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Abattoir (comics)
Encyclopedia
Abattoir is the alias of Arnold Etchison, a fictional character in the DC Comics
universe. He first appeared in the January 1991 (#625) issue of Detective Comics
.
who was convinced that his family was evil
, Arnold Etchinson believed that he absorbed something of their life force when he killed them. He was apprehended and incarcerated in Arkham Asylum
, where he remained until Bane
set all the inmates free in the Knightfall
storyline, after which Etchison went on to kill several more members of his family.
Eventually he was tracked down by Jean Paul Valley
, who was acting as Batman at the time, unbeknownst to Etchinson. Valley chased him into a refinery
and nearly knocked him into a vat of molten metal. Abattoir was hanging from a chain above, barely able to hold on, but Valley, immobilized in a crisis of conscience, allowed him to fall to his death, to Robin's horror. Since Abattoir was holding a relative, Graham Etchinson, inside a secret, hidden torture chamber
at an unknown location, Valley indirectly condemned that prisoner to death -- though he was unaware of this until informed by Police Commissioner James Gordon
. This scenario was the main factor in Bruce Wayne deciding to reclaim the role of Batman, when considering retirement.
Abattoir returned as a ghost
(during a brief period of increased supernatural activity, worldwide), to torment the original Batman (Bruce Wayne) using Valley's Batman-armor, but Batman proved much less susceptible to psychological assault than his substitute. Batman tricked Abattoir's ghost into abandoning the armor and his mission. (The ghost was attempting to cause his last remaining blood relative, a pregnant cousin, to miscarry
and then he would possess the infant.)
in Blackest Night: Batman #1 (October 2009) In "Blackest Night: Batman #2", Abattior's corpse was blown to shreds and seemingly destroyed by Commissioner Gordon; Abattior appeared floating through a window outside of Gordon's office, where he and his daughter Barbara (aka Oracle) were seeking refuge. Cornered, Gordon picked up the shotgun and started shooting at Abattoir, who soon was left with nothing but his feet. However, he was later seen fully regenerated alongside King Snake and the Trigger Twins.
DC Comics
DC Comics, Inc. is one of the largest and most successful companies operating in the market for American comic books and related media. It is the publishing unit of DC Entertainment a company of Warner Bros. Entertainment, which itself is owned by Time Warner...
universe. He first appeared in the January 1991 (#625) issue of Detective Comics
Detective Comics
Detective Comics is an American comic book series published monthly by DC Comics since 1937, best known for introducing the iconic superhero Batman in Detective Comics #27 . It is, along with Action Comics, the book that launched with the debut of Superman, one of the medium's signature series, and...
.
Fictional character biography
A serial killerSerial killer
A serial killer, as typically defined, is an individual who has murdered three or more people over a period of more than a month, with down time between the murders, and whose motivation for killing is usually based on psychological gratification...
who was convinced that his family was evil
Evil
Evil is the violation of, or intent to violate, some moral code. Evil is usually seen as the dualistic opposite of good. Definitions of evil vary along with analysis of its root motive causes, however general actions commonly considered evil include: conscious and deliberate wrongdoing,...
, Arnold Etchinson believed that he absorbed something of their life force when he killed them. He was apprehended and incarcerated in Arkham Asylum
Arkham Asylum
The Elizabeth Arkham Asylum for the Criminally Insane, commonly referred to simply as Arkham Asylum, is a fictional psychiatric hospital in the DC Comics Universe, usually appearing in stories featuring Batman...
, where he remained until Bane
Bane (comics)
Bane is a fictional character who appears in comic books published by DC Comics. The character first appeared in Batman: Vengeance of Bane #1 , and was created by Chuck Dixon, Doug Moench, and Graham Nolan. Bane has been one of Batman's more physically and intellectually powerful foes...
set all the inmates free in the Knightfall
Batman: Knightfall
"Knightfall" is the title given to a major Batman story arc published by DC Comics that dominated Batman-related serial comic books in the spring and summer of 1993...
storyline, after which Etchison went on to kill several more members of his family.
Eventually he was tracked down by Jean Paul Valley
Azrael (comics)
Azrael is the name of several fictional characters in the DC Comics universe. They are a group of assassins who were created by The Order of St. Dumas to "enforce god's will"...
, who was acting as Batman at the time, unbeknownst to Etchinson. Valley chased him into a refinery
Refinery
A refinery is a production facility composed of a group of chemical engineering unit processes and unit operations refining certain materials or converting raw material into products of value.-Types of refineries:Different types of refineries are as follows:...
and nearly knocked him into a vat of molten metal. Abattoir was hanging from a chain above, barely able to hold on, but Valley, immobilized in a crisis of conscience, allowed him to fall to his death, to Robin's horror. Since Abattoir was holding a relative, Graham Etchinson, inside a secret, hidden torture chamber
Torture chamber
A torture chamber is a room where torture is inflicted.- Methods of coercion :According to Frederick Howard Wines in his book Punishment and Reformation: A Study Of The Penitentiary System there were three main types of coercion employed in the torture chamber: Coercion by the cord, by water and...
at an unknown location, Valley indirectly condemned that prisoner to death -- though he was unaware of this until informed by Police Commissioner James Gordon
James Gordon (comics)
James Worthington Gordon, Sr. is a fictional character, an ally of Batman that appears in comic books published by DC Comics. The character first appeared in Detective Comics #27 , and was created by Bill Finger and Bob Kane...
. This scenario was the main factor in Bruce Wayne deciding to reclaim the role of Batman, when considering retirement.
Abattoir returned as a ghost
Ghost
In traditional belief and fiction, a ghost is the soul or spirit of a deceased person or animal that can appear, in visible form or other manifestation, to the living. Descriptions of the apparition of ghosts vary widely from an invisible presence to translucent or barely visible wispy shapes, to...
(during a brief period of increased supernatural activity, worldwide), to torment the original Batman (Bruce Wayne) using Valley's Batman-armor, but Batman proved much less susceptible to psychological assault than his substitute. Batman tricked Abattoir's ghost into abandoning the armor and his mission. (The ghost was attempting to cause his last remaining blood relative, a pregnant cousin, to miscarry
Miscarriage
Miscarriage or spontaneous abortion is the spontaneous end of a pregnancy at a stage where the embryo or fetus is incapable of surviving independently, generally defined in humans at prior to 20 weeks of gestation...
and then he would possess the infant.)
Blackest Night
As part of the Blackest Night event, Abattoir's corpse is reanimated by a black power ring and recruited to the Black Lantern CorpsBlack Lantern Corps
The Black Lantern Corps is a fictional organization of revenants appearing in comic books published by DC Comics. The group is composed of deceased fictional characters that seek to eliminate all life from the DC Universe.-Publication history:...
in Blackest Night: Batman #1 (October 2009) In "Blackest Night: Batman #2", Abattior's corpse was blown to shreds and seemingly destroyed by Commissioner Gordon; Abattior appeared floating through a window outside of Gordon's office, where he and his daughter Barbara (aka Oracle) were seeking refuge. Cornered, Gordon picked up the shotgun and started shooting at Abattoir, who soon was left with nothing but his feet. However, he was later seen fully regenerated alongside King Snake and the Trigger Twins.