Dummy (DC Comics)
Encyclopedia
Dummy is the name of two fictional supervillain
s in DC Comics
. The first Dummy debuted in Leading Comics #1 (Winter 1941).
He is not to be confused with Scarface, the ventriloquist dummy/alter-ego operated by Arnold Wesker
.
, and a skilled inventor of weapons. As the leader of a criminal gang, the Dummy pretends to be a ventriloquist's dummy through whom the gang's supposed "true" leader conveys instructions, the gang never suspecting that the Dummy himself is their leader. The Dummy's secret identity is never revealed; in fact, it is never made clear whether the Dummy is a very short human being or an actual wooden dummy that has somehow been brought to life.
The Dummy was a member of a group of villains brought together by the Hand in Leading Comics
#1 to cause crimes around the nation, which led to the first case of the Seven Soldiers of Victory
; his particular efforts were prevented by the Vigilante, with whom he had apparently already clashed in untold stories, since he was already a known Vigilante enemy. The Dummy returned in Leading Comics #8 to challenge the Seven Soldiers on his own. In addition to his Leading Comics appearances, the Dummy fought the Vigilante in four golden age stories: Action Comics
#58 (March 1943), #63 (August 1943), #75 (August 1944), and #87 (August 1945); although the Vigilante remained a regular Action Comics feature until #198 (November 1954), #87 was the Dummy's final appearance for many years.
The Dummy was shown to be responsible for the death of the Vigilante's sidekick Stuff the Chinatown Kid
in World's Finest #246 (August–September 1977). However, after the reality alteration caused by the Crisis on Infinite Earths
, the 1995-1996 mini-series Vigilante: City Lights, Prairie Justice (1995–1996) depicts Stuff having been killed by mobster Bugsy Siegel
.
The Dummy also appears in All-Star Squadron
, where he is recruited for Mister Mind
's Monster Society of Evil
(pre-Crisis). In the course of this storyline, the Dummy passes through Green Lantern
/Alan Scott
's energy force-field unimpeded, implying that the Dummy is made of wood (which would make him immune to Scott's power) and is indeed a living ventriloquist's dummy.
In modern times, the Dummy returned and took over the criminal organization Injustice Unlimited
to battle Infinity, Inc..
Supervillain
A supervillain or supervillainess is a variant of the villain character type, commonly found in comic books, action movies and science fiction in various media.They are sometimes used as foils to superheroes and other fictional heroes...
s in DC Comics
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...
. The first Dummy debuted in Leading Comics #1 (Winter 1941).
He is not to be confused with Scarface, the ventriloquist dummy/alter-ego operated by Arnold Wesker
Ventriloquist (comics)
The Ventriloquist is a fictional character, a supervillain and enemy of Batman in the . The Ventriloquist first appeared in Detective Comics #583 and was created by Alan Grant, John Wagner and Norm Breyfogle...
.
First Dummy
The Dummy is an archenemy of the Golden Age VigilanteVigilante (comics)
Vigilante is the name used by several fictional characters appearing in DC Comics. The original character was one of the first DC Comics characters adapted for live-action film, beating Superman by one year.-Greg Saunders:...
, and a skilled inventor of weapons. As the leader of a criminal gang, the Dummy pretends to be a ventriloquist's dummy through whom the gang's supposed "true" leader conveys instructions, the gang never suspecting that the Dummy himself is their leader. The Dummy's secret identity is never revealed; in fact, it is never made clear whether the Dummy is a very short human being or an actual wooden dummy that has somehow been brought to life.
The Dummy was a member of a group of villains brought together by the Hand in Leading Comics
Leading Comics
Leading Comics was a comic book published by what is now DC Comics during the 1940s and early 1950s, a period known to fans and historians as the Golden Age of Comic Books. At the title's inception, DC was actually two companies, National Comics and All-American Publications...
#1 to cause crimes around the nation, which led to the first case of the Seven Soldiers of Victory
Seven Soldiers of Victory
The Seven Soldiers of Victory is a fictional team of comic book superheroes in the DC Comics universe...
; his particular efforts were prevented by the Vigilante, with whom he had apparently already clashed in untold stories, since he was already a known Vigilante enemy. The Dummy returned in Leading Comics #8 to challenge the Seven Soldiers on his own. In addition to his Leading Comics appearances, the Dummy fought the Vigilante in four golden age stories: Action Comics
Action Comics
Action Comics is an American comic book series that introduced Superman, the first major superhero character as the term is popularly defined...
#58 (March 1943), #63 (August 1943), #75 (August 1944), and #87 (August 1945); although the Vigilante remained a regular Action Comics feature until #198 (November 1954), #87 was the Dummy's final appearance for many years.
The Dummy was shown to be responsible for the death of the Vigilante's sidekick Stuff the Chinatown Kid
Stuff the Chinatown Kid
Stuff, the Chinatown Kid is a DC Comics fictional character, and sidekick to the original Vigilante. He first appeared in Action Comics #45 .-Fictional character biography:...
in World's Finest #246 (August–September 1977). However, after the reality alteration caused by the Crisis on Infinite Earths
Crisis on Infinite Earths
Crisis on Infinite Earths is a 12-issue American comic book limited series and crossover event, produced by DC Comics in 1985 to simplify its then 50-year-old continuity...
, the 1995-1996 mini-series Vigilante: City Lights, Prairie Justice (1995–1996) depicts Stuff having been killed by mobster Bugsy Siegel
Bugsy Siegel
Benjamin "Bugsy" Siegel was an American gangster who was involved with the Genovese crime family...
.
The Dummy also appears in All-Star Squadron
All-Star Squadron
The All-Star Squadron is a DC Comics superhero team that debuted in a special insert in Justice League of America #193 . Created by Roy Thomas, Rich Buckler and Jerry Ordway.-The concept:...
, where he is recruited for Mister Mind
Mister Mind and the Monster Society of Evil
Mister Mind is a fictional character, a comic book supervillain created for Fawcett Comics, and now owned and published by DC Comics. Created by Otto Binder and C. C...
's Monster Society of Evil
Mister Mind and the Monster Society of Evil
Mister Mind is a fictional character, a comic book supervillain created for Fawcett Comics, and now owned and published by DC Comics. Created by Otto Binder and C. C...
(pre-Crisis). In the course of this storyline, the Dummy passes through Green Lantern
Green Lantern
The Green Lantern is the shared primary alias of several fictional characters, superheroes appearing in comic books published by DC Comics. The first Green Lantern was created by writer Bill Finger and artist Martin Nodell in All-American Comics #16 .Each Green Lantern possesses a power ring and...
/Alan Scott
Alan Scott
Alan Scott is a fictional character, a superhero in the and the first superhero to bear the name Green Lantern.-Publication history:The original Green Lantern was created by young struggling artist Martin Nodell, who was inspired by the sight of a New York Subway employee waving a red lantern to...
's energy force-field unimpeded, implying that the Dummy is made of wood (which would make him immune to Scott's power) and is indeed a living ventriloquist's dummy.
In modern times, the Dummy returned and took over the criminal organization Injustice Unlimited
Injustice Society
The Injustice Society is a group of fictional supervillains in the . They are the main antagonists of the Justice Society of America.-Original team:...
to battle Infinity, Inc..
Second Dummy
Danny the Dummy, a pint-sized ventriloquist in a top hat and suit, has a hit act in which he plays the dummy to a normal sized "ventriloquist" Matt (who is revealed as the real dummy at the end of each show). But the fact that people invariably refer to Danny as "the Dummy" infuriates him, and inspires him to use dummies for crime to make dummies out of the law.Television
- Dummy I appears in several episodes of the Justice League UnlimitedJustice League UnlimitedJustice League Unlimited is an American animated television series that was produced by Warner Bros. Animation and aired on Cartoon Network. Featuring a wide array of superheroes from the DC Comics universe, and specifically based on the Justice League superhero team, it is a direct sequel to the...
animated television series as a member of the Legion of Doom.
Film
- Dummy I also appears at the end of the DTV movie Justice League: The New Frontier during the famous John F. KennedyJohn F. KennedyJohn Fitzgerald "Jack" Kennedy , often referred to by his initials JFK, was the 35th President of the United States, serving from 1961 until his assassination in 1963....
speech.