Cornelius Stirk
Encyclopedia
Cornelius Stirk is a fictional character in the DC Universe
. He first appeared in Detective Comics
#592 (November 1988) as an enemy of Batman
.
, uses fear to get to his victims. Stirk has the ability to make other people see him as someone else, allowing him to get close to his victims. He operates under the delusion
that he requires the nutrient
s and hormone
s from peoples' hearts in order to stay alive, and these are best prepared with norepinephrine
by inducing fear in the victim prior to death.
In his first appearance, Stirk is released from Arkham Asylum
, where he is confined at the age of 16 for trying to kill a classmate, after being certified as sane
. He then subsequently stops taking his medication and begins his escalation into a serial killer
.
Stirk professes to dislike both light and violence (despite his many murders), and operates almost exclusively at night. He also possesses an oddly polite speech pattern, referring to almost everyone he speaks to as "sir".
, where Jeremiah Arkham, Arkham Asylum's new director, utilizes more barbaric methods to "cure" him. When Stirk refuses to take his medication, for instance, Jeremiah has two orderlies brutally beat him with billy clubs and forces the medication down his throat.
in an attempt to kidnap Commissioner Gordon. However, Stirk tries to kill Gordon rather than kidnap him, much to Joker's dismay. Gordon hallucinates that Stirk is actually Batman as Stirk tried to kill Gordon with a knife. Batman stops Stirk, but Gordon is still screaming in fear. In order to capture Stirk, Batman is forced to leave a terrified Gordon with his wife
, who brings him to a hospital.
Stirk later appears during the "Madmen Across the Water" storyline, taking place after his capture but before Arkham Asylum (destroyed by Bane
beforehand) is rebuilt. He, along with the likes of Riddler
, Ivy, and Amygdala
, are instead incarcerated in Blackgate Penitentiary, and involve themselves in a softball
game with the prison's "normal" criminals. During the game, Stirk is revealed to be an excellent pitcher, because the ball feels "just like a human heart".
and Pinhead, and is released with all the other inmates under Jeremiah's demand that none of them return to Gotham.
Stirk's fate is not known; he is never seen in the "No Man's Land" storyline itself.
's storyline Batman: The Widening Gyre
.
DC Universe
The DC Universe is the shared universe where most of the comic stories published by DC Comics take place. The fictional characters Superman, Batman and Wonder Woman are well-known superheroes from this universe. Note that in context, "DC Universe" is usually used to refer to the main DC continuity...
. He first appeared in Detective Comics
Detective Comics
Detective Comics is an American comic book series published monthly by DC Comics since 1937, best known for introducing the iconic superhero Batman in Detective Comics #27 . It is, along with Action Comics, the book that launched with the debut of Superman, one of the medium's signature series, and...
#592 (November 1988) as an enemy of Batman
Batman
Batman is a fictional character created by the artist Bob Kane and writer Bill Finger. A comic book superhero, Batman first appeared in Detective Comics #27 , and since then has appeared primarily in publications by DC Comics...
.
Fictional character biography
Stirk, like ScarecrowScarecrow (comics)
The Scarecrow is a fictional character, a supervillain, that appears in comic books published by DC Comics. The character first appeared in World's Finest Comics #3 and was created by Bill Finger and Bob Kane...
, uses fear to get to his victims. Stirk has the ability to make other people see him as someone else, allowing him to get close to his victims. He operates under the delusion
Delusion
A delusion is a false belief held with absolute conviction despite superior evidence. Unlike hallucinations, delusions are always pathological...
that he requires the nutrient
Nutrient
A nutrient is a chemical that an organism needs to live and grow or a substance used in an organism's metabolism which must be taken in from its environment. They are used to build and repair tissues, regulate body processes and are converted to and used as energy...
s and hormone
Hormone
A hormone is a chemical released by a cell or a gland in one part of the body that sends out messages that affect cells in other parts of the organism. Only a small amount of hormone is required to alter cell metabolism. In essence, it is a chemical messenger that transports a signal from one...
s from peoples' hearts in order to stay alive, and these are best prepared with norepinephrine
Norepinephrine
Norepinephrine is the US name for noradrenaline , a catecholamine with multiple roles including as a hormone and a neurotransmitter...
by inducing fear in the victim prior to death.
In his first appearance, Stirk is released from Arkham Asylum
Arkham Asylum
The Elizabeth Arkham Asylum for the Criminally Insane, commonly referred to simply as Arkham Asylum, is a fictional psychiatric hospital in the DC Comics Universe, usually appearing in stories featuring Batman...
, where he is confined at the age of 16 for trying to kill a classmate, after being certified as sane
Sanity
Sanity refers to the soundness, rationality and healthiness of the human mind, as opposed to insanity. A person is sane if they are rational...
. He then subsequently stops taking his medication and begins his escalation into a serial killer
Serial killer
A serial killer, as typically defined, is an individual who has murdered three or more people over a period of more than a month, with down time between the murders, and whose motivation for killing is usually based on psychological gratification...
.
Stirk professes to dislike both light and violence (despite his many murders), and operates almost exclusively at night. He also possesses an oddly polite speech pattern, referring to almost everyone he speaks to as "sir".
The Last Arkham
Stirk makes a brief cameo in the beginning of the four-part storyline The Last ArkhamBatman: The Last Arkham
"The Last Arkham" was a four-part Batman story arc that started the Shadow of the Bat comic book series in mid-1992. The storyline began in Shadow of the Bat #1 , and finished in Shadow of the Bat #4 . DC Comics later compiled the four issues into a trade paperback in 1996...
, where Jeremiah Arkham, Arkham Asylum's new director, utilizes more barbaric methods to "cure" him. When Stirk refuses to take his medication, for instance, Jeremiah has two orderlies brutally beat him with billy clubs and forces the medication down his throat.
Knightfall
During the "Knightfall" storyline, Stirk works with the JokerJoker (comics)
The Joker is a fictional character, a comic book supervillain published by DC Comics. He is the archenemy of Batman, having been directly responsible for numerous tragedies in Batman's life, including the paralysis of Barbara Gordon and the death of Jason Todd, the second Robin...
in an attempt to kidnap Commissioner Gordon. However, Stirk tries to kill Gordon rather than kidnap him, much to Joker's dismay. Gordon hallucinates that Stirk is actually Batman as Stirk tried to kill Gordon with a knife. Batman stops Stirk, but Gordon is still screaming in fear. In order to capture Stirk, Batman is forced to leave a terrified Gordon with his wife
Sarah Essen Gordon
Sarah Essen Gordon is a fictional character in the DC Universe, created by Frank Miller and David Mazzucchelli as a supporting character in the Batman mythos.-Fictional character biography:...
, who brings him to a hospital.
Stirk later appears during the "Madmen Across the Water" storyline, taking place after his capture but before Arkham Asylum (destroyed by Bane
Bane (comics)
Bane is a fictional character who appears in comic books published by DC Comics. The character first appeared in Batman: Vengeance of Bane #1 , and was created by Chuck Dixon, Doug Moench, and Graham Nolan. Bane has been one of Batman's more physically and intellectually powerful foes...
beforehand) is rebuilt. He, along with the likes of Riddler
Riddler
The Riddler is a fictional character, a comic book character and supervillain published by DC Comics, and an enemy of Batman. Created by Bill Finger and Dick Sprang, the character first appeared in Detective Comics #140 ....
, Ivy, and Amygdala
Amygdala (comics)
Amygdala is the alias of DC Comics character Aaron Helzinger, who is a sometime opponent of Batman. He has reduced mental capacity, is prone to outbursts of violence and has super-strength due to medical experimentation on his brain, chiefly the removal of his amygdala.As demonstrated in...
, are instead incarcerated in Blackgate Penitentiary, and involve themselves in a softball
Softball
Softball is a bat-and-ball sport played between two teams of 10 to 14 players. It is a direct descendant of baseball although there are some key differences: softballs are larger than baseballs, and the pitches are thrown underhand rather than overhand...
game with the prison's "normal" criminals. During the game, Stirk is revealed to be an excellent pitcher, because the ball feels "just like a human heart".
Road to No Man's Land
Stirk makes several more cameos in the "Waxman and the Clown" story arc (Shadow of the Bat #80-#82), itself part of the "Road to No Man's Land" crossover, the prequel to "No Man's Land". He is seen in the story arc offering to eat human hearts to save medication (as Arkham Asylum, in post-earthquake lockdown after the "Cataclysm" storyline, is running short of supplies). He later watches the gladiatorial match between fellow inmates Killer CrocKiller Croc
Killer Croc is a comic book supervillain in the DC Universe, an enemy of Batman. Created by writer Gerry Conway and artist Gene Colan, while there was a shadowy cameo in Detective Comics #523 , his actual first appearance is credited to Batman #357 , which is also the first appearance of Jason...
and Pinhead, and is released with all the other inmates under Jeremiah's demand that none of them return to Gotham.
Stirk's fate is not known; he is never seen in the "No Man's Land" storyline itself.
Batman: The Widening Gyre
Stirk returns in Kevin SmithKevin Smith
Kevin Patrick Smith is an American screenwriter, actor, film producer, and director, as well as a popular comic book writer, author, comedian/raconteur, and internet radio personality best recognized by viewers as Silent Bob...
's storyline Batman: The Widening Gyre
Batman: The Widening Gyre
Batman: The Widening Gyre is the title of a 12-issue comic book limited series starring Batman. The series is being written by Kevin Smith and illustrated by Walt Flanagan. The first six issues were released August 2009 through July 2010; it is unknown when the remaining issues will be published...
.