Rupert Thorne facts for kids
Rupert Thorne is a fictional Batman character, who is the crime boss of Batman. Many people think that he hired Joe Chill to kill Bruce Wayne's parents.
He was voiced by John Vernon in Batman: The Animated Series.
Publication history
Created by Steve Englehart and Walter Simonson, the character first appeared in Detective Comics #469.
Fictional character biography
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Thorne is introduced as a corrupt politician involved in organized crime, being blackmailed by Doctor Phosphorus into turning the city against Batman. After Phosphorus is defeated, Thorne persuades his fellow city councilors to declare Batman an outlaw. He attempts to gain complete control of Gotham City by running for Mayor, but fails.
Thorne is one of three criminals (the other two being the Penguin and the Joker) who make a bid at Hugo Strange's secret auction for Batman's secret identity. He kidnaps Strange to force him to divulge it rather than lose the auction. Strange resists, however, and apparently dies.
After failing in his campaign against Batman and spending some time in hiding, he secretly returns to Gotham. He gets the corrupt Hamilton Hill elected as mayor and orders him to fire Police Commissioner James Gordon in favor of Peter Pauling, who is on Thorne's payroll. Thorne finally identifies Bruce Wayne as Batman after acquiring photos of him changing into his costume from reporter Vicki Vale. Thorne then hires Deadshot to kill Wayne. Deadshot is unsuccessful, however, but before Thorne can deal with his enemy, he begins to succumb to Strange's manipulations; the professor is revealed to have faked his death. Thorne becomes paranoid, convinced that Hill and Pauling are plotting against him and trying to drive him insane. He is eventually apprehended by Batman and brought to justice.
Thorne makes a return appearance in Detective Comics #825 (cover-dated January 2007, released November 2006). This was his first major comics appearance in decades, and his first appearance in the Post-Crisis DC Universe. He is shown incarcerated in Blackgate Penitentiary when a vengeful Doctor Phosphorus makes an attempt on his life, one that Batman prevents.
In the pages of Batman: Three Jokers, Rupert Thorne is shown to be incarcerated at Blackgate Penitentiary at the time when Batman goes to visit Joe Chill.
Film
- Rupert Thorne was originally meant to appear as a major antagonist in the 1989 film, Batman. In an early script written by Tom Mankiewicz, Thorne was depicted as being responsible for hiring Joe Chill to murder Thomas Wayne (who would be running against Thorne for city council). Ultimately, he was replaced by the original character Carl Grissom (played by Jack Palance), who was modeled on Carmine Falcone.
- Rupert Thorne's most major appearance in the DC animated universe is in the film Batman: Mystery of the Batwoman, with John Vernon reprising his role. He works with the Penguin and professional enforcer Carlton Duquesne to finance an illegal arms deal with the President of the fictional nation of Kasnia. The three are also allied with Bane (although there is no mention of Bane's previous treacherous actions against Thorne). Of the three Batwomen, Thorne shares a personal history with rogue cop Sonia Alcana, whose life he ruined when he ordered her parents' shop burned down for refusing to pay protection money when Sonia was still a child. Thorne had escaped punishment due to lack of evidence, although everyone knew he was the one behind it. In the end, Thorne is proven guilty for his role in the arms deal.
See also
In Spanish: Rupert Thorne para niños
- List of Batman Family enemies
