The original Wrath was an anti-Batman whose criminal parents were killed by then-rookie policeman James Gordon. As an adult, the Wrath becomes a cop-killer who copies many of Batman's methods. His sidekick, a twisted version of Robin, later took on the mantle of the second Wrath.
Character History[]
The Wrath II appears first in Batman Confidential #13 (March 2008), and was created by Tony Bedard and Rags Morales. This version wears a costume in differing shades of purple, rather than his predecessor's purple costume with red lining. The second Wrath, which Batman is convinced is a copycat from his first appearance, begins murdering police officers visiting Gotham for a convention, also breaking into Grayle Hudson's apartment to threaten her for the lack of loyalty to his master. After a fight with Batman, during which he confirms he's not the original Wrath, he tells the Dark Knight to investigate Commissioner Gordon's actions on June 26th twenty-five years ago—the same night Bruce Wayne's parents died. Gordon's reports for that night have been wiped clean, but Wrath informs Batman of Gordon's role in the orphaning of the original Wrath, explaining that his mentor donned the costume after he studied Batman, thinking they were kindred spirits, initially donning the costume to mock Gordon's ally before becoming increasingly invested in his new guise. With this information, Batman realizes that the new Wrath is the original's 'answer' to Robin. His real name is revealed to be Elliot Caldwell, an orphaned son whom the Wrath trained to be his answer to Batman's Robin. Elliot was one of five orphans who the original Wrath kidnapped and trained, but was the only one who survived the training. He was stopped by Batman and Nightwing, whose teamwork and care for each other had broken down Caldwell, who never had the same relationship with his master. Elliot was then sent to Blackgate Penitentiary.
Wrath II.
Wrath II has not appeared since, save one brief cameo appearance on the cover of Formerly known as the Justice League #4.
DCnU[]
Wrath and Scorn
The Wrath reappears in Gotham as a cop killer and a formidable Anti-Batman. He possesses a powerful aircraft similar to the Batplane and trained a sidekick called Scorn to serve as his Robin. Scorn, however, botches a hit on two police officers and is nearly captured by Batman, if not for an intervention by Wrath in his aircraft. Wrath rescues Scorn but deems him unworthy and hurls him from the craft.
In other media[]
- A version of Elliot Caldwell appeared in the recent cartoon "The Batman" as a sidekick to the original Wrath; for more see Scorn (The Batman).
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