Wrath (comics)
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| Image:Wrathcomics.gifCover to Batman Special #1. Art by Michael Golden. | ||||||||||||||||||
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Wrath is a fictional comic book supervillain from the DC Comics universe. He is a member of Batman's rogues gallery, and like Killer Moth, he operates in Gotham City as an "anti-Batman".
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[edit] Publication history
The character was created by Mike W. Barr (writer) and Michael Golden (artist) and made his debut in a story titled "The Player on the Other Side", published in Batman Special #1 (1984). The story was named after an essay by Aldous Huxley that goes by the same title.
[edit] Fictional character biography
The Wrath's appearance, as well as his origin story and the motives behind his actions, are reminiscent of those of Batman, but with notable differences. The parallels/reversals include: whereas Batman's parents were shot by a mugger in front of him when he was only a kid, the Wrath's parents - a couple of burglars - were shot by a young policeman who mistook them for committing a robbery when in fact they were crawling out of a window to "skip out" on paying their rent the same night of (June 26th); whereas Bruce Wayne dedicated his life to a crusade against crime in reaction to this traumatic experience, the Wrath for his part started a campaign of revenge against law and law-enforcers when he had grown up; whereas Bruce Wayne became a vigilante, the burglars' son became a professional assassin (who, unlike Batman, has no qualms about killing or using firearms); The Wrath (like Batman) distinguishes himself for perfection and obsession in what he does and wears a costume that is very similar to Batman's (though colored in crimson and purple with a W-insignia on the chest and cowl).
When the Wrath, who for years had traveled the world to work as a gun for hire, finally returns to Gotham City to kill the man who had shot his parents (who is none other than James Gordon, Batman's ally and commissioner of the Gotham City Police), a clash with Batman becomes inevitable. In the course of their impersonal battle of wits (only for their initial encounter), the Wrath learns of Batman's secret identity as Bruce Wayne and proceeds to attack several of his friends: Alfred is hospitalized, and Leslie Thompkins is taken hostage by the Wrath.
In the end, the Wrath dies when he falls from the roof of a building in Park Row where he was caught in a fire he himself had started during his showdown with Batman.
Batman Confidential #13-16 featured a new post-Crisis Wrath story by Tony Bedard and Rags Morales.
[edit] Other media
The Wrath will make his first appearance in season five of The Batman. He will have a Robin-like partner named Scorn. [1]
