Character Profiles - Villains - Mad Hatter II
Real Name: Jervis Tetch
Occupation: Criminal
Marital Status: N/A
Base of Operations: Gotham
Height: 4ft 8in
Weight: 149 lbs
Eyes: Blue
Hair: Red
First Appearance: Batman #49 (October-November 1948)
Created By: Bob Kane
Jervis Tetch is fascinated with hats of all shapes and sizes, as well as Alice's Adventures in Wonderland and its sequel Through the Looking Glass, particularly favoring the chapter 'A Mad Tea Party'. He is obsessive-compulsive, highly delusional, suffers from psychotic manic depression, and can even sometimes be homicidal. (As shown in Secret Six, he won't eat a piece of food that doesn't have a hat on it.) He exhibits delusions and thought processes typical of schizophrenia. Not only is he often known to quote and associate with Carroll's Wonderland novels, but he often fails to discern between these stories and reality. He will go to insane lengths to get what he wants.
In his first appearance, the Mad Hatter attempted to steal a trophy from the Gotham Yacht Club, but was foiled by Batman while he tried to rob spectators from a high society horseshow. Tetch was subsequently sent to Arkham Asylum. Later a very different Mad Hatter appeared, claiming to be Jervis Tetch, but he was revealed as an impostor and subsequently disposed of once the real Tetch re-appeared.
The real Jervis Tetch reappeared in Detective Comics #510 in 1981. Tetch appeared with a pet monkey, as well as a mind-erasing machine. Tetch claimed to have killed his impostor, but that turned out to be untrue when the impostor returned one last time.
Tetch has even kidnapped Lucius Fox of Wayne Enterprises and held him for ransom. Once again, Tetch was stopped by Batman, but not before using his advanced equipment to feed information from Fox's mind into his computer.
Tetch devised a plan to implant his mind control devices in Walkmen, which he gave out to young girls at Dick Grayson's school in order to sell the young girls to millionaire third-world dictator Generalissimo Lee. The young Robin managed to defeat the Mad Hatter, however.
One of Tetch's latest plans consisted of implanting his devices in "free coffee and donuts" tickets he handed out in front of the police stations in Gotham. That plan had him controlling most of the cops in the city. He even had Gotham police detectives Crispus Allen and Renee Montoya break into a bank for him.
More recently, Tetch was trying to escape Arkham Asylum with the aid of a guard under mind control. The guard fired on police and was killed in return fire. Tetch as well was shot multiple times and left in critical condition. It was thought he might have died, however it was proven that he was working for Black Mask.
While working with Black Mask, Tetch implanted a mind control chip directly into Killer Croc's brain, which caused him to mutate again due to the virus he was injected with by Hush and The Riddler. Croc embarked on a quest to get revenge on those responsible for his mutation, and started with Tetch. Batman arrived in time to save Tetch, but Croc escaped.
During Infinite Crisis Tetch was seen amongst the fighting with the Secret Society of Super Villains during the Battle of Metropolis.
Tetch was revealed to have been involved in the plot by The Great White Shark to frame Harvey Dent for murdering various Gotham villains in the Detective Comics storyline "Face The Face", although in what capacity he was involved is left vague.
Tetch's base of opperations in Gotham was destroyed following a search for an atomic weapon, by Robin III, Tim Drake and Captan Boomerang II, Owen Mercer. A recording of Tetch came on a monitor screen and told them that the roof will be the final hat they will ever wear as it fell down on them – Robin and Boomerang narrowly made it out of the building.
Aftwards he was approached by Catman, and he has joined the members of the Secret Six in opposition of the Secret Society of Super Villains; they have recruited him in hopes of a defense against Doctor Psycho's mind control abilities.
When Ragdoll attacked the Secret Six under Dr. Psycho's control, Tetch put on what he called his "thinking cap" and went into a seizure. After the Six crash-landed, they were attacked by the Doom Patrol, who came close to apprehending the Six until Mad Hatter stepped in and used his mind control abilities to subdue the Doom Patrol singlehandedly, going so far as to almost make Elasti-Girl eat Beast Boy before Scandal stopped him. The Six commented to themselves afterwards that even they had no idea Jervis could do this.
It has been revealed that Tetch designed a hat to make him happy beyond the measures of what illegal drugs can. He also revealed that he had planted miniture listening devices around the House of Secrets to keep tabs on his fellow members. After revealing the true motives of Scandal to leave the team, the Six go after her, finding themselves at Vandal Savage's temple in the mountains, where Doctor Psycho starts attacking the team. Tetch is about to get the upper hand on Dr. Psycho when Cheshire appears and stabs him in the back with a poisoned dagger.
Scandal tends to Hatter's wound, and Catman administers an antidote to Tetch. While the Six face off against Cheshire and Vandal Savage, Hatter takes on Dr. Psycho one on one, and emerges victorious despite his injuries, possibly killing Dr. Psycho with Cheshire's dagger.
At the end of the mini-series, Hatter saves Scandal from falling to her death, and the Six tell Tetch that they are his friends, something Tetch has never had. As Hatter stands atop Savage's destroyed base with Ragdoll, he expresses deep happiness and excitement about having friends. He says to Ragdoll that he will be a very good friend in return. Ragdoll then pushes Hatter off the roof, seemingly to his death, saying there's only room for one freak on the team.
Tetch survived the fall. Heartbroken, he vows revenge on the rest of the Six.
Back To Villains Main Menu |
Back To Comic Character Profiles Main Menu
| 
Home
