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Monk (comics)
Encyclopedia
The Monk is a fictional character in the DC Comics
universe
. He appeared as one of Batman
's earliest foes.
#31 in 1939. He is one of the earliest significant villains of the series, his battle with Batman being one of the Dark Knight's first multi-part adventures. The Monk is a vampire
who wears a red, monk-like outfit, with a hood that bears a skull and crossbones. The Monk hypnotises Bruce Wayne's fiancee, Julie Madison
, into trying to kill a man. Batman stops her and next day as Bruce Wayne takes her to a Doctor, who has also been hypnotised and tells them to go on a cruise. Batman uses the Batgyro to get to the ship Julie is on and meets the Monk who is after Julie. The Monk tries to use his hypnotic powers on Batman, but Batman uses a batarang to escape his trance. The Monk lures Batman to his base in Paris, and Batman defeats a giant ape set on him. However the Monk succeeds in catching Batman in a net and tries to lower it into a den of snakes, but using the Batarang for the first time, Batman knocks the lever up, breaks a glass chandelier, and uses the glass to cut through the net. He has an assistant named Dala who lures Batman to his lair using Julie Madison as bait.
The Monk places Julie in a hypnotic trance again, but Batman again rescues her. After rescuing Julie after following her to Transylvania, Batman meets Dala who he takes towards the Monk's Castle. However he is caught in a net, hypnotised, and trapped in a pit by the Monk, who transforms into a wolf to summon others, but he escapes, using gas to knock out the Wolves, then using a rope attached to a batarang to climb out. He kills the Monk and Dala by shooting them with silver bullets made from candlesticks as they lie in their coffin
s.
The Monk returned several decades later when writer Gerry Conway
revived him in 1982's Detective Comics #515. The Monk's appearance is preceded by Dala's return in Detective Comics #511, during which she romances Dick Grayson
(a.k.a. Robin
) as part of her master's plan.
Conway's story is ostensibly an update of the original tale, establishing an Earth-One
counterpart of the Monk during the days of DC Comics' Multiverse
. It departs from the original, however, by establishing the Monk's true identity and origin. In Conway's version, the Monk is a post-Civil War
plantation owner in New Orleans named Louis DuBois. He and his sister Dala are attacked by their vengeful ex-slaves and subjected to a voodoo ritual which transforms them into the undead
.
During the course of the story, Batman himself is transformed into a vampire by the Monk but is eventually cured by a serum administered by a priest/exorcist
named Father Green. At the conclusion of the tale, Green departed with the captive Monk and Dala, hinting that he had been pursuing them for a very long time indeed.
Although later events have called this story into question, the Monk's continued existence in the post-Crisis
version of the DC Universe was confirmed by the presence of a familiar red hood displayed as a trophy in the Batcave
.
called Batman and the Mad Monk
. This is once again a revised update of the original Monk story.
In this version, the Monk is referred to as Niccolai and is the vampiric leader of a cult called The Brotherhood, based in an abandoned castle/manor house on the outskirts of Gotham City
. His followers, among whom is the gothic Dala, feed upon the blood of captured victims. Only the most devoted acolytes are transformed into true creatures of the night however. Maintaining a link with the 1939 version, Julie Madison is once again turned into the Monk's pawn, as she is lured to the castle by Dala under the guise of the Monk being a self-help guru. At present, the current origin of the character has not been revealed for certain (though he could be wealthy Gotham son Richard Rallstone), as he was electrocuted and seemingly incinerated by a bolt of lightning and presumed dead during a fight with Batman. Dala is not a vampire, but she hopes to become one so she can serve as Niccolai's right hand.
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
Fictional universe
A fictional universe is a self-consistent fictional setting with elements that differ from the real world. It may also be called an imagined, constructed or fictional realm ....
. He appeared as one of Batman
Batman
Batman is a fictional character created by the artist Bob Kane and writer Bill Finger. A comic book superhero, Batman first appeared in Detective Comics #27 , and since then has appeared primarily in publications by DC Comics...
's earliest foes.
Fictional character biography
The Monk first appeared in Detective ComicsDetective 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...
#31 in 1939. He is one of the earliest significant villains of the series, his battle with Batman being one of the Dark Knight's first multi-part adventures. The Monk is a vampire
Vampire
Vampires are mythological or folkloric beings who subsist by feeding on the life essence of living creatures, regardless of whether they are undead or a living person...
who wears a red, monk-like outfit, with a hood that bears a skull and crossbones. The Monk hypnotises Bruce Wayne's fiancee, Julie Madison
Julie Madison
Julie Madison is a fictional character in the DC Universe, best known as Batman's first significant love interest.-Original version:Julie Madison first appeared in Detective Comics #31 only four issues after Batman's own debut...
, into trying to kill a man. Batman stops her and next day as Bruce Wayne takes her to a Doctor, who has also been hypnotised and tells them to go on a cruise. Batman uses the Batgyro to get to the ship Julie is on and meets the Monk who is after Julie. The Monk tries to use his hypnotic powers on Batman, but Batman uses a batarang to escape his trance. The Monk lures Batman to his base in Paris, and Batman defeats a giant ape set on him. However the Monk succeeds in catching Batman in a net and tries to lower it into a den of snakes, but using the Batarang for the first time, Batman knocks the lever up, breaks a glass chandelier, and uses the glass to cut through the net. He has an assistant named Dala who lures Batman to his lair using Julie Madison as bait.
The Monk places Julie in a hypnotic trance again, but Batman again rescues her. After rescuing Julie after following her to Transylvania, Batman meets Dala who he takes towards the Monk's Castle. However he is caught in a net, hypnotised, and trapped in a pit by the Monk, who transforms into a wolf to summon others, but he escapes, using gas to knock out the Wolves, then using a rope attached to a batarang to climb out. He kills the Monk and Dala by shooting them with silver bullets made from candlesticks as they lie in their coffin
Coffin
A coffin is a funerary box used in the display and containment of dead people – either for burial or cremation.Contemporary North American English makes a distinction between "coffin", which is generally understood to denote a funerary box having six sides in plan view, and "casket", which...
s.
The Monk returned several decades later when writer Gerry Conway
Gerry Conway
Gerard F. "Gerry" Conway is an American writer of comic books and television shows. He is known for co-creating the Marvel Comics vigilante The Punisher and scripting the death of the character Gwen Stacy during his long run on The Amazing Spider-Man...
revived him in 1982's Detective Comics #515. The Monk's appearance is preceded by Dala's return in Detective Comics #511, during which she romances Dick Grayson
Dick Grayson
Dick Grayson is a fictional superhero that appears in comic books published by DC Comics. Created by Bob Kane and Bill Finger and illustrator Jerry Robinson, he first appeared in Detective Comics #38 in April 1940....
(a.k.a. Robin
Robin (comics)
Robin is the name of several fictional characters appearing in comic books published by DC Comics, originally created by Bob Kane, Bill Finger and Jerry Robinson, as a junior counterpart to DC Comics superhero Batman...
) as part of her master's plan.
Conway's story is ostensibly an update of the original tale, establishing an Earth-One
Earth-One
Earth-One is a name given to two fictional universes that have appeared in American comic book stories published by DC Comics...
counterpart of the Monk during the days of DC Comics' Multiverse
Multiverse
The multiverse is the hypothetical set of multiple possible universes that together comprise all of reality.Multiverse may also refer to:-In fiction:* Multiverse , the fictional multiverse used by DC Comics...
. It departs from the original, however, by establishing the Monk's true identity and origin. In Conway's version, the Monk is a post-Civil War
American Civil War
The American Civil War was a civil war fought in the United States of America. In response to the election of Abraham Lincoln as President of the United States, 11 southern slave states declared their secession from the United States and formed the Confederate States of America ; the other 25...
plantation owner in New Orleans named Louis DuBois. He and his sister Dala are attacked by their vengeful ex-slaves and subjected to a voodoo ritual which transforms them into the undead
Undead
Undead is a collective name for fictional, mythological, or legendary beings that are deceased and yet behave as if alive. Undead may be incorporeal, such as ghosts, or corporeal, such as vampires and zombies...
.
During the course of the story, Batman himself is transformed into a vampire by the Monk but is eventually cured by a serum administered by a priest/exorcist
Exorcism
Exorcism is the religious practice of evicting demons or other spiritual entities from a person or place which they are believed to have possessed...
named Father Green. At the conclusion of the tale, Green departed with the captive Monk and Dala, hinting that he had been pursuing them for a very long time indeed.
Although later events have called this story into question, the Monk's continued existence in the post-Crisis
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...
version of the DC Universe was confirmed by the presence of a familiar red hood displayed as a trophy in the Batcave
Batcave
The Batcave is the secret headquarters of fictional DC Comics superhero Batman, the alternate identity of playboy Bruce Wayne, consisting of a series of subterranean caves beneath his residence, Wayne Manor.-Publication history:...
.
Batman and the Mad Monk
In the summer of 2006, DC began publishing a six-issue miniseries by writer/artist Matt WagnerMatt Wagner
Matt Wagner is an American comic book writer and artist, best known as the creator of the series Mage and Grendel.-Career:...
called Batman and the Mad Monk
Batman and the Mad Monk
Batman and the Mad Monk is an American comic book limited series, featuring the DC Comics superhero Batman. It is set during the Batman: Year One continuity, but after the events of Batman and the Monster Men and before the events of Batman: The Man Who Laughs...
. This is once again a revised update of the original Monk story.
In this version, the Monk is referred to as Niccolai and is the vampiric leader of a cult called The Brotherhood, based in an abandoned castle/manor house on the outskirts of Gotham City
Gotham City
Gotham City is a fictional U.S. city appearing in DC Comics, best known as the home of Batman. Batman's place of residence was first identified as Gotham City in Batman #4 . Gotham City is strongly inspired by Trenton, Ontario's history, location, atmosphere, and various architectural styles...
. His followers, among whom is the gothic Dala, feed upon the blood of captured victims. Only the most devoted acolytes are transformed into true creatures of the night however. Maintaining a link with the 1939 version, Julie Madison is once again turned into the Monk's pawn, as she is lured to the castle by Dala under the guise of the Monk being a self-help guru. At present, the current origin of the character has not been revealed for certain (though he could be wealthy Gotham son Richard Rallstone), as he was electrocuted and seemingly incinerated by a bolt of lightning and presumed dead during a fight with Batman. Dala is not a vampire, but she hopes to become one so she can serve as Niccolai's right hand.
In Other Media
- Dala, without the Monk, appears in the Batman: The Brave and the BoldBatman: The Brave and the BoldBatman: The Brave and the Bold is an American animated television series based in part on the DC Comics series The Brave and the Bold which features two or more super heroes coming together to solve a crime or foil a super villain...
episode "Shadow of the Bat!", where she is described as having been turned into a vampire due to a scientific accident. She is stopped by Batman and Jason Blood, but not before biting Batman and turning him into a vampire himself. She is voiced by Grey DeLisleGrey DeLisleGrey DeLisle is an American voice actress, singer-songwriter, and comedienne. To date, she has released four solo albums and has featured on the tribute album Anchored in Love: A Tribute to June Carter Cash and film soundtrack of Loggerheads...
.