Deborah Tiegel (New Earth)

Deborah Tiegel was an honest detective in the notoriously corrupt twelfth precinct of the G.C.P.D. It was her ambition to be a police officer, just like her father.

History

After several encounters with the notorious Hitman on opposite sides of the law, she eventually became involved with him romantically.

It was in the wake of the Gothodaemon that Tiegel first briefly encountered Hitman. She was leading a team of two other officers through St. Jack's cemetery - the origin of the disaster and a crime scene of carnage - when they stumbled upon a lone figure. As soon as Tiegel announced herself to apprehend him, Monaghan spun around and emptied his pistols at them, intentionally missing, shocking them enough to secure his escape.^[1] Not long after, she had another empty-handed brush with the occult when she and her partner, Jenny French, came across Merlin just as he was slaughtering a gang of thugs who had picked the wrong target. Tiegel and French were covered in a wave of blood while Merlin continued on his way.^[2]

A few years later, and now a detective, Tiegel was called in to an assault on Arkham Asylum. With an ominous supernatural cloud brewing over the institution, no other officers were brave enough to back her up as she followed Batman inside. It was amongst the chaos and shower of bullets from The Mawzir that Tiegel was really introduced to Tommy Monaghan for the first time. Obliged to work together with the criminal killer she loathed, they managed to defeat the demonic agent of the Arkannone. Once it was over and Monagahan was the last one holding a gun, he tried to convince Tiegel and Batman that he was one of the good guys before taking his leave.^[3]

After a drug bust went bad and a corrupt officer was killed, it was honest Tiegel that was reviewed by internal affairs - which included her crooked boss, Captain Burns, on the panel - resulting in her suspension without pay. Furious, Teigel was about to storm into Burns' office to quit when she overheard a shady deal between the Captain and a government agent, asking for the cooperation, or the very public death of Tommy Monaghan while "resisting arrest."^[4] While having no love for the murderer, he was now the lesser of two evils. Tiegel orchestrated his escape from the police and took him back to her apartment that she shared with her mother and grandfather. The charismatic Hitman charmed her mother but Deborah was not so easily won over. Nevertheless she put her dislike for him aside to develop a plan to expose the corrupt officials.^[5]
After Green Lantern was also manipulated into taking down Monaghan, Rayner also became a part of their plot to gain leverage over Mr. Truman.^[6] Tommy arranged a public meeting with Truman wearing a wire, while Tiegel supported him with a rifle from a vantage point, and Rayner waited in the wings to act as interference. Their blackmail succeeded and Tiegel let Monaghan go on his way, after all, she wasn't technically a cop. Monaghan saw the smallest of chinks in her armor and gave her his phone number. Just in case.^[7]

When the review of her suspension came up, Tiegel played ball, but with a board of corrupt cops, she was fired. With no one to confide in she drowned her sorrows with Monaghan, and in a drunken state revealed her attraction to him. His conscience getting the better of him again, Monaghan turned down her inebriated advances and saw her to her bed before leaving.^[8] The next day when she realized how she had lost control, Deborah went to talk with Tommy at Noonan's Bar. The timing could not have been worse as found herself once again embroiled in a fire fight with The Mawzir. They found some sanctuary on the sacred ground of St. Joseph's cemetery.^[9] The Mawzir set his mortal thugs to storm the church as Deborah and Tommy defended it alongside Natt the Hat, Catwoman, Jason Blood and Section Eight. With the defeat of The Mawzir and his men, in an act of joy and relief, Deborah and Tommy shared their first kiss. ^[10]

The two became a couple, though she despised his choice of career. Tiegel became a zookeeper after a severe earthquake hit Gotham City.

Powers and Abilities

Abilities

Firearms: Deborah has police training and is proficient with firearms, even under stressful conditions.^[10]
Hand-to-Hand Combat (Basic): Deborah has police training with basic self defence abilities.^[10]
Law: Deborah was an honest detective with the G.C.P.D.^[4]

Paraphernalia

Weapons

Police Issue Firearm

Notes

In her first appearances, Deborah was Caucasian.^[1]^[2], In all her following appearances, she was African American.

Trivia

Deborah is mixed race. African American on her mother's side and German on her father's.^[4]
Deborah's grandfather came from Germany and - what was possibly senility - would spout war phrases or have the family sing Deutchlandlied.^[11]
Deborah was a virgin at 26. Her first time was with Tommy.^[11]