Just off the top of my head, there’s Scarecrow, Ivy, Harley, Hugo Strange, Kirk Langstrom, and I think I read that Freeze had his revoked.
Batman is the world’s greatest detective. His villains need to compete on an intellectual level, and in fiction a doctorate is short-hand for “smart” and “an expert in the field.”
Good point. I suppose there are only so many Killer Crocs and Solomon Grundys you can have before he’s just abusing guys with learning disabilities.
My favorite moment from the old Batman animated show was when the rogues were sitting around telling their stories about how they almost got Batman. Actually, I wouldn’t do it justice, just watch it here:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2UUr7bM1A6s
Of course there’s a twist at the end that changes the moment a bit, but it was still hilarious.
That episode is both one of my favorite pieces of Batman media ever, and also an excellent example of both a “lower decks” episode and a vignette episode. Absolute gem of the whole series.
I love when the goon sees Batman in a room and walks right the fuck back out like he saw nothing.
“Something goin’ on in there?”
“Nope.”
It was a big rock.
Never forgot that episode.
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So it’s about a billionaire punishing intellectuals who want to reshape society?
I feel like Bruce Wayne could save Batman a lot of work with the right investments in social programs…
As I understand it, Bruce already spends a lot of money helping Gotham, but the city is so corrupt it’s slow going.
That’s how I’ve seen people explain it. Like everyone who has access to the funds is basically taking a bit for themselves. And if not, then almost everyone is incredibly easy to bribe or pay off somehow.
Basically Gotham is corrupt to the absolute core (think every facet of city government, all the bureaucrats and city workers and such) and the League was right to have a plan to wipe it off the map.
There are also multiple lazarus pits under the city contaminating the drinking water, the pits are known to cause mental instability, and the city might be cursed.
The city is absolutely cursed. Wasn’t it originally built on or near a native American burial ground or something? Or is that just Grundy and his swamp?
Plus the multiple Lazarus pit thing.
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If it’s in America, it’s built on an Indian burial ground.
A billionaire beating up a bunch of starving postdocs!
Fuck. Elon is the hero we deserve.
A deeply traumatized sociopath trust fund billionaire that keeps bullying the scientists who only want to save the planet.
Yup, that tracks.
Wait…
I’m doing a PhD right now. I understand.
Eye starts twitching in Uncle Ted
I think also Manbat?
To be fair, the only one of my friends with a PHD is also the most supervillain-y.
the only one of my friends with a PHD is also the most supervillain-y.
I can’t name anyone I know with PhD but I do know a lot of medical doctors and students. Bro those people are just built different. Looking at my sister she seems like a superhuman with how she’s juggling work, studying and still managing to be the “mom-core” at home that keeps their family running. Huge respect for her, but she could for sure make a good supervillain
Yep, Man-Bat is Kirk Langstrom. I wasn’t sure which name was more recognizable.
He doesn’t have a doctorate but Joker is stated to be an expert chemist almost on par with Scarecrow, just different focuses.
Ra’s Al Ghul is 600 years old, a master of multiple martial arts and languages, has first-hand knowledge of all kinds of history, and is the leader of the League of Shadows.
And I’d be willing to throw most supernatural villains in the list too.
It’s not the intelligence I find as interesting as the formal education prior to villainy.
I just remembered Hush.
Tom Elliot was one of Bruce’s childhood friends, but always kind of a psychopath. He set up his parents murder, and then used his inheritance to go to medical school and become a master surgeon.
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My spouse likes to remind me that I’m one bad lab accident away from becoming a super villain. He’s not wrong.
So what would be Ben Carson’s schtick be?
Something about lobotomizing Jim Gordon and the Mayor to take over the city. His hideout would have to be an incredibly conspicuous pyramid in which he stores grain, so I guess the theme should lean into that.
“Dr. Pharaoh”, maybe? He dresses like a pharaoh but he has a surgeons mask, stethoscope, and that old timey mirror on a headband. He throws scalpels much like Batman does batarangs, and has goons dressed like Egyptian royal servants who carry him on a palanquin.
Hello Warner Bros hire this person right now
That was back before degrees were financed with tax payer money.
Not in the US. Have you seen the cost of higher education?
Continue the thought to its natural conclusion: That was back before degrees were financed with tax payer money… which allowed people to fall into indentured servitude with debilitating repayment schemes that most will carry until they die. Pros: Someone way smarter than you is making your coffee, waiting on you, driving you around, and delivering your packages. Cons: Society doesn’t actually get to benefit from the advanced degree it fronted the money for.
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