Crime Doctor (DC Comics)
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| Crime Doctor | |
 If this infobox is not supposed to have an image, please add "|noimage=yes". |
|
| Publication information | |
|---|---|
| Publisher | DC Comics |
| First appearance | Detective Comics #77 (July 1943) |
| Created by | Bill Finger (writer) Bob Kane (artist) |
| In story information | |
| Alter ego | Matthew Thorne |
| Team affiliations | Secret Society of Super Villains |
| Abilities | Skilled surgeon & torturer |
The Crime Doctor is a fictional character in the DC Comics universe. He first appeared in Detective Comics #77 (July 1943), and was created by Bill Finger and Bob Kane.
Contents |
[edit] Fictional character biography
The Crime Doctor is surgeon Matthew Thorne—originally named "Bradford Thorne"—of Secret Society of Super Villains. In post-Crisis continuity, it has been revealed he is the brother of the Gotham City gangster Rupert Thorne.
Initially, the Crime Doctor took his career as a doctor very seriously, and would not commit crimes that conflicted with his Hippocratic Oath. In later appearances however, he seemed to abandon this principle.
The Crime Doctor's recent appearances have all depicted him wearing star-shaped glasses, evocative of Elton John's eyewear. It was later revealed that those glasses were a trophy taken from his first victim, a young nurse named Katherine Wheyhall, who had suspected his sadistic inclination to murder and torture while witnessing him deliberately botching a surgery.
Later, the Crime Doctor paid a visit to the nurse and killed her, thus setting the basis of his newfound criminal career.
The Crime Doctor appeared in Villains United, where he tortured the Secret Six for the identity of Mockingbird. Breaking his restraints, Catman knocked him out with a metal tray table (where the Doctor had his medical equipment).[1]
In the "Progeny" arc of Birds of Prey, the Crime Doctor tries to 'defect' from the Secret Society of Super Villains. The Society sends Prometheus to repay the Crime Doctor by torturing and killing his daughter as he had done to his victims. After a gruesome battle, the Birds of Prey almost manage to subdue Prometheus, but the Crime Doctor decides to kill himself, thus ensuring his own punishment, and sparing his daughter, who, alone and outcast by the other children, subsequently falls prey to the ambition of Lady Shiva to have a young apprentice to mold in her image. [2]
[edit] In other media
The Crime Doctor appears in episode #53 ("Paging The Crime Doctor") of Batman: The Animated Series, in which he is made into a sympathetic character. In this portrayal, Thorne's brother Rupert pushed him into the role. He attended medical school with Thomas Wayne and Leslie Thompkins, the three becoming close friends, but he lost his medical license after failing to report his brother's gunshot wound. His license gone, he now worked as "The Crime Doctor" for Rupert and his men in hopes that Rupert would one day use his influence in Gotham City to get Matthew his license back.
In the episode Rupert needed surgery and since he was paranoid that his enemies were going to attack him during his moment of "weakness", he asked Matthew to perform the surgery. Needing an assistant, Rupert abducted Matthew's old friend, Dr. Leslie Thompkins. Rupert Thorne wanted to have Thompkins killed after the surgery to prevent her from telling anything to the police, but Matthew ultimately went against his brother's orders and helped Leslie to escape from Rupert, and both were aided by Batman. Afterwards Matthew turned himself in to the police. He was visited by Bruce Wayne, and although Matthew thought Bruce would try to exploit him like Rupert had, Matthew found that Bruce only wanted Matthew to tell him about his father.
He was voiced by Joseph Campanella.
[edit] References
- ^ "Privileged to Spill Her Blood" Villains United vol. 1, #3 (September 2005) DC Comics
- ^ Simone, Gail (w), Siqueira, Paulo, Prado, Joe (p), Riggs, Robin, Giordano, Dick (i). "Progeny" Birds of Prey vol. 1, #92-95 (May-August 2006) DC Comics
