C. Auguste Dupin was a French detective and an associate of Allan Quatermain and Mina Murray.
History
C. Auguste Dupin was born in Paris, France some time in the early 19th century. As an adult, he developed a keen analytical mind and voluntarily assisted the local constabulary in resolving strange criminal cases. He is often considered the world's first private investigator, and his methods of detection laid the groundwork for future detectives such as Sherlock Holmes. In 1841, Dupin became worked on a case which involved the murder to two women on the Rue Morgue. The first victim was Madame L'espanaye, who had been practically decapitated by a straight razor, and thrown from the fourth floor window of her home. Her daughter, Camille L'Espanaye, was strangled to death, her body thrust inside the chimney of her home feet first. What made the case intriguing to Dupin was the fact that the room was locked from the inside, practically inaccessible. After discovering a strange hair in the L'Espanaye bedroom, Dupin deduced that the killer was in fact not a human being, but was actually an orangutan. The animal had escaped from a sailor who had recently arrived in Paris.
Dupin continued to assist the police over the years and finally retired. In 1898, he came out of retirement and found himself witness to another series of brutal murders – acts of cruelty similar to the Murders in the Rue. In April 1898, the first victim, Anna Coupeau was found with her neck broken. More murders followed, each one suggesting a killer who harbored fantastic superhuman strength. At this time, Dupin began corresponding with a woman named Mina Murray. Murray and her colleague Allan Quatermain were engaged in a special duty for British Secret Service and needed Dupin's assistance in tracking down of a physician named Henry Jekyll. Further investigation revealed that Jekyll's arrival in Paris coincided with the time of the first murder. Dupin provided Murray and Quartermain with a review of the original Rue Morgue case file and Murray decided to set a trap for the murderer by posing as a prostitute. The plan only partially worked however. Instead of finding Doctor Henry Jekyll, they instead incurred the wrath of Jekyll's monstrous dual persona – Edward Hyde. Dupin was present when Hyde attacked Murray and Quartermain. Acting quickly, Dupin produced a revolver and fired it at Hyde, blowing his right ear off. Quartermain managed to subdue Hyde with a cloth soaked in laudanum, after which, Dupin secured a cart to move the body. When this adventure came to a close, Dupin bid Murray and Quartermain good luck and went back into retirement.
Powers and Abilities
Abilities
Notes
- C. Auguste Dupin is a fictional detective created by American novelist and poet Edgar Allan Poe. He appeared in three of Poe's short stories, The Murders in the Rue Morgue, The Mystery of Marie Roget and The Purloined Letter. It is fair to assume that the comic book version of Dupin shares the same history as that of his literary counterpart. To date, no material has been provided which directly challenges the original source material.
Trivia
- Batman and Alfred nicknamed the Batcomputer Dupin in homage to the literary character.
Related
- 2 Appearances of C. Auguste Dupin (League of Extraordinary Gentlemen)
- 2 Images featuring C. Auguste Dupin (League of Extraordinary Gentlemen)
- Quotations by or about C. Auguste Dupin (League of Extraordinary Gentlemen)
- Character Gallery: C. Auguste Dupin (League of Extraordinary Gentlemen)
External Links
Footnotes