Carmine Falcone was an infamous crime lord and mafia don operating in Gotham. One of the most powerful criminals in the city, he ran the city through vast amounts of power supplied through Thomas Wayne's charitable Gotham Renewal Program. Falcone and his allies were the main targets for the serial killer Riddler, during which he came into investigation by the vigilante Batman.
Biography[]
Criminal Career[]
Carmine Falcone was primarily active in the East Side and Tricorner areas of Gotham City. By the time of Bruce Wayne's childhood, he was a prominent member in the Falcone Crime Syndicate and rivals with Salvatore Maroni. Falcone frequently visited the underground club 44 Below, possibly even managing the business himself. During this period, he had a relationship with club waitress Maria Kyle, with whom he fathered an illegitimate daughter Selina. Falcone was aware of Selina's parentage and showed affection towards her, though she was not aware of their relation until she was older. A few years later, Falcone murdered Maria by strangulation, successfully covering up the crime and not getting involved when Selina was taken into social services.
At some point, Carmine received a gunshot wound and went to Dr. Thomas Wayne for surgery at his own home. During the operation the dining room table, Falcone noticed Bruce Wayne watching. During Thomas' mayoral campaign, reporter Edward Elliot found out that Thomas' wife Martha had a history of mental illness. After multiple failed attempts to bribe him, Carmine was approached by the despirate billionaire to threaten the reporter and "put the fear of God in him". Falcone subsequently killed the reporter, eager to have Wayne in his debt. According to Alfred Pennyworth, Thomas was instead grief ridded by the event and threatened to inform the police of his activities. However, both he and his wife were shot dead in what appeared to be a botched robbery. It was suggested that Falcone may have arranged it to stop Wayne from notifying the authorities, though he implied that it was instead arranged by Maroni to get rid of a potential ally.
Exploitation of Renewal[]
Following Thomas' murder, Falcone was amongst the mobsters and corrupt politicians who gained access to his charitable Gotham Renewal Program. Rather than use it for the good of the city, he and other criminals used it to the funds to discreet bribe officials on their payroll and launder money they'd made though their criminal activities. Falcone used it to bribe officials in his pocket such as Mayor Don Mitchell Jr., GCPD Commissioner Pete Savage, and District Attorney Gil Colson.
As time went on, Falcone became more intent on taking over the Renewal Program to aide his crime syndicate further. Ten years prior to Batman's operations, he worked with his to arrange the fall of his rival in a sting operation. Using information about his Drops operation, he acted as an informant to the investigations and provided enough evidence to Maroni. He then acquired Maroni's resources through his connections to the Renewal program, keeping them running whilst Maroni was convicted and imprisoned. After this, Falcone was left as Gotham's kingpin, working alongside the people he'd helped to install them as his own puppets and control the city. Through the Renewal Program, he was able to run Gotham from the shadows whilst keeping the GCPD and authorities from investigating.
Falcone employed criminals and corrupt officials to run several operations for him, including Oswald Cobblepot and Richard Stone. He was feared not only for his direct power, but also for having a reputation for going after syndicate members of those who challenged his authority or informed on his activities. At least one thug indicated he disposed of traitors bodies by feeding them to an alligator hidden in a nearby animal rescue shelter. Despite his power, Falcone live reclusively in the Shoreline Lofts, remaining bound in a penthouse overlooking the Gotham Bridge. He seemed to seek company from waitresses at his club, including Carla Diaz. Falcone was also acquainted with Selina when she began working at the Iceberg Lounge, though was unaware that she was his daughter due to her using a false identity.
The Batman[]
Murdering Annika Kosolov[]
When Mitchell was murdered by a serial killer called the Riddler, Falcone began working to clear up loose ends connecting him and the mayor. During the following night, he had several men, including GCPD informant William Kenzie, break into the the apartment of Annika Kosolov, a waitress at 44 Below who served as Mitchell's mistress.
Arriving to find her in a panic-ridden state, Falcone calmed her down and chastised Kenzie for his approach. After Annika settled, he asked whether the mayor had told her anything about their operations. After she told him that Mitchell had passed on knowledge that he'd been involved in the Maroni bust, Falcone strangled Kosolov to death. After learning she'd recorded their conversation in a voicemail to her roommate, he had Kenzie and several other men to ransack the apartment to recover Kyle's phone, which had been left on the scene as she broke into Mitchell's residence. Falcone left disposal of Kosolov's body to Kenzie, though this would not occur until several nights later.
The following night, Falcone visited the 44 Below alongside Penguin and several of his men. During it, he noticed an argument between Diaz and Kyle. As Penguin interrupted the fight, Falcone met with Kyle and tried to comfort her, noting she hadn't visited the club in a while. Unknown to him, the conversation was witnessed by Batman through contact lenses Selina was wearing.
Don Mitchell's Funeral[]
Despite his reclusive nature, Falcone was among the attenders at Mitchell's funeral at City Hall. Accompanied by Diaz, he arrived with several members of the Syndicate for protection, including Penguin. After being told it was safe, Falcone and Diaz made their way to the entrance, only to be interrupted when Penguin and his men seized a man approaching them. Falcone instantly recognized him as Bruce Wayne, identifying him to Cobblepot and telling his men to release him. As they talked, Falcone recalled his surgery by his father and asked the billionaire if that meant something. He was amused at the response that Thomas had "taken the Hippocratic Oath", still laughing at the response whilst Bruce excused himself. It is unclear whether Falcone was present when Gil Colson drove his car into the event on Riddler's order, though was unharmed by the event.
Confrontation with Wayne[]
In the following days, information about Falcone's association with Thomas Wayne were released by the Riddler. These included the mobster's involvement in the murder of Elliot to cover up Martha Wayne's history with mental health. On the night after the allegations were made public, Falcone held a meeting at his penthouse with his lieutenants to discuss a recent attack by Batman and Catwoman, playing a game of pool to distract during it. Midway through, Bruce arrived to confront him on the allegations made against his parents. Having expected him to come, Falcone dismissed his men and other to allow them to talk privately.
As he continued to play, Falcone related to Bruce how allegations made by Riddler were true. He revealed that Thomas had attempted to bribe Elliot into keeping his reports a secret, claiming he was paranoid that it would affect his Mayoral campaign. Falcone also explained that Thomas had approached him in desperation, asking him to "put the fear of God in him". He then claimed that threating Elliot was unsuccessful, forcing him to kill him to finish the job for Thomas. Knowing that Bruce had previously looked at his father as a "boy scout", Falcone explained that he'd been driven to him by fear. He then alleged that Elliot was in Maroni's pocket, suggesting that he'd arranged it as a smear tactic against his parents and he'd arranged their murder to get rid of a potential. Given his reputation, it is likely every claim Falcone made in the conversation, no matter how truthful it was, was an attempt to get Bruce under his influence and expand his resources following the Riddler's murders of his allies.
Brought into the Light[]
The following night, Falcone was visited by Selina under the pretense of asking for his help in locating Annika. Allowing her into his penthouse, Falcone tried to comfort her as she feigned concern and worry about her friend's fate. During the meeting, one of his men interrupted to conversation to get his attention to a GCN report. Despite wanting to continue with Kyle, Falcone obliged and learned that a recording of Annika's murder had been released to the press by Lt. Gordon. This also revealed his role as the Rat in the Maroni Drug Bust.
As he was watched in horror, Selina gained Falcone's attention by calling him "dad", holding him at gunpoint. At first despondent, he learned she was Maria Kyle's daughter, leading him to realize she was his daughter. Falcone tried to talk Selina out of killing him, but she vowed revenge for murdering her mother and Annika. As she took her first shot, the lights went out, allowing him to slip away.
Using furniture as cover, Falcone was able to avoid Selina's subsequent shots. He also used her struggle with Vinnie to slip behind her. As Selina approached what she believed to be his hiding spot, Falcone attacked her with a pool cue and managed to overpower her. During the struggle, she scratched his face with her fingernails, forcing him to grab her neck. As he strangled Selina, Falcone claimed he he was forced to do this and claimed he'd also done this under similar circumstances to her mother. However, Batman arrived and pulled Falcone, proceeding to subdue him before he could kill her. After talking Kyle out of killing him, the vigilante then took the mobster into custody.
As he was led out through the Iceberg Lounge, Falcone tried to mock Batman's efforts. He also claimed that he held vital information, trying to incentivize the vigilante to protect him. Noticing Gordon waiting at the entrance to the club, Falcone tried to claim his influence of the GCPD to get out. However, the lieutenant revealed a force of police waiting for him, indicating that he didn't own the entire force. As he was handcuffed by one of them, Falcone was placed under arrest. As he was read his rights, he noticed Selina watching, having finally achieved vengeance for his effects on her life.
Death[]
During the arrest, Penguin arrived on the scene and publicly confronted Falcone on his role as a rat. As his formerly lacky gave thinly veiled threats to having him assassinated at Blackgate, he simply mocked Cobblepot for this and insulted him. This prompted Penguin to raise his uzi to shoot Falcone, during which a gunshot was heard. Batman tackled Falcone to the ground to protect him from Penguin, with other officers covering the mobster. However, Falcone had been shot and died seconds later under the vigilante's watch.
It was quickly discovered that Riddler had shot him from an apartment overlooking the street. Falcone's body was left as Batman and the GCPD chased after the serial killer, with Kyle briefly glancing it before leaving the scene. After his death, Falcone's Syndicate either disbanded in or fell under the leadership of Cobblepot.
Appearances[]
The Batman Saga[]
- The Batman (Dies)
- The Penguin
Tie-Ins and Spin-Offs[]
- Before the Batman: An Original Movie Novel
- The Riddler: Year One (Behind the Scenes)
- "Chapter 2: People Lie, Numbers Don't" (Mentioned only)
- "Chapter 5: Blinded by the Light" (Mentioned only)
- "Chapter 6: Judgement Day" (Mentioned only)
Behind the Scenes[]
A lot of Falcone's characterization was taken from his early appearances in Batman comics, including Batman: Year One and Batman: The Long Halloween. According to Matt Reeves, the character's depiction is similar to Noah Cross from the film Chinatown, which served as an influence for the film.[1]
Falcone's role as both a mob boss and informant were based on gangster Whitey Bulger, an Irish-American criminal who informed on other criminals to the FBI in return for them turning a blind eye to his own. Similar to Falcone, Bulger strangled a young woman who he believed would inform authorities of his activities. Matt Reeves cited the documentary film Whitey: United States of America v. James J. Bulger (which chronicles his trial and conviction) as one of the primary inspirations for Falcone's character.[2]
Notes[]
- The scratches Falcone receives from Selina mirrors similar ones she gave him in Batman: Year One.
- Carmine's description of a young Bruce watching him receive surgery from Dr. Thomas Wayne is a reference to a scene in Batman: The Long Halloween.
- Carmine's name is pronounced "Fal-coen" in the film while the surname is traditionally pronounced as "Fal-coe-nee".