Secret Origins Special #1 was the first behind the scenes looks at the origins of some of the main members of Batman's Rogue's Gallery of villains. This one featuring three members of the Rogues Gallery: The Penguin, The Riddler, and Two-Face. It was divided into 3 separate sections for each villain.
Synopsis[]
"Original Sin"[]
A filmcrew comes to Gotham City with the intent of making a documentary on all of its "costumed menaces," and trying to show their human sides. Although they are immediately warned by Batman, they continue with their venture and attempt to find suitable interviewees. Although they are unable to find many, largely because Arkham Asylum refuses to let anyone film inside anymore, they do get several successful interviews. They turn down the Scarecrow, who wants to do an academic lecture about fear, and despite their best efforts, they are unable to find the Joker. They interview an old henchman of the Penguin's, The Riddler, and Grace Dent, Harvey Dent (Two-Face)'s ex-wife. Although some of them do take it seriously, they largely see the project as more a piece of commercial artwork that could make their names, than a study about real people. As they do their closing segment on the streets of Gotham City, the lead reporter's face begins to turn into a twisted grin, and he starts laughing hysterically. The Joker, having made his appearance in the documentary, walks calmly past him down the sidewalk.
"The Killing Peck"[]
The Penguin kidnaps a mobster being transferred into Gotham City from Chicago to attend his father's funeral. The mobster is a thug named "Sharkey," who has very sharp metal teeth, and apparently used to bully the Penguin in grade school. Batman is on the Penguin's trail. The Penguin brutalizes Sharkey by force feeding him fish and caviar, covering him in fish paste and even welding his teeth together while he retells him their story.
When Oswald Cobblepot had been a young boy, Sharkey had been the first person to call him "Penguin" for his funny appearance. Sharkey would cover him in fish during lunches, and beat him up with his own umbrella. At a Halloween party, Sharkey forced the Penguin to strip down and switch costumes with a much smaller kid who had been wearing a tuxedo, turning him for the first time into a "real penguin." Young Oswald's one comfort was his books, and the birds in his family's birdshop, his only true friends. Although he had long resigned himself to being the "runt" of the litter, looking down one day at some hatchlings Cobblepot saw the tiniest and weakest bird of all let out a roaring noise that frightened all of his siblings. From then on, he knew he could overcome. Oswald took boxing lessons and martial arts lessons, and weight trained for months in secret. Finally, when he was ready, he confronted Sharkey, and punched his teeth out. When he returned home that night, feeling triumphant, he found that Sharkey and his gang had murdered every single one of his precious birds.
After significantly torturing him, the Penguin takes Sharkey to the zoo, where Batman finally catches up with him. The Penguin pushes a greased up Sharkey into the tiger pit, where Batman is barely able to save his life. The Penguin escapes the scene, and Batman carries Sharkey off to the hospital, confused but not too concerned about it.
"When is a Door?: The Secret Origin of The Riddler"[]
The Riddler mentions other criminals.
To be added
Untitled[]
An impressive multilayered exploration of the psychology of Two-Face as his estranged wife, Mrs. Grace Dent, is a guest on a talk show as she fleshes out his background (his parents died in a boating accident when he was young, so he became obsessed with the law, parallelling his origins with those of Batman) and tells her side of a recent story involving her husband. Mrs. Dent narrates the tale of a prisoner named Dalton Perry, who was one of Harvey Dent's final convictions as District Attorney and served his entire eight-year sentence in solitary confinement, nursing his grudge against Harvey. Upon release, Perry storms the old Dent house where Grace still lived and prepares to burn down the house with her in it, but Two-Face finally crashes in and saves the day after some soul-searching. Pretty heartbreaking ending, with the Dents' reunion short-lived thanks to the coin and yet both still yearning for each other, as Grace believes that one day Harvey will come back to her and leave Two-Face behind.
Appearances[]
"Original Sin"[]
Individuals[]
- Steve Jones (Only appearance; dies)
- Kathy (Only appearance)
- Nat (Only appearance)
- Helene (Only appearance)
- Batman
- Nehemiah "Knuckles" O'Rourke (Only appearance)
- Grace Dent
- The Joker (Cameo)
Locations[]
Items[]
"The Killing Peck"[]
Individuals[]
- The Penguin
- Batman
- "Sharkey" (Only appearance)
- Nehemiah "Knuckles" O'Rourke
Locations[]
Items[]
Vehicles[]
"When is a Door?: The Secret Origin of The Riddler"[]
Individuals[]
- The Riddler
- Steve Jones
- Kathy
- Nat
- Helene
Locations[]
- Gotham City
- Giant Prop Warehouse
Untitled[]
Individuals[]
- Two-Face
- Grace Dent
- Batman
- Dalton Perry (Only appearance)
- Sal Maroni (Cameo)