| Dr. Death | |
|---|---|
 Dr. Death as depicted inBatman (vol. 2) #25 (January 2014). Art byGreg Capullo. | |
| Publication information | |
| Publisher | DC Comics |
| First appearance | Detective Comics #29 (July 1939) |
| Created by | Gardner Fox (writer) Bob Kane (artist) |
| In-story information | |
| Alter ego | Dr. Karl Hellfern |
| Species | Metahuman |
| Team affiliations | Science Squad |
| Partnerships | Riddler |
| Abilities | Chemical and biological weapons |
Doctor Death (Dr. Karl Hellfern) is asupervillain appearing in publications byDC Comics, primarily as an enemy ofBatman. Created byGardner Fox andBob Kane, he first appeared inDetective Comics #29 (July 1939).[1] He is notable as the first traditional supervillain to be encountered by Batman as well as his first recurring foe.[2]
The character first appeared inDetective Comics #29 in 1939.[3] The scriptwriter forDetective Comics #29 and #30 is an issue of dispute, leaving the creator of Doctor Death uncertain. Batman creatorBob Kane is officially credited as scriptwriter of these issues, though laterGardner Fox, the scriptwriter ofDetective Comics #31 and #32, claimed authorship.[4]
In his first appearance inDetective Comics #29, Doctor Death develops a lethal chemical agent frompollen extract and plans to use the poison to extort money from wealthyGotham City citizens.[5] He is assisted by a largeEast Indian manservant Jabah.[6] He decides to eliminate Batman, and threatens to kill someone unless Batman stops him. Batman defeats his two henchmen, but is wounded when Jabah shoots him, though he escapes using a gas pellet. He then gets to Doctor Death's base, meeting him in his lab, and chases him around the building. To evade capture, Doctor Death ignites chemicals in his laboratory, presumably killing Jabah and himself in the resulting explosion.[7]
Doctor Death next appears the following month inDetective Comics #30. With a new accomplice, aCossack named Mikhail, Doctor Death is this time successful in claiming a victim in his extortion scheme, but discovers from the widow that the poisoned man lost his fortune in theGreat Depression. Batman intervenes in the plot, following Mikhail back to Doctor Death's base, and upon apprehending the doctor, discovers that his face had been horribly disfigured from the lab explosion, giving him a brown, skeletal appearance.[8]
After several decades' absence, writerGerry Conway reintroduced Doctor Death inBatman #345 andDetective Comics #512 (1982). Conway's story is an update of the original 1939 tale. In this version, Doctor Death is depicted as aparaplegic, but his deadly gas gimmick remains the same. He is assisted this time by a manservant named Togo.
Doctor Death was revived once again inBatgirl #42-44 and #50 (2003–2004) by writerDylan Horrocks.[9] The modern version of the character is a producer of biological weapons, often selling them on the black market to terrorists and other criminals. He is now depicted as a bald,gnome-like man wearing a lab coat and an oxygen mask.[10][11][12]
InThe New 52 continuity reboot, Doctor Death is a disgruntled formerWayne Enterprises scientist who created a serum that causesuncontrolled bone growth and possesses a skeletal appearance due to testing it on himself. He is killed in battle with Batman after being affected by the serum.[13][14][15]
Doctor Death appears as a character summon inScribblenauts Unmasked: A DC Comics Adventure.[17]
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