zeus, the Magpie, and the other Arkham Asylum inmates. [13]

In the miniseries "Arkham City: The Order of the World", which takes place before the "Fear State" storyline, Ten-Eyed Man was incarcerated in Arkham Asylum. At one point, he had learned how to use magic and sported a new costume. Ten-Eyed Man was later attacked by Azrael and rendered blind in one hand. [14]

Ten-Eyed Man visits Eat By the Slice where he finds it closed. Upon entering it, Ten-Eyed Man confronted Pete and used one of his fingers to see into Pete's head and sees a hole in it. Unable to make out what caused the hole, Ten-Eyed Man knocks out Pete with a spell from his finger and heads to the hospital. He then chases after a nurse upon seeing what she had in her hand and was subdued by security guards. Back in the present, Ten-Eyed Man relates his story to Commissioner Renee Montoya, who has the guard give him a pizza. Then Ten-Eyed Man uses his finger to see that there is a "hole" in Renee's head and escapes his cell. Montoya mentions to the guard that he climbed through a hole that she felt. She described the hole that Ten-Eyed Man escaped into as the "hole in the world". Ten-Eyed Man is then seen on top of a gargoyle eating his pizza. [15] [16]

Powers and abilities

Ten-Eyed Man can see through optic nerves in his fingertips, giving him a complete 360 view and limited periscopic vision. His enhanced vision augments his Special Forces training, making him a superb fighter and marksman. In the "DC Rebirth" continuity, he is also a skilled magic user.

Equipment

During his fight with Man-Bat, Ten-Eyed Man was provided a jet pack and a latex spray.

Weakness

As a side-effect of his optic nerves being in his fingertips, Ten-Eyed Man's hands are sensitive and vulnerable to any kind of excessive force.

In the "DC Rebirth" continuity, Ten-Eyed Man suffers from schizophrenia.

Alternative versions

The Ten-Eyed Men of the Empty Quarter, a Middle Eastern tribe of demon hunters inspired by the Ten-Eyed Man, appear in 52 . [17]

In other media

Bibliography

See also

Related Research Articles

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

The Elizabeth Arkham Asylum for the Criminally Insane, commonly referred to as Arkham Asylum, is a fictional forensic psychiatric hospital appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics, commonly in stories featuring the superhero 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 Bill Finger and Bob Kane, the character first appeared in World's Finest Comics #3. 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">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">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">Maxie Zeus</span> Fictional DC Comics character

Maximilian "Maxie" Zeus is a supervillain appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics, primarily as a minor enemy of Batman. He is depicted as a mentally ill former history professor who is obsessed with Greek mythology and believes himself to be the god Zeus, becoming a crime lord in Gotham City.

<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">Professor Milo</span> Comics character

Professor Achilles Milo is a fictional character appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics.

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

Amygdala is a supervillain appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics, who is an opponent of Batman. He has reduced mental capacity, near superhuman strength and endurance, and is prone to outbursts of violence due to medical experimentation on his brain, chiefly the removal of his amygdala. Amygdala is briefly referenced in an article by Joseph LeDoux, a neuroscientist and expert in the role of the anatomical amygdala in fear processing, as testament to popular interest in the brain area.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Doctor Phosphorus</span> Fictional DC Comics supervillain

Doctor Phosphorus is a supervillain who has appeared in various comic book series published by DC Comics. Primarily an enemy of Batman, the villain exists in DC's main shared universe, known as the DC Universe.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Cornelius Stirk</span> DC Comics character

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.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Great White Shark (character)</span> Comics character

The Great White Shark, or simply Great White, is a supervillain owned by DC Comics who exists in that company's DC Universe.

<i>Batman: Nosferatu</i>

Batman: Nosferatu is a DC Comics comic book and a Batman Elseworlds publication. It is the second part of a trilogy based on German Expressionist cinema, preceded by Superman's Metropolis and succeeded by Wonder Woman: The Blue Amazon. It was written by Jean-Marc Lofficier and Randy Lofficier, and illustrated by Ted McKeever.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Batman: The Last Arkham</span>

"The Last Arkham" is a four-part Batman story arc that started the Batman: Shadow of the Bat comic book series in mid-1992. The storyline began in Batman: Shadow of the Bat #1, and finished in Batman: Shadow of the Bat #4. DC Comics later compiled the four issues into a trade paperback in 1995. The comic was written by Alan Grant and drawn by Norm Breyfogle and was responsible for the introduction of several new characters into the Batman universe.

<i>Batman Eternal</i> Comics series

Batman Eternal is a year-long weekly limited series published by DC Comics, that began in April 2014. The series featured Batman, his allies, and Gotham City, with a writing team led by Scott Snyder, James Tynion IV, Ray Fawkes, Kyle Higgins, and Tim Seeley. John Layman was initially involved but departed after the tenth issue, being replaced by Higgins. The series ran through April 2015, after which it took a hiatus before returning in October 2015 for a 26-issue weekly sequel series titled Batman and Robin Eternal, celebrating the 75th anniversary of Robin. The success of the series led to spin-off series like Arkham Manor and Gotham by Midnight, both of which emerged from events within the main series of Batman Eternal.

<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.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Scarecrow in other media</span> DC character Scarecrow in other media

The Scarecrow, a supervillain in DC Comics and an adversary of the superhero Batman, has been adapted in various forms of media, including films, television series, and video games. The character has been portrayed in film by Cillian Murphy in The Dark Knight Trilogy, and in television by Charlie Tahan and David W. Thompson in the Fox series Gotham, and Vincent Kartheiser in the HBO Max streaming series Titans. Henry Polic II, Jeffrey Combs, Dino Andrade, John Noble, Robert Englund, and others have provided the Scarecrow's voice in animation and video games.

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.

Jeremiah Arkham is a fictional supervillain and the head of the Arkham Asylum in DC Comics, created by Alan Grant. Arkham was created in 1992, and slowly "lost his mind" during his time in the Arkham Asylum, subsequently becoming the second Black Mask. Though described as a sadist, Arkham seems to believe his intentions are for the benefit of his patients.

References

  1. ↑ Greenberger, Robert (2008). The Essential Batman Encyclopedia. Del Rey. pp. 346–347. ISBN   9780345501066.
  2. ↑ Batman #226. DC Comics.
  3. ↑ Rovin, Jeff (1987). The Encyclopedia of Supervillains. New York: Facts on File. p. 339. ISBN   0-8160-1356-X.
  4. ↑ Cowsill, Alan; Irvine, Alex; Manning, Matthew K.; McAvennie, Michael; Wallace, Daniel (2019). DC Comics Year By Year: A Visual Chronicle. DK Publishing. p. 135. ISBN   978-1-4654-8578-6.
  5. ↑ Batman #231. DC Comics.
  6. ↑ Man-Bat #1-2. DC Comics.
  7. ↑ Crisis on Infinite Earths #12. DC Comics.
  8. ↑ Animal Man #23. DC Comics.
  9. ↑ Batman Eternal #15. DC Comics.
  10. ↑ Batman (vol. 3) #14. DC Comics.
  11. ↑ Batman Eternal #19. DC Comics.
  12. ↑ Batman Eternal #20. DC Comics.
  13. ↑ Batman Eternal #44. DC Comics.
  14. ↑ Arkham City: The Order of the World #1-6. DC Comics.
  15. ↑ Detective Comics #1074 (November 2023). DC Comics.
  16. ↑ "Detective Comics #1074 review". 26 September 2023.
  17. ↑ Batman #675 (April 2008). DC Comics.
  18. ↑ Teen Titans Go! #9. DC Comics.
  19. ↑ The Batman & Scooby-Doo Mysteries #12. DC Comics.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.