Detective Chimp is a
superhero
A superhero or superheroine is a stock character that typically possesses ''superpowers'', abilities beyond those of ordinary people, and fits the role of the hero, typically using his or her powers to help the world become a better place, ...
appearing in
American comic book
An American comic book is a thin periodical originating in the United States, on average 32 pages, containing comics. While the form originated in 1933, American comic books first gained popularity after the 1938 publication of ''Action Comics'' ...
s published by
DC Comics. A
common chimpanzee
The chimpanzee (''Pan troglodytes''), also known as simply the chimp, is a species of Hominidae, great ape native to the forest and savannah of tropical Africa. It has four confirmed subspecies and a fifth proposed subspecies. When its close r ...
who wears a
deerstalker hat (
à la Sir Arthur Conan Doyle
Sir Arthur Ignatius Conan Doyle (22 May 1859 – 7 July 1930) was a British writer and physician. He created the character Sherlock Holmes in 1887 for ''A Study in Scarlet'', the first of four novels and fifty-six short stories about Ho ...
's fictional
sleuth Sherlock Holmes
Sherlock Holmes () is a fictional detective created by British author Arthur Conan Doyle. Referring to himself as a " consulting detective" in the stories, Holmes is known for his proficiency with observation, deduction, forensic science and ...
), Detective Chimp has superhuman-level
intelligence and solves crimes, often with the help of the Bureau of Amplified Animals, a group of intelligent animals that also includes
Rex the Wonder Dog. He was originally created in the final years of the
Golden Age of Comic Books
The Golden Age of Comic Books describes an era of American comic books from 1938 to 1956. During this time, modern comic books were first published and rapidly increased in popularity. The superhero archetype was created and many well-known char ...
, during the
interregnum
An interregnum (plural interregna or interregnums) is a period of discontinuity or "gap" in a government, organization, or social order. Archetypally, it was the period of time between the reign of one monarch and the next (coming from Latin '' ...
between the former and the
Silver Age of Comic Books.
After his initial appearance in ''Adventures of Rex the Wonder Dog'' he continued to appear in that title as a backup feature until 1959, at which point he faded into obscurity. Several decades after his last appearance, Detective Chimp appeared in several cameos, namely in a 1981 story, "Whatever Happened to Rex the Wonder Dog?" (''
DC Comics Presents'' #35) and later in a brief cameo with
Sam Simeon in
Gorilla City during 1985's ''
Crisis on Infinite Earths''. Following these appearances, Bobo started appearing in DC titles with some regularity, appearing in issues of ''
Green Lantern'', ''
The Flash'', and other titles. This eventually led to prominent roles in the 2005 ''
Day of Vengeance'' miniseries and subsequently as a regular in its
spin-off
Spin-off may refer to:
*Spin-off (media), a media work derived from an existing work
*Corporate spin-off, a type of corporate action that forms a new company or entity
* Government spin-off, civilian goods which are the result of military or gove ...
series ''
Shadowpact''. The character has gone on to guest-star in other DC Comics titles, and has been a key member of the second incarnation of the
Justice League Dark since its 2018 reboot.
Fictional character biography
When first introduced, Detective Chimp was a simple, although intelligent, trained chimpanzee, who acted as a "helping
mascot" for the local sheriff, after helping him to solve the murder of his chimpanzee trainer, Fred Thorpe. He could not speak, but could understand humans and make himself understood. Bobo, a smoker, is a member of
Mensa
Mensa may refer to:
* Mensa International, an organization for people with a high intelligence quotient (IQ)
* Mensa (name), a name and list of people with the given name or surname
* Mensa (constellation), a constellation in the southern sky
* Men ...
, and had a long-standing partnership with four other detectives as the Croatoan Society. One of the other former members of the Society was the detective/superhero
Ralph Dibny.
The Chimp's origin has been revamped and elaborated on several times since his initial Silver Age appearances. 1989's ''
Secret Origins
''Secret Origins'' is the title of several comic book series published by DC Comics which featured the origin stories of the publisher's various characters.
Publication history
''Secret Origins'' was first published as a one-shot in 1961 and c ...
'' (vol. 2) #40 credited the experimentation of a microscopic alien race with Bobo's intelligence. This origin has since been
retconned, notably in the ''
Day of Vengeance'' six-part limited series. In the latter it was shown that Bobo was captured in
Gorilla City, Equatorial Africa in 1953 by Fred Thorpe, who sought to train him for his carnival act: "Bobo the Detective Chimp". For the act, Detective Chimp was trained to answer some detective-related questions using a combination of signals and rewards, giving the illusion that he could "discover the deepest secrets of the public". Bobo formed a strong bond with Thorpe because Thorpe took care of him, and gave him a simpler life than in the jungle. The success of the act lasted until a trip to Florida, at which time Rex the Wonder Dog, took him to the
Fountain of Youth, where he gained the ability to speak to all living creatures, even humans, in their own language, as well as eternal youth. Rex's and Bobo's journey to the Fountain of Youth was originally depicted in the aforementioned ''
DC Comics Presents'' #35, July 1981. The intelligence Bobo gained put a damper on the success of the sideshow act, and in at least one instance, he decided that a woman had in fact murdered her sister, and shared his insights with the local police.
At some point after this, Bobo was employed by the Bureau of Amplified Animals. It is not known how he left, or even if the Bureau still exists.
After the death of Fred Thorpe, he began to work by himself. Initially he did quite well, as a chimp detective was seen as a novelty. During this successful period he was visited by another detective, John Jones (actually the
Martian Manhunter, during the ''JLApe'' crisis), who thought Bobo's agency seemed to be doing better than his own.
However, as an ape, without civil rights and being unable to stand as a juridical person, he could not enforce unpaid bills. When the public began to forget him, he became an alcoholic, never leaving the other-dimensional
Oblivion Bar (which changed management twice during his time there), until the establishment was acquired by
Jim Rook.
"Bobo" is not his real name, which he declines to share. It is revealed by the Phantom Stranger to be "mostly an unpronounceable screech and three grunts", which translates as "Magnificent Finder of Tasty Grubs".
Shadowpact
When the
Spectre attempts to destroy all magic and began killing wizards, Detective Chimp, while still mostly drunk, coerces a group of mystical characters gathered from the Oblivion Bar into battling the Spectre. This leads to the formation of the group the
Shadowpact.
Although lacking superhuman powers, Detective Chimp exhibits not only fine detective skills but also the genius of a true tactician. Benefiting from the counsel of the
Phantom Stranger (at the time transformed into a mouse), he devises a plan to use the powers of
Black Alice and
Nightshade
The Solanaceae , or nightshades, are a family of flowering plants that ranges from annual and perennial herbs to vines, lianas, epiphytes, shrubs, and trees, and includes a number of agricultural crops, medicinal plants, spices, weeds, and orna ...
to confront the combined menace of
Eclipso
Eclipso () is a supervillain in the DC Comics Universe. The character is the incarnation of the Wrath of God and the Angel of Vengeance that turned evil and was replaced by the Spectre.
The character bares notable similarities to Dr. Jekyll and ...
and the Spectre.
Bobo also helps clean up the demonic damage left from the Rock of Eternity's explosion over
Gotham City. He captures the sin of "Sloth", which had possessed his long-time friend
Rex the Wonder Dog. After the Rock is reformed, the sins re-imprisoned, and all magical influence cleaned out of Gotham, the dying
Doctor Fate gives Detective Chimp the powerful Helmet of Fate. After finding it does not fit him, Detective Chimp convinces Captain Marvel to throw it to Earth, to let fate choose its next bearer.
When the helmet of Doctor Fate returns to Earth, Detective Chimp for a brief time bonds with it, granting him additional powers that he uses to assist the Gotham City police in apprehending the villain
Trickster. After struggling against the temptation of the helmet, Bobo sends it on to another journey.
Recently, it has been shown that Bobo occasionally assists
Batman
Batman is a superhero appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics. The character was created by artist Bob Kane and writer Bill Finger, and debuted in Detective Comics 27, the 27th issue of the comic book ''Detective Comics'' on ...
in his cases by way of a
chat room where they swap theories. The
Riddler
The Riddler (Edward Nigma, later Edward Nygma or Edward Nashton) is a supervillain appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics. The character was created by Bill Finger and Dick Sprang, and debuted in ''Detective Comics'' #140 in Oc ...
is also known to chat with them, but he is unaware of the other two's identities.
''The New 52''
In DC's
2011 reboot of its continuity, Detective Chimp has been mentioned by
Ambush Bug in the Channel 52 feature sections. He later appears as a brief cameo in aiding the
Justice League United
Justice League United or JLU, are a team of superheroes appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics. The team was created by Jeff Lemire and Mike McKone. First appearing in their eponymous series, ''Justice League United'' #0 (publ ...
team rescue Adam Strange from the Zeta Beam and in the 2016 ''DC Comics Rebirth Christmas Special'' story "The Night We Saved Christmas".
''DC Rebirth''
In ''DC Rebirth'', Detective Chimp, a.k.a. Bobo, has appeared in the ''
Dark Nights: Metal'' event, is one of the survivors of the invasion of the Dark Nights (alternate versions of Batman from a Dark Multiverse) and is seen at the Oblivion Bar alongside the
Justice League,
Kendra Saunders, Doctor Fate and others. Bobo's close friend Nightmaster, the owner of the Oblivion Bar, is killed in this confrontation. Bobo later takes over the bar and Nightmaster's mystical duties. Bobo becomes a central part of a new mystical team called '
Justice League Dark'. This is led by Wonder Woman. It includes but is not limited to,
John Constantine, Zatanna, Doctor Fate, Man-Bat and Swamp Thing. Bobo loses his friend the Blue Devil to mystical purists.
Powers and abilities
Detective Chimp possesses no unusual physical abilities, save the level of agility and
physical strength that comes with being a chimpanzee with human knowledge of movement and tools. He is capable of conversing with all animals, regardless of origin, in their own language, including all spoken and written human languages. He is also one of the most highly skilled investigators in the world, with detective skills rivaling those of
Ralph Dibny and
Batman
Batman is a superhero appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics. The character was created by artist Bob Kane and writer Bill Finger, and debuted in Detective Comics 27, the 27th issue of the comic book ''Detective Comics'' on ...
. Bobo has an Intelligence Quotient estimated to be higher than 98 percent of the adult (human) population, as evidenced by his
Mensa
Mensa may refer to:
* Mensa International, an organization for people with a high intelligence quotient (IQ)
* Mensa (name), a name and list of people with the given name or surname
* Mensa (constellation), a constellation in the southern sky
* Men ...
membership and his ability to decode the
Voynich manuscript which remained unsolved for over five hundred years. Detective Chimp's hyper-intelligence has shown to have its downsides however as he has claimed it is difficult for him to concentrate without the help of alcohol to focus his mind. For a brief time, Detective Chimp also had additional sense-expanding powers granted him by the helmet of
Doctor Fate.
Because a chimpanzee's muscles are much denser than a human's, Detective Chimp is unable to swim. Recent scientific evidence suggests that chimpanzees can swim, and this represents a continuity error (or Detective Chimp simply never learned to swim).
Other versions
''Tangent: Superman's Reign''
In ''
Tangent: Superman's Reign'', the Earth-9 version of Detective Chimp is revealed to be the screen name of a human hacker named
Guy Gardner.
''DC One Million'' and ''Dark Nights: Metal''
In ''
DC One Million'', the far future version of Detective Chimp is one of the heroes of the Gorilla Galaxy, and wears a costume similar to
Batman
Batman is a superhero appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics. The character was created by artist Bob Kane and writer Bill Finger, and debuted in Detective Comics 27, the 27th issue of the comic book ''Detective Comics'' on ...
's. In 2018's ''Dark Nights: Metal'' story arc, an identical character also appears with the same name and background, although now located on the
DC Multiverse alternate Earth known as Earth 52.
''Injustice: Gods Among Us''
Detective Chimp plays a key role in the opening issues of Year Three.
John Constantine tracks down 'the world's greatest detective' - normally the moniker applied to
Batman
Batman is a superhero appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics. The character was created by artist Bob Kane and writer Bill Finger, and debuted in Detective Comics 27, the 27th issue of the comic book ''Detective Comics'' on ...
- to assist in defeating a fascistic
Superman
Superman is a superhero who appears in American comic books published by DC Comics. The character was created by writer Jerry Siegel and artist Joe Shuster, and debuted in the comic book ''Action Comics'' #1 (cover-dated June 1938 and publi ...
. At first, Chimp drunkenly curses Constantine, but then agrees to join him as he and Batman appear in the back of
Chas Chandler's cab, where he and John mock the brooding detectives. Constantine then leads him and Batman to a church where he has magically sealed
Raven
A raven is any of several larger-bodied bird species of the genus ''Corvus''. These species do not form a single taxonomic group within the genus. There is no consistent distinction between "crows" and "ravens", common names which are assigned t ...
, much to Chimp's surprise. Chimp then asks John why he is involved in this war between Batman and Superman, but Constantine explains how the conflict with the
Green Lantern Corps
Green Lantern Corps is the name of a fictional intergalactic law enforcement organization appearing in comics published by DC Comics. They patrol the farthest reaches of the DC Universe at the behest of the Guardians, a race of immortals residin ...
killed his daughter Rose's mother and he wants revenge on Superman. Batman then gathers his allies, including Chimp, at
Jason Blood
Etrigan the Demon is an antihero appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics. Created by Jack Kirby, Etrigan is a demon from Hell who, despite his violent tendencies, usually finds himself allied with the forces of good, mainly beca ...
's home, where Batman and Constantine try to explain their plan. Detective
Harvey Bullock, though, announces that he plans on leaving, feeling that he is out of his element in this world of superheroes, but Chimp stops him and reveals that he knows his reputation as a detective and his work with Commissioner
Gordon in the past on several cases. Chimp then admits he feels outside his own comfort zone but he is still here for the same reason that Gordon is and asks him to stay. Before Bullock can answer,
Klarion the Witch Boy's cat, Teekl, senses something coming as Jason realizes his home's protective seal was broken when Bullock opened the door. Before Bullock can close the door, the Spectre vaporizes both Bullock and Blood, with Chimp getting caught in the blast.
Alfred Pennyworth, though, manages to save Chimp as he,
Zatanna, and
Harley Quinn, manage to keep him alive, where Alfred carries his body while Zatanna teleports the others to the Tower of Fate. Chimp then awakens and grasps Harley's hand as she, Alfred, and Zatanna try to keep him alive, where it is revealed that Chimp is missing an eye.
Doctor Fate then appears to take Constantine's daughter, Rose, away. Harley, though, demands Fate to help him save Chimp, but Fate says he cannot help him. Harley Quinn and Klarion the Witch Boy save Chimp's life, but Chimp loses the use of one eye and has to wear an eye patch. When Sinestro later kills Klarion, Chimp tells the assembled group that, without Klarion, he will cease to exist and fades away in front of Harley and the other rebels.
In other media
Television
* Detective Chimp appears in the ''
Batman: The Brave and the Bold'', voiced by
Kevin Michael Richardson
Kevin Michael Richardson (born October 25, 1964) is an American actor. Known for his distinctively deep voice, he has mostly voiced villainous characters in animation and video games. In film, Richardson voiced Goro in ''Mortal Kombat'' (1995) ...
. This version speaks in a pronounced
English dialect.
* Detective Chimp appears in the ''
Teen Titans Go!'' episodes "You're Fired!" and "DC", voiced by
Scott Menville in the former and
Fred Tatasciore in the latter.
Films
* Detective Chimp appears in ''
Scooby-Doo! & Batman: The Brave and the Bold'', voiced again by Kevin Michael Richardson.
* Detective Chimp appears in ''
Teen Titans Go! To the Movies''.
Video games
* Detective Chimp appears as a playable character in ''
Lego Batman 3: Beyond Gotham'', voiced by
Dee Bradley Baker.
* Detective Chimp was originally set to appear as a playable character in ''
Injustice 2'', but was cut from the game for unknown reasons.
* Detective Chimp appears as a playable character in ''
Lego DC Super-Villains''.
Miscellaneous
* Detective Chimp appears in issue #39 of the ''
Justice League Unlimited'' tie-in comic book series. This version is a native of
Gorilla City.
* Detective Chimp appears in a self-titled issue of the
DC Comics Super Hero Collection
The DC Comics Super Hero Collection was a fortnightly magazine collection, by Eaglemoss Publications, and DC Comics, launched on the 15 March 2008, in the United Kingdom. The series was inspired by the success of ''The Classic Marvel Figurine Coll ...
.
References
External links
''The Thrilling Detective Web Site''- Detective Chimp''52: This Chimp Can Chat'' Faux interview with Detective Chimp
{{DEFAULTSORT:Chimp
Animal superheroes
DC Comics animals
DC Comics superheroes
Fictional male detectives
Fictional Republicans (United States)
Fictional chimpanzees
Comics characters introduced in 1952
Characters created by John Broome
Characters created by Carmine Infantino
DC Comics fantasy characters
Fictional Mensans
Legion of Super-Pets