The Condiment King is a joke villain created by Bruce Timm and Paul Dini for the Batman: The Animated Series, as a parody of the campy super-villains who Batman fought in the Silver Age of comics and 1966 Batman series. He is a petty criminal who makes use of various condiments, sometimes capable of causing anaphylactic shock, as his weapons. He is generally used as comic relief within the series. His original origin was that of a stand-up comedian who angered the Joker who kidnapped and brainwashed him into becoming a ridiculous super-villain as vengeance.
History
Batman: The Animated Series
Condiment King as he appears in Batman: The Animated Series.
The Condiment King first appeared in the episode 'Make Em Laugh', voiced by Stuart Pankin. The character was a throwback to the 1966 Adam West Batman series in that he was whimsical and made many condiment-based puns, for example: "The big bad Bat-guy. I knew you'd ketchup to me sooner or later. How I relished this meeting. You, the dynamic Dark Knight, versus me, the conceptual Condiment King! Come, Batman. Let's see if you can cut the mustard." Chased by Batman to the roof of the restaurant he robbed, he slipped on ketchup and fell down, nearly to his death. He was later revealed to be stand-up comedian Buddy Standler who was brainwashed by the Joker (using the Mad Hatter 's devices), whom he, along with several other comedians, had unwittingly spurned the previous year.
Comics
New Earth
Chronologically, The Condiment King first appeared in Batgirl: Year One, as written by Chuck Dixon and Scott Beatty. Much like his animated counterpart, he is a comic relief villain that is easily taken down by Robin and Batgirl. He also appears in Birds of Prey #37, where is defeated by Black Canary, the third Robin, and Blue Beetle. Condiment King was also given the new alter-ego of Mitchell Mayo.
In Robin #171 (April 2008), Robin defeats the Condiment King again. Robin observes that the villain is potentially dangerous (if only because his condiment guns could cause anaphylactic shock), but his ludicrous nature prevents the justice department taking him seriously.
Later, the Condiment King is seemingly killed after being betrayed and bludgeoned by the Human Flame with his own ketchup and mustard guns in the miniseries Final Crisis Aftermath: Run.
Prime Earth
"Weapons" & Paraphernalia
- Condiment guns; Condiment King is frequently equipped with squirt guns with tubes connecting to belts or backpacks filled with condiments. These guns are relatively harmless, at most causing their target to lose balance or be propelled moderately backwards. Originally, he was equipped with one gun for ketchup and one for mustard but he would later be shown with a larger cannon that could swivel between different condiments.
- Hot sauce packets: Condiment King will sometimes equip his suit with packets of hot-sauce which he uses for close-quarters combat by squeezing into his opponents' mouth to incapacitate them.
- Utility belt: Condiment King will sometimes wear a utility belt of different condiments connected to his weapons, rivalling the utility belt arsenal of Batman (in terms of garnishes stored and nothing else).
In other media
Film
The Lego Batman Movie
Condiment King appeared as one of Joker's assembled villains in The Lego Batman Movie, being the last named in a lineup of comedically obscure villains, causing the pilot who Joker is talking to to question if the Joker made any of the rogues up. At one point in the film, Condiment King gets kicked in the groin by Batman when the latter is told by Joker that he can't fight him anymore.
Television
Condiment King first appeared in Batman: The Animated Series.
Batwoman
Condiment King was mentioned as a villain defeated by Batman who confiscated his condiment-gun soon after.
DC Super Hero Girls
Harley Quinn
Condiment King made minor appearances in this series, resembling his DCAU counterpart.
Young Justice
Condiment King was mentioned as a comedic supervillain.
Video-games
Lego Batman 3
The 1992 version of Condiment King appeared as both a playable character in Lego Batman 3.
Lego DC Super-Villains
Trivia
- Batman once referred to him as "Mustard Man".