Wrath (Comics)
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Wrath is the name of a DC Comics supervillain. He was a member of Batman's rogues gallery, where he served as a sort of Anti-Batman.
[edit] Publication History
The character was created by Mike W. Barr (writer) and Michael Golden (artist) and made his debut in a story titled "The Player on the Other Side", published in Batman Special # 1 (1984). The story was named after an essay by Aldous Huxley that goes by the same title. Since the story of Wrath appeared in 1984 it is most likely out of continuity nowadays, in particular since it contained some aspects that are quite contradictory to the current version of the Batman-saga (e.g. Leslie Thompkins not knowing about Batman and Bruce Wayne being the same person or James Gordon living in Gotham and serving as a policeman when Batman was just a kid).
[edit] Character History
Wrath's appearance, as well as his origin story and the motives behind his actions, are reminiscent of those of Batman, but with notable differences. The parallels/reversals include: whereas Batman's parents were shot by a mugger in front of him when he was only a kid, Wrath's parents - a couple of burglers - were shot by a young policeman whilst committing a robbery on the very same day (June 26th); whereas Bruce Wayne dedicated his life to a crusade against crime in reaction to this traumatic experience, Wrath for his part started a campaign of revenge against law and law-enforcers when he had grown up; whereas Bruce Wayne became a vigilante, the burglers' son became a professional assassin (who unlike Batman had no qualms about killing or using firearms); Wrath (like Batman) distinguished himself for perfection and obsession in what he did and used to wear a costumed that was very similar to Batman's (although coloured in crimson and purple with a W-insignia on the chest and cowl).
When Wrath - who for years had travelled the world to work as a gun for hire - finally returned to Gotham City to kill the man who had shot his parents - who was no other than James Gordon, Batman's ally and commissioner of the Gotham City Police - a clash with Batman was quite inevitable. In the course of their - for the time being only impersonal - battle of wits Wrath learned of Batman's secret identity as Bruce Wayne and started to attack several of his friends: Alfred had to be hospitalised and Leslie Thompkins was taken hostage by Wrath.
In the end Wrath died when he fell from the roof of a building in Park Row when caught in a fire he himself had started during his showdon with Batman
Wrath remains to be revived in the post-Crisis DC Universe. However, the concept of an Anti-Batman has been picked up, e.g. in the cases of the JLA villain Prometheus or Bane.
Writer Tony Bedard has announced that Wrath will be reintroduced in the DC Universe in a 4-part story in Batman Confidential. [1]
