Wikipedia

Mad Hatter (DC Comics)

TheMad Hatter(Jervis Tetch) is asupervillainappearing incomic bookspublished byDC Comics,commonly as anadversaryof thesuperheroBatman.He is modeled after theHatterfromLewis Carroll's novelAlice's Adventures in Wonderland,a character often called the "Mad Hatter" in adaptations of Carroll.[1]A scientist who invents and uses technologicalmind controldevices to influence and manipulate the minds of his victims, the Mad Hatter is one of Batman's most enduring enemies and belongs to the collective of adversaries that make up Batman'srogues gallery.[2]

Mad Hatter
Mad Hatter on the cover ofGotham Central#20 (August 2004)
Art byMichael Lark.
Publication information
PublisherDC Comics
First appearanceBatman#49 (October 1948)
Created by
In-story information
SpeciesHuman
Team affiliations
Notable aliasesFez
The Fedora Fanatic
Abilities
  • Mind control techniques

The Mad Hatter has been substantially adapted from the comics into various forms of media, including feature films, television series, and video games. He has been voiced byRoddy McDowallin theDC animated universeandPeter MacNicolin theBatman: Arkhamvideo game series, among others. He has also been portrayed inlive-actionbyDavid Waynein the 1960sBatmanseries, andBenedict Samuelin theFoxseriesGotham.A variation of the character namedLiam Crandleappeared in thethird seasonpremiere of theArrowverseseriesBatwoman,portrayed by Amitai Marmorstein.

Publication history and characterization

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Created byBill FingerandLew Sayre Schwartz,the Mad Hatter made his first appearance inBatman#49 (October1948).[3]Jervis Tetch is fascinated with hats of all shapes and sizes, as well as theLewis Carroll's children's bookAlice's Adventures in Wonderlandand its sequelThrough the Looking-Glass,particularly favoring the chapter "A Mad Tea Party".[4]According to Dr. Blakloch ofArkham Asylum:

Jervis isobsessive-compulsive,andhighlydelusional. He's got an immature self-image, so he identifies more with children than adults. Oh and he's agenius,too. (BPD)[5]

Blakloch also notes that when agitated, Tetch begins rhyming as adefence mechanism.[6]Tetch often quotes and makes reference to Carroll'sWonderlandnovels, and sometimes even fails to discern between these stories and reality. In addition to his obsession withLewis Carroll,Tetch has also shown an additional obsession with hats. InSecret Six,he will not eat a piece of food that does not have a hat on it, and states that he is not interested in the sight of his naked teammateKnockoutbecause she is not wearing a hat.[7]In thegraphic novelArkham Asylum: A Serious House on Serious Earth,it is strongly implied that he is apedophile.[8]His storylines inStreets of Gotham#4 andJeph LoebandTim Sale'sBatman: Haunted Knightalso imply an unhealthy fixation on children, such as when he kidnaps a youngBarbara Gordonand forces her into a tea party dressed asAlice,as well as kidnapping other runaway children and dressing them up like characters fromAlice's Adventures in Wonderland.[9]

Fictional character biography

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Backstory

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Growing up, Tetch was a lonely, awkward child, shunned by other children and living in his own fantasy world.[10]As an adult, he becomes aneuroscientist,and at some point moves into aboarding houseowned by Ella Littleton. There he befriends Ella's daughter, Connie, and her friends in herjunior high schoolcomputer club, sometimes helping them with their projects. A few years later, when Connie is in high school, she gets pregnant. Fearing the reaction of her extremely strict mother, Connie lies to her and claims she had been raped by someone on herhigh school'sbaseballteam, the Gotham Hawks. Ella, in turn, approaches Tetch for help and convinces him that the Gotham Hawks are "bad kids". Tetch agrees to use hismind controltechnology on a member of the team, making him use apipe bombto kill the other players. Although this is Tetch's first known criminal act, his involvement in thelocker roombombing would not be discovered until years later.[11]

Criminal career

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Golden Age

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Jervis Tetch / The Mad Hatter in his first appearance inBatman#49 (October 1948).

In his first appearance as the Mad Hatter, Tetch attempts to steal a trophy from the Gotham Yacht Club, and begins a crime spree that ends when he is foiled by Batman while he is trying to rob spectators from a high society horseshow.[3]Tetch is subsequently sent toArkham Asylum(although his fate is not revealed untilDetective Comics#510).[12]The Mad Hatter is not seen again in theGolden Age of Comic Books.

Silver Age

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Beginning withDetective Comics#230 and then throughout theSilver Age of Comic Books,an impostor Mad Hatter appears and clashes with Batman many times. He is revealed as animpostorwhen the Mad Hatter finally reappears, claiming to have "disposed of the impostor" (although the impostor would return one last time inDetective Comics#573 in 1987). Accompanied by several henchmen and a pet chimpanzee (named "Carroll Lewis", although the Mad Hatter claims that the chimp refuses to tell him how it came to have that moniker), the Mad Hatter kidnapsLucius Fox,the C.E.O. of Wayne Tech. Although he holds Lucius Fox for ransom, the Mad Hatter also unveils a device allowing him to copy the knowledge in Fox's brain, which he intends to use to make an additional fortune. However, Lucius Fox is rescued by Batman, who also captures the Mad Hatter and his henchmen.[13]

The Mad Hatter's next appearance marks the first time he is portrayed in comics with the mind-controlling devices for which he would eventually become best known. Allying himself with other villains in an attempt to kill Batman, Hatter uses a mind-controlling hat onScarecrow,forcing the villain (who had been paralyzed with fear) to fight. When Batman overcomes his attackers, Tetch flees and appears to die on a bridge under the wheels of a train. In actuality he had escaped by jumping onto a truck that had been passing underneath the bridge.[14]Subsequent encounters with Batman resulted in Tetch being sent to Arkham.[15]

During another early encounter with Batman, the Mad Hatter escapes from Arkham in time for Halloween, and makes his home in an old mansion that had been abandoned after a gruesome murder years before. Retreating deeply into his delusions about Wonderland, Tetch offers sanctuary to runaway children, asking them in return to dress up as characters fromAlice in Wonderlandand attend his tea parties, where he serves them drugged tea to keep them sedated. Around this time, the teenageBarbara Gordoncomes toGotham City,having been adopted by her uncle,Commissioner Jim Gordon,following the death of her parents. Barbara sneaks out against her uncle's orders, and goes to Gotham Park, where she soon finds herself being chased by a group of masked men with knives. The group surround her, and begin implying that they willmolestorrapeher, provoking her to scream for help. The Mad Hatter appears and scares the men away with his gun. Tetch takes her to his "Wonderland", where she is expected to play the role of Alice. When she refuses to drink tea and asks to leave, Tetch angrily smashes a teapot, scaring another of the runaways into sneaking away while Tetch's attention is on Barbara. The boy leads the police and Batman to Tetch's hideout, and Tetch is defeated by Batman while Commissioner Gordon rescues Barbara.[9]

WhenBlack Orchidvisits Arkham Asylum, attempting to find out more about her past fromPoison Ivy,she is assisted by Tetch. After Ivy refuses to help Orchid, Tetch tries to cheer her up. He also reveals he has been helping other inmates at Arkham, such as bringing Ivy things to make her plant-animal hybrids with. "I believe in helping people," he explains. "We were all put here for a purpose, I say. But it's still nice to get a thank-you." Tetch is delighted to receive a small flower as thanks for his help.[16]Tetch is also aware ofAnimal Man's identity as Buddy Baker. He is seen laughing hysterically in Arkham with the final page of "The Return with the Man of the Animal Powers", the second Animal Man story, after which he is dragged back to his cell.[17]

In theKnightfallsaga, the Mad Hatter is the first to strike, following the breakout from Arkham. He invites all criminals to a tea party to which Batman and Robin would come. One of the criminals wasFilm Freak,on whom Tetch uses a mind control device, sending him to find the person that broke them out of Arkham. Batman and Robin come and defeat the Mad Hatter as Film Freak is defeated byBane.InRobin: Year One,millionaire third-worlddictatorGeneralissimo Lee hires the Mad Hatter to kidnap a number of young girls using his mind control devices. The Mad Hatter does so by implanting the devices inWalkmen,which he gives out to girls atDick Grayson's school. The young Robin manages to defeat the Mad Hatter, however.[18]

Another plan consisted of implanting his devices in "free coffee and donuts" tickets he handed out in front of the police stations in Gotham. That plan had him controlling most of the cops in the city, inciting them to steal for him, and ultimately to riot. He even had Gotham police detectivesCrispus AllenandRenee Montoyabreak into a bank for him.Sasha Bordeauxhelped Batman stop him this time around.[19]The Mad Hatter shows up in Gotham City after it is rocked by a devastating earthquake. He adds to his body count, callously murdering a policeman. His goal is to unearth a trove of valuables, which in the end turn out to be classic hats. Tetch's role in the deaths of the Gotham Hawks High School Baseball team is eventually discovered by detectives in the Gotham City Police Department. Tetch, imprisoned at Arkham at the time, is interviewed to try to find his motive. After sending the police away, telling them that the team had been "bad kids" and that they "deserved it", Tetch contacts Ella Littleton and warns her that the police might uncover her role in the bombing. Tetch had given her one of his mind-controlling hats years before, which she used to try to take control of a guard and try to help Tetch escape from Arkham. The Hatter is caught as he tries to escape, and the mind-controlled guard fires on police before dying in return fire. Tetch himself is shot multiple times and left in critical condition. Distraught at the news, Elle Littleton inadvertently tells her daughter Connie that Tetch had killed the team for her, to "avenge her honor". Connie informs the police of everything that had happened, and Ella Littleton is arrested.[11]While working with Black Mask, the Mad Hatter implants a mind control chip directly intoKiller Croc's brain, which causes him to mutate again due to thevirushe had been injected with byHushand theRiddler.Killer Croc embarks on a quest to get payback on those responsible for his mutation, and starts with the Mad Hatter. Batman arrives in time to save him, but Killer Croc escapes. DuringInfinite Crisis,the Mad Hatter is first seen being roundly beaten byArgus,and then later fighting with theSecret Society of Super Villainsduring theBattle of Metropolis.

"One Year Later" /Secret Six

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DuringOne Year Later,Tetch is revealed to have been involved in the plot by theGreat White Sharkto frameHarvey Dentfor murdering various Gotham criminals in theDetective ComicsstorylineFace The Face.The capacity in which he is involved is left vague, however.[20]Tetch's base of operations inGotham Cityis destroyed following a search for anatomic weapon,by the formerRobin,Tim Drake, and the currentCaptain Boomerang,Owen Mercer.A recording of Tetch appears on a monitor screen and tells them that the roof will be the final hat they will ever wear as it falls down on them. Robin and Boomerang narrowly escape the building. He is later approached byCat-Man,and he joins the members of theSecret Sixto oppose theSecret Society of Super Villains;they have recruited him in hopes of a defense againstDoctor Psycho's mind control abilities. WhenRag Dollattacks the Secret Six under Dr. Psycho's control, Tetch puts on what he calls his "thinking cap" and goes into a seizure. After the Six crash-land, they are attacked by theDoom Patrol,who come close to apprehending the Six until Mad Hatter steps in and uses his mind control abilities to subdue the Doom Patrol singlehandedly, going so far as to almost makeElasti-GirleatBeast BoybeforeScandalstops him.

In a later issue ofSecret Six,Tetch reveals that he has designed a hat to make him happy beyond the measures of what illegal drugs can. He also states that he has planted miniature listening devices around theHouse of Secretsto keep tabs on his fellow members. After revealing the true motives of Scandal Savage to leave the team, the Secret Six go after her, finding themselves atVandal Savage's temple in the mountains, where Doctor Psycho starts attacking the team. Tetch easily gets the upper hand on Doctor Psycho untilCheshireappears and stabs him in the back with a poisoned dagger. Scandal tends to Hatter's wound, and Catman administers an antidote to Tetch. While the Six face off against Cheshire and Vandal Savage, Hatter takes on Doctor Psycho one on one, and emerges victorious despite his injuries, gravely injuring Dr. Psycho with Cheshire's dagger. At the end of the miniseries, Hatter saves Scandal from falling to her death, and the Six befriend him. As Hatter stands atop Savage's destroyed base with Rag Doll, he promises to be a very good friend in return. Rag Doll then pushes Hatter off the roof, seemingly to his death, saying there was "only room for one dandy freak on the team". However, it is revealed on the final page that Tetch survived the fall. Heartbroken, he vows revenge on the rest of the Six. Prior to the events ofGotham Underground,Tetch falls victim to his own mind control devices at the hands ofTweedledum and Tweedledee.The two force him to "lead" a gang of Wonderland-related criminals called theWonderland Gangthrough various gimmicky heists before Batman deduces the Tweeds to be the true masterminds. Once the three are returned to Arkham, the Hatter quickly exacts revenge on the two, manipulating them into a bloody brawl with his mind controlchips.[21]

Gotham UndergroundandSalvation Run

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More recently, Mad Hatter appears inGotham Underground#1 (August 2007), alongsideScarecrow,Hugo Strange,the Penguin,andTwo-Face,who have gathered together to assist him in escaping Gotham in light of the disappearance of other villains due tothe Suicide SquadandAmanda Wallerkidnapping and deporting villains offworld inCountdown to Final Crisis.During their meeting, however, the Suicide Squad break into the building and arrests them. He is later seen on the Hell World inSalvation Run#2 (January2008), confirming that he has indeed been deported off-world. He appears briefly during the final issue as theParademonsattack, and escapes the Hell Planet alive thanks toLex Luthor's device.

DC Infinite Halloween Special

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In the first issue ofDC Infinite Halloween Special,Hatter recounts a first-person perspective story of a small boy whose parents are murdered before his eyes by a blood-sucking humanoid bat. The story follows closely the actual origin story of Batman and is a close approximation of theRed Rain'universe' (noted in theCountdown Presents: The Search forRay Palmerseries as Earth-43), wherein Batman is, in fact, a vampire.

"Final Crisis"

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In the 2008 DC storyline "Final Crisis",Dan Turpinhas been approached bythe Questionwith regards to a recent string of child disappearances related to a mysterious group calledThe Dark Side Club.Turpin subsequently discovers that the club is led byDarkseid,who has taken on a human form after the events ofDeath of the New Gods.He is gathering a group of children together and infusing them with theAnti-Life Equationas part of his broader plan to enslave and devastate the human race. InFinal Crisis#2 (2008), Turpin discovers that Tetch played an instrumental role in assisting Darkseid in gathering the children together through the use of his mind-control hats. Turpin, overcome with a violent rage that he himself does not understand, viciously beats Tetch. Upon threats of brain damage, Tetch confesses that the children have been taken toBlüdhaven.Confused and unsure of himself, Turpin then leaves and boards a bus to Blüdhaven.Final CrisisSecret Files and Origins#1 also reveals that Darkseid's Justifiers helmets are a combination ofApokoliptictechnology and the Hatter's mind control circuitry.[volume & issue needed]

Secret Sixredux

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Secret Six#6 (February 2009) reveals that Mad Hatter has hired the Six to breakTarantulaout ofAlcatraz,to deliver her as well as a "Get Out of Hell Free" card created byNeronto Gotham City. Doing so has put the Six directly in the line of retribution from Junior, Ragdoll's psychotic sister. Junior believes that the Neron card is key to saving her soul from eternal damnation, and will stop at nothing to reclaim it from Tarantula and the Six. It seems that Junior's wrath is not the motivation behind Tetch's hiring the Six to perform this mission. He has made it clear his intention is to ensure the Six safely reach Gotham. The story is ongoing, and Tetch's full plan has yet to be revealed, although it is made clear in the same issue that Tetch intends to murder each member of the Six as part of his revenge. Tetch observes as the Six battle Junior and his goons on Gotham Bridge and when the battle ceases he confronts them, telling them how they betrayed him. Rag Doll throws Tetch's hat over the edge and Tetch jumps off after it.

"Batman: Life After Death"

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Tetch next shows up, seemingly uninjured from his battle with the Secret Six, working with the Penguin, who is planning on killing the newBlack Mask.[22]He assists the Penguin in attaching a mind control device to a gas mask, which is placed on Batman's head to turn him into a puppet to assassinate Black Mask. The plot fails, and Batman recovers before killing Black Mask.[23]Following this, Tetch is shown once again incarcerated in Arkham. He hiresDeathstrokeand theTitansto free him, and escapes just prior to a massive prison riot.[24]

The New 52

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In September 2011,The New 52rebooted DC's continuity. In this new timeline, Jervis Tetch is portrayed as suffering fromhypogonadism,which prevents him from physically maturing. He begins takingtestosterone-enhancing drugs that permanently impair his mental stability. His parents commit him to Arkham Asylum after he has a drug-induced psychotic breakdown, during which he begins referring to himself as "the Mad Hatter". He is eventually freed by the White Rabbit.[25]He uses his mind control technology to make a passenger train full of people commit suicide, assisted by his henchmen, theTweed Brothers.[26]He then uses his technology to drive several Gothamites insane. Batman eventually foils his plan and throws him through a glass rooftop.[27]

Mad Hatter and the Tweed Brothers next appear afterBlack Maskescapes Arkham Asylum. When Black Mask attempts to regain control over hisFalse Face Society,he comes into conflict with the Mad Hatter, who sees Black Mask as a rival due to Black Mask's similar mind control abilities. Both the Mad Hatter and Black Mask engage in battle, only for Batman to intervene and subdue them both.[28]

The Mad Hatter resurfaces, selling his mind control hats all over Gotham and holding casting calls at hismissile launch facilitybase, all to recreate a “perfect day” he had years before at a theme park with his childhood sweetheart, Alice. He creates a replica of the theme park in his base and brainwashes the wearers of his hats to attend as "guests". Tetch then goes to Alice's house, only to find that she is now a drug addict and alcoholic; in anger, he beats her to death. He attempts to cast a new Alice with “mind controlled girls”, but ultimately kills them for falling short of his ideal. In frustration, he makes his mind control subjects walk into the sewer and drown themselves.[citation needed]

The Mad Hatter becomes obsessed with Bruce Wayne's new girlfriend, Natalya Trusevich, and has the Tweed Brothers kidnap her. She spurns the Mad Hatter's advances, but he realizes she knows Batman's secret identity and torture her for the information. In the end, she refuses to give the information, and he throws her out of a helicopter to her death. An enraged Batman hunts him down and nearly drowns him, only to revive him at the last minute when his conscience gets the better of him.[29]

DC Rebirth

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In theWatchmensequelDoomsday Clock,Mad Hatter is among the villains.[30]

Characterization

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Skills and abilities

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While the Mad Hatter has no inherent superpowers, he is a brilliant 'neurotechnician' with considerable knowledge on how to dominate and control the human mind, either throughhypnosisor direct technological means. Usually, the Hatter places his mind control devices in the brims of hats, but has been known to utilize other devices as well.[18]More recently, he has been able to directly influence the minds of others at a distance without any apparent equipment. However, this is most likely not a newly emergingsuperhumanability; more likely, his skill at miniaturizing and concealing technology, and advances upon his original technology, have probably allowed him to develop technology that permits him to use a device hidden upon his person (such as in his hat) to project mind controlling powers in the manner of a meta-human ability such as telepathic powers.

The Mad Hatter is not above using his own inventions on himself, such as creating a hat that can cause him both extreme bliss, as well as return him to lucidity when he deems it necessary. Despite his small stature, the Mad Hatter has been known to exhibit surprising strength and agility from time to time. In the graphic novelMadness,the Mad Hatter is shown as impressively holding his own in a fistfight with Batman atop a moving train.

Appearance

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The Mad Hatter has gone through many changes in his physical appearance over the years, but the basic look remains the same. In his debut, he was a very short brown (or auburn) haired man. When he reappeared in the early 1980s, he was depicted as of average height, with blonde hair. In later years, he was short again but with white hair. Today, Tetch has red hair much like his impostor did, but his size and height still seem to vary. Constants throughout his depictions are a slightly overlarge head and (more recently) very large teeth. InSecret Six#6 (December 2006), Tetch claims to suffer frommacrocephaly.[31]

Other characters named Mad Hatter

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The impostor Mad Hatter

After the real Jervis Tetch/Mad Hatter had been sent to Arkham Asylum following his debut, a very different Mad Hatter appeared, who claimed to be Jervis Tetch. This Mad Hatter first appeared inDetective Comics#230 (April 1956) byBill Finger,andSheldon Moldoff,and, unlike the original, was tall, red-headed, stocky and sported a gaudy mustache.[32]He was primarily a thief who was obsessed with completing his private collection of hats from all nations, cultures, and historical periods. He often constructed various weaponry concealed inside his hats like flamethrowers and buzzsaws.[32]

The headgear he wanted most was, of course, Batman's cowl. In numerous attempts, he tried to de-cowl Batman.[33][34]After many tries, he was successful by spraying the cowl with a radioactive substance. Batman then went to nuclear lab and as he was preparing to leave, he set off the radiation detectors. He then had to remove it and handed it to one of Mad Hatter's henchmen who was disguised as one of the lab workers. No sooner did the Mad Hatter put it in his collection than Batman and Robin arrived. They had traced the cowl with their "super sensitive Geiger counter" in the Batplane.

Later on, inBatman#297 (March 1978), the impostor Mad Hatter claimed to have gone straight, but that turned out to be a lie.[35]In 1981, it was revealed that he was in fact an impostor when the real Jervis Tetch returned. The real Hatter claimed to have killed his impostor, but the impostor Mad Hatter reappeared alive in 1987 inDetective Comics#573, where he ended up being beaten by Batman.[36]He was treated to a cameo appearance inSecret Origins(vol. 2) #44 (1989) where he is seen in his cell at Arkham making paper hats in the story "His Name is Clayface III". Upon seeing him, one Arkham guard tells another: "He could murder ya a thousand different ways if we let 'im have any real hat--! But that doesn't stop him from tryin'!"[37]The impostor Mad Hatter appeared inBatman#700 (2010) under the moniker the "Hatman",as well as in a flashback to his Mad Hatter days.[38]

Alternative versions

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As one of Batman's most recognizable and popular opponents, the Mad Hatter appears in numerous comics that are not considered part of the regular DC continuity, including:

  • In theBatmancomic strip, the Mad Hatter is a computer programing genius who discovered that his products were depleting theozone layer.Jervis Tetch is betrayed by his business partners to keep him from reporting to theEPA.Injected with hallucinogens, Tetch was driven permanently mad, and his partners had him locked up in Arkham Asylum. There, he realized that he was driven mad with poisons from his own industry, just as hatters were, and that he was himself now “mad as a hatter!”He became obsessed with hats, which he used as a tool for revenge. After creating a mind-controllingcomputer chip,Tetch gave a rigged hat to the Arkham warden and secretly took control of Asylum. He then sent rigged hats to his business partners, forcing them to commit suicide. Realizing that he had a good thing going, Tetch used Arkham as his base of operations, robbing banks and experimenting his technology on inmates like the Joker, before he was eventually stopped by Batman andHarvey Dent.
  • In theElseworldstaleBatman: Crimson Mist- the third part of the trilogy that began withBatman & Dracula: Red Rain,which saw Batman become avampire,the Mad Hatter makes a cameo during the vampire Batman's assault on Arkham Asylum, in which Batman kills and beheads him.[39]
  • In theBatman/Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtlescrossover, the Mad Hatter is turned into a mutant rabbit by theShredder,along with other mutated inmates of Arkham Asylum. After Shredder being defeated by Batman and theTurtles,the police scientists have managed to turn Jervis and the rest of inmates at Arkham back to normal and are currently inA.R.G.U.S.custody.[40]
  • Jervis Tetch appears in the 2017 seriesBatman: White Knight.This version's technology is used by Jack Napier (who in this reality was aJokerwho had been force fed an overdose of pills byBatmanwhich temporarily cured him of his insanity) to controlClayface.Particles from Clayface's body were then slipped into the drinks of other Batman villains so that Napier could control them by way of Clayface's ability to control parts of his body that had been separated from him. He assists Neo Joker in stealing his technology back from Napier so she can control the villains, and he remains as her sidekick for the rest of the story.
  • InMother Panic: Gotham A.D.,the Mad Hatter is depicted as having been killed by the Joker during his short-lived heroic stint.[41]

In other media

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Television

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Live-action

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Mad Hatter, as portrayed byDavid Waynein the live-actionBatmanseries (left) and byBenedict SamuelinGotham(right).
  • The Jervis Tetch incarnation of the Mad Hatter appears inBatman(1966), portrayed byDavid Wayne.This version resembles the imposter Mad Hatter as the series was produced before he was revealed as such. Additionally, he wears a trick top hat containing mechanical eyes capable of firing hypnotic beams that render victims unconscious and is obsessed with stealing hats, particularly Batman's cowl.
  • Jervis Tetchappears inGotham,portrayed byBenedict Samuel.[42][43]Introduced in thethird season,this version is a professional hypnotist who can control people's minds via his voice and a "ticking" device. He is also known for dressing himself, his henchmen, and his victims as characters fromLewis Carroll'sAlice's Adventures in Wonderlandas well as creating a virus from his sister Alice's blood that turns people into homicidal maniacs. In thefourth season,Tetch joinsJerome Valeska's "Legion of Horribles" to assist them in spreading chaos throughout Gotham and acquires his "Mad Hatter" moniker fromOswald Cobblepot.In thefifth season,Tetch was put in charge ofAce Chemicalsand brainwashedJim GordonandLeslie Thompkinsin an effort to makeBruce Waynerelive his parents' death.
  • An original incarnation of the Mad Hatter inspired by the imposter namedLiam Crandleappears in theBatwomanepisode "Mad as a Hatter", portrayed by Amitai Marmorstein.[44][45]He is a mentally ill teenager and a fan ofAlice,seeing her as a victim of society. After buying Jervis Tetch's hat online, he uses it to takeMary Hamilton's graduation ceremony hostage, only to be foiled byBatwoman,Batwing,and Alice. Crandle is later incarcerated while Tetch's hat is confiscated.

Animation

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  • The Jervis Tetch incarnation of the Mad Hatter appears inThe Batman/Superman Hourepisode "A Mad, Mad Tea Party", voiced byTed Knight.This version has trained white rabbits, a hat-shaped car, and henchmen dressed as Wonderland characters.
  • TheBatman(1966) incarnation of the Mad Hatter appears inBatman: The Brave and the Bold.
  • The Jervis Tetch incarnation of the Mad Hatter appears in theYoung Justice: Outsidersepisode "Triptych", voiced byDwight Schultz.[46]This version is a member ofSimon Stagg'smetahumantrafficking operation.
  • The Jervis Tetch incarnation of the Mad Hatter appears in theHarley Quinnepisode "Another Sharkley Adventure", voiced byGriffin Newman.This version comes off as a creep and pervert to others due to his abnormal behavior, though he repeatedly denies these claims. Tetch kidnapsHarley QuinnandBatgirland attempts to use them as test subjects for his mind-controlling hats, with which he plans to enslave Gotham's citizens, though the former manages to talk him into releasing her by claiming they are both villains. However, Harley quickly regrets abandoning Batgirl and returns to rescue her. After Batgirl comments that Harley is not as villainous as she believes herself to be, the latter kills Tetch to prove her otherwise.
DC Animated Universe
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Jervis Tetch/The Mad Hatter as depicted inBatman: The Animated Series.
The Mad Hatter as he was later depicted inThe New Batman Adventures.

The Jervis Tetch incarnation of the Mad Hatter appears in series set in theDC Animated Universe(DCAU), voiced byRoddy McDowall.[46]This version is a blond British man with a large overbite that gives him aCheshire Cat-like smile.

  • Introduced in theBatman: The Animated Seriesepisode "Mad as a Hatter", Tetch is a technical and electronicsgeniuswho experiments with animals using mind-controlling microchips stored within hats to stimulatebrain waves.He falls in love with his secretary, Alice Pleasance, who does not reciprocate his feelings. Donning the guise of the Mad Hatter and usingAlice in Wonderlandas inspiration, he attempts to win Alice's affection by taking her out on the town after her boyfriend dumps her. However, she misinterprets the gesture as a way to cheer her up and unwittingly spurns his affections. Driven over the edge, Tetch uses his microchips to turn Alice into his robotic puppet until Batman defeats him. Episode writerPaul Dinionce claimed that the episode was inspired by a true story involving a technical designer who had unrequited feelings for someone at work and committed a workplace shooting.[47]In the episode "Perchance to Dream",Tetch uses an electronic helmet to trap Batman in a virtual reality realm that gives him his greatest desires in an attempt to remove the Dark Knight from his life. Once he gets free however, Batman defeats Tetch and leaves him for the police. In the episode" The Worry Men ", Tetch creates the eponymousdollsusing his chips to hypnotize Gotham's elite into giving him large sums of money so he can acquire an island where he can live in peace. However, Batman stops him and gives Tetch his own "Worry Man" to stop him from committing more crimes. Tetch also makes minor appearances in the episodes "Trial" and "Make 'Em Laugh".
  • Tetch returns inThe New Batman Adventures.For this series, he was redesigned to resemble a short, thin, rodent-like man with a paler complexion and dark green outfit.
  • Tetch appears in theSuperman: The Animated Seriesepisode "Knight Time". After discovering Bruce Wayne was hypnotized by nanites,SupermanandRobinjoin forces to find Tetch, who they believe is the culprit. Upon capturing him however, Tetch speculates that the nanites are of extraterrestrial origin. The heroes later discover the nanites were created byBrainiac.

Film

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Video games

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Lego Batman

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Main article:Lego Batman

Batman: Arkham

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Main article:Batman: Arkham

The Jervis Tetch incarnation of the Mad Hatter appears in theBatman: Arkhamseries, voiced byPeter MacNicol.[56]

  • According toBatman: Arkham AsylumwriterPaul Dini,the Mad Hatter was originally planned to appear in the game via a level where Batman discovers him in a child's hedge maze within thetitular asylum's Botanical Gardens. However, the idea did not fit the game's tone and the Mad Hatter's appearance was dropped.[57]
  • In Tetch's first physical appearance inBatman: Arkham City,it is revealed thatHugo Strangemanipulated him into conducting inhumane behavior control experiments on Arkham Asylum patients in exchange for a consistent supply of tea and multiple "Alices" for Tetch to do with as he pleases. He is additionally an inmate of Strange's city-prison, Arkham City, where he has formed a small gang of mind-controlled henchmen.
  • In the prequelBatman: Arkham Origins,a younger Tetch has yet to call himself the Mad Hatter, struggles to perfect his mind control technology, and has his first encounter with Batman after challenging him to rescue his latest "Alice".
  • As of theBatman: Arkham KnightDLC side mission "Wonderland", Tetch has taken to speaking in cryptic rhymes. He turns himself into the GCPD and demands to speak with Batman, challenging him to find and rescue three police officers he has taken hostage. Once Batman finds two of them, Tetch hypnotizes him into seeing a storybook-esque world in an attempt to make Batman kill the third officer and become his latest "Alice". However, Batman once again resists Tetch's mind control, escapes the hallucination, and incarcerates him.[58]

Miscellaneous

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  • The DC Animated Universe (DCAU) incarnation of Jervis Tetch / Mad Hatter appears in a series of tie-in comic books:
    • InBatman & Robin Adventures#17, he tries to force Alice Pleasance to marry him with a mind-control chip, butRobinforces the Dream Inducer onto Tetch's head, which inadvertently causes him to suffer a permanent mental break with reality. He is returned toArkham Asylumwhile living a happy life with Alice in his mind.[59][60]
    • InJustice League Unlimited#8, it was revealed that years of using his mind-controlling technology had rotted Tetch's mind and driven him mad.[61]
    • An aged Tetch appears inBatman Beyond(vol. 2). After his mind was "burnt out" years prior during his final battle with Batman, Tetch was incarcerated in the mental institution wing of a Neo-Gotham hospital since Arkham Asylum had closed down.[62]
    • As of theJustice League Beyondstory arc "Flashdrive", Tetch had died, with his body being kept in a vault underneath Wayne Manor along with the rest of Batman's deceased rogues.[63]
  • The Mad Hatter appears inInjustice: Gods Among Us.[64][65]
  • TheBatman(1966) of Mad Hatter appears inBatman '66#4, in which he joins forces with his brotherMorris Tetch / Clock King.[66]

See also

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References

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  4. ^Fleisher, Michael L. (1976).The Encyclopedia of Comic Book Heroes, Volume 1: Batman.New York City:Macmillan Publishing.pp. 268–269.ISBN0-02-538700-6.Retrieved29 March2020.
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  6. ^Ed Brubaker(w),Michael Lark(p),Stefano Gaudiano(i). "Unresolved"Gotham Central,no. 20 (August 2004). New York City:DC Comics.
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  9. ^abJeph Loeb(w),Tim Sale(a).Batman: Haunted Knight(1995). New York City:DC Comics.
  10. ^Gail Simone(w), Brad Walker (p),Jimmy Palmiotti(i). "Six Degrees of Devastation"Secret Six,no. 6 (January 2007). New York City:DC Comics.
  11. ^abEd Brubaker(w). "Unresolved"Gotham Central,no. 19-22 (July–October 2004). New York City:DC Comics.
  12. ^Greenberger, Robert (2008).The Essential Batman Encyclopedia.Del Rey. pp. 241–242.ISBN9780345501066.
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  14. ^Gerry Conway(w). "All My Enemies Against Me"Detective Comics(January 1981). New York City:DC Comics.
  15. ^Rovin, Jeff (1987).The Encyclopedia of Supervillains.New York: Facts on File. p. 199.ISBN0-8160-1356-X.
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  22. ^Tony S. Daniel(w), Tony S. Daniel (p),Sandu FloreaandNorm Rapmund(i), Ian Hannin (col), Jared K. Fletcher (let), Mike Marts (ed). "Life After Death, Part 4: Smoke and Mirrors"Batman,no. 695 (January 2010). New York City:DC Comics.
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  24. ^Eric Wallace(w),Fabrizio Fiorentinoand Cliff Richards (p), Hi-Fi Design (col), Travis Lanham (let),Sean Ryanand Brian Cunningham (ed). "Family Reunions, Part One"Titans,no. 28 (December 2010). New York City:DC Comics.
  25. ^Paul JenkinsandJoe Harris(w),David Finch(p), Richard Friend (i),Jeromy Cox(col), Sal Cipriano (let), Mike Marts and Rickey Purdin (ed). "Run Rabbit Run"Batman: The Dark Knight,no. 3 (April 2012). New York City:DC Comics.
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  44. ^Schaefer, Sandy (June 28, 2021)."Batwoman Will Debut Classic Batman Villains in Season 3 Along With New Versions".Comic Book Resources.RetrievedJuly 18,2021.
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  65. ^Injustice: Gods Among Us:Year Five #14
  66. ^Batman '66#4
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