Reaper is the name of three characters in the
DC Comics
DC Comics, Inc. (doing business as DC) is an American comic book publisher and the flagship unit of DC Entertainment, a subsidiary of Warner Bros. Discovery.
DC Comics is one of the largest and oldest American comic book companies, with thei ...
universe
The universe is all of space and time and their contents, including planets, stars, galaxies, and all other forms of matter and energy. The Big Bang theory is the prevailing cosmological description of the development of the universe. Acc ...
.
Publication history
The Pre-''Crisis'' Reaper debuted in ''Batman'' #237 (Dec. 1971) and was created by
Denny O'Neil
Dennis Joseph O'Neil (May 3, 1939 – June 11, 2020) was an American comic book writer and editor, principally for Marvel Comics and DC Comics from the 1960s through the 1990s, and Group Editor for the Batman family of titles until his retir ...
. The character was inspired by science-fiction writer
Harlan Ellison suggesting to O'Neill that he writes a story about Nazi war criminals.
Created by writer
Mike W. Barr, and designed by artist
Alan Davis, the Judson Caspian version of the Reaper first appeared in ''
Detective Comics'' #575 (June 1987), the first part of the four-part ''
Batman: Year Two'' storyline. After the changes in DC continuity that ''
Zero Hour'' established, ''Year Two'',
Joe Chill
Joe Chill is a fictional character appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics, commonly in association with the superhero Batman. Created by Bill Finger and Bob Kane, the character first appeared in ''Detective Comics'' #33 (Novemb ...
's death and the Reaper have been wiped out. Chill was back in continuity after 2005's ''
Infinite Crisis
"Infinite Crisis" is a 2005–2006 comic book storyline published by DC Comics, consisting of an eponymous, seven-issue comic book limited series written by Geoff Johns and illustrated by Phil Jimenez, George Pérez, Ivan Reis, and Jerry Ordway, ...
''. A character dressed as the Reaper has appeared in ''
The New 52
The New 52 is the 2011 revamp and relaunch by DC Comics of its entire line of ongoing monthly superhero comic books. Following the conclusion of the " Flashpoint" crossover storyline, DC canceled all its existing titles and debuted 52 new serie ...
'', a 2011
reboot
In computing, rebooting is the process by which a running computer system is restarted, either intentionally or unintentionally. Reboots can be either a cold reboot (alternatively known as a hard reboot) in which the power to the system is physi ...
of the DC Comics universe, but it has not yet been revealed which (if any) of the previous Reapers is in the costume.
Fictional character biographies
Dr. Benjamin Gruener
Dr. Benjamin Gruener is a
German Jew
The history of the Jews in Germany goes back at least to the year 321, and continued through the Early Middle Ages (5th to 10th centuries CE) and High Middle Ages (''circa'' 1000–1299 CE) when Jewish immigrants founded the Ashkenazi Jewish ...
who was placed in a
concentration camp
Internment is the imprisonment of people, commonly in large groups, without charges or intent to file charges. The term is especially used for the confinement "of enemy citizens in wartime or of terrorism suspects". Thus, while it can simply ...
run by Colonel Kurt Schloss. He kills Schloss at a
Halloween
Halloween or Hallowe'en (less commonly known as Allhalloween, All Hallows' Eve, or All Saints' Eve) is a celebration observed in many countries on 31 October, the eve of the Western Christian feast of All Saints' Day. It begins the observanc ...
parade and seemingly dies battling
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 ...
when he falls off the edge of a dam.
In
Tony S. Daniel's "Batman: Life After Death" story arc, the Reaper is resurrected by
Hugo Strange
Hugo Strange is a supervillain appearing in comic books published by DC Comics, commonly as an adversary of the superhero Batman. The character is one of Batman's first recurring villains and is also one of the first Batman villains to discover t ...
who is working with
Black Mask to take down Batman. He is seen in an underground chamber in a glass tub, while Strange instructs his doctors on bringing him back to life. When he regains consciousnesses, Black Mask reminds Gruener of his childhood in a concentration camp in hopes of fueling him with anger and revenge. Black Mask hands him a necklace with
the Star of David
The Star of David (). is a generally recognized symbol of both Jewish identity and Judaism. Its shape is that of a hexagram: the compound of two equilateral triangles.
A derivation of the '' seal of Solomon'', which was used for decorativ ...
on it that was given to him by his father, and then his
scythe
A scythe ( ) is an agricultural hand tool for mowing grass or harvesting crops. It is historically used to cut down or reap edible grains, before the process of threshing. The scythe has been largely replaced by horse-drawn and then tractor mac ...
, the weapon he chose when first taking up the alias of the Reaper.
[''Batman'' #692-697 (December 2009-May 2010). DC Comics.]
The Reaper is seen briefly in scenes and it is understood that he is murdering people because he wishes to bring justice to the "children of Gotham". He is fueled by his hatred toward Colonel Kurt Schloss, the Nazi who killed his parents.
The Reaper is then seen at Gotham Harbor demanding Strange give him a serum that is later found to keep his skin from deteriorating. The serum is injected into him by Doctor Death. He soon attacks
Mario Falcone
Mario Lorenzo Falcone (born 21 February 1988) is an English television personality and tailor. He is known for his appearances in the reality programme ''The Only Way Is Essex''.
Career
Falcone made his debut appearance on ''The Only Way Is Es ...
and the Huntress comes to Mario's defense to prevent the Reaper from killing him. Batman sweeps in to take out the Reaper but, instead, he escapes by throwing gas at Batman. Batman later finds him and when he sees that the Reaper's face is rotting, he asks Batman what they have done to him; Batman explains that he is only a pawn: "You weren't built to last, just to follow orders. The gentlemen behind you might want to explain themselves", referring to Strange, who had appeared behind him. With that, Batman leaves.
Judson Caspian
Judson Caspian is a
socialite by day and a vigilante by night. After losing his wife to a robber in the streets, he becomes the Reaper who prowls
Gotham City
Gotham City ( ), or simply Gotham, is a fictional city appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics, best known as the home of the superhero Batman and his List of Batman supporting characters#Bat-Family, allies and List of Batman fa ...
during the 1950s, targeting public menaces and murdering them with a scythe. He has a run-in with Green Lantern Alan Scott and disappears for a couple of decades.
After Caspian returns from Europe he renews his rampage as the Reaper, which brings him into conflict with Batman. Barely escaping with his life, Batman turns to the mob and finds himself working with their button man Joe Chill, the man who killed his parents. Having been assigned by the Gotham mob to kill both the Reaper and Batman when he had finished, Chill hunts the Reaper alongside Batman, the two briefly assuming that the Reaper has been killed in an explosion. After revealing his identity to Chill in a confrontation in Crime Alley and putting a gun to his head, Batman's revenge is taken from him by the Reaper, who shoots Chill in the head. Batman tracks the Reaper to a construction site, they fight, Batman gains the upper hand with Reaper hanging off a ledge. Batman finally unmasks him. Batman, who had intended to marry Caspian's daughter, Rachel, is shocked, and holds out his hand to help the Reaper. However, Caspian, who knows what charges he is up against, tells Batman that he will make a fine successor, and lets go of the ledge, plummeting to his death. After being exposed as the Reaper, Caspian is given a funeral funded by Bruce Wayne, who says that he deserves to rest in peace. Rachel, who was initially unaware of her father's crimes, becomes a
nun
A nun is a woman who vows to dedicate her life to religious service, typically living under vows of poverty, chastity, and obedience in the enclosure of a monastery or convent.''The Oxford English Dictionary'', vol. X, page 599. The term is o ...
after Caspian's life as the Reaper is exposed.
Joe Chill Jr.
In the 1991
one-shot sequel, ''Batman: Full Circle'', Chill's son Joe Jr. briefly assumes the mantle of Reaper, as part of a plan to drive Batman insane.
Joseph Chilton III aka Joe Chill Jr. was introduced in collaboration with his sister Marcia, attempts to lure Batman into a confrontation, where they would finally dispose of the Dark Knight with a very different kind of weapon. Chill's schemes are hampered by the arrival of his own son, Joey, with whom Chill attempts to bond. It is revealed that Chill witnessed his father's death at the original Reaper's hands, though he could not make out Bruce Wayne's unmasked face. Overcome with grief, Chill seeks revenge on Batman by taking up the mantle of the Reaper. At the same time, Batman faces some personal issues with Rachel Caspian, who has returned to Gotham convinced the Reaper is her father reborn. Chill and his sister use this to their advantage, plaguing Rachel with a series of encounters which create doubt in her and Batman's minds that he is the returned Judson Caspian (it is also revealed in this story that Joe Chill Sr.'s body was stolen before it could be taken into custody at the end of ''Year Two''). The Reaper uses an explosive to destroy the cornerstone of the Wayne Foundation building, freeing his father's old gun, which was used to murder Batman's parents.
Batman is eventually captured by Chill, who unmasks the unconscious crimefighter, but does not recognize him (Batman had applied extensive make-up to hide his identity). Chill subjects Batman to a video reel showing a child witnessing his parents' death and showing glee at the fact that he was not killed, which, combined with a
hallucinogen
Hallucinogens are a large, diverse class of psychoactive drugs that can produce altered states of consciousness characterized by major alterations in thought, mood, and perception as well as other changes. Most hallucinogens can be categorize ...
ic drug, is intended to reduce Batman to a quivering wreck suffering from survivor's guilt. Chill has Batman posed at the top of a tall pedestal overlooking a pool of acid, and hopes Batman will kill himself. Marcia, who sees her father as nothing more than a thug who abused her mother, attempts to double-cross her brother in order to deliver Batman to mob boss Morgan Jones. Chill slashes Marcia, apparently killing her.
Robin arrives on the scene and coaxes Batman out of his hallucinogenic haze, spurring him to break free of his bonds. Batman and the Reaper fight, and Batman emerges victorious. As Batman holds the unmasked Chill over the acid pool, urged by Robin to drop him in, Chill's son Joey reveals himself and his father's identity. Deciding to act on the indecision that he faced when he had Joe Chill at his mercy years earlier, Bruce spares Chill's life. After the police arrive and Chill is taken away in an ambulance, Batman goes to a bridge and discards Joe Chill's firearm by throwing it into the ocean.
''The New 52''
Introduced in ''
The New 52
The New 52 is the 2011 revamp and relaunch by DC Comics of its entire line of ongoing monthly superhero comic books. Following the conclusion of the " Flashpoint" crossover storyline, DC canceled all its existing titles and debuted 52 new serie ...
'', the Reaper is a criminal in Gotham City who was beaten and thrown into
Blackgate Penitentiary
This page list the locations in the DC Universe, the shared universe setting of DC Comics.
Sites
* the Arrowcave – The former base of operations of the Green Arrow and Speedy.
* Avernus Cemetery – A burial ground located in Central City fo ...
. When the
Crime Syndicate arrived on Earth and killed the heroes,
Bane
Bane may refer to:
Fictional characters
* Bane (DC Comics), an adversary of Batman
* Bane (''Harry Potter''), a centaur in the ''Harry Potter'' series
* Bane (''The Matrix''), a character in the ''Matrix'' film trilogy
* Bane the Druid, a Gu ...
opened up Blackgate so its prisoners would help him take back the city from the
Arkham Asylum freaks who broke out earlier.
Reaper participated in relatively minor battles until, in Union Circle, he gets into a major clash with the Asylum inmate the
Firefly. The Reaper almost kills the Firefly, but the pyromaniac is saved by fellow lunatic the Sumo, who jumps onto the Reaper from a nearby building. The Reaper's bones are broken, according to the Sumo, by the big man's massive weight.
''DC Rebirth''
In ''
DC Rebirth
DC Rebirth is a 2016 relaunch by the American comic book publisher DC Comics of its entire line of ongoing monthly superhero comic book titles. Using the end of The New 52 initiative in May 2016 as its launching point, DC Rebirth restored the D ...
'', Judson Caspian spent his life as a crimefighter after the death of his wife and ruthlessly killed criminals. He was scorned by many people, including Thomas Wayne. For unknown reasons, he moved to Europe, where his son, Julian, would leave him, before moving back to Gotham City during Batman's earlier days where Judson once more assumed the identity of the Reaper. This led Batman to go to extreme measures to stop him, including using a gun; Batman ultimately defeated and unmasked him at a construction site and found out that he was his fiancé's father. Batman tried to save him, but Caspian chose to fall to his death rather than go to jail.
After his funeral, Rachel left Bruce, and they never saw each other again. Meanwhile, his son Julian created the Reapers in order to continue his father's work around the world even creating an android version which fought Batman. In Gotham, an unrelated criminal took up the mantle of the Reaper, but used it to rob and kill innocent people.
[''Detective Comics Annual'' (2019)]
Equipment
As the Reaper, Caspian wears a large hooded black cloak with heavily armored red leather or
cuir bouilli
Boiled leather, often referred to by its French translation, cuir bouilli (), was a historical material common in the Middle Ages and Early Modern Period and used for various purposes. It was leather that had been treated so that it became tough a ...
, which prevents bullets and punches from affecting him in any way. The knees and elbows of the red leather armor are tipped with spikes that add more power to blows Caspian inflicts. Caspian also wears a skull-shaped mask with hooks on the mouth to cover up the lower part of the face and red glowing eyes. The Reaper also wields two
scythe
A scythe ( ) is an agricultural hand tool for mowing grass or harvesting crops. It is historically used to cut down or reap edible grains, before the process of threshing. The scythe has been largely replaced by horse-drawn and then tractor mac ...
-shaped weapons, with various other lethal implements contained in the spiked shafts of both weapons. The haft contains a very powerful handgun and smoke pellets to help give to the illusion that the Reaper is in fact an incarnation of death. The scythes are stored in two inverted sheaths located on his back, under his cloak.
See also
*
Andrea Beaumont
References
{{DEFAULTSORT:Reaper (Dc Comics)
DC Comics male supervillains
Comics characters introduced in 1987
Characters created by Mike W. Barr
Characters created by Dennis O'Neil
Fictional American Jews in comics
Fictional German Jews
Fictional serial killers
Fictional socialites
Vigilante characters in comics