#48 - Wrath
First Appearance: Batman Special #1 (Jun 1984)
" That's the difference between us, Batman. You try not to kill, but me... I've made a career out of it." ~Wrath
Batman has so many doppelgangers that he makes Spider-Man's clone saga look like an unfortunate Halloween costume party, but the Wrath has stood out for me as a very memorable character. The Wrath's origin is a twisted mirror version of Batman's; his parents were burglars gunned down by a police officer, causing the Wrath to devote his life in a campaign of revenge against law enforcement officers. He dedicate himself to training himself to peak physical condition, and his costume is a warped reflection of Batman's.
Wrath's obsessive campaign eventually brings him information that links Jim Gordon to his parent's death, and ever since, the Wrath has time and time again attempted to kill Gordon in revenge. Batman and the Wrath clash occasionally, and it works wonderfully, since there is no better test than to essentially fight yourself (although the Wrath uses guns where Batman, of course, does not). Wrath also adds a new dimension of fallibility to Jim Gordon, which is welcome and fresh; I've always found that when a villain actually enhances another character's personality or story, that's a major success. These days, the Wrath is kicking around the new 52 in John Layman's excellent run on Detective Comics.
Greatest Wrath Story Ever Told:Detective Comics #22-24, Detective Comics Annual #2 - John Layman's take on the Wrath is, of course, very new; that said, it's been fantastic. Here's a character that despite being around for a while can still feel fresh, original, and menacing. Great stuff.
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RandomName basically describes it. It's a list of the top 100 Batman villains. (Note: This isn't MY list. So, if you don't agree with it, don't freak out and rant in the comments)
