102-498: Professor Pyg is a supervillain who appears in comic books published by DC Comics , commonly as an adversary of the superhero Batman . Pyg was created by Grant Morrison , Andy Kubert , and Frank Quitely and debuted as a corpse in the alternate reality story Batman #666 (July 2007) before being introduced as a recurring character in the mainstream DC Universe two years later in Batman and Robin #1 (August 2009). Professor Pyg
204-555: A nickname for New York City that first became popular in the 19th century; Washington Irving had first attached it to New York in the November 11, 1807, edition of his Salmagundi , a periodical which lampooned New York culture and politics. Irving took the name from the English village of Gotham, Nottinghamshire , which was known for the Wise Men of Gotham story, a legendary incident where
306-519: A "special issue". Pyg holds Batman captive, as he recalls the mythical Pygmalion and considers how he psychologically mirrors Pyg. "Like the Pygmalion of myth, Lazlo fancies himself something of a sculptor—except he doesn't work in clay or marble, he's much more fascinated with transforming living human bodies... He has no real rhyme or reason for his crime. He's really only motivated by his art—there's no vendetta or plan or higher purpose. Pyg doesn't follow
408-529: A Gotham City in 2039, referred to as "Neo-Gotham". Gotham City was first shown in the Arrowverse as part of " Elseworlds ", a 2018 crossover storyline among the shows, which introduced Batwoman , although it had been referred to several times previously. In The Flash episode "Marathon", a map shows Gotham City in place of Chicago, Illinois. Themed lands meant to represent Gotham City have been physically constructed in several different theme parks around
510-514: A Gotham area resident's hometown as "Gotham Estates, NY ". In the episode "Avatar" , when Bruce Wayne leaves for England, a map shows Gotham City, at the joining of Long Island and the Hudson River. The episode "Fire from Olympus" shows a character's address in a police file indicating that Gotham City is located in New York state. The episode "The Mechanic" , however, implies that Gotham resides in
612-534: A Norwegian mercenary, before subsequently being taken over by the English; this parallels the history of New York City , which was founded by the Dutch as New Amsterdam before being conquered by England and renamed New York . During the American Revolutionary War , Gotham City was the site of a major battle between American and British forces (paralleling the real-life Battle of Long Island ). This
714-508: A boy. Pyg was adapted differently from the comics in the television series Beware the Batman ; developer Glen Murakami said, "it's not like we're trying to change it, but we only have 22 minutes to tell that story. The theme that we went in with Pyg and Toad was kind of Wind in the Willows , but they also became like a twisted [Sherlock] Holmes and Watson. It felt like it flowed, it felt like it had
816-431: A brief confrontation with Batman in the first issue. Carmine Falcone attempts to take over Gotham City's criminal underworld, initiating a gang war with Penguin . To provide a distraction, Falcone frames Batman for the destruction of Professor Pyg's laboratory. Angry his work has been destroyed, Pyg sends his remaining Dollotrons to assault Batman, who persuades Pyg that Falcone was responsible. Pyg retaliates by destroying
918-580: A cross between 1930s Manhattan and the "Neo-Tokyo" of Akira . Ling cited " neon-ridden Tokyo and the Machine Age as her influences, describing her Gotham as "like a World's Fair on ecstasy ." When Batman is pursuing Two-Face in Batman Forever , the chase ends at Lady Gotham, the fictional equivalent of the Statue of Liberty . During Mr. Freeze's attempt to freeze Gotham in the film Batman & Robin ,
1020-507: A man named Atkins. In the wake of Bane's takeover of the city, a man named Dunch served as mayor, and in the aftermath of the Joker War, anti-vigilante mayoral candidate Christopher Nakano wins election in a landslide. In multiple episodes of the 1960s live-action Batman television series , Batman is seen consulting a transparent lucite map of Gotham, which was actually an inverted map of St. Louis . The live-action TV series Gotham
1122-493: A mirror image to James Gordon, who also wants to end corruption in the Gotham City Police Department . Pyg spells his name with a "y" as an homage to Pygmalion and because he wants to remake Gotham City in his own image. He also wants to make Gordon into a better version of himself; according to Cerveris, "He is almost looking at Gordon as an ally, like 'I'm on your side, Jim'. And Jim is saying, 'No, you're actually
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#17328523026051224-581: A monster who wants to make everything and everyone 'perfect,' as he sees it". On the DC Comics website, journalist Meg Downey notes parallels between Professor Pyg's view of his Dollotrons and the Greek mythological figure Pygmalion , who carved a statue of a woman out of ivory that was so realistic and beautiful he fell in love with his creation. Morrison referred to the character's experiments to force biology to conform to his will as an "attempt to dominate and redefine
1326-464: A pattern or even build up to a punchline. He's not really angling for pure chaos like the Joker , but he's also not systematic like Victor Zsasz . He just wants to spread his own twisted idea of "perfection" in his work, no matter the cost." — Meg Downey, in a DC Comics editorial Professor Pyg is usually characterized in comic books as someone who is suffering from severe mental illness. Professor Pyg
1428-657: A section themed after Gotham City, including rides based on Batman, the Riddler and the Scarecrow as well as a walk-through attraction called "The Joker's Funhouse." The park and its Gotham City section were designed by Thinkwell Group . DC characters as they appear in both the attractions themselves as well as through live performers feature costumes based on The New 52 comic book relaunch from 2011. The Gotham City section neighbors another section themed after Metropolis , home of Superman . Batman (1989) director Tim Burton wanted
1530-539: A sociopath'. So it works in many ways as a seduction on Pyg's part as he tries to pull (Jim) in." In early episodes of Gotham , Pyg claims to have suffered at the hands of Gotham City's elite, implying a troubled past for the Pyg persona and a vengeful motive. Cerveris stated Pyg is aware of his actions but may not be comfortable with himself, which may be partly because he is covering his true identity. Layers of his disguise are continuously stripped down and reapplied. Hailing from
1632-500: A state of the same name; a prison workshop is shown stamping license plates that read "Gotham: The Dark Deco State" (as a reference to the artistic style of the series). The episode " Harlequinade " states that Gotham City has a population of approximately 10 million people. This figure was also given in the 1960s Batman TV series episode Egg Grows in Gotham, the thirteenth episode of the second season. Batman Beyond (1999–2001) envisions
1734-426: A story of how Damian actually becomes that #666 Batman." An aging Pyg appears in the second issue and his henchmen in the third. Batman (Damian) attempts to stop him from experimenting on kidnapped children but Pyg's Dollotrons expel Batman from the area. Pyg is never caught. The character plays a larger role in the first volume of the weekly series Batman Eternal , which ran from April to August 2014, beginning with
1836-682: A superhero. In instances where the supervillain does not have superhuman, mystical, or alien powers, the supervillain may possess a genius intellect or a skill set that allows them to draft complex schemes or commit crimes in a way normal humans cannot. Other traits may include megalomania and possession of considerable resources to further their aims. Many supervillains share some typical characteristics of real-world dictators , gangsters , mad scientists , trophy hunters , corrupt businesspeople , serial killers , and terrorists , often having an aspiration of world domination . The Joker , Lex Luthor , Doctor Doom , Magneto , Brainiac , Deathstroke ,
1938-458: A theme. That seemed more important for that to track rather than all the backstory." Chris Sims of the journalism website ComicsAlliance said the changes are "about as far from melting people's faces, stripping in front of a wire mother and dosing Gotham City with a psychotropic drug as you're likely to get". According to Comic Book Resources writer Kieran Shiach, the Arkham Knight iteration
2040-465: A timeless alternative to New York and described it as "hell burst through the pavement and grew". The look of Gotham was overseen by production designer Anton Furst , who won an Oscar for supervising the art department. Furst stated Batman was "definitely based in many ways on the worst aspects of New York City" and was inspired by Andreas Feininger 's photographs of 1940s New York. Furst's draftsman Nigel Phelps created numerous charcoal drawings of
2142-468: A visual expression of corruption and greed? That got me thinking about the fascistic architecture employed at world's fairs... That feels corrupt because it's evocative of oppressive bureaucracies and dictatorships... So I looked at a lot of [Third Reich] art and images from world's fairs". To physically make the city seem darker, he designed tall "oppressively overbuilt" cityscape that physically blocked out light. When Joel Schumacher took over directing
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#17328523026052244-402: Is "one of the most disturbed" villains who has served as an antagonist to Batman. Supervillain A supervillain or supercriminal is a variant of the villainous stock character . It is sometimes found in comic books and may possess superhuman abilities. A supervillain is the antithesis of a superhero . Supervillains are often used as foils to present a daunting challenge to
2346-613: Is "unhinged, even by Gotham's standards". After Pyg's capture, he claims his mutilated victims are works of art, and while in a police lockup, he expresses concern for how they are being treated. In the television series Gotham , Lazlo Valentin is portrayed as a contract killer who impersonates other serial killers. He creates an elaborate persona of a murderer under the Professor Pyg alias to aid Sofia Falcone's rise to power in Gotham City's criminal underworld. Actor Michael Cerveris said of
2448-553: Is a fictional city in the Eastern United States that serves as the primary city appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics . It is best known as the home of the superhero Batman and his allies and foes . Created by writer Bill Finger and artist Bob Kane , the city was first identified as Batman's place of residence in Batman #4 (December 1940) and has since been the primary setting for stories featuring
2550-465: Is a really freeing aspect, and I felt naked when I didn't have the mask on, and couldn't really be Professor Pyg". Pyg retains his apron from the source material. Professor Pyg appears in Suicide Squad: Hell to Pay , voiced by James Urbaniak . This version is an underground surgeon-for-hire for supervillains. Two-Face hires him to disfigure and purge his Dent Personality, however the operation
2652-521: Is a shortening of Pygmalion , George Bernard Shaw 's play that was adapted into the musical My Fair Lady starring Rex Harrison , which tells the story of a professor's attempt to convert a street urchin into an educated, high-society woman. According to Morrison, "Movie enthusiasts will know that Rex Harrison also played Doctor Doolittle , who by strange coincidence was famed for teaching barnyard animals to speak proper, so our Professor Pyg mixes all these characteristics and influences together to create
2754-414: Is a very accurate facsimile of the original comic book portrayal, the major difference being the character's new enthusiasm for opera music. Pyg's in-game attributes label him a perfectionist and an amateur opera vocalist. Before his confrontation with Batman, during which Pyg describes his surgical operations as "fixing" his victims who are unique and broken, Batman is warned by Alfred Pennyworth that Pyg
2856-632: Is also Catwoman , Batgirl (Barbara Gordon) , Batgirl (Cassandra Cain) , Signal , Batwing , Batwoman , and Huntress . Other DC characters have also been depicted to be living in Gotham, such as mercenary Tommy Monaghan and renowned demonologist Jason Blood . Within modern DC Universe continuity, Batman is not the first hero in Gotham. Stories featuring Alan Scott , the Golden Age Green Lantern , set before and during World War II depict Scott living in Gotham, and later depictions show him running his Gotham Broadcasting Corporation. Also,
2958-456: Is among the supervillains who attend an underground meeting held by Riddler . In a story in the 2018 Halloween anthology Cursed Comics Cavalcade , Damian Wayne teams up with the zombie Solomon Grundy against Professor Pyg, after he kidnaps a group of children. In January 2019, the Mister Miracle creative team Tom King and Mitch Geralds reunited for Batman #62, which was promoted as
3060-545: Is known for his obsession with 'perfecting' people through invasive and grotesque surgeries, aiming to create his 'Dollotrons,' brainwashed individuals who serve his will. Cocreator Grant Morrison envisioned him as "one of the weirdest, most insane characters that's ever been in Batman [comics]" and said, "We hear a lot about Batman facing crazy villains but we tried to make this guy seem genuinely disturbed and disconnected ... Professor Pyg isn't from another world; he's from here, but he's very, very sick". Taking inspiration from
3162-580: Is located in New Jersey. In The World's Greatest Super Heroes (August 13, 1978) comic strip, a map is shown placing Gotham City in New Jersey and Metropolis in Delaware. World's Finest Comics #259 (November 1979) also confirms that Gotham is in New Jersey. The New Adventures of Superboy #22 (October 1981) and the 1990 Atlas of the DC Universe both show maps of Gotham City in New Jersey and Metropolis in
Professor Pyg - Misplaced Pages Continue
3264-509: Is one of Batman's most disturbing villains. In 2015, IGN writers Jesse Schedeen and Joshua Yehl ranked Professor Pyg as the twenty-third-greatest Batman villain of all time, and in a separate editorial, Schedeen called Pyg "one of the crazier and more unusual" Batman villains created by Grant Morrison. Beth Elderkin of io9 called the character "one of the weirdest villains to come out of the Batman canon" while Bustle referred to him as "one of
3366-530: Is one of his favorite recently-created Batman villains for being demented, grotesque, and funny. Because the character was created recently, he also said Pyg is more contemporary than the classic rogues and did not have to be revitalized as much. When it was announced Professor Pyg would appear on Gotham , Digital Spy commented, " Gotham season 4 is going to introduce its most disturbing villain ever, so forget about sleeping ever again". Charlie Ridgely of Comicbook.com stated Pyg's appearance on Gotham proved he
3468-536: Is set in Gotham City, was filmed in Chicago . The 2024 series The Penguin is set in Gotham City. Gotham City is featured heavily in Batman: The Animated Series . When describing Gotham City Paul Dini , a writer and director of the show, stated "In my mind, it was sort of like what if the 1939 World's Fair had gone on another 60 years or so". ' In the episode " Joker's Favor ", a driver's license lists
3570-438: Is titled The State of New York vs. Arthur Fleck . Gotham City is the home of Batman , just as Metropolis is home to Superman , and the two heroes often work together in both cities. In comic book depictions, the exact distance between Gotham and Metropolis has varied over the years, with the cities usually being within driving distance of each other. The two cities are sometimes portrayed as twin cities on opposite sides of
3672-528: The Batman film series from Tim Burton, Barbara Ling handled the production design for both of Schumacher's films, Batman Forever (1995) and 1997's Batman & Robin . Ling's vision of Gotham City was a luminous and outlandish evocation of modern Expressionism and Constructivism . Its futuristic design, which Washington Post critic Desson Howe felt evoked the 1982 film Blade Runner , were described by Ling in her book, Bigger, Bolder, Brighter: The Production Design of Batman & Robin as
3774-562: The Batman and Robin series that ran from August to October 2009 saw the character's debut in the main DC Universe . The story line, titled "Batman Reborn", focuses on Dick Grayson , who takes over the Batman mantle after Bruce Wayne is pronounced dead and partners with a younger Damian Wayne, who is now Robin . In the story, Lazlo Valentin was an "extreme" circus mob boss until something turned him into Professor Pyg, leading him to begin funding his scientific experiments by selling narcotics to
3876-562: The Inspector Gadget animated series, Dr. Evil and Mr. Bigglesworth from the Austin Powers film series , or Dr. Blowhole from the animated TV series The Penguins of Madagascar . The overarching villain of Star Wars , Emperor Palpatine , leads the tyrannical Galactic Empire , and was inspired by real-world tyrannical leaders. Gotham City Gotham City ( / ˈ ɡ ɒ θ əm / GOTH -əm ), or simply Gotham ,
3978-705: The Batman and Robin Must Die storyline. Pyg had been working for the supervillain Doctor Simon Hurt during the events of "Batman Reborn", and a virus has contaminated the population without Batman (Dick Grayson) or the public realizing it. Grayson discovers this as the virus becomes active. He is swarmed by a mob of infected people in the city streets. Pyg uses the virus as a diversion to escape Blackgate Penitentiary. The following issue focuses on Professor Pyg's business relationship with Doctor Hurt, who says he has "challenged [Pyg] to outline his personal vision for Gotham". As
4080-523: The Delaware Bay , with Gotham in New Jersey and Metropolis in Delaware. The Atlas of the DC Universe from the 1990s places Metropolis in Delaware and Gotham City in New Jersey. New York has also garnered the nickname Metropolis to describe the city in the daytime in popular culture, contrasting with Gotham , sometimes used to describe New York City at night. During the Bronze Age of Comic Books ,
4182-564: The Green Goblin , Loki , the Reverse-Flash , Black Manta , Ultron , Thanos , and Darkseid are some notable male comic book supervillains that have been adapted in film and television. Some notable female supervillains are Catwoman , Harley Quinn , Poison Ivy , Mystique , Hela , Viper , and the Cheetah . Just like superheroes, supervillains are sometimes members of groups, such as
Professor Pyg - Misplaced Pages Continue
4284-786: The Injustice League , the Sinister Six , the Legion of Doom , the Brotherhood of Mutants , the Suicide Squad , and the Masters of Evil . In the documentary A Study in Sherlock , writers Steven Moffat and Mark Gatiss said they regarded Professor James Moriarty as a supervillain because he possesses genius-level intelligence and powers of observation and deduction, setting him above ordinary people to
4386-474: The New 52 banner, establishing a new continuity while keeping landmark stories intact. This iteration of Professor Pyg, still Lazlo Valentin, was introduced in Batman #1 (September 2011) among other established Batman villains during an escape riot at Arkham Asylum, which was thwarted by Batman (Wayne) and Nightwing (Grayson). He continued to make cameo appearances as an Arkham Asylum inmate in later comics. In
4488-469: The Tim Burton films' "otherworldly timelessness," incorporating period features such as black-and-white title cards , police airships (although no such thing existed, Timm has stated that he found it to fit the show's style), and a "vintage" color scheme with film noir flourishes. Police airships have since been incorporated into Batman comic books and are a recurring element in Gotham City. Concerning
4590-464: The roaring 20s , and then there's this other really kind of heavy Blade Runner vibe floating around. There are elements of it that are completely contemporary and there are pieces of it that are very old-fashioned...There were a couple of examples of modern technology, but maybe an antiquated version of it, that gave me a little bit of sense that it's certainly not the 50s and the 60s...But it's not high tech and it's not futuristic, by any means." In
4692-447: The "dark and often cursed character" of the city was influenced by the being who now uses the name "Doctor Gotham." In Gotham Underground #2 by Frank Tieri , Tobias Whale claims that 19th century Gotham was run by five rival gangs, until the first "masks" appeared, eventually forming a gang of their own. It is not clear whether these were vigilantes or costumed criminals. Many storylines have added more events to Gotham's history, at
4794-423: The "weirdest, most insane" characters in Batman comic books . Pyg is an obsessive perfectionist who sees human beings as broken individuals; he commonly kidnaps people and uses surgery and chemicals to permanently change them into mind-controlled automatons known as Dollotrons, and sometimes into human–animal hybrids . Morrison took the name "Professor Pig" from the song "Pygmalism" by Momus and Kahimi Karie ;
4896-550: The 2007 story Batman in Bethlehem by Morrison and artist Andy Kubert , published in Batman #666 (July 2007). The story is set in a future in which Bruce Wayne 's son Damian helms the Batman vigilante persona. Although Morrison had developed a detailed backstory for Pyg, they were unsure the character would be used again. The name "Professor Pyg" originates from the song "Pygmalism" written by Momus for Kahimi Karie , "Pyg" being shorthand for Pygmalion . The first storyline of
4998-833: The Bat Annual #1 (June 1993) further establishes that Gotham City is in New Jersey. Sal E. Jordan's driver's license in the comic shows his address as "72 Faxcol Dr Gotham City, NJ 12345", although the ZIP Code is actually in Schenectady, New York . The 2016 film Suicide Squad reveals Gotham City to be in the state of New Jersey within the DC Extended Universe . Both 2021's The Batman , and its 2024 TV spinoff The Penguin have Gotham City in New Jersey as can be seen with in-universe drivers licenses. However, 2024's Joker: Folie à Deux places Gotham City in New York as Joker's trial
5100-512: The Birds of Prey #15. He appears again in Batwoman #11, in which Batwoman saves her ally Julia Pennyworth from Pyg after Alice leaks her secret identity to him. Professor Pyg is among the villains who feature in the intercompany crossover The Shadow/Batman , in which Batman and The Shadow team up to combat a conspiracy. In the limited series Doomsday Clock , a sequel to Watchmen , Pyg
5202-509: The Clench virus after leaving office. A woman, Marion Grange, became mayor with the backing of Bruce Wayne but was assassinated in Washington, D.C. , while trying to secure federal aid for Gotham after an earthquake. In the wake of No Man's Land , Daniel Danforth Dickerson III served as mayor only to be killed by a sniper, after which he was replaced by David Hull. Seamus McGreevy served as mayor in
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#17328523026055304-518: The Comics , writer Bill Finger , on the naming of the city, said, "Originally I was going to call Gotham City ' Civic City .' Then I tried 'Capital City,' then ' Coast City .' Then I flipped through the New York City phone book and spotted the name 'Gotham Jewelers' and said, 'That's it,' Gotham City. We didn't call it New York because we wanted anybody in any city to identify with it." "Gotham" has been
5406-565: The Dollotrons might be a later part of Valentin's life because the show is about the origins of the Batman mythos. Professor Pyg most commonly wears a pig mask, a makeshift surgical outfit, and a butcher's apron. Much of his original wardrobe in the comic books was designed by Frank Quitely and is a homage to the Edwardian suits worn by Rex Harrison in My Fair Lady . The television series Gotham
5508-466: The GCPD to turn a blind eye to Batman's activities after Batman saved his daughter. Mayor Hill was in office when the Joker debuted, and a man named Gill was mayor early in Batman's career, as was former police commissioner Grogan. An unnamed bald mayor was killed by a villain known as Midnight. Men named Carfax, Bradley Stokes, Sheppard, Taylor, and Hayes all served as mayor. Mayor Charles Chesterfield
5610-569: The Gates of Gotham, each bearing one of their last names. Edward Elliot became increasingly jealous of the Wayne family's popularity and wealth during this period, jealousy that would spread to his great-great-grandson, Thomas Elliot or Hush. The occult origins of Gotham are further delved into by Peter Milligan 's 1990 story arc "Dark Knight, Dark City", which reveals that some of the Founding Fathers of
5712-635: The Gotham City Police Department is the focus of the series Gotham Central , as well as the mini-series Gordon's Law , Bullock's Law , and Batman: GCPD . The first Gotham mayor depicted in comics was in Detective Comics #68 (October 1942). Theodore Cobblepot, great grandfather of the Penguin , was mayor in the late 19th century. An unnamed mayor ran afoul of the Court of Owls in 1914 and
5814-552: The Metro-Narrows Bridge was depicted as the main route connecting the twin cities of Metropolis and Gotham City. It has been described as being the longest suspension bridge in the world. A map appeared in The New Adventures of Superboy #22 (October 1981), that showed Smallville within driving distance of both Metropolis and Gotham City; Smallville was relocated to Kansas in post-Crisis continuity. A map of
5916-535: The New 52 crosses over with the previous iteration of the DC Universe, during which Pyg's pre-New 52 counterpart is killed. Pyg is also featured in a chapter of the anthology digital comic series Sensation Comics, featuring Wonder Woman . During Robin War , a crossover between several Robin-related publications published from December 2015 to January 2016, Pyg uses an abandoned theatre for his criminal activities while working for
6018-630: The Pinkney structures they had hidden; the editorial purpose behind this was to transform the city depicted in the comics to resemble the designs created by Anton Furst for the 1989 Batman film. Batman Begins features a CGI-augmented version of Chicago while The Dark Knight more directly features Chicago infrastructure and architecture such as Navy Pier . The Dark Knight Rises forgoes Chicago, instead shooting in Pittsburgh, Los Angeles, New York City, Newark, New Jersey, London, and Glasgow. Over
6120-502: The TV series Smallville , Gotham City is mentioned by the character Linda Lake in the episode "Hydro", who jokes she can see Gotham from her view. In "Reunion", one of Oliver Queen's friends mentions having to get back to Gotham. The fifth episode of Young Justice , entitled "Schooled", indicates that Gotham is located in Connecticut , near Bridgeport . The 2019 series Batwoman , which
6222-573: The US in the mid-twentieth century, including Harlow and John B. Calhoun 's Rockville barn rat population research, which collectively influenced the character's origin story. In the comics, Pyg has a makeshift mother constructed from boards and nails from which auditory hallucinations continuously compel him to improve his work. In Batman #62, Bruce Wayne compares Pyg's love for his work to his own fixation with vigilantism, having built up his ideals and philosophies since he witnessed his parents being murdered as
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#17328523026056324-478: The United States are involved in summoning a bat-demon which becomes trapped beneath old "Gotham Town", its dark influence spreading as Gotham City evolves. A similar trend is followed in 2005's Shadowpact #5 by Bill Willingham , which expands upon Gotham's occult heritage by revealing a being who has slept for 40,000 years beneath the land upon which Gotham City was built. Strega, the being's servant, says that
6426-653: The United States in The Secret Files & Origins Guide to the DC Universe 2000 #1 (March 2000) depicts Metropolis and Gotham City as being somewhere in the Tri-state Area alongside Blüdhaven . Within the DC Extended Universe, the 2016 film Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice depicts Gotham City as being located across a bay from Metropolis. Gotham City was founded in 1635 by Captain Jon Logerquist,
6528-496: The animated series Beware the Batman and has since appeared in video games, television, and film. The character has been positively received by entertainment journalists as a strange and disturbing addition to Batman's rogues gallery . Writer Grant Morrison stated a new Batman villain must have "a gimmick. Creepiness. A distinctive look ... You kind of evolve those themes into new forms". Professor Pyg and his mind-controlled Dollotrons first appeared as crucified corpses in
6630-558: The buildings and interior sets for the production. Following the death of Furst, Burton tapped Bo Welch to oversee production design for Batman Returns (1992). Burton wanted Welch to re-imagine Gotham, stating " Batman didn't feel big to me – it didn't have the power an old American city has". Welch wanted to expand on the same basic concept for the sequel but moved away from European influences to show more American Art Deco / world's fair elements. When asked what inspired his interpretation of Gotham, Welch stated "[H]ow can I create
6732-512: The character. In most of its incarnations, Gotham is depicted as one of the most crime-ridden cities in the world. Gotham City is traditionally depicted as being located in the U.S. state of New Jersey . Gotham's look and atmosphere were primarily influenced by New York City , but also drew inspiration from Chicago and London . Architect Hugh Ferriss ' designs also influenced the look and emotional feel of Gotham City, particularly in its later depictions. Bill Finger said that he chose
6834-604: The coldest night in November". Batman artist Neal Adams has long believed that Chicago has been the basis for Gotham, stating "one of the things about Chicago is Chicago has alleys (which are virtually nonexistent in New York). Back alleys, that's where Batman fights all the bad guys." The statement "Metropolis is New York by day; Gotham City is New York by night" has been variously attributed to comics creators Frank Miller and John Byrne . In designing Batman: The Animated Series , creators Bruce Timm and Eric Radomski emulated
6936-447: The comic book Cursed Comics Cavalcade #1 as his reason, a story in which Grundy tries to stop Pyg from mutilating a group of children. According to Fugere, Pyg is "basically Hannibal Lecter on steroids and is a reminder that not all superhero comics are for kids". He also said Grant Morrison accomplished his goal of making Pyg one of the weirdest and most insane characters in Batman comic books. In 2017, John Stephens said Professor Pyg
7038-508: The comics' modern masterpieces, and one of its most horrifying creations". David Pepose of Newsarama praised the inclusion of Professor Pyg and Jason Bard in Batman Eternal for emphasizing elements of the DC Universe that were underused following the New 52. Comic Book Resources ' s Mike Fugere said the character is a "bigger monster" than Solomon Grundy, an undead creature within the DC Universe who Fugere calls "terrifying". He cited
7140-756: The criminal underworld. Batman and Robin learn from interrogating his underlings, members of a gang called the Circus of Strange , that Pyg is planning to spread a mind-control virus across Gotham City to hold the population for ransom. This occurred after the group broke into the Gotham City Police Department precinct that teammate Mister Toad was held in only to find him dead. Pyg is stopped and placed in Blackgate Penitentiary but medics cannot save his infected minions known as Dollotrons. Batman and Robin #13, published in July 2010, marked Professor Pyg's return as part of
7242-436: The evolution of Gotham throughout the years, former Batman editor Paul Levitz has stated, "Each guy adds their own vision. That's the fun of comics, rebuilding a city each time". In Batman: Gothic , Gotham Cathedral plays a central role in the story since it is built by Mr. Whisper, the story's antagonist. In a 1992 storyline, a man obsessed with Pinkney's architecture blew up several Gotham buildings in order to reveal
7344-489: The faux persona, "Professor Pyg is a brilliant and chameleon-like person who has a highly developed sense of what's right and wrong—it just might not be a sense of right and wrong that corresponds with everybody else's". Executive producer John Stephens said the character was chosen for the show because "He hits that sweet spot of being grotesque and terrifying, but also a little bit in that fairy-tale-esque world". Cerveris said Pyg takes delight in his actions and sees himself as
7446-469: The federal government cutting Gotham off from the rest of the United States in the 1999 storyline " No Man's Land ", the city's remaining residents forced to engage in gang warfare, either as active participants or paying for protection from groups ranging from the GCPD to the Penguin, just to stay alive. Eventually, Gotham was rebuilt and returned to the U.S. as part of a campaign mounted by Lex Luthor , who used
7548-502: The feminine principle", comparing it to the wire mother experiments performed by psychologist Harry Harlow on infant monkeys and to the proto-mother mythologies of Mesopotamia and ancient Babylon : "The shattered mind of Lazlo Valentin has mashed all of these connections into a frightening personal 'mythos', constructed to justify his deranged activities as Professor Pyg". Morrison also said Pyg's deranged rants in Batman and Robin Must Die allude to animal experimentation carried out in
7650-407: The laboratory of one of Falcone's paid scientists. He later turns several people into human–animal hybrids , whom he labels his "farm hands", and finds Falcone. After the farm hands kill Falcone's guards, Pyg straps Falcone to a table with the intention of operating on him but Batman intervenes. He is arrested and sent to Arkham Asylum under the supervision of Dr. Achilles Milo . In Convergence ,
7752-545: The midst of a criminal conspiracy known as "The Body". An unnamed woman was mayor when Batman returned to Gotham a year after the Infinite Crisis . Sebastian Hady was a corrupt mayor who was eventually killed by the League of Shadows. Councilwoman Muir served as interim mayor when the city was in the grip of a virus that only affected men. Michael Akins , former commissioner of police, was appointed mayor, and later replaced by
7854-419: The name "Gotham", and not New York, so that all readers in any city could identify with it. Locations used as inspiration or filming locations for Gotham City in the live-action Batman films and television series have included St. Louis , Chicago , Pittsburgh , Los Angeles , New York City , Newark , London , Glasgow , Hong Kong , Detroit , and Liverpool . In Jim Steranko 's History of
7956-617: The name "Pyg" is also shorthand for "Pygmalion", referring to both the mythical sculptor who fell in love with his own creation and the 1913 stage play by George Bernard Shaw , both of which serve as parallels for Lazlo Valentin and his love for his Dollotron creations. The character's origin story alludes to real-life animal testing carried out in the mid-twentieth century. He has a makeshift mother made of nails and boards, from which he associates auditory hallucinations commanding him to constantly improve his surgical work. Pyg began making substantial appearances in other media in 2013 with
8058-640: The original Golden Age Spectre and his sidekick, Percival Popp, live in Gotham City as does Black Canary , Starman, and the Grey Ghost. DC's 2011 reboot of All Star Western takes place in an Old West-styled Gotham. Jonah Hex and Amadeus Arkham are among this version of Gotham's inhabitants. Apart from Gotham's superhero residents, the residents of the city feature in a back-up series in Detective Comics called Tales of Gotham City and in two limited series called Gotham Nights . Additionally,
8160-818: The point where only he can pose a credible threat to Sherlock Holmes . Fu Manchu is an archetypal evil criminal genius and mad scientist created by English author Sax Rohmer in 1913. The Fu Manchu moustache became integral to stereotypical cinematic and television depictions of Chinese villains. Between 1965 and 1969 Christopher Lee played Fu Manchu five times in film, and in 1973 the character first appeared in Marvel Comics . The James Bond arch-villain Ernst Stavro Blofeld (whose scenes often show him sitting on an armchair stroking his cat, his face unseen) has influenced supervillain tropes in popular cinema, including parodies like Dr. Claw and M.A.D. Cat from
8262-536: The positive publicity of his role to make a successful bid for the position of President of the United States. Suggestions of other Gotham City histories include a founding date of 1820 seen in a city seal in Batman: Return of the Caped Crusaders . Batman writer and editor Dennis O'Neil has said that, figuratively, Batman's Gotham City is akin to "Manhattan below 14th Street at eleven minutes past midnight on
8364-478: The same time greatly affecting the city and its people. Perhaps the greatest in effect was a long set of serial storylines, which started with Ra's al Ghul releasing a debilitating virus called the "Clench" during the " Contagion " storyline. As that arc concluded, the city was beginning to recover, only to suffer an earthquake measuring 7.6 on the Richter Scale in the 1998 " Cataclysm " storyline. This resulted in
8466-426: The southern United States, Valentin uses implanted, shifting metal plates and facial reconstruction to help him hide his true identity. Before the Pyg persona is revealed to be fake, Cerveris said he lacks his alter ego's trademark surgical prowess because it was intended to focus more on his relationship with the city and James Gordon, and that the Dollotrons are not the sole purpose of his existence. Cerveris also said
8568-494: The state of Delaware . Detective Comics #503 (June 1983) includes several references suggesting Gotham City is in New Jersey. A location on the Jersey Shore is described as "20 miles north of Gotham". Within the same issue, Robin and Batgirl drive from a "secret New Jersey airfield" to Gotham City and then drive on the "Hudson County Highway", a reference to the real-life Hudson County in New Jersey. Batman: Shadow of
8670-444: The storyline Forever Evil , the inmates of Arkham Asylum and Blackgate Penitentiary battle for control of Gotham. Pyg and his Dollotrons briefly gain control over a district of the city but are usurped by Bane . Scarecrow later forces him to ingest the steroid Venom to combat the usurper. In October 2013, a prequel to Batman in Bethlehem titled Damian: Son of Batman , in which an older Damian Wayne succeeds his father as Batman,
8772-881: The supervillain Brother Blood . Pyg escaped a confrontation with the Teen Titans . In May 2016, DC Comics again relaunched their entire line of comic books under the DC Rebirth brand, restoring elements of the DC Universe that were erased under the New 52 while maintaining the continuity. Pyg re-appears in 2017's Nightwing #18, operating in Paris and creating Dollotron versions of Grayson and Damian Wayne, known as Deathwing and Robintron. Grayson and Wayne overcome Pyg, who tells them he created Deathwing and Robintron for Simon Hurt. He later appears in Harley Quinn #43–44 and Batgirl and
8874-589: The targeting screen for his giant laser locates it somewhere on the New England shoreline, possibly as far north as Maine . The soundtrack for Batman & Robin features a song named after the city and sung by R. Kelly , later included on international editions of his 1998 double album R. Director Christopher Nolan has stated that Chicago inspired his portrayal of Gotham, and the majority of both Batman Begins (2005) and The Dark Knight (2008) were filmed there. However, Christopher Nolan's Gotham City
8976-484: The theming elements primarily having been inspired by the Batman films directed by Tim Burton. Both the ride and the Gotham City Backlot opened on March 26, 1994. The Magic Mountain section closed at the end of the park's 2010 season and was later rethemed and rebranded as the "DC Universe," featuring characters and attractions outside of just Batman. It reopened in 2011. Warner Bros. World Abu Dhabi features
9078-491: The village's residents feigned idiocy to prevent a royal visit from John, King of England . Gotham City, like other cities in the DC Universe, has varied in its portrayals over the decades, but the city's location is traditionally depicted as being in the state of New Jersey . In Amazing World of DC Comics #14 (March 1977), writer Mark Gruenwald discusses the history of the Justice League and indicates that Gotham City
9180-522: The virus spreads across the city, riots occur under Hurt's command. The story concludes with Bruce Wayne returning to stop Doctor Hurt after being trapped in the timestream . The infected civilians are quarantined and Professor Pyg is captured and transferred to Arkham Asylum . The character's backstory, including his origin , is significantly expanded upon in Batman Incorporated: Leviathan Strikes! (December 2011). Lazlo Valentin
9282-620: The works of David Lynch , Morrison wanted the visuals in Batman Reborn , illustrated by Frank Quitely , to feel like a real world crossing over with a world of schizophrenia, paranoia , and the use of narcotics. They've stated that when Batman and Robin are facing Pyg and his Dollotrons, they are dealing with "the eerie, creepy, mentally-ill dark corners of life". The character uses drugs, lobotomy , and doll masks permanently molded onto people's faces to turn them into genderless Dollotrons, which he believes are perfected human beings. The name Pyg
9384-536: The world. WB Movie World in Germany featured a Gotham City section that housed Batman Adventure – The Ride , and Six Flags Magic Mountain opened a section called the "Gotham City Backlot" that featured Batman: The Ride . The section featured at Magic Mountain was designed by park designer Kevin Barbee, and alongside the opening of Batman: The Ride coincided with the largest expansion the park had ever undergone in 23 years, with
9486-536: The years, in various Batman-related titles in the chronological DC Comics continuity, the Caped Crusader enlists the help of numerous characters, the first being his trusty sidekick, Robin . Although a singular title, many have donned the mantle over the years. The first being Nightwing , then came Red Hood , Red Robin , Spoiler and finally Batman's son Damian Wayne . In addition to the Robins or former Robins, there
9588-543: Was a scientist working for a corrupt United Nations agency known as Spyral and was driven insane by a product that he was developing, which mimics some effects of Alzheimer's disease . Lazlo develops paranoid schizophrenia , leading to drug abuse and self-inflicted surgeries that turn him into Professor Pyg. Lazlo fathered a son named Janosz Valentin , who serves the criminal organization Leviathan and claimed his father taught him to be immune to pain. In September 2011, DC Comics rebooted their line of comic books under
9690-514: Was detailed in Rick Veitch 's Swamp Thing #85 featuring Tomahawk . Rumors held it to be the site of various occult rites. The 2011 comic book series Batman: Gates of Gotham details a history of Gotham City in which Alan Wayne (Bruce Wayne's ancestor), Theodore Cobblepot ( Oswald Cobblepot 's ancestor), and Edward Elliot ( Thomas Elliot 's ancestor), are considered as the founding fathers of Gotham. In 1881, they constructed three bridges called
9792-587: Was filmed in New York City and was an important requirement of the show's creative team. According to executive producer Danny Cannon , its atmosphere was inspired by the look of the city itself in the 1970s films of Sidney Lumet and William Friedkin . Clues to this include and signs showing phone numbers bearing the area code 212 . Donal Logue , who portrayed Harvey Bullock in the series Gotham , described different aspects of that series' design of Gotham City as exhibiting different sensibilities, explaining, "for me, you can step into things that almost feel like
9894-612: Was interrupted by Scandal Savage and Knockout , who kidnap Pyg and force him to surgically put the "Get Out Of Hell Free" card inside Vandal Savage 's chest, which they later kill him. Professor Pyg's opera suite titled "Ode to Perfection" was composed by David Buckley for the Batman: Arkham Knight soundtrack. An action figure of the character was released as part of the third series of Arkham Knight figures from DC Collectibles in February 2016. Meg Downey said Professor Pyg
9996-470: Was killed by a sentient fat-eating blob of grease. Hamilton Hill became mayor through the backing of crime boss Rupert Thorne but was ultimately ousted from office and replaced by George P. Skowcroft. An unnamed mayor is killed by Deacon Blackfire's followers and replaced by Donald Webster. Mayor Julius Lieberman is killed by a Predator . Mayor Goode served briefly before being replaced by an African American man. Armand Krol became mayor and died of
10098-527: Was killed by them. Archibald Brewster was mayor during the Great Depression . Mayor Thorndike was killed by the Made of Wood killer in 1948. Mayor Aubrey James was a contemporary of Thomas Wayne who was stabbed to death. Mayor Jessop was in office shortly after the Wayne murders. A man named Falcone was purportedly mayor during the earliest days of Batman's career. Shortly after, Mayor Wilson Klass directed
10200-460: Was planned to feature a pig mask that more closely resembled the comic book version but it was deemed "a little too cheery and pink". Executive producer Danny Cannon decided the mask should look like decapitated pig flesh. Cerveris found the change to be simultaneously comical and disturbing; he had some difficulty acting in the mask due to its weight and the heat underneath, and because it blocked his peripheral vision. According to Cerveris, "the mask
10302-425: Was re-introduced following DC's The New 52 comics relaunch in 2011, appearing throughout the continuity and the subsequent DC Rebirth relaunch that began in 2016. The character's in-universe real name is Lazlo Valentin , a scientist who suffered a schizophrenic breakdown that led him to become a supervillain who wears a pig mask. Morrison intended Pyg to seem disconnected from reality, believing him to be one of
10404-400: Was written by Andy Kubert under the New 52 imprint. Having plotted the mini-series in 2008, Kubert wanted to return to that timeline, saying, "I had always wanted to write. In talking with editor Mike Marts, he suggested I come up with a mini-series I would like to write and draw. I really loved that Batman and the whole world that Grant [Morrison] dreamed up. So I thought it would be fun to do
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