| Years ago, Hugo Strange, a prominent Gotham City psychiatrist, became an overnight celebrity with his study of Gotham's new vigilante, the mysterious "Batman". Strange, armed with numerous theories as to what could motivate such a man to don a bizarre outfit and patrol the night streets, was appointed Special Consultant to the new "Vigilante Task Force" by Gotham's mayor. |
| Hugo Strange's theories were remarkably perceptive. For example, noting that the Batman never kills, he reasoned that he must be someone related to a murder victim or to the victim of some crime-such as a mugging that had somehow escalated into a murder. As part of his studies, Strange even created a mock-up of Batman's costume. Upon donning it, however the truth about Strange bubbled to the surface: Strange, forever shunned by women because of his peculiar appearance and demeanour realized that he could now know how it feels to be the Batman psychologically but not physically, and hated and envied the Dark Knight for that. His obsession drove him towards insanity and he vowed to destroy the Batman. |
