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Doctor Bedlam

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Doctor Bedlam
Doctor Bedlam as depicted in Who's Who: The Definitive Directory of the DC Universe #6 (August 1985). Art by Jack Kirby and Mike Machlan.
Publication information
PublisherDC Comics
First appearanceMister Miracle #2 (May–June 1971)
Created byJack Kirby
In-story information
Alter egoDoctor Bedlam
SpeciesNew God
Team affiliationsDarkseid's Elite
Notable aliasesBaron Bedlam, Macro-Man
Abilities
  • Immortality
  • Being of pure psionic energy, making him virtually invulnerable
  • Master scientist
  • Can control several powerful androids known as Animates
  • Powers of mental manipulation and paranoia
  • Paranoid Pill

Doctor Bedlam is a DC Comics supervillain created by Jack Kirby as part of his Fourth World comic series of the 1970s. He is part of Darkseid's Elite on the planet Apokolips.[1]

His name comes from the Bethlem Royal Hospital insane asylum, and is a reference to his madness-inducing "paranoid pill".

Publication history

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Doctor Bedlam first appeared in Mister Miracle #3 (July–August 1971) and was created by Jack Kirby.[2]

Fictional character biography

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Doctor Bedlam's early life is unknown, save that he once possessed a physical body that was transformed into psychic energy. His primary foe is Mister Miracle, whom he has never defeated.[2]

Following the destruction of Apokolips and New Genesis, Bedlam relocates to Earth, where he attracts the second Mister Miracle's attention by becoming an escape artist under the name Baron Bedlam.

Bedlam is featured in the Underworld Unleashed tie-in one-shot Apokolips - Dark Uprising, where Granny Goodness attempts to kill him.

Doctor Bedlam makes a minor appearance in Death of the New Gods, where Infinity-Man damages one of his Animates while hunting the New Gods.[2]

In The New 52, Doctor Bedlam joins Steppenwolf's Hunger Dogs.[3]

Powers and abilities

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Doctor Bedlam exists as a being of psychic energy and commands powerful constructs that he can project into. Furthermore, he is a skilled scientist who specializes in inducing terror via mental manipulation.

In other media

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References

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  1. ^ Cowsill, Alan; Irvine, Alex; Korte, Steve; Manning, Matt; Wiacek, Win; Wilson, Sven (2016). The DC Comics Encyclopedia: The Definitive Guide to the Characters of the DC Universe. DK Publishing. p. 92. ISBN 978-1-4654-5357-0.
  2. ^ a b c Greenberger, Robert (2008), "Doctor Bedlam", in Dougall, Alastair (ed.), The DC Comics Encyclopedia, New York: Dorling Kindersley, p. 102, ISBN 978-0-7566-4119-1, OCLC 213309017
  3. ^ Earth 2 #15 (October 2013)
  4. ^ Eisen, Andrew (October 2, 2013). "DC Characters and Objects - Scribblenauts Unmasked Guide". IGN. Retrieved November 20, 2024.
  5. ^ All-New Batman: The Brave and the Bold #15
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