Zsasz
Encyclopedia
Mr. Zsasz is a fictional villain who appears in books published by DC Comics
, usually as an enemy of Batman
. He is a serial killer
who usually kills with a knife and carves a tally mark
somewhere on himself for every victim.
#1 (1992) as part of the Batman: The Last Arkham
four-part story arc, and his origin story
was told in Batman Chronicles #3 (1996); both stories were written by Alan Grant and drawn by Norm Breyfogle
. As revealed in the foreword to the TPB
form of The Last Arkham, Zsasz's name is derived from that of psychiatrist
Thomas Szasz
; Grant saw the name while visiting a library.
. At the age of 25 his parents died in a boating accident, sending him into a deep depression
. He turned to gambling
, losing money in competitions around the world. One night, he ended up in a Gotham City
casino
, where he gambled everything he owned and ended up losing it all to the Penguin
; afterwards he saw that his life was empty, driven by desire, and there was no point to his existence
. While he was attempting to commit suicide
by jumping from Gotham Bridge, a homeless man tried to assault
him with a knife after he refused to give him money. Instinctively grabbing the knife, Zsasz saw in the man's eyes that all life is meaningless and that nothing nor anyone matters. He then proceeded to stab the man to death as a "gift" for saving his life. From then on, he dedicated himself to "liberating" others from their pointless existence (Zsasz often refers to victims as "zombies"). He usually preys on young women, but has no qualms over whom he murders. He slits his victims' throats and leaves them in lifelike poses, adding a tally mark to himself each time. He has been diagnosed
as insane
and is regularly incarcerated in Arkham Asylum
courtesy of Batman, breaking out on occasion to carry on killing.
s opening story arc, Batman: The Last Arkham
, Zsasz bribes
a contractor to include a secret passage
leading out from his cell during the asylum's
reconstruction under its new head, Jeremiah Arkham
, who inherited the asylum from his uncle, Amadeus Arkham. Although Zsasz is restrained during the daytime when he is being treated personally by Jeremiah Arkham, he is brought back to his cell at night where he would leave the asylum through the secret passage, unbeknownst to the night guards. After murders fitting his modus operandi
begin surfacing, Batman and Commissioner James Gordon
fake Batman's insanity in order to get him inside the asylum and investigate Zsasz. Jeremiah Arkham is exceptionally brutal towards Batman, who had supposedly murdered a police officer; over the course of the "treatment", Zsasz had warped Jeremiah's mind and turned him into a mere henchman. Due to these continuous conversations with Jeremiah Arkham, Zsasz realises Batman is a plant and subsequently murders both the contractor and another inmate at Arkham who knows of Zsasz's ploy. However, both Nightwing
and Batman catch up to Zsasz when he tries to escape for the final time and put him back in Arkham.
Zsasz later appears in Part 3 and 4 of the Knightfall
saga. In Part 3 of Knightfall, Zsasz takes an all girl's boarding school hostage and holds the students at knife point until Batman arrives, briefly leaving to kill two police officers who were sent to arrest him. Though weakened both physically and mentally, Batman fights with Zsasz and tries to ignore the lunatic's mockery. He finally snaps, however, after Zsasz says that they are really one and the same, and administers a savage beating. In part 4, Zsasz's appearance is a mere cameo, depicting him being led out of the boarding school by police and Harvey Bullock
personally threatening him.
During the No Man's Land storyline, Zsasz is a patient in Dr. Leslie Thompkins
´ field hospital for a brief while, proving to be eminently deadly even when unconscious and strapped to a stretcher when he manages to open one of the arteries of a field orderly with his fingernails. Once he wakes up, he is confronted by Dr. Thomkins, whose utter selfless charity sharply contrasts with his total emptiness; she briefly gives him pause, but is finally repelled by his profound evil.
Zsasz later appears in Detective Comics
#796, where he fights Stephanie Brown in her role as Robin
. He attempts to slit her throat, but is distracted by her unexpected ferocity and falls back, where he attacks and attempts to kill Batman. However, Stephanie eventually defeats him.
Zsasz makes a brief appearance in Infinite Crisis
#7. He is part of the Secret Society of Supervillains and is one of the many of their members sent to attack the city of Metropolis. The Society loses.
Zsasz is not seen in any major villainous role again until Detective Comics
#815, released in March 2006, entitled "Victims". Before a quarterly psychiatric review, Zsasz kills his guards with metal
poles attached to his neck bracket and escapes to kill again. Batman hunts for Zsasz, which proves unsuccessful until Zsasz gains access to a charity
event (attended by Bruce Wayne) and stabs his beloved butler, Alfred Pennyworth
, in the stomach. However, Wayne saves Alfred's life by driving him to a hospital. To lure Zsasz to him, Wayne holds a press conference in which he announces that Alfred is still alive. Having already made a scar
for Alfred, Zsasz realises that his tally is off by one (Zsasz remarks: "My skin... it's crawling... every inch of it feels... wrong.") During the second part of "Victims" (Detective Comics #816), after a fight with Batman, Zsasz proceeds to the hospital to finish off Alfred. Batman catches him off-guard and knocks him unconscious, thus saving Alfred's life and sending Zsasz back to Arkham. Throughout this appearance, Cliff Chiang
's artwork portrays Zsasz with visual elements commonly associated with the skinhead
subculture, including work boots resembling Doc Martens
, tight jeans, a white tank top, suspenders or "braces," and a close-cropped hairstyle. Additionally, Chiang's portrayal of Zsasz is more outwardly physically imposing than the gaunt, wiry physique created by Breyfogle and favored by most subsequent artists. No dialogue in the story arc references Zsasz being a skinhead nor does it explain his increased musculature, and it is likely these visual elements were the decision of the artist.
Zsasz is later seen again the Gotham Underground
story arc where in issue 3 he appears in a disguised Batman's cell at Blackgate Prison and attempts to kill him with a knife. He ends up cutting Batman's arm just as he was waking up and the resulting fight ends with Zsasz being knocked unconscious and Batman being rushed to the hospital.
A naked, desperate and totally deranged Zsasz appeared in the first issue of Batman: Cacophony
(2008), written by film director Kevin Smith
, killing a young couple and threatening their children before Batman subdues him. His thoughts move so quickly that there are no spaces between the words. In the issue, Batman says that of all the criminals he fights, he hates Zsasz the most.
In the Battle For The Cowl
storyline, Zsasz is recruited by a new Black Mask
to a part of a group of villains that aiming to take over Gotham. This arrangement is elaborated more in a continuous story arc through the Streets of Gotham
series, with Mask hiring Zsasz after he saved the former's life following a confrontation with former employee Firefly. Black Mask presents Zsasz with a briefcase filled with cash and advises him to finally live out his dream, knowing full well any 'dream' of Zsasz's would culminate in mass murder. Apprehensive at first on how to go about this, he eventually decides to take Mask up on his offer- dressing in Armani suits and purchasing a warehouse as his base of operations. During an investigation into the discovery of several murdered children by Humpty Dumpty, Damian Wayne
is 'captured' by a man soliciting runaway kids with promise of a free meal and a place to stay. Damian discovers the man to be a close associate of Victor Zsasz, and that Zsasz has been slowly building a financial empire using runaway children and kidnapped orphans in a 'fight to the death' arena where people bet on the winners. The winning child faces a new contestant, and so on, until the last child left fights Zsasz one-on-one, with promise of freedom for winning (with it clearly evident none have won thus far). Having seen the horrors that Zsasz has left, as well as a haunting memory of seeing the dead bodies of children he killed, Damian questions why Bruce
or Dick
have allowed a man like Zsasz to be left alive- despite their moral code against murder. Damian manages to subdue Victor and attack him viciously with a sword, after which he falls into Gotham Harbor. Not wanting to defy his mentor and late father's beliefs, he promises Dick that the blow wasn't fatal since he "missed Zsasz's spine" but indicated that his survival was slim.
However, Zsasz was later seen in captivity in Detective Comics, after Black Mask's (Jeremiah Arkham) apprehension, in Arkham Asylum. While no reference is made to Zsasz's injury (nor does he appear to be injured), his presence in Arkham alongside Jeremiah strongly suggests the events of this issue take place subsequent to the injury, meaning he did survive the attack.
Though he personally dislikes them for being "unreliable", Zsasz is known to occasionally carry guns in order to coerce his selected victims.
Even barehanded, Zsasz is a formidable opponent; as he is locked away in an enormous steel containment unit for sixteen hours a day, he has made a habit of practicing isometrics
in the cramped space to strengthen his body.
Zsasz is an incredibly intelligent man, and is described as having "a brilliant criminal mind". He is constantly thinking quickly both while incarcerated and active, and some of his escapes have been a result of his cunning schemes.
Zsasz is completely unpredictable, having no qualms about who he kills, when and where. Thus, he is almost impossible to track, even if signs of his modus operandi
appear evident, as there is no motive
or clue trail to follow. Such unpredictability also renders him a danger to anyone and everyone who may encounter him.
During the Streets of Gotham story arc, it is learned that- as a possible effect of his insanity- Zsasz visually sees the world as red and everyone as a victim he has murdered. These visions hold no prejudice on who he sees, showing him envisioning both friend (Black Mask) and foe (Dick Grayson) as having been killed by his hand with their throats slashed- a play to his reference of victims as 'zombies'. During his battle with Damian, as Damian started gaining the upper hand, Zsasz begins to lose his composure when he can no longer see Damian Wayne as a 'murder victim' and now only sees him as a legitimate human being, believing that Damian would not only avoid becoming a victim but may invariably be the one to finally kill him.
Unlike most Batman villains, who commit other crimes such as theft and only kill if it suits heir interest, Zsasz's only goal is body count and "liberating" as many people as possible.
event, Victor Zsasz is imprisoned in the military Doom prison. During the prison break, Zsasz is killed by arsonist Heat Wave
.
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...
, usually 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...
. He is 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...
who usually kills with a knife and carves a tally mark
Tally marks
Tally marks, or hash marks, are a unary numeral system. They are a form of numeral used for counting. They allow updating written intermediate results without erasing or discarding anything written down...
somewhere on himself for every victim.
Fictional character biography
Zsasz first appeared in Shadow of the BatBatman: Shadow of the Bat
Batman: Shadow of the Bat was a comic book series featuring Batman, published by DC Comics. The series ran for 96 issues, from 1992 to 2000. The stories took place in Batman's then-current continuity along with Detective Comics and Batman, in contrast to Batman: Legends of the Dark Knight, which...
#1 (1992) as part of the Batman: The Last Arkham
Batman: 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...
four-part story arc, and his origin story
Origin story
In comic book terminology, an origin story is an account or back-story revealing how a character or team gained their superpowers and/or the circumstances under which they became superheroes or supervillains....
was told in Batman Chronicles #3 (1996); both stories were written by Alan Grant and drawn by Norm Breyfogle
Norm Breyfogle
Norman Keith "Norm" Breyfogle is an American comic book artist, fine artist, illustrator, and writer. He was involved with the character of Batman consistently from 1987-1995. Breyfogle has worked on many different characters for most comic book publishers at one time or another...
. As revealed in the foreword to the TPB
Trade paperback (comics)
In comics, a trade paperback is a collection of stories originally published in comic books, reprinted in book format, usually capturing one story arc from a single title or a series of stories with a connected story arc or common theme from one or more titles...
form of The Last Arkham, Zsasz's name is derived from that of psychiatrist
Psychiatrist
A psychiatrist is a physician who specializes in the diagnosis and treatment of mental disorders. All psychiatrists are trained in diagnostic evaluation and in psychotherapy...
Thomas Szasz
Thomas Szasz
Thomas Stephen Szasz is a psychiatrist and academic. Since 1990 he has been Professor Emeritus of Psychiatry at the State University of New York Health Science Center in Syracuse, New York. He is a well-known social critic of the moral and scientific foundations of psychiatry, and of the social...
; Grant saw the name while visiting a library.
Origin story
In Batman Chronicles #3, told by Zsasz himself, it is learned that Victor Zsasz was the head of his own international company and had amassed a large personal fortune in addition to his family's wealthWealth
Wealth is the abundance of valuable resources or material possessions. The word wealth is derived from the old English wela, which is from an Indo-European word stem...
. At the age of 25 his parents died in a boating accident, sending him into a deep depression
Clinical depression
Major depressive disorder is a mental disorder characterized by an all-encompassing low mood accompanied by low self-esteem, and by loss of interest or pleasure in normally enjoyable activities...
. He turned to gambling
Gambling
Gambling is the wagering of money or something of material value on an event with an uncertain outcome with the primary intent of winning additional money and/or material goods...
, losing money in competitions around the world. One night, he ended up in a 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...
casino
Casino
In modern English, a casino is a facility which houses and accommodates certain types of gambling activities. Casinos are most commonly built near or combined with hotels, restaurants, retail shopping, cruise ships or other tourist attractions...
, where he gambled everything he owned and ended up losing it all to the Penguin
Penguin (comics)
Oswald Chesterfield Cobblepot III is a DC Comics supervillain and one of Batman's oldest, most persistent enemies. The Penguin was introduced by artist Bob Kane and writer Bill Finger, making his debut in Detective Comics #58 .The Penguin is a short, rotund man known for his love of birds and his...
; afterwards he saw that his life was empty, driven by desire, and there was no point to his existence
Nihilism
Nihilism is the philosophical doctrine suggesting the negation of one or more putatively meaningful aspects of life. Most commonly, nihilism is presented in the form of existential nihilism which argues that life is without objective meaning, purpose, or intrinsic value...
. While he was attempting to commit suicide
Suicide
Suicide is the act of intentionally causing one's own death. Suicide is often committed out of despair or attributed to some underlying mental disorder, such as depression, bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, alcoholism, or drug abuse...
by jumping from Gotham Bridge, a homeless man tried to assault
Assault
In law, assault is a crime causing a victim to fear violence. The term is often confused with battery, which involves physical contact. The specific meaning of assault varies between countries, but can refer to an act that causes another to apprehend immediate and personal violence, or in the more...
him with a knife after he refused to give him money. Instinctively grabbing the knife, Zsasz saw in the man's eyes that all life is meaningless and that nothing nor anyone matters. He then proceeded to stab the man to death as a "gift" for saving his life. From then on, he dedicated himself to "liberating" others from their pointless existence (Zsasz often refers to victims as "zombies"). He usually preys on young women, but has no qualms over whom he murders. He slits his victims' throats and leaves them in lifelike poses, adding a tally mark to himself each time. He has been diagnosed
Medical diagnosis
Medical diagnosis refers both to the process of attempting to determine or identify a possible disease or disorder , and to the opinion reached by this process...
as insane
Insanity
Insanity, craziness or madness is a spectrum of behaviors characterized by certain abnormal mental or behavioral patterns. Insanity may manifest as violations of societal norms, including becoming a danger to themselves and others, though not all such acts are considered insanity...
and is regularly incarcerated 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...
courtesy of Batman, breaking out on occasion to carry on killing.
Later story arcs
During his debut appearance in Batman: Shadow of the BatBatman: Shadow of the Bat
Batman: Shadow of the Bat was a comic book series featuring Batman, published by DC Comics. The series ran for 96 issues, from 1992 to 2000. The stories took place in Batman's then-current continuity along with Detective Comics and Batman, in contrast to Batman: Legends of the Dark Knight, which...
s opening story arc, Batman: The Last Arkham
Batman: 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...
, Zsasz bribes
Bribery
Bribery, a form of corruption, is an act implying money or gift giving that alters the behavior of the recipient. Bribery constitutes a crime and is defined by Black's Law Dictionary as the offering, giving, receiving, or soliciting of any item of value to influence the actions of an official or...
a contractor to include a secret passage
Secret passage
Secret passages, also commonly referred to as hidden passages or secret tunnels, are hidden routes used for stealthy travel. Such passageways are sometimes inside buildings leading to secret rooms. Others allow occupants to enter or exit buildings without being seen...
leading out from his cell during the asylum's
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...
reconstruction under its new head, Jeremiah Arkham
Jeremiah Arkham
Jeremiah Arkham is a fictional character in DC Comics' Batman comic books, in which he serves as the current head of Arkham Asylum, an institution for the criminally insane. He debuted in 1992 in Shadow of the Bat #1 during the four-part story arc, Batman: The Last Arkham, that kicked off the new...
, who inherited the asylum from his uncle, Amadeus Arkham. Although Zsasz is restrained during the daytime when he is being treated personally by Jeremiah Arkham, he is brought back to his cell at night where he would leave the asylum through the secret passage, unbeknownst to the night guards. After murders fitting his modus operandi
Modus operandi
Modus operandi is a Latin phrase, approximately translated as "mode of operation". The term is used to describe someone's habits or manner of working, their method of operating or functioning...
begin surfacing, Batman and Commissioner James Gordon
James Gordon (comics)
James Worthington Gordon, Sr. is a fictional character, an ally of Batman that appears in comic books published by DC Comics. The character first appeared in Detective Comics #27 , and was created by Bill Finger and Bob Kane...
fake Batman's insanity in order to get him inside the asylum and investigate Zsasz. Jeremiah Arkham is exceptionally brutal towards Batman, who had supposedly murdered a police officer; over the course of the "treatment", Zsasz had warped Jeremiah's mind and turned him into a mere henchman. Due to these continuous conversations with Jeremiah Arkham, Zsasz realises Batman is a plant and subsequently murders both the contractor and another inmate at Arkham who knows of Zsasz's ploy. However, both Nightwing
Nightwing
Nightwing is a name that has been used by several fictional characters in the DC Comics Universe. It was conceived as a Kryptonian analogue to the character of Batman, with Nightwing's frequent partner Flamebird based on Robin...
and Batman catch up to Zsasz when he tries to escape for the final time and put him back in Arkham.
Zsasz later appears in Part 3 and 4 of the Knightfall
Batman: Knightfall
"Knightfall" is the title given to a major Batman story arc published by DC Comics that dominated Batman-related serial comic books in the spring and summer of 1993...
saga. In Part 3 of Knightfall, Zsasz takes an all girl's boarding school hostage and holds the students at knife point until Batman arrives, briefly leaving to kill two police officers who were sent to arrest him. Though weakened both physically and mentally, Batman fights with Zsasz and tries to ignore the lunatic's mockery. He finally snaps, however, after Zsasz says that they are really one and the same, and administers a savage beating. In part 4, Zsasz's appearance is a mere cameo, depicting him being led out of the boarding school by police and Harvey Bullock
Harvey Bullock (comics)
Harvey Bullock is a fictional character from DC Comics' Batman titles.-Fictional character biography:Prior to the 1984-85 DC maxi-series Crisis on Infinite Earths, Bullock is a crooked police detective under instructions from Gotham City's Mayor Hamilton Hill to sabotage Commissioner Gordon's career...
personally threatening him.
During the No Man's Land storyline, Zsasz is a patient in Dr. Leslie Thompkins
Leslie Thompkins
Dr. Leslie Thompkins is a fictional character from the Batman mythos. Created by writer Dennis O'Neil and artist Dick Giordano, she first appeared in Detective Comics #457...
´ field hospital for a brief while, proving to be eminently deadly even when unconscious and strapped to a stretcher when he manages to open one of the arteries of a field orderly with his fingernails. Once he wakes up, he is confronted by Dr. Thomkins, whose utter selfless charity sharply contrasts with his total emptiness; she briefly gives him pause, but is finally repelled by his profound evil.
Zsasz later appears 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...
#796, where he fights Stephanie Brown in her role as 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...
. He attempts to slit her throat, but is distracted by her unexpected ferocity and falls back, where he attacks and attempts to kill Batman. However, Stephanie eventually defeats him.
Zsasz makes a brief appearance in 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...
#7. He is part of the Secret Society of Supervillains and is one of the many of their members sent to attack the city of Metropolis. The Society loses.
Zsasz is not seen in any major villainous role again until 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...
#815, released in March 2006, entitled "Victims". Before a quarterly psychiatric review, Zsasz kills his guards with metal
Metal
A metal , is an element, compound, or alloy that is a good conductor of both electricity and heat. Metals are usually malleable and shiny, that is they reflect most of incident light...
poles attached to his neck bracket and escapes to kill again. Batman hunts for Zsasz, which proves unsuccessful until Zsasz gains access to a charity
Charitable organization
A charitable organization is a type of non-profit organization . It differs from other types of NPOs in that it centers on philanthropic goals A charitable organization is a type of non-profit organization (NPO). It differs from other types of NPOs in that it centers on philanthropic goals A...
event (attended by Bruce Wayne) and stabs his beloved butler, Alfred Pennyworth
Alfred Pennyworth
Alfred Pennyworth is a fictional character that appears throughout the DC Comics franchise. The character first appears in Batman #16 , and was created by writer Bob Kane and artist Jerry Robinson. Alfred serves as Batman’s tireless butler, assistant, confidant, and surrogate father figure...
, in the stomach. However, Wayne saves Alfred's life by driving him to a hospital. To lure Zsasz to him, Wayne holds a press conference in which he announces that Alfred is still alive. Having already made a scar
Scar
Scars are areas of fibrous tissue that replace normal skin after injury. A scar results from the biological process of wound repair in the skin and other tissues of the body. Thus, scarring is a natural part of the healing process. With the exception of very minor lesions, every wound results in...
for Alfred, Zsasz realises that his tally is off by one (Zsasz remarks: "My skin... it's crawling... every inch of it feels... wrong.") During the second part of "Victims" (Detective Comics #816), after a fight with Batman, Zsasz proceeds to the hospital to finish off Alfred. Batman catches him off-guard and knocks him unconscious, thus saving Alfred's life and sending Zsasz back to Arkham. Throughout this appearance, Cliff Chiang
Cliff Chiang
Cliff Chiang is an American comic book artist. Formerly an assistant editor at DC Comics, he is now an illustrator, best known for his work on Human Target, Beware the Creeper and Crisis Aftermath: The Spectre. A recent project has been the Dr...
's artwork portrays Zsasz with visual elements commonly associated with the skinhead
Skinhead
A skinhead is a member of a subculture that originated among working class youths in the United Kingdom in the 1960s, and then spread to other parts of the world. Named for their close-cropped or shaven heads, the first skinheads were greatly influenced by West Indian rude boys and British mods,...
subculture, including work boots resembling Doc Martens
Dr. Martens
Dr. Martens is a traditional British footwear brand, which also makes a range of accessories – shoe care products, clothing, luggage, etc. In addition to Dr. Martens, they are known as Doctor Martens, Doc Martens, Docs or DMs...
, tight jeans, a white tank top, suspenders or "braces," and a close-cropped hairstyle. Additionally, Chiang's portrayal of Zsasz is more outwardly physically imposing than the gaunt, wiry physique created by Breyfogle and favored by most subsequent artists. No dialogue in the story arc references Zsasz being a skinhead nor does it explain his increased musculature, and it is likely these visual elements were the decision of the artist.
Zsasz is later seen again the Gotham Underground
Gotham Underground
Gotham Underground is a nine-issue limited series from DC Comics, written by Frank Tieri, with art by Jim Califiore.The series looked at the repercussions of Countdown to Final Crisis and focuses on the Batman Family banding together to prevent a gang war to find out who will occupy the territory...
story arc where in issue 3 he appears in a disguised Batman's cell at Blackgate Prison and attempts to kill him with a knife. He ends up cutting Batman's arm just as he was waking up and the resulting fight ends with Zsasz being knocked unconscious and Batman being rushed to the hospital.
A naked, desperate and totally deranged Zsasz appeared in the first issue of Batman: Cacophony
Batman: Cacophony
Batman: Cacophony is the title of a three-issue comic book limited series starring Batman. The series was written by Kevin Smith with art by Walt Flanagan, and ran from November 2008 through March 2009 due to delays with issue three.-History:...
(2008), written by film director Kevin Smith
Kevin 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...
, killing a young couple and threatening their children before Batman subdues him. His thoughts move so quickly that there are no spaces between the words. In the issue, Batman says that of all the criminals he fights, he hates Zsasz the most.
In the Battle For The Cowl
Batman: Battle for the Cowl
Batman: Battle for the Cowl is a 2009 comic book storyline published by DC Comics, consisting of an eponymous, three issue miniseries written and penciled by Tony Daniel, as well as a number of tie-in books. The central story details the chaos in Gotham City following the "Batman R.I.P." and "Final...
storyline, Zsasz is recruited by a new Black Mask
Black Mask (comics)
Black Mask is a fictional character in the DC Comics universe. An enemy of Batman, he first appeared in Batman #386 . Black Mask was created by Doug Moench and Tom Mandrake.-Dark beginning:...
to a part of a group of villains that aiming to take over Gotham. This arrangement is elaborated more in a continuous story arc through the Streets of Gotham
Batman: Streets of Gotham
Batman: Streets of Gotham is an American comic book ongoing series written by Paul Dini, with art by Dustin Nguyen. The series stars Dick Grayson as the new Batman and ties into Grant Morrison's overarching "Batman: Reborn" story and the new Gotham City Sirens monthly...
series, with Mask hiring Zsasz after he saved the former's life following a confrontation with former employee Firefly. Black Mask presents Zsasz with a briefcase filled with cash and advises him to finally live out his dream, knowing full well any 'dream' of Zsasz's would culminate in mass murder. Apprehensive at first on how to go about this, he eventually decides to take Mask up on his offer- dressing in Armani suits and purchasing a warehouse as his base of operations. During an investigation into the discovery of several murdered children by Humpty Dumpty, Damian Wayne
Damian Wayne
Damian Wayne is a fictional character in the . Damian is the child of Bruce Wayne and Talia al Ghul, and thus the grandson of Batman villain Ra's al Ghul....
is 'captured' by a man soliciting runaway kids with promise of a free meal and a place to stay. Damian discovers the man to be a close associate of Victor Zsasz, and that Zsasz has been slowly building a financial empire using runaway children and kidnapped orphans in a 'fight to the death' arena where people bet on the winners. The winning child faces a new contestant, and so on, until the last child left fights Zsasz one-on-one, with promise of freedom for winning (with it clearly evident none have won thus far). Having seen the horrors that Zsasz has left, as well as a haunting memory of seeing the dead bodies of children he killed, Damian questions why Bruce
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...
or Dick
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....
have allowed a man like Zsasz to be left alive- despite their moral code against murder. Damian manages to subdue Victor and attack him viciously with a sword, after which he falls into Gotham Harbor. Not wanting to defy his mentor and late father's beliefs, he promises Dick that the blow wasn't fatal since he "missed Zsasz's spine" but indicated that his survival was slim.
However, Zsasz was later seen in captivity in Detective Comics, after Black Mask's (Jeremiah Arkham) apprehension, in Arkham Asylum. While no reference is made to Zsasz's injury (nor does he appear to be injured), his presence in Arkham alongside Jeremiah strongly suggests the events of this issue take place subsequent to the injury, meaning he did survive the attack.
Powers and abilities
In addition to his wiry-yet-tall physique, Zsasz is an extremely agile and flexible man, able to go toe-to-toe with even Batman for brief bouts. Though he favors slitting his victims' throats with knives, he has no reservations about tossing blades at opponents if the occasion calls for it, and even carries several spare knives for this purpose.Though he personally dislikes them for being "unreliable", Zsasz is known to occasionally carry guns in order to coerce his selected victims.
Even barehanded, Zsasz is a formidable opponent; as he is locked away in an enormous steel containment unit for sixteen hours a day, he has made a habit of practicing isometrics
Isometric exercise
Isometric exercise or isometrics are a type of strength training in which the joint angle and muscle length do not change during contraction...
in the cramped space to strengthen his body.
Zsasz is an incredibly intelligent man, and is described as having "a brilliant criminal mind". He is constantly thinking quickly both while incarcerated and active, and some of his escapes have been a result of his cunning schemes.
Zsasz is completely unpredictable, having no qualms about who he kills, when and where. Thus, he is almost impossible to track, even if signs of his modus operandi
Modus operandi
Modus operandi is a Latin phrase, approximately translated as "mode of operation". The term is used to describe someone's habits or manner of working, their method of operating or functioning...
appear evident, as there is no motive
Motive (law)
A motive, in law, especially criminal law, is the cause that moves people to induce a certain action. Motive, in itself, is not an element of any given crime; however, the legal system typically allows motive to be proven in order to make plausible the accused's reasons for committing a crime, at...
or clue trail to follow. Such unpredictability also renders him a danger to anyone and everyone who may encounter him.
During the Streets of Gotham story arc, it is learned that- as a possible effect of his insanity- Zsasz visually sees the world as red and everyone as a victim he has murdered. These visions hold no prejudice on who he sees, showing him envisioning both friend (Black Mask) and foe (Dick Grayson) as having been killed by his hand with their throats slashed- a play to his reference of victims as 'zombies'. During his battle with Damian, as Damian started gaining the upper hand, Zsasz begins to lose his composure when he can no longer see Damian Wayne as a 'murder victim' and now only sees him as a legitimate human being, believing that Damian would not only avoid becoming a victim but may invariably be the one to finally kill him.
Unlike most Batman villains, who commit other crimes such as theft and only kill if it suits heir interest, Zsasz's only goal is body count and "liberating" as many people as possible.
Flashpoint
In the alternate timeline of the FlashpointFlashpoint (comics)
Flashpoint is an American comic book crossover story arc published by DC Comics. Consisting of an eponymous core limited series and a number of tie-in titles, the storyline premiered in May 2011...
event, Victor Zsasz is imprisoned in the military Doom prison. During the prison break, Zsasz is killed by arsonist Heat Wave
Heat Wave (comics)
Heat Wave is a fictional villain in the DC Universe and a primary foe of the Flash.-Fictional character biography:Born on a farm outside Central City, Mick Rory became fascinated with fire, as a child. This fascination turned into an obsession and one night, he set his family's home ablaze...
.
Film
- Zsasz appears briefly in the 2005 film Batman BeginsBatman BeginsBatman Begins is a 2005 American superhero action film based on the fictional DC Comics character Batman, directed by Christopher Nolan. It stars Christian Bale as Batman, along with Michael Caine, Gary Oldman, Liam Neeson, Katie Holmes, Cillian Murphy, Morgan Freeman, Ken Watanabe, Tom Wilkinson,...
, portrayed by Tim BoothTim BoothTimothy John Booth is an English singer, dancer, and actor best known as the lead singer from the band James.-1980s:Booth was born in Bradford, West Yorkshire, England and attended Shrewsbury School...
(the vocalist of BritishGreat BritainGreat Britain or Britain is an island situated to the northwest of Continental Europe. It is the ninth largest island in the world, and the largest European island, as well as the largest of the British Isles...
band JamesJames (band)James are a British rock band from Manchester, England. They formed in 1982 and were active throughout the 1980s, but most successful during the 1990s. Their hit singles include "Come Home", "Sit Down", and "She's a Star" as well as their American College Radio hit "Laid"...
). In the movie, Assistant District Attorney Rachel DawesRachel DawesRachel Dawes is a fictional character who first appeared in Christopher Nolan's 2005 feature film, Batman Begins. She was portrayed in that film by Katie Holmes and as a child in flashback scenes by Emma Lockhart. Katie Holmes also voiced Rachel in the Batman Begins video game. Maggie Gyllenhaal...
states that Zsasz butchers citizens for the mob and is one of Carmine FalconeCarmine FalconeCarmine "The Roman" Falcone is a fictional character in DC Comics' shared universe, the DC Universe, who made his debut in the four part story Batman: Year One written by Frank Miller and David Mazzucchelli in 1987.- Publication history :...
's thugs. He is sent to Arkham Asylum, but escapes during Ra's al GhulRa's al GhulRa's al Ghul is a DC Comics supervillain and is one of Batman's greatest enemies. His name in Arabic has been translated in the comics as "The Demon's Head" and references the name of the star Algol. Created by writer Dennis O'Neil and artist Neal Adams, he was introduced in Batman #232's...
's attack on Gotham, and nearly attacks Dawes and a child she is protecting. Zsasz is revealed to have remained at large in one of the promotional websites for The Dark KnightThe Dark Knight (film)The Dark Knight is a 2008 superhero film directed, produced and co-written by Christopher Nolan. Based on the DC Comics character Batman, the film is part of Nolan's Batman film series and a sequel to 2005's Batman Begins...
. His last name is misspelled "Zsaz" in this continuity.
Video games
- Zsasz appears as a boss in the Batman: Dark TomorrowBatman: Dark TomorrowBatman: Dark Tomorrow is a console video game exclusively for the Nintendo GameCube and Xbox systems, based on DC Comics' Batman. It was developed by HotGen and published by Kemco in conjunction with Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment and DC Comics...
game. - Tim BoothTim BoothTimothy John Booth is an English singer, dancer, and actor best known as the lead singer from the band James.-1980s:Booth was born in Bradford, West Yorkshire, England and attended Shrewsbury School...
reprises his role as Zsasz in the Batman BeginsBatman Begins (video game)Batman Begins is a 2005 video game based on the film of the same name. It was released June 14, 2005, a day before the 2005 American superhero film was released. It was developed by Eurocom and published by Electronic Arts in conjunction with Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment and DC Comics...
video game, in his original incarnation, rather than the hitman he's described as in the film. He first appears when Flass is attempting to interrogate him for information about Falcone's new 'partner', Batman releasing him from his chain in order to scare Flass into departing his cell so that he can be questioned. Zsasz later makes a brief appearance during the riots where he attempts to terrify Rachel DawesRachel DawesRachel Dawes is a fictional character who first appeared in Christopher Nolan's 2005 feature film, Batman Begins. She was portrayed in that film by Katie Holmes and as a child in flashback scenes by Emma Lockhart. Katie Holmes also voiced Rachel in the Batman Begins video game. Maggie Gyllenhaal...
, but she takes him out with her tazer while Zsasz is distracted. - Zsasz appears in the Nintendo DSNintendo DSThe is a portable game console produced by Nintendo, first released on November 21, 2004. A distinctive feature of the system is the presence of two separate LCD screens, the lower of which is a touchscreen, encompassed within a clamshell design, similar to the Game Boy Advance SP...
version of Lego Batman: The Video GameLego Batman: The Video GameLego Batman: The Videogame is a action-adventure video game, created for Microsoft Windows, Xbox 360, PlayStation 2, PlayStation 3, PlayStation Portable, Nintendo DS, Mac OS X and Wii. The game is based on the comic book character Batman and the Lego Batman toy line...
as an enemy bounty in the "Villain Hunt" minigame. - Zsasz appears as one of the villains 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...
voiced by Danny JacobsDanny Jacobs (actor)Daniel "Danny" Jacobs is an American voice actor, comedian, and actor. He is best known as the voice King Julien XIII on the Nickelodeon television series The Penguins of Madagascar and the Christmas TV special Merry Madagascar, substituting for British stand-up comic Sacha Baron Cohen...
. In both occasions, he has gained a hostage whom he will kill if he sees Batman approach forcing the player to take him by surprise to save the hostage. He is later seen in one of the Scarecrow'sScarecrow (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...
hallucinations as one of the villains escorting Batman into Arkham, similar to the guards who brought 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...
into Arkham Asylum at the start of the game. Later in the hand-to-hand combat challenge modes, Zsasz appears as a NPCNon-player characterA non-player character , sometimes known as a non-person character or non-playable character, in a game is any fictional character not controlled by a player. In electronic games, this usually means a character controlled by the computer through artificial intelligence...
that Batman must fight along with the thugs. He carries two knives, and must be stunned to attack. - Zsasz appears in the sequel Batman: Arkham City. Batman must track him down and foil his murders in side missions. He explains his backstory over the course of the mission via phoning the player, eventually revealing he feels his only purpose in life is killing. Batman then tracks down his hideout and throws him out of the window and beats him down. Batman then puts him in a cage where he had one of his prisoners. Also if the player goes to his hideout before fully updating it, a Penguin thug will come out and say that you are not welcome. But when players get to go into Zsasz's hideout, only Zsasz and his two prisoners are there. It is mentioned by Penguin that Zsasz has murdered over 100 men, women and children. It was also implied that he was captured by Penguin and put on display before escaping.
Books
- The tie-inTie-inA tie-in is an authorized product based on a media property a company is releasing, such as a movie or video/DVD, computer game, video game, television program/television series, board game, web site, role-playing game or literary property...
book for Batman Begins featuring the development art, and the visual guide to the film, also feature a shot of Booth in costume, referring to Zsasz as a serial killer. In the credits and scriptScreenplayA screenplay or script is a written work that is made especially for a film or television program. Screenplays can be original works or adaptations from existing pieces of writing. In them, the movement, actions, expression, and dialogues of the characters are also narrated...
for the film, as well as all the books and the graphic novelization, his name is spelled "Zsaz". The novelizationNovelizationA novelization is a novel that is written based on some other media story form rather than as an original work.Novelizations of films usually add background material not found in the original work to flesh out the story, because novels are generally longer than screenplays...
of Batman Begins refers to him as "Victor Zsasz", as does the videogame.
Trivia
- Charles Victor Szasz (Later anglicized to Sage) was the birth name of the original DC comics hero named "The QuestionQuestion (comics)The Question is a fictional character, a superhero in comic books published by DC Comics. The original was created by writer-artist Steve Ditko, and first appeared in Blue Beetle #1...
". That character was reinterpreted by Denny O'Neil, who also edited the Batman line of comics at the time for DC. - Zsasz is known of practicing isometrics while incarcerated. Coincidentally, the man who invented isometric exercises is Russian wrestler Alexander ZassAlexander ZassAlexander Zass was born in Vilnus, Lithuania. He was a circus actor, professional wrestler, and strongman. Despite his unimpressive physique he possessed tremendous strength that allowed him to break chains, bend thick iron bars, carry a horse on his shoulders, etc...
.