Tweedledum and Tweedledee (comics)
Encyclopedia
Tweedledum and Tweedledee (Dumfree and Deever Tweed) are fictional supervillain
s that appears in comic books published by DC Comics
, primarily as enemies of Batman
. The characters first appeared in Detective Comics
#74 (April 1943), and were created by Bob Kane
, Jerry Robinson
and Don Cameron.
's sequel to Alice's Adventures in Wonderland
entitled Through the Looking-Glass
. The two Tweeds always conduct their criminal activity in partnership with one another. They prefer to mastermind criminal schemes and let their henchmen carry out any necessary physical activity. The Tweeds will often use their extraordinary resemblance to trick their opponents into thinking there is only one of them. Tweedledum and Tweedledee first encountered Batman and Robin
when they began a crime spree in Gotham City
. Batman and Robin have fought against the Tweeds and have overcome them on subsequent occasions.
The pair makes an appearance in Arkham Asylum: A Serious House on Serious Earth
as inmates in Arkham Asylum
. In this incarnation, they appear attached to each other by a pair of electroshock helmets, with Tweedledum representing the right half of the brain, and Tweedledee the left.
Although Tweedledum and Tweedledee are most often depicted as being the leaders of their own criminal organization, they sometimes are re-imagined as the henchmen of the Joker
.
During the Infinite Crisis
, Tweedledum and Tweedledee appear as members of Alexander Luthor, Jr.
's Secret Society of Super Villains
. Joker refers to them as "Tweedledee and the new Dum" implying that the original Tweedledum is either dead or still incarcerated. It was later confirmed in Detective Comics
#841 that Dumfree Tweed had died and his twin brother Dumpson Tweed had taken his place.
The new Tweedledum and Tweedledee were part of the Wonderland Gang. Originally believed by the public to be run by the Mad Hatter
, it was revealed that The Tweeds really ran the gang using one of Tetch's own mind control on him in order to cash in on his notoriety. They filled the Wonderland Gang with other pairs based on Alice in Wonderland (such as The Lion and the Unicorn
and The Walrus and the Carpenter
). After Batman took down the henchmen, Mad Hatter eventually got back at them by sticking mind control chips on the two and turning them on each other. The villains were eventually arrested by the police. After some imprisonment, the Tweeds reformed the Wonderland Gang with The Walrus and the Carpenter but were quickly apprehended by Batman, Robin
and Nightwing
.
During the Salvation Run
storyline, Tweedledum and Tweedledee ended up deported to another planet where the other villains rounded up were sent to.
Tweedledum and Tweedledee were seen being released by Hush
, who is masquerading as Bruce Wayne.
Supervillain
A supervillain or supervillainess is a variant of the villain character type, commonly found in comic books, action movies and science fiction in various media.They are sometimes used as foils to superheroes and other fictional heroes...
s that appears in comic books published by DC Comics
DC Comics
DC Comics, Inc. is one of the largest and most successful companies operating in the market for American comic books and related media. It is the publishing unit of DC Entertainment a company of Warner Bros. Entertainment, which itself is owned by Time Warner...
, primarily as enemies 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...
. The characters 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...
#74 (April 1943), and were created by Bob Kane
Bob Kane
Bob Kane was an American comic book artist and writer, credited as the creator of the DC Comics superhero Batman...
, Jerry Robinson
Jerry Robinson
Jerry Robinson is an American comic book artist best known for his work on DC Comics' Batman line of comics during the 1940s.He was inducted into the Comic Book Hall of Fame in 2004.-Career:...
and Don Cameron.
Fictional character biographies
Dumfree and Deever Tweed are cousins who resemble each other so closely that they are often mistaken for identical twins. The pair are known as Tweedledum and Tweedledee, both as a play on words on their real names, and because they closely resemble Sir John Tenniel's depictions of those characters in Lewis CarrollLewis Carroll
Charles Lutwidge Dodgson , better known by the pseudonym Lewis Carroll , was an English author, mathematician, logician, Anglican deacon and photographer. His most famous writings are Alice's Adventures in Wonderland and its sequel Through the Looking-Glass, as well as the poems "The Hunting of the...
's sequel to Alice's Adventures in Wonderland
Alice's Adventures in Wonderland
Alice's Adventures in Wonderland is an 1865 novel written by English author Charles Lutwidge Dodgson under the pseudonym Lewis Carroll. It tells of a girl named Alice who falls down a rabbit hole into a fantasy world populated by peculiar, anthropomorphic creatures...
entitled Through the Looking-Glass
Through the Looking-Glass
Through the Looking-Glass, and What Alice Found There is a work of literature by Lewis Carroll . It is the sequel to Alice's Adventures in Wonderland...
. The two Tweeds always conduct their criminal activity in partnership with one another. They prefer to mastermind criminal schemes and let their henchmen carry out any necessary physical activity. The Tweeds will often use their extraordinary resemblance to trick their opponents into thinking there is only one of them. Tweedledum and Tweedledee first encountered Batman and Robin
Robin (comics)
Robin is the name of several fictional characters appearing in comic books published by DC Comics, originally created by Bob Kane, Bill Finger and Jerry Robinson, as a junior counterpart to DC Comics superhero Batman...
when they began a crime spree in Gotham City
Gotham City
Gotham City is a fictional U.S. city appearing in DC Comics, best known as the home of Batman. Batman's place of residence was first identified as Gotham City in Batman #4 . Gotham City is strongly inspired by Trenton, Ontario's history, location, atmosphere, and various architectural styles...
. Batman and Robin have fought against the Tweeds and have overcome them on subsequent occasions.
The pair makes an appearance in Arkham Asylum: A Serious House on Serious Earth
Arkham Asylum: A Serious House on Serious Earth
Arkham Asylum: A Serious House on Serious Earth is a Batman graphic novel written by Grant Morrison and illustrated by Dave McKean. It was originally published in the United States in both hardcover and softcover editions by DC Comics in 1989...
as inmates in 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...
. In this incarnation, they appear attached to each other by a pair of electroshock helmets, with Tweedledum representing the right half of the brain, and Tweedledee the left.
Although Tweedledum and Tweedledee are most often depicted as being the leaders of their own criminal organization, they sometimes are re-imagined as the henchmen of the Joker
Joker (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...
.
During the Infinite Crisis
Infinite Crisis
Infinite Crisis is a 2005 - 2006 comic book storyline published by DC Comics, consisting of an eponymous, seven-issue comic book limited series written by Geoff Johns and illustrated by Phil Jimenez, George Pérez, Ivan Reis, and Jerry Ordway, and a number of tie-in books...
, Tweedledum and Tweedledee appear as members of Alexander Luthor, Jr.
Alexander Luthor, Jr.
Alexander Luthor Jr. is a DC Comics character who turned from a hero to a villain. Created by Marv Wolfman and George Pérez, Alexander has a prominent role in the DC Universe storylines Crisis on Infinite Earths and Infinite Crisis....
's Secret Society of Super Villains
Secret Society of Super Villains
The Secret Society of Super Villains is a group of comic book supervillains that exist in the DC Universe...
. Joker refers to them as "Tweedledee and the new Dum" implying that the original Tweedledum is either dead or still incarcerated. It was later confirmed 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...
#841 that Dumfree Tweed had died and his twin brother Dumpson Tweed had taken his place.
The new Tweedledum and Tweedledee were part of the Wonderland Gang. Originally believed by the public to be run by the Mad Hatter
Mad Hatter (comics)
The Mad Hatter is a fictional supervillain and enemy of Batman in the DC Universe. He is modeled after the Hatter from Lewis Carroll's novel, Alice's Adventures in Wonderland, a character often called the "Mad Hatter" in adaptations of Carroll. He made his first appearance in Batman #49 in October...
, it was revealed that The Tweeds really ran the gang using one of Tetch's own mind control on him in order to cash in on his notoriety. They filled the Wonderland Gang with other pairs based on Alice in Wonderland (such as The Lion and the Unicorn
The Lion and the Unicorn
The Lion and the Unicorn are symbols of the United Kingdom. They are, properly speaking, heraldic supporters appearing in the full Royal coat of arms of the United Kingdom. The lion stands for England and the unicorn for Scotland...
and The Walrus and the Carpenter
The Walrus and the Carpenter
"The Walrus and the Carpenter" is a narrative poem by Lewis Carroll that appeared in his book Through the Looking-Glass, published in December 1871. The poem is recited in chapter four, by Tweedledum and Tweedledee to Alice. The poem is composed of 18 stanzas and contains 108 lines, in an...
). After Batman took down the henchmen, Mad Hatter eventually got back at them by sticking mind control chips on the two and turning them on each other. The villains were eventually arrested by the police. After some imprisonment, the Tweeds reformed the Wonderland Gang with The Walrus and the Carpenter but were quickly apprehended by Batman, Robin
Tim Drake
Timothy "Tim" Drake is a superhero who appears in comic books published by DC Comics and in related media. The character was created by Marv Wolfman and Pat Broderick. From 1989 to 2009, he was known as Robin in the Batman comics, becoming the third character to take up the identity...
and Nightwing
Dick Grayson
Dick Grayson is a fictional superhero that appears in comic books published by DC Comics. Created by Bob Kane and Bill Finger and illustrator Jerry Robinson, he first appeared in Detective Comics #38 in April 1940....
.
During the Salvation Run
Salvation Run
Salvation Run is a seven-issue 2007-2008 DC Comics limited series which was designed to tie in to the company's major event series Final Crisis in 2008.-Premise:The premise of the series, which is based on a pitch by George R. R...
storyline, Tweedledum and Tweedledee ended up deported to another planet where the other villains rounded up were sent to.
Tweedledum and Tweedledee were seen being released by Hush
Hush (comics)
Hush is a fictional comic book supervillain appearing in books published by DC Comics, usually as an enemy of Batman. Created by writer Jeph Loeb and artist Jim Lee, the character first appeared in Batman #609 , as part of the 12-issue storyline, Batman: Hush...
, who is masquerading as Bruce Wayne.
Powers and abilities
Tweedledum and Tweedledee have no powers, but their fat bodies enable them to bounce and roll as they please.Television
- Tweedledum and Tweedledee made appearances on The Batman/Superman HourThe Batman/Superman HourThe Batman/Superman Hour is a Filmation animated series that was broadcast on CBS from 1968 to 1969. Premiering on September 14, 1968, this 60-minute program featured new adventures of the DC Comics superheroes Batman, Robin and Batgirl alongside shorts from The New Adventures of Superman and The...
episode "A Mad Mad Tea Party" voiced by Ted KnightTed KnightTed Knight was an American actor best known for playing the comedic role of Ted Baxter on The Mary Tyler Moore Show, Henry Rush on Too Close for Comfort, and Judge Elihu Smails in Caddyshack.- Early years :...
. They appear as the henchmen of Mad Hatter alongside the other Alice in Wonderland-based henchmen. - Tweedledum and Tweedledee appeared in the Batman: The Brave and the BoldBatman: The Brave and the BoldBatman: The Brave and the Bold is an American animated television series based in part on the DC Comics series The Brave and the Bold which features two or more super heroes coming together to solve a crime or foil a super villain...
episodes "Night of the Huntress!" and "Legends of the Dark Mite!", in which they demonstrate a coordinated fighting style, working with each other, as when they bounce off each other and the prison walls to knock out a guard. In "Night of the Huntress!", they are shown as members of Babyface's gang. In "Legends of the Dark Mite!", they appear in Bat-MiteBat-MiteBat-Mite is a fictional character appearing in stories published by DC Comics. Bat-Mite is an Imp similar to the Superman villain Mister Mxyzptlk...
's fantasies alongside the other Batman villains. Tweedledum and Tweedledee were defeated by the real Batman, who bowls them right into the other villains.
Video games
- Though they don't appear in the game, the biography for Tweedledee and Tweedledum can be unlocked in Batman: Arkham AsylumBatman: Arkham AsylumBatman: Arkham Asylum is a 2009 action-adventure stealth video game based on DC Comics' Batman developed for PlayStation 3, Xbox 360, Mac OS X and Microsoft Windows. It was developed by Rocksteady Studios and published by Eidos Interactive in conjunction with Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment...
by solving the riddle "Tweedledum and Tweedledee saw it; can you see it?" The bio is unlocked by scanning a see-saw in Arkham North.