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Heckler (comics)
Encyclopedia
The Heckler is a fictional character
, a superhero
parody
published by DC Comics
'. He first appeared in The Heckler #1 (cover-dated September 1992), an on-going series that lasted six issues, ending with The Heckler #6 (cover-dated February 1993).
The best way to describe the Heckler is that he might possibly be the equivalent of Bugs Bunny in the DC Universe, i.e., a wise-acre who possesses the amazing ability to scrape through any situation on his wits, constantly leaving anyone who opposes him the "butt" of the joke.
The Minx- A gun-toting loner with a teenaged daughter named Axi. Tends to hunt down criminals in Delta City, but they all appear to be people she's gone on awkward dates with. Much like Ledge, keeps copious files on the subject. Very much a parody of characters like The Punisher, Minx guns down criminals without consideration for due process and typically leaves no survivors.
Gus McDougal- Officer of the Delta City Police Department and ex-husband of the Minx. McDougal bemoans the changing face of Delta City's downtown core, and when we first see him he is weeping for the loss of "42 Varieties," a donut shop which has been bulldozed to make room for a McDonalds.
François- Stu's slightly anal-retentive and obsessive head cook at "Eats."
Mr. Dude- One of the patrons of "Eats". Sometimes provides Stu with information on underworld activities. Regularly speaks to the denizens of Delta about various subjects, and we see a priest come to him with questions about the Bible in the second issue. Could possibly be Elvis Presley under an assumed identity (not enough evidence to make proper conclusion).
X-Ms.- One of the Heckler's superheroic peers in Delta City. X-Ms. defends the Christmas-themed section of Delta City called "Tinseltown."
Lex Concord- The Heckler never meets Concord, who was apparently the sole superhero for Colonial Delta City during the 1800s. Concord was lost, along with the entire settlement, during a previous invasion by the demonic entity called Flying Buttress, who simply ate them. By the time the Heckler comes across Colonial Delta's remains, Lex Concord has disappeared via time travel into a Jack Kirby
-esque future.
P.C. Rabid- Ultra-conservative media celebrity. Constantly instigating plans that present imagery used as an attempt to demonize the Heckler.
Bushwack'r- Bounty hunter who attempts to collect a price placed on the Heckler's head. A victim of his own constant bad luck, as his weapons and actions keep misfiring and injuring only himself. The character is clearly a parody of Wile E. Coyote, forming elaborate traps that backfire. In one panel of the issue, the biography of Chuck Jones
is prominent.
El Gusano- Assassin hired by Boss Glitter that resembles a large earthworm dressed in a snappy dress suit. Seems to be Latin in origin.
John Doe, The Generic Man- A complete blank slate. Attempted to take over Delta City by using his ability to rob his environment (including all inanimate objects and persons in the surrounding vicinity) of any of its individual characteristics. Often accompanied by his girlfriend or sidekick (depending), a young woman named Buckshot with exploding freckles.
The Cosmic Clown- An android assassin from the stars. Humanoid, dresses like a clown. Is apparently one of a whole host of clown-shaped killer robots, who is at odds with his own clan and assumes that circuses and clowns on Earth are bent on murder.
C'est Hay- Psychopathic killer composed completely of hay and/or straw. Resembles a scarecrow. Has delusions of being an actor, speaks in stilted tongue, as if emoting dialogue…that is when he's not singing and dancing.
The Four Mopeds of the Apocalypse- The erstwhile sidekicks of the Four Horsemen of the Apocalpyse
, the Mopeds are hanging out in various sections of Delta City, watching for signs of the end times. They include Skippy
, Famine Lass
, Plague Boy and Kid Pestilence
, and are charged with summoning the dread Flying Buttress, a giant demon who is all digestive system.
Fictional character
A character is the representation of a person in a narrative work of art . Derived from the ancient Greek word kharaktêr , the earliest use in English, in this sense, dates from the Restoration, although it became widely used after its appearance in Tom Jones in 1749. From this, the sense of...
, a superhero
Superhero
A superhero is a type of stock character, possessing "extraordinary or superhuman powers", dedicated to protecting the public. Since the debut of the prototypical superhero Superman in 1938, stories of superheroes — ranging from brief episodic adventures to continuing years-long sagas —...
parody
Parody
A parody , in current usage, is an imitative work created to mock, comment on, or trivialise an original work, its subject, author, style, or some other target, by means of humorous, satiric or ironic imitation...
published by 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...
'. He first appeared in The Heckler #1 (cover-dated September 1992), an on-going series that lasted six issues, ending with The Heckler #6 (cover-dated February 1993).
Fictional character biography
Stuart "Stu" Moseley, co-owner of "Eats", a skid row diner in the ghetto section of Delta City, fights the injustices and slightly goofy criminal element as The Heckler, armed only with his sarcastic wit and a brightly colored costume. Stu's motivations and origins are unknown. Possibly he's just a glutton for punishment, for it seems that he receives no respect from his contemporaries in either his civilian or costumed alter ego's existence. It is notable that while walking around as Stu, he ends up coming across as slightly anal, frustrated and awkward; when wearing his costume, he seems to become a completely different person.The best way to describe the Heckler is that he might possibly be the equivalent of Bugs Bunny in the DC Universe, i.e., a wise-acre who possesses the amazing ability to scrape through any situation on his wits, constantly leaving anyone who opposes him the "butt" of the joke.
Powers and abilities
A costumed fighter with only average strength and agility, Stu relies heavily on his razor-sharp wit to enrage and baffle his adversaries to the point of blinding frustration, opening a window of opportunity that he will exploit to his benefit. The Heckler also possesses an immeasurable level of durability that frequently allows him to quickly recover from extreme amounts of physical damage. Being swallowed whole by a monstrous beast or falling to the earth from staggering heights only to bounce back minutes later speak mildly of The Heckler's ability to absorb and recover from damage. His access to this ability sometimes teeters on the edge of invulnerability.Supporting cast
Ledge- Stu's buddy and the only person that's in on his Heckler alter-ego, notable for being incapable of spelling correctly. Ledge provides most of Stu's information regarding his opponents, keeping extensive dossiers on all major crime figures in Delta City.The Minx- A gun-toting loner with a teenaged daughter named Axi. Tends to hunt down criminals in Delta City, but they all appear to be people she's gone on awkward dates with. Much like Ledge, keeps copious files on the subject. Very much a parody of characters like The Punisher, Minx guns down criminals without consideration for due process and typically leaves no survivors.
Gus McDougal- Officer of the Delta City Police Department and ex-husband of the Minx. McDougal bemoans the changing face of Delta City's downtown core, and when we first see him he is weeping for the loss of "42 Varieties," a donut shop which has been bulldozed to make room for a McDonalds.
François- Stu's slightly anal-retentive and obsessive head cook at "Eats."
Mr. Dude- One of the patrons of "Eats". Sometimes provides Stu with information on underworld activities. Regularly speaks to the denizens of Delta about various subjects, and we see a priest come to him with questions about the Bible in the second issue. Could possibly be Elvis Presley under an assumed identity (not enough evidence to make proper conclusion).
X-Ms.- One of the Heckler's superheroic peers in Delta City. X-Ms. defends the Christmas-themed section of Delta City called "Tinseltown."
Lex Concord- The Heckler never meets Concord, who was apparently the sole superhero for Colonial Delta City during the 1800s. Concord was lost, along with the entire settlement, during a previous invasion by the demonic entity called Flying Buttress, who simply ate them. By the time the Heckler comes across Colonial Delta's remains, Lex Concord has disappeared via time travel into a Jack Kirby
Jack Kirby
Jack Kirby , born Jacob Kurtzberg, was an American comic book artist, writer and editor regarded by historians and fans as one of the major innovators and most influential creators in the comic book medium....
-esque future.
Enemies
Boss Glitter- Incredibly dainty and theatrical mob boss of Delta City. Has a penchant for elaborate masks and frilly clothes.P.C. Rabid- Ultra-conservative media celebrity. Constantly instigating plans that present imagery used as an attempt to demonize the Heckler.
Bushwack'r- Bounty hunter who attempts to collect a price placed on the Heckler's head. A victim of his own constant bad luck, as his weapons and actions keep misfiring and injuring only himself. The character is clearly a parody of Wile E. Coyote, forming elaborate traps that backfire. In one panel of the issue, the biography of Chuck Jones
Chuck Jones
Charles Martin "Chuck" Jones was an American animator, cartoon artist, screenwriter, producer, and director of animated films, most memorably of Looney Tunes and Merrie Melodies shorts for the Warner Bros. Cartoons studio...
is prominent.
El Gusano- Assassin hired by Boss Glitter that resembles a large earthworm dressed in a snappy dress suit. Seems to be Latin in origin.
John Doe, The Generic Man- A complete blank slate. Attempted to take over Delta City by using his ability to rob his environment (including all inanimate objects and persons in the surrounding vicinity) of any of its individual characteristics. Often accompanied by his girlfriend or sidekick (depending), a young woman named Buckshot with exploding freckles.
The Cosmic Clown- An android assassin from the stars. Humanoid, dresses like a clown. Is apparently one of a whole host of clown-shaped killer robots, who is at odds with his own clan and assumes that circuses and clowns on Earth are bent on murder.
C'est Hay- Psychopathic killer composed completely of hay and/or straw. Resembles a scarecrow. Has delusions of being an actor, speaks in stilted tongue, as if emoting dialogue…that is when he's not singing and dancing.
The Four Mopeds of the Apocalypse- The erstwhile sidekicks of the Four Horsemen of the Apocalpyse
Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse in popular culture
The Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse have appeared many times in popular culture.-Real life:*The Four Horsemen of Notre Dame was a group of football players at the University of Notre Dame under coach Knute Rockne in 1924. They were Harry Stuhldreher, Don Miller, Jim Crowley, and Elmer Layden...
, the Mopeds are hanging out in various sections of Delta City, watching for signs of the end times. They include Skippy
Death
Death is the permanent termination of the biological functions that sustain a living organism. Phenomena which commonly bring about death include old age, predation, malnutrition, disease, and accidents or trauma resulting in terminal injury....
, Famine Lass
Famine
A famine is a widespread scarcity of food, caused by several factors including crop failure, overpopulation, or government policies. This phenomenon is usually accompanied or followed by regional malnutrition, starvation, epidemic, and increased mortality. Every continent in the world has...
, Plague Boy and Kid Pestilence
Pestilence (comics)
Pestilence is a comic book supervillain who has battled the Canadian super-team Alpha Flight. The character Pestilence is a literary version of the real life Francis Crozier, who was second in command in Franklin's lost expedition to the Northwest Passage and later disappeared after taking command...
, and are charged with summoning the dread Flying Buttress, a giant demon who is all digestive system.