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|real name= Edgar Heed |
|real name= Edgar Heed |
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|Appearance=''[[Batman (TV series)]]''<br>''[[Batman: Shadow of the Bat 3|Batman: Shadow of the Bat #3]]'' (August, 1992) |
|Appearance=''[[Batman (TV series)]]''<br>''[[Batman: Shadow of the Bat 3|Batman: Shadow of the Bat #3]]'' (August, 1992) |
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| − | |affiliation= |
+ | |affiliation= [[The Riddler]] (formerly), [[The Bookworm]] |
|actor= [[Vincent Price]] - [[Batman (TV series)]] |
|actor= [[Vincent Price]] - [[Batman (TV series)]] |
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|Abilities= None |
|Abilities= None |
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}} |
}} |
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| − | '''Egghead''' was a villain created for the [[Batman (1960s series)|1960s Batman television series]]. The character was identifiable by his pale bald head and white and yellow suit. He believed himself to be "the world's smartest criminal," and his crimes would usually have an egg-motif to them as well as including egg puns in his speech where appropriate such as "egg-zactly" and "egg-cellent." Additionally, he would use a wide assortment of egg-shaped weapons, such as laughing gas eggs and tear gas eggs (laid by chickens on a diet of onions) |
+ | '''Egghead''' was a villain created for the [[Batman (1960s series)|1960s Batman television series]]. The character was identifiable by his pale bald head and white and yellow suit. He believed himself to be "the world's smartest criminal," and his crimes would usually have an egg-motif to them as well as including egg puns in his speech where appropriate such as "egg-zactly" and "egg-cellent." Additionally, he would use a wide assortment of egg-shaped weapons, such as laughing gas eggs and tear gas eggs (laid by chickens on a diet of onions). |
| + | |||
| + | Egghead was first referenced in the DC Universe by 1989's ''Secret Origins Special'' #1 as a long-forgotten villain who used to associate with [[the Riddler]]. He surfaced briefly in ''[[Batman: Shadow of the Bat 3|Batman: Shadow of the Bat #3]]'' (1992) and made a second cameo appearance in ''[[Gotham Academy (Volume 1) Issue 15|Gotham Academy #15]]'' (2016). The character has also been the focus of at least one issue in the non-canon ''Batman '66'' comic series. |
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==History== |
==History== |
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| + | Little is known of Egghead's background and origins, barring his former association with the Riddler and clique of other villains introduced to the mainstream DC Universe by the 1960s television series such as [[King Tut]], [[the Bookworm]], and [[Marsha, Queen of Diamonds]]. When visited in his old age by a television crew inquiring about his origin story, the Riddler recalls Egghead with fondness and notes somewhat theatrically that he hasn't seen him in a while. |
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| − | After an unrecorded encounter with Batman, the villain known as Egghead seemed to have been driven insane by his failures, and was committed to Arkham Asylum. He arrived there under the supervision of the new administrator, Jeremiah Arkham, the nephew of the institution's founder, the insane [[Amadeus Arkham]]. Jeremiah administered new renovations for Arkham Asylum, ordering the workers to burn the old files and needless refuse. Jeremiah also installed stringent new security measures at Arkham Asylum. New cameras were added, security guards posted along every hallway, and a state-of-the art microwave motion detector was placed outside each cell. |
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| + | Egghead's fate was unknown until the ''Shadow of the Bat'' story arc in 1992, which saw [[Arkham Asylum]] demolished and reconstructed by [[Jeremiah Arkham]]. When Arkham reopened its doors, Egghead was one of several inmates imprisoned in the new facility. Unknown to most of the asylum staff, Jeremiah was being secretly manipulated by serial killer [[Victor Zsasz]]. When Batman infiltrated Arkham in an attempt to prove Zsasz was escaping and committing crimes by night, Jeremiah trapped him there as part of an intense psychiatric study. Zsasz proposed that all Batman's hated enemies be unleashed to break him physically and mentally, insisting that Jeremiah would then have the respect of his patients. |
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| − | Meanwhile, the police investigated several bloody murders in Gotham City. Batman recognizes the handiwork being similar to that of serial killer [[Victor Zsasz]]. Consulting with Commissioner [[James Gordon]], they both decide to take a ride out to Arkham Asylum to verify that Zsasz is still incarcerated. After finding him still safely inside his cell, they entertain the notion that a copycat killer might be responsible for the deaths, but Batman hasn't ruled Zsasz out as a suspect. Suspecting Zsasz, Batman arranges for a reluctant Gordon to have him framed for the murder of police detective [[Stan Kitch]] to get him placed in Arkham Asylum. Delighted by the turn of events, Jeremiah Arkham becomes convinced that through his therapeutic techniques, he will convince Batman to willingly unmask his true identity and abandon his life as the Dark Knight of Gotham, trapping him inside one of the asylum's padded cells as part of an intense psychiatric study. Jeremiah also deems Batman responsible for the insanity and evil of his patients. Unknown to everybody else however, Mr. Zsasz was secretly manipulating Jeremiah, playing him as a pawn. Even though orderlies check Batman's cell every fifteen minutes, the Dark Knight uses a cleverly-concealed lockpick to get free and hack into Jeremiah's office to find any evidence incriminating him or linking him to Zsasz. After tripping an alarm and being recaptured by an army of attendants and dragged back to his cell, Batman was strung from the ceiling in his cell by his wrists to prevent further escape. Meanwhile, Zsasz tells Jeremiah that if he can break Batman psychically and mentally, then the other inmates will respect and submit to him. Jeremiah is manipulated into thinking that breaking Batman's spirit would make a difference with his patients, and under Zsasz's advice, utilizes the hulking mental patient [[Amygdala]] to try and attack Batman. Two orderlies throw Batman into a padded therapy room, where a spotlight is beamed on him, revealing Egghead and the other asylum's inmates on the other side of the room beyond a glass wall. Jeremiah had rounded up the various villains and placed them there in order to further humiliate Batman. While most of the villains appeared to have been given their regular costumes to wear during the viewing, Egghead and at least four others remained in their inmate uniforms. Jeremiah then told Batman through a loudspeaker, "You have sinned, Batman. You have broken the rules of the establishment. It is necessary that you be taught a lesson. What you are going to learn is humiliation." As the villains began to jeer Batman, Jeremiah shouted at them: "Silence! This is a scientific demonstration, not a public spectacle! Let it begin...!" With that, Jeremiah released the berserk Amygdala into the therapy room. Batman was reluctant to battle gladiator-style an opponent who was truly ill, but the raging Amygdala seized Batman and pounded his head relentlessly into the floor. Kicking the beast off him, Batman said furiously, "I told you, friend....I don't want to fight you--but that doesn't mean I stand still and take a beating!" Batman then battered Amygdala to his knees and managed to subdue him. As Egghead and the other patients began to jeer Batman again, he turned and shouted into a nearby security camera, "Satisfied now, Arkham? Or do you want to see more blood?!" Jeremiah was slightly taken aback by Batman's defeat of Amygdala, but then replied, "I told you....this is strictly scientific! You have learned nothing, Batman! And I'm afraid that just won't do--It just won't do at all!" With that, Jeremiah pressed a button on his desk, which raised the glass wall dividing Batman from the villains, releasing them as he added, "It's time I let your enemies settle a few of their old scores!" [[The Joker]], [[Mad Hatter]], [[Scarecrow]], and [[Two-Face]] were among the first out of the room, but Egghead was on their heels, unable to stop a light grin from spreading out from under his moustache. On Scarecrow's heels, Egghead advanced toward Batman with [[Crazy Quilt]] at his side. Then, Jeremiah Arkham shouted, "Subdue him! Humiliate him! Teach him a lesson he will never forget!" The Joker, Scarecrow, [[Maxie Zeus]], [[Tweedledee]], [[Tweedledum]], [[the Riddler]], and [[Cornelius Stirk]] lunged for Batman, while Egghead and many of the other inmates took pleasure in standing back and watching as the violence began. Battered on the head by the Scarecrow, Batman hurled the lanky villain over his head and into Crazy Quilt, the Riddler, and [[Black Mask]]. Egghead presumptuously went out early in the fight and remained down for the rest of the battle. After kicking Tweedledee into [[Poison Ivy]] and punching [[Two-Face]], Batman broke free from the villains and knocked them all unconscious. The Joker remained, and asked if they could discuss this. Instead, Batman retaliated and punched the Clown Prince of Crime in the face. Jeremiah later went to Zsasz and told him that his plan had failed, since Batman was a trained fighter, and all Egghead and the others had was psychosis. He also noted that Batman wasn't humiliated, but mentally stronger than ever and it had Jeremiah who had been humiliated. Zsasz then mysteriously thanked Jeremiah after being told he had had Batman moved to a special punishment cell. Jeremiah went to talk to Batman, enraged that Batman had called him a 'maniac' in front of his patients. Batman demanded what kind of therapy was brute violence, and Jeremiah admitted that it was Zsasz's idea. After he had left, Batman pondered why Zsasz had wanted Egghead and the inmates to attack him. He contemplated why Zsasz would want him beaten up, but came to the realization that Zsasz knew that Egghead and "the rest of those losers" were not up to the task, and wanted Batman to beat them up instead so he could be moved to a special punishment cell. As it turns out, Zsasz was escaping the asylum through a tunnel daily to commit murders, and the tunnel ran by the wall to the special punishment cells. He couldn't resist gloating to Batman by tapping out a gleeful message in morse code on the wall of Batman's cell. |
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| + | Egghead and a number of other villains with known vendettas against Batman were later rounded up and allowed to observe the Dark Knight as he fought the hulking [[Amygdala]]. They were then released and urged to "settle their old scores". However, Batman defeated them with ease. Jeremiah later noted that the exercise was probably a mistake, since all Egghead and the other villains had going for them was psychosis. |
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| − | As for Egghead, he remained among the other villains beaten senseless on the floor of the therapy room, and he was presumptuously taken back to his cell by the Arkham staff. He has not been seen since and his status remained unknown. |
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| + | Batman later deduced that unleashing Egghead and "the rest of those losers" to attack him was part of an elaborate ruse by Zsasz, who anticipated he would defend himself and beat them unconscious. After the incident, he would be moved to an isolation block where Zsasz could taunt him by tapping on the walls of the cell as he made his nightly escape. |
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| − | ==Comic Book Status== |
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| ⚫ | Egghead has |
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| + | Egghead was presumably returned to his cell by the Arkham staff. |
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| + | |||
| + | ==Other appearances== |
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| + | |||
| ⚫ | Egghead has been rarely featured in other Batman media outside the 1960s television series. After ''The Last Arkham'' story arc he remained in obscurity. The character is likely considered a goofier element of Batman's past that would not fit well with the darker portrayal of the character currently favoured by DC Comics, and may cause confusion with the similar Marvel character of the same name. |
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| + | |||
| + | Outside the mainstream Batman continuity, Egghead has appeared in the sixteenth issue of ''[[Batman: The Brave and the Bold (Comic)|Batman: The Brave and the Bold]]'', which is based on the animated series of the same title. This Egghead is deeply, incurably insane and far less lucid than his live television appearance as portrayed by Vincent Price. While working with [[Wonder Woman]] to thwart his bizarre scheme to bring Egg-Fu to Earth, Batman dismisses him as "a madman". |
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| + | |||
| + | Egghead has also been featured in ''Batman '66'', a web-based comic inspired by the original television series. He made a brief cameo appearance in ''[[Gotham Academy (Volume 1) Issue 15|Gotham Academy]]'' #15 in the company of the Bookworm. |
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| + | |||
| + | Most recently, the character was referenced in ''All-Star Batman'' #2 as one of several assassins attempting to collect a bounty on Batman's head. |
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==In Other Media== |
==In Other Media== |
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| ⚫ | |||
===Television=== |
===Television=== |
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====''Batman (1960s series)''==== |
====''Batman (1960s series)''==== |
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====''Batman: The Brave and the Bold''==== |
====''Batman: The Brave and the Bold''==== |
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| ⚫ | *Egghead appears in the animated [[Batman: The Brave and the Bold]] episode "Day of the Dark Knight!" trying to escape Iron Heights along with fellow inmates King Tut, [[Imposter Mad Hatter]], [[Archer]], Bookworm, [[False Face]], [[Black Widow]], [[Siren]], Marsha the Queen of Diamonds, [[Louie the Lilac]], [[Ma Parker]], and [[Shame]]. Egghead and the other villains were stopped by Batman and [[Green Arrow]]. He later appears in "[[Mayhem of the Music Meister]]"! as one of the many villains imprisoned at the local penitentiary. |
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| ⚫ | |||
| + | |||
| ⚫ | *Egghead appears in the animated [[Batman: The Brave and the Bold]] episode "Day of the Dark Knight!" trying to escape Iron Heights along with fellow inmates King Tut, [[Imposter Mad Hatter]], [[Archer]], |
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| + | ====''The Lego Batman Movie''==== |
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| − | *In issue 16 of the comic book spinoff, titled '''Egg Hunt or: The Evil of Egghead''', Batman and Wonder Woman team up to foil Egghead's plans to summon Egg-Fu to Earth. |
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| + | A Lego version of Egghead makes cameos in the film alongside the other Batman villains. One prominent appearance is when he egged the Bat Signal. He is based off the Vincent Price incarnation of the character. |
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[[Category:Villains]] |
[[Category:Villains]] |
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[[Category:Arkham Asylum patients]] |
[[Category:Arkham Asylum patients]] |
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Revision as of 02:38, 24 February 2017
Egghead was a villain created for the 1960s Batman television series. The character was identifiable by his pale bald head and white and yellow suit. He believed himself to be "the world's smartest criminal," and his crimes would usually have an egg-motif to them as well as including egg puns in his speech where appropriate such as "egg-zactly" and "egg-cellent." Additionally, he would use a wide assortment of egg-shaped weapons, such as laughing gas eggs and tear gas eggs (laid by chickens on a diet of onions).
Egghead was first referenced in the DC Universe by 1989's Secret Origins Special #1 as a long-forgotten villain who used to associate with the Riddler. He surfaced briefly in Batman: Shadow of the Bat #3 (1992) and made a second cameo appearance in Gotham Academy #15 (2016). The character has also been the focus of at least one issue in the non-canon Batman '66 comic series.
History
Little is known of Egghead's background and origins, barring his former association with the Riddler and clique of other villains introduced to the mainstream DC Universe by the 1960s television series such as King Tut, the Bookworm, and Marsha, Queen of Diamonds. When visited in his old age by a television crew inquiring about his origin story, the Riddler recalls Egghead with fondness and notes somewhat theatrically that he hasn't seen him in a while.
Egghead's fate was unknown until the Shadow of the Bat story arc in 1992, which saw Arkham Asylum demolished and reconstructed by Jeremiah Arkham. When Arkham reopened its doors, Egghead was one of several inmates imprisoned in the new facility. Unknown to most of the asylum staff, Jeremiah was being secretly manipulated by serial killer Victor Zsasz. When Batman infiltrated Arkham in an attempt to prove Zsasz was escaping and committing crimes by night, Jeremiah trapped him there as part of an intense psychiatric study. Zsasz proposed that all Batman's hated enemies be unleashed to break him physically and mentally, insisting that Jeremiah would then have the respect of his patients.
Egghead and a number of other villains with known vendettas against Batman were later rounded up and allowed to observe the Dark Knight as he fought the hulking Amygdala. They were then released and urged to "settle their old scores". However, Batman defeated them with ease. Jeremiah later noted that the exercise was probably a mistake, since all Egghead and the other villains had going for them was psychosis.
Batman later deduced that unleashing Egghead and "the rest of those losers" to attack him was part of an elaborate ruse by Zsasz, who anticipated he would defend himself and beat them unconscious. After the incident, he would be moved to an isolation block where Zsasz could taunt him by tapping on the walls of the cell as he made his nightly escape.
Egghead was presumably returned to his cell by the Arkham staff.
Other appearances
Egghead has been rarely featured in other Batman media outside the 1960s television series. After The Last Arkham story arc he remained in obscurity. The character is likely considered a goofier element of Batman's past that would not fit well with the darker portrayal of the character currently favoured by DC Comics, and may cause confusion with the similar Marvel character of the same name.
Outside the mainstream Batman continuity, Egghead has appeared in the sixteenth issue of Batman: The Brave and the Bold, which is based on the animated series of the same title. This Egghead is deeply, incurably insane and far less lucid than his live television appearance as portrayed by Vincent Price. While working with Wonder Woman to thwart his bizarre scheme to bring Egg-Fu to Earth, Batman dismisses him as "a madman".
Egghead has also been featured in Batman '66, a web-based comic inspired by the original television series. He made a brief cameo appearance in Gotham Academy #15 in the company of the Bookworm.
Most recently, the character was referenced in All-Star Batman #2 as one of several assassins attempting to collect a bounty on Batman's head.
In Other Media
Egghead on Batman: The Brave and the Bold.
Television
Batman (1960s series)
- See Egghead (Vincent Price)
Batman: The Brave and the Bold
- Egghead appears in the animated Batman: The Brave and the Bold episode "Day of the Dark Knight!" trying to escape Iron Heights along with fellow inmates King Tut, Imposter Mad Hatter, Archer, Bookworm, False Face, Black Widow, Siren, Marsha the Queen of Diamonds, Louie the Lilac, Ma Parker, and Shame. Egghead and the other villains were stopped by Batman and Green Arrow. He later appears in "Mayhem of the Music Meister"! as one of the many villains imprisoned at the local penitentiary.
The Lego Batman Movie
A Lego version of Egghead makes cameos in the film alongside the other Batman villains. One prominent appearance is when he egged the Bat Signal. He is based off the Vincent Price incarnation of the character.