Jump to content

Rupert Thorne: Difference between revisions

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Browse history interactively
← Previous editNext edit →
Content deleted Content added
VisualWikitext
No edit summary
(4 intermediate revisions by 4 users not shown)
Line 1: Line 1:
{{Infobox comics character<!--Wikipedia:WikiProject Comics-->
{{Infobox comics character<!--Wikipedia:WikiProject Comics-->
|character_name=Rupert Thorne
| character_name = Rupert Thorne
|image=Rupert Thorne (circa 1977).png
| image = Rupert Thorne (circa 1977).png
|caption=From a panel of ''Detective Comics'' #469 (May 1977), art by Walt Simonson (penciller), Al Milgrom (inker), and Jerry Serpe (colorist).
| caption = Rupert Thorne as depicted in ''Detective Comics'' #469 (May 1977). Art by Walt Simonson (penciller), Al Milgrom (inker), and Jerry Serpe (colorist).
|publisher= [[DC Comics]]
| publisher = [[DC Comics]]
|debut= ''[[Detective Comics]]'' #469 (May 1977)
| debut = ''[[Detective Comics]]'' #469 (May 1977)
|creators= [[Steve Englehart]] (writer)<br />[[Walter Simonson]] (artist)
| creators = [[Steve Englehart]] (writer)<br>[[Walter Simonson]] (artist)
|full_name=
| full_name =
|species= [[Human]]
| species = [[Human]]
|alliances=
| alliances =
|powers=
| powers =
}}
}}
'''Rupert Thorne''' is a fictional character appearing in [[comic book]]s published by [[DC Comics]]. The character is a crime boss and enemy of [[Batman]].
'''Rupert Thorne''' is a [[fiction]]al [[Character (arts)|character]] appearing in [[comic book]]s published by [[DC Comics]]. The character is a crime boss and enemy of [[Batman]].


==Publication history==
==Publication history==
Line 21: Line 21:
Thorne is one of three criminals (the other two being the [[Penguin (character)|Penguin]] and the [[Joker (character)|Joker]]) who make a bid at [[Hugo Strange]]'s secret auction for Batman's [[secret identity]]. He kidnaps and tortures Strange to force him to divulge it rather than lose the auction. Strange resists, however, and apparently dies in the process. Even though he has the body disposed of, Thorne is haunted by eerie sounds and visions of Strange.<ref>''Detective Comics'' #469-#479 (May 1977 - September–October 1978). DC Comics.</ref>
Thorne is one of three criminals (the other two being the [[Penguin (character)|Penguin]] and the [[Joker (character)|Joker]]) who make a bid at [[Hugo Strange]]'s secret auction for Batman's [[secret identity]]. He kidnaps and tortures Strange to force him to divulge it rather than lose the auction. Strange resists, however, and apparently dies in the process. Even though he has the body disposed of, Thorne is haunted by eerie sounds and visions of Strange.<ref>''Detective Comics'' #469-#479 (May 1977 - September–October 1978). DC Comics.</ref>


After failing in his campaign against Batman and spending some time in hiding, he secretly returns to Gotham.<ref>''Detective Comics'' #507 (October 1981). DC Comics.</ref> He gets the corrupt [[Hamilton Hill (comics)|Hamilton Hill]] elected as mayor and orders him to fire Police Commissioner [[James Gordon (comics)|James Gordon]] in favor of Peter Pauling, who is on Thorne's payroll. Thorne finally identifies Bruce Wayne as Batman after acquiring photos of him changing into his costume from reporter [[Vicki Vale]]. Thorne then hires [[Deadshot]] to kill Wayne.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.pulpinterest.com/entertainment/movies/5-batman-villains-yet-see-movies/ |title = Buy a Domain Name - World's Best Domains For Sale}}</ref> Deadshot is unsuccessful, however, but before Thorne can deal with his enemy, he begins to succumb to Strange's manipulations; the professor is revealed to have faked his death and tormented Thorne with devices designed to simulate ghostly experiences. Thorne becomes paranoid, convinced that Hill and Pauling are plotting against him and trying to drive him insane. He shoots Pauling dead but is eventually apprehended by Batman and brought to justice.<ref>''Batman'' #354 (December 1982). DC Comics.</ref>
After failing in his campaign against Batman and spending some time in hiding, he secretly returns to Gotham.<ref>''Detective Comics'' #507 (October 1981). DC Comics.</ref> He gets the corrupt [[Hamilton Hill (comics)|Hamilton Hill]] elected as mayor and orders him to fire Police Commissioner [[Jim Gordon (character)|James Gordon]] in favor of Peter Pauling, who is on Thorne's payroll. Thorne finally identifies Bruce Wayne as Batman after acquiring photos of him changing into his costume from reporter [[Vicki Vale]]. Thorne then hires [[Deadshot]] to kill Wayne.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.pulpinterest.com/entertainment/movies/5-batman-villains-yet-see-movies/ |title = Buy a Domain Name - World's Best Domains For Sale}}</ref> Deadshot is unsuccessful, however, but before Thorne can deal with his enemy, he begins to succumb to Strange's manipulations; the professor is revealed to have faked his death and tormented Thorne with devices designed to simulate ghostly experiences. Thorne becomes paranoid, convinced that Hill and Pauling are plotting against him and trying to drive him insane. He shoots Pauling dead but is eventually apprehended by Batman and brought to justice.<ref>''Batman'' #354 (December 1982). DC Comics.</ref>


Thorne makes a return appearance in ''Detective Comics'' #825 (cover-dated January 2007, released November 2006). This was his first major comics appearance in decades, and his first appearance in the [[Crisis on Infinite Earths|Post-''Crisis'']] [[DC Universe]]. He is shown incarcerated in [[Blackgate Penitentiary]] when a vengeful Doctor Phosphorus makes an attempt on his life, one that Batman prevents.<ref>''Detective Comics'' #825 (January 2007). DC Comics.</ref>
Thorne makes a return appearance in ''Detective Comics'' #825 (cover-dated January 2007, released November 2006). This was his first major comics appearance in decades, and his first appearance in the [[Crisis on Infinite Earths|Post-''Crisis'']] [[DC Universe]]. He is shown incarcerated in [[Blackgate Penitentiary]] when a vengeful Doctor Phosphorus makes an attempt on his life, one that Batman prevents.<ref>''Detective Comics'' #825 (January 2007). DC Comics.</ref>
Line 35: Line 35:


==In other media==
==In other media==

===Television===
=====DC Animated Universe=====
=== Television ===
[[File:Rupert Thorne (DC Animated Universe).png|thumb|upright|Rupert Thorne as he appeared in the film ''[[Batman: Mystery of the Batwoman]]''.]]
[[File:Rupert Thorne (DC Animated Universe).png|thumb|upright|Rupert Thorne as he appeared in the film ''[[Batman: Mystery of the Batwoman]]''.]]
* Rupert Thorne appears in media set in the [[DC Animated Universe]] (DCAU) voiced by [[John Vernon]]. Thorne first appears in ''[[Batman: The Animated Series]],'' with this version essentially being a composite character, integrating elements of other gangsters from the Batman mythos such as [[Carmine Falcone]] and [[Sal Maroni]], including his status as Gotham's most powerful crime boss and role in the creation of [[Two-Face]]. His most prominent appearances are in the episodes "It's Never Too Late", where he competes with aging crime boss Arnold Stromwell for control over the city's rackets and tries to kill him, resulting in Stromwell deciding to redeem himself by surrendering to the police; the two-part episode "Two-Face", where Thorne's plan to blackmail District Attorney Harvey Dent ends with Dent being scarred in a chemical explosion, turning him into Two-Face and resulting in him attacking Thorne's rackets before Batman intervenes; "The Man Who Killed Batman", where Batman is seemingly killed by a small-timer named Sidney Debris, whom Batman saves when Thorne tries to murder him; and "Bane", where Thorne hires the mercenary [[Bane (DC Comics)|Bane]] to kill Batman, only for the Dark Knight to defeat Bane and reveal his plan to usurp Thorne's empire with help from his treacherous moll Candice. Despite numerous arrests after confrontations with Batman and Gotham's police, Thorne avoids imprisonment through bribing Gotham's many corrupt politicians, allowing him to remain Batman's enemy throughout the series' run. He makes minor appearances in "Paging the Crime Doctor", introducing his brother [[Crime Doctor (comics)|Matthew]], a de-certified doctor who is forced to make a living performing surgery on Rupert's thugs; "Vendetta", in which he is briefly suspected of kidnapping small-time criminal "Spider" Conway before [[Killer Croc]] is revealed as the true culprit; "Shadow of the Bat", in which he is part of corrupt GCPD Deputy Commissioner Gil Mason's plot to frame Gordon; and "Second Chance", in which [[Dick Grayson|Robin]] questions him about Two-Face's apparent kidnapping.
* Rupert Thorne appears in ''[[Batman: The Animated Series]]'', voiced by John Vernon. This version is a composite character who possesses elements of other gangsters from the Batman mythos such as [[Carmine Falcone]] and [[Sal Maroni]], including his status as Gotham's most powerful crime boss and role in the creation of [[Two-Face]]. His most prominent appearances are in the episodes "It's Never Too Late", where he competes with aging crime boss Arnold Stromwell for control over the city's rackets and tries to kill him, resulting in Stromwell deciding to redeem himself by surrendering to the police; the two-part episode "Two-Face", where Thorne's plan to blackmail District Attorney Harvey Dent ends with Dent being scarred in a chemical explosion, turning him into Two-Face and resulting in him attacking Thorne's rackets before Batman intervenes; "The Man Who Killed Batman", where Batman is seemingly killed by a small-timer named Sidney Debris, whom Batman saves when Thorne tries to murder him; and "Bane", where Thorne hires the mercenary [[Bane (DC Comics)|Bane]] to kill Batman, only for the Dark Knight to defeat Bane and reveal his plan to usurp Thorne's empire with help from his treacherous moll Candice. Despite numerous arrests after confrontations with Batman and Gotham's police, Thorne avoids imprisonment through bribing Gotham's many corrupt politicians, allowing him to remain Batman's enemy throughout the series' run. He makes minor appearances in "Paging the Crime Doctor", introducing his brother [[Crime Doctor (comics)|Matthew]], a de-certified doctor who is forced to make a living performing surgery on Rupert's thugs; "Vendetta", in which he is briefly suspected of kidnapping small-time criminal "Spider" Conway before [[Killer Croc]] is revealed as the true culprit; "Shadow of the Bat", in which he is part of corrupt GCPD Deputy Commissioner Gil Mason's plot to frame Gordon; and "Second Chance", in which [[Dick Grayson|Robin]] questions him about Two-Face's apparent kidnapping.

==Other versions==
* Rupert Thorne appears in ''[[The Batman (TV series)|The Batman]]'' episode "The Bat in the Belfry", voiced by [[Victor Brandt]]. Implicitly one of Gotham's last old-school crime bosses, he is quickly apprehended by Batman, leaving Gotham's underworld open for claiming by Batman's traditional [[List of Batman Family enemies|rogues gallery]]. He makes several cameos in subsequent episodes, such as "A Matter of Family" and "Rumors".
* Rupert Thorne appears in ''[[The Batman (TV series)|The Batman]]'', voiced by [[Victor Brandt]]. Introduced in the pilot episode "The Bat in the Belfry", this version is one of Gotham's last old-school crime bosses who is quickly apprehended by Batman. He makes cameo appearances in subsequent episodes, such as "A Matter of Family" and "Rumors".


===Film===
===Film===
* Rupert Thorne was originally meant to appear as a major antagonist in the 1989 film, ''[[Batman (1989 film)|Batman]]''. In an early script written by [[Tom Mankiewicz]], Thorne was depicted as being responsible for hiring [[Joe Chill]] to murder [[Thomas Wayne]] (who would be running against Thorne for city council).<ref>http://www.scifiscripts.com/scripts/batmanscript1.txt {{Bare URL plain text|date=March 2022}}</ref> Ultimately, he was replaced by the original character [[Carl Grissom]] (played by [[Jack Palance]]), who was modeled on Carmine Falcone.
* Rupert Thorne was originally meant to appear as a major antagonist in the 1989 film, ''[[Batman (1989 film)|Batman]]''. In an early script written by [[Tom Mankiewicz]], Thorne was depicted as being responsible for hiring [[Joe Chill]] to murder [[Thomas Wayne]] (who would be running against Thorne for city council).<ref>http://www.scifiscripts.com/scripts/batmanscript1.txt {{Bare URL plain text|date=March 2022}}</ref> Ultimately, he was replaced by film-original character [[Carl Grissom]] ([[Jack Palance]]), who was modeled on Carmine Falcone.
* Rupert Thorne's most major appearance in the [[DC animated universe]] is in the film ''[[Batman: Mystery of the Batwoman]]'', with [[John Vernon]] reprising his role. He works with the Penguin and professional enforcer Carlton Duquesne to finance an illegal arms deal with the President of the fictional nation of [[Kasnia]]. The three are also allied with Bane (although there is no mention of Bane's previous treacherous actions against Thorne). Of the three Batwomen, Thorne shares a personal history with rogue cop Sonia Alcana, whose life he ruined when he ordered her parents' shop burned down for refusing to pay protection money when Sonia was still a child. Thorne had escaped punishment due to lack of evidence, although everyone knew he was the one behind it. In the end, Thorne is proven guilty for his role in the arms deal.
* Rupert Thorne appears in the DCAU film ''[[Batman: Mystery of the Batwoman]]'', voiced again by John Vernon. Here, he works with the Penguin and professional enforcer Carlton Duquesne to finance an illegal arms deal with the President of [[Kasnia]]. The three are also allied with Bane (although there is no mention of Bane's previous treacherous actions against Thorne). Of the three Batwomen, Thorne shares a personal history with rogue cop Sonia Alcana, whose life he ruined when he ordered her parents' shop burned down for refusing to pay protection money when Sonia was still a child. Thorne escapes punishment due to lack of evidence, although everyone knew he was the one behind it. In the end, Thorne is proven guilty for his role in the arms deal.


===Video games===
===Video games===
* Rupert Thorne appears in the video game ''[[The Adventures of Batman & Robin (video game)|The Adventures of Batman & Robin]]'' for the [[Sega CD]], voiced by [[John Vernon]]. [[Clayface]] takes on Thorne's shape while the real Thorne is on vacation, using the gangster's money to hire other [[supervillain]]s in a plot to eliminate Batman and Robin.
* Rupert Thorne appears in ''[[The Adventures of Batman & Robin (video game)|The Adventures of Batman & Robin]]'' for the [[Sega CD]], voiced again by John Vernon. [[Clayface]] takes on Thorne's shape while the real Thorne is on vacation, using the gangster's money to hire other villains in a plot to eliminate Batman and Robin.


===Miscellaneous===
===Miscellaneous===
* Rupert Thorne plays a larger role in ''[[The Batman Strikes!]]'', a comic book that takes place in the continuity of ''The Batman''. In one issue, he works with Metropolis-based crime boss [[Bruno Mannheim]] to create an army of super-villains based on Bane, [[Man-Bat]], and [[Firefly (DC Comics)|Firefly]] in the belief that they would be more than a match for any superhero. Thorne, Mannheim, and their creations are defeated by Batman and Superman.
* Rupert Thorne appears in ''The Batman'' tie-in comics ''[[The Batman Strikes!]]''. In one issue, he works with Metropolis-based crime boss [[Bruno Mannheim]] to create an army of super-villains based on Bane, [[Man-Bat]], and [[Firefly (DC Comics)|Firefly]] in the belief that they would be more than a match for any superhero. Thorne, Mannheim, and their creations are defeated by Batman and Superman.


==See also==
==See also==
* [[List of Batman Family enemies]]
* [[List of Batman family enemies]]


==References==
==References==

Revision as of 21:06, 8 February 2024

Rupert Thorne
Rupert Thorne as depicted in Detective Comics #469 (May 1977). Art by Walt Simonson (penciller), Al Milgrom (inker), and Jerry Serpe (colorist).
Publication information
PublisherDC Comics
First appearanceDetective Comics #469 (May 1977)
Created bySteve Englehart (writer)
Walter Simonson (artist)
In-story information
SpeciesHuman

Rupert Thorne is a fictional character appearing in comic books published by DC Comics. The character is a crime boss and enemy of Batman.

Publication history

Created by Steve Englehart and Walter Simonson, the character first appeared in Detective Comics #469.[1]

Fictional character biography

Thorne is introduced as a corrupt politician involved in organized crime, being blackmailed by Doctor Phosphorus into turning the city against Batman. After Phosphorus is defeated, Thorne persuades his fellow city councilors to declare Batman an outlaw. He attempts to gain complete control of Gotham City by running for Mayor, but fails.

Thorne is one of three criminals (the other two being the Penguin and the Joker) who make a bid at Hugo Strange's secret auction for Batman's secret identity. He kidnaps and tortures Strange to force him to divulge it rather than lose the auction. Strange resists, however, and apparently dies in the process. Even though he has the body disposed of, Thorne is haunted by eerie sounds and visions of Strange.[2]

After failing in his campaign against Batman and spending some time in hiding, he secretly returns to Gotham.[3] He gets the corrupt Hamilton Hill elected as mayor and orders him to fire Police Commissioner James Gordon in favor of Peter Pauling, who is on Thorne's payroll. Thorne finally identifies Bruce Wayne as Batman after acquiring photos of him changing into his costume from reporter Vicki Vale. Thorne then hires Deadshot to kill Wayne.[4] Deadshot is unsuccessful, however, but before Thorne can deal with his enemy, he begins to succumb to Strange's manipulations; the professor is revealed to have faked his death and tormented Thorne with devices designed to simulate ghostly experiences. Thorne becomes paranoid, convinced that Hill and Pauling are plotting against him and trying to drive him insane. He shoots Pauling dead but is eventually apprehended by Batman and brought to justice.[5]

Thorne makes a return appearance in Detective Comics #825 (cover-dated January 2007, released November 2006). This was his first major comics appearance in decades, and his first appearance in the Post-Crisis DC Universe. He is shown incarcerated in Blackgate Penitentiary when a vengeful Doctor Phosphorus makes an attempt on his life, one that Batman prevents.[6]

In the pages of Batman: Three Jokers, Rupert Thorne is shown to be incarcerated at Blackgate Penitentiary at the time when Batman goes to visit Joe Chill.[7]

Other versions

Gotham by Gaslight

In the year 1891 of Gotham by Gaslight, a Gotham City Council member named Thorne is selected as the new Mayor of Gotham City following the death of Mayor Tolliver.

Justice League: Gods and Monsters

In the comic prequel Justice League: Gods and Monsters, Rupert Thorne appears when mobster Lew Moxon attends a meeting of the other crime lords in Gotham. During the meeting, it is revealed that Thorne and Moxon have been friends since childhood and that they started their criminal careers together. Moxon reveals that he knows Thorne betrayed him by stealing money from his prostitution business and, following an unwritten code of conduct, Thorne atones for his crime by taking out his gun and shooting himself.

In other media

Television

Rupert Thorne as he appeared in the film Batman: Mystery of the Batwoman.
  • Rupert Thorne appears in Batman: The Animated Series, voiced by John Vernon. This version is a composite character who possesses elements of other gangsters from the Batman mythos such as Carmine Falcone and Sal Maroni, including his status as Gotham's most powerful crime boss and role in the creation of Two-Face. His most prominent appearances are in the episodes "It's Never Too Late", where he competes with aging crime boss Arnold Stromwell for control over the city's rackets and tries to kill him, resulting in Stromwell deciding to redeem himself by surrendering to the police; the two-part episode "Two-Face", where Thorne's plan to blackmail District Attorney Harvey Dent ends with Dent being scarred in a chemical explosion, turning him into Two-Face and resulting in him attacking Thorne's rackets before Batman intervenes; "The Man Who Killed Batman", where Batman is seemingly killed by a small-timer named Sidney Debris, whom Batman saves when Thorne tries to murder him; and "Bane", where Thorne hires the mercenary Bane to kill Batman, only for the Dark Knight to defeat Bane and reveal his plan to usurp Thorne's empire with help from his treacherous moll Candice. Despite numerous arrests after confrontations with Batman and Gotham's police, Thorne avoids imprisonment through bribing Gotham's many corrupt politicians, allowing him to remain Batman's enemy throughout the series' run. He makes minor appearances in "Paging the Crime Doctor", introducing his brother Matthew, a de-certified doctor who is forced to make a living performing surgery on Rupert's thugs; "Vendetta", in which he is briefly suspected of kidnapping small-time criminal "Spider" Conway before Killer Croc is revealed as the true culprit; "Shadow of the Bat", in which he is part of corrupt GCPD Deputy Commissioner Gil Mason's plot to frame Gordon; and "Second Chance", in which Robin questions him about Two-Face's apparent kidnapping.
  • Rupert Thorne appears in The Batman, voiced by Victor Brandt. Introduced in the pilot episode "The Bat in the Belfry", this version is one of Gotham's last old-school crime bosses who is quickly apprehended by Batman. He makes cameo appearances in subsequent episodes, such as "A Matter of Family" and "Rumors".

Film

  • Rupert Thorne was originally meant to appear as a major antagonist in the 1989 film, Batman. In an early script written by Tom Mankiewicz, Thorne was depicted as being responsible for hiring Joe Chill to murder Thomas Wayne (who would be running against Thorne for city council).[8] Ultimately, he was replaced by film-original character Carl Grissom (Jack Palance), who was modeled on Carmine Falcone.
  • Rupert Thorne appears in the DCAU film Batman: Mystery of the Batwoman, voiced again by John Vernon. Here, he works with the Penguin and professional enforcer Carlton Duquesne to finance an illegal arms deal with the President of Kasnia. The three are also allied with Bane (although there is no mention of Bane's previous treacherous actions against Thorne). Of the three Batwomen, Thorne shares a personal history with rogue cop Sonia Alcana, whose life he ruined when he ordered her parents' shop burned down for refusing to pay protection money when Sonia was still a child. Thorne escapes punishment due to lack of evidence, although everyone knew he was the one behind it. In the end, Thorne is proven guilty for his role in the arms deal.

Video games

  • Rupert Thorne appears in The Adventures of Batman & Robin for the Sega CD, voiced again by John Vernon. Clayface takes on Thorne's shape while the real Thorne is on vacation, using the gangster's money to hire other villains in a plot to eliminate Batman and Robin.

Miscellaneous

  • Rupert Thorne appears in The Batman tie-in comics The Batman Strikes!. In one issue, he works with Metropolis-based crime boss Bruno Mannheim to create an army of super-villains based on Bane, Man-Bat, and Firefly in the belief that they would be more than a match for any superhero. Thorne, Mannheim, and their creations are defeated by Batman and Superman.

See also

References

  1. ^ Greenberger, Robert (2008). The Essential Batman Encyclopedia. Del Rey. p. 349. ISBN 9780345501066.
  2. ^ Detective Comics #469-#479 (May 1977 - September–October 1978). DC Comics.
  3. ^ Detective Comics #507 (October 1981). DC Comics.
  4. ^ "Buy a Domain Name - World's Best Domains For Sale".
  5. ^ Batman #354 (December 1982). DC Comics.
  6. ^ Detective Comics #825 (January 2007). DC Comics.
  7. ^ Batman: Three Jokers #2. DC Comics.
  8. ^ http://www.scifiscripts.com/scripts/batmanscript1.txt [bare URL plain text file]
Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Rupert_Thorne&oldid=1205091188"