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Salvatore Vincent "The Boss" Maroni was one of Batman's first enemies and among the toughest gangsters in Gotham City. Maroni is most famous for being the one who scarred Harvey Dent, setting the stage for the young attorney's transformation into Two-Face.

History

Pre-Crisis/Earth Two

Maroni

Maroni's first and only Pre-crisis appearance was in Detective Comics #66 (Aug. 1942) as "Boss" Moroni, a mobster on trial for the murder of a man named "Bookie" Benson. Harvey Dent, (who was named Harvey Kent in his first appearance and Pre-Crisis on Infinite Earths remained the identity of the first Earth-Two Two-Face), was the prosecutor at the trial. He called Batman as his first witness. During Batman's testimony Maroni called Batman a liar, leading Dent to show his proof, Maroni's lucky two-headed silver dollar found at the scene with Maroni's finger prints on it. Enraged, Maroni threw a vial of sulfuric acid at Dent, Batman jumped in the way, knocking Maroni out, but not before the acid struck Harvey Dent's face. He was later shot and killed by Two-Face in revenge, after which Two-Face surrendered and voluntarily went back into police custody.

Silver Age

During Silver Age recountings of Two-Face's origin, Maroni was left intact, but his name was changed to Morelli. Prior to COIE, Maroni returned in DC Superstars #14 and Batman #328 to 329. He survived an assassination attempt by a still-bitter Two-Face in the first story, but his legs were left paralyzed. In the latter story arc, he underwent plastic surgery and became Anton Karoselle to avoid attention. His first act was to murder Harvey's former wife Gilda Gold Dent's new husband Dave Stevens as part of his grudge against Dent sending him to prison in the first place. By the story's end, he is murdered by Two-Face.

Post-Crisis

Birth of Two-Face

Moroni's attack on Dent was first updated in The Eye of the Beholder for post-crisis canon. He was referred to as Vincent Moroni in court, which seemed to get retconned as his middle name in later appearances. Maroni also appeared and is featured prominently in the maxi-series Batman: The Long Halloween. He was retconned further into Batman's early days in the form of a major role in Matt Wagner's Batman and the Monster Men, where he has been involved in funding of Hugo Strange's experiments.

Maroni grew up in the privileged Maroni crime family, headed by his father Luigi "Big Lou" Maroni and he was the father to twin-sons named Pino and Umberto. In The Long Halloween, Maroni is the most powerful mobster next to Carmine Falcone who he works for in the Roman Empire, and both believe that serial killer Holiday (so named for assassinating mobsters on holidays) is working for the other (although they also think that Harvey Dent has something to do with the killer). Their business relationship becomes strained as a result. When his father is killed by Holiday, Maroni makes a deal with Dent to reveal all of Falcone's criminal activities, in exchange for leniency.

However, Maroni really plots to scar Dent, believing he is responsible for his father's death. Dent's assistant, Vernon Field, provides him prior to court with "stomach medicine" for a supposed ulcer. During the trial, Maroni throws acid into Dent's face, disfiguring him and changing him into Two-Face. Maroni takes two shots to the chest by the bailiff after getting into a tussle following the scarring, but he survives.

When he is moved out of his cell, Maroni was finally killed by Holiday, who is revealed to be Alberto Falcone, the rival crime boss' son who acted out against the family for wanting to make a name for himself.

In Other Media

Live-Action

Batman Forever

A mobster, referred to as "Boss Moroni", appears in a news report during the film, played by Dennis Paladino. Like Maroni, the character throws acid into the face of District Attorney Harvey Dent, leading to his transformation into Two-Face. Moroni does not appear during the film iteslf.

The Dark Knight

Maroni appears as one of the Gotham mob bosses during The Dark Knight, played by Eric Roberts. He is depicted as Carmine Falcone's successor and one of the prominent targets for Batman. During the film, Maroni hires the Joker to take down Batman alongside other mob bosses in the city. He is also partially responsible for the creation of Two-Face through corrupt cops on his payroll.

Gotham series

Maroni features during the first season of Gotham, played by David Zayas. He is depicted as one of Gotham's most prominent mobsters and a rival to Carmine Falcone. During the season, Maroni comes into conflict with Dt. Jim Gordon and hires Oswald Cobblepot in his organization. He later allies with Fish Mooney during its events.

The Batman franchise

Salvatore Maroni does not directly appear during the events of The Batman, but is briefly seen on a news report and played by an uncredited actor. During the film, it's revealed he was taken down through a set-up organized by Carmine Falcone and corrupt officials on his payroll. The character will appear in the spin-off HBO series The Penguin and will be played by Clancy Brown.

Animation

Batman: Gotham Knight

The Nolanverse version of Maroni features in the animated anthology Batman: Gotham Knight, voiced by Rob Paulsen. He is shown to be at war with a Gotham mobster called "the Russian", with their conflict being depicted in the segments Crossfire and Field Test.

Batman: The Killing Joke

Maroni features in the animated adaptation of the Batman: The Killing Joke, voiced by Rick D. Wasserman. The film depicts him as the uncle of Paris Franz, a low-level criminal who becomes obsessed with Batgirl. Maroni, along with Paris, is one of the original elements included in the film, having not featured in the original graphic novel.

Tomorrowverse

Maroni features in the two-parted animated adaptation of Batman: The Long Halloween, voiced by Jim Pirri. The film depicts him closely to the comics' events, though his manner of death is different from the events of the comic.

Video-Games

Batman: Arkham Series

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Batman standing outside Sal Maroni's Restaurant in the Bowery in Arkham City.

Maroni doesn't appear in any entries in the Arkham series. However, Batman: Arkham City features "Sal Maroni's Italian Restaurant" in The Bowery district of Arkham City. Scanning it reveals that Maroni and his organiztion were forced out of Gotham after most his crime family were wiped out by the Falcone. In Batman: Arkham Knight's Red Hood Story DLC, enemy chatter suggests that Maroni was ultimately murdered by the vigilante Red Hood prior to its events.

Notes

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