| Cornelius Stirk | |
|---|---|
 Cornelius Stirk as depicted inDetective Comics #593 (December 1988). Art by Norm Breyfogle. | |
| Publication information | |
| Publisher | DC Comics |
| First appearance | Detective Comics #592 (November 1988) |
| Created by | Alan Grant (writer) Norm Breyfogle (artist) |
| In-story information | |
| Species | Metahuman |
| Notable aliases | Fear |
| Abilities | Can cause fear or hallucinations through telepathy |
Cornelius Stirk is a fictional character appearing in theDC Comics. He is acannibalisticsupervillain with the ability to cause fear or hallucinations throughtelepathy and appears as a recurring adversary ofBatman.
He first appeared inDetective Comics #592 (November 1988) and was created byAlan Grant andNorm Breyfogle.[1]
Stirk is aserial killer who, like fellow Batman villainScarecrow, uses fear to get to his victims. Stirk can make other people see him as someone else, allowing him to get close to his victims. He operates under the delusion that he requires the nutrients from people's hearts to stay alive.
In his first appearance, Stirk is released fromArkham Asylum, having been imprisoned since he was 16. After his release, Stirk stops taking his medication and becomes a serial killer.
InBatman: Knightfall, Stirk works with theJoker in an attempt to kidnapCommissioner Jim Gordon. However, Stirk tries to kill Gordon rather than kidnap him, during which Gordon hallucinates him as Batman.[2]
In theMadmen Across the Water storyline, Stirk is imprisoned inBlackgate Penitentiary after Arkham is destroyed.[3]
Stirk makes minor appearances inBatman: No Man's Land andBatman: The Widening Gyre.
Cornelius Stirk can generate a hypnotic aura which allows him to take on any face he chooses, generally a face that people will trust.
