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| RealName = Joseph Rigger
 
| RealName = Joseph Rigger
 
| CurrentAlias = Firebug
 
| CurrentAlias = Firebug
| Aliases =
+
| Aliases = Joe<br>Joey
 
| Identity =
 
| Identity =
 
| Alignment = Bad
 
| Alignment = Bad
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| Creators = Len Wein; Irv Novick
 
| Creators = Len Wein; Irv Novick
 
| First = Batman #318
 
| First = Batman #318
  +
| Last = Gotham Central #5
 
 
| Quotation = I owe the army '''one''' thing-- it gave me a '''skill''' I didn't have before! It made me a '''demolitions expert'''-- a master in the art of '''incendiary explosives'''-- and enabled me to equip this insulated '''costume''' with hidden tanks of a concentrated '''napalm''' derivative! Yeah, the army made me a '''Firebug'''-- and I'm putting what they thought me to '''good use!'''
 
| Quotation = I owe the army '''one''' thing-- it gave me a '''skill''' I didn't have before! It made me a '''demolitions expert'''-- a master in the art of '''incendiary explosives'''-- and enabled me to equip this insulated '''costume''' with hidden tanks of a concentrated '''napalm''' derivative! Yeah, the army made me a '''Firebug'''-- and I'm putting what they thought me to '''good use!'''
| Speaker = [[Joseph Rigger (New Earth)|Joe Rigger]]
+
| Speaker = [[Joseph Rigger (New Earth)|Joseph Rigger]]
 
| QuoteSource = Batman Vol 1 318
 
| QuoteSource = Batman Vol 1 318
   
 
| HistoryText =
 
| HistoryText =
'''Joe Rigger''' was a soldier during the [[Vietnam War]], who was trained in explosives and demolitions. Before he could return to [[Gotham City]], his family had been killed in three separate building-related accidents. His sanity slipping, Rigger set out to destroy the buildings using his military training and a costume containing tanks of napalm. Under the alias of '''Firebug''', he burned the first two buildings in his list. Before he could burn the third one, he was defeated by the [[Bruce Wayne (Earth-One)|Batman]] atop the towering Gotham State Building, and believed dead after his costume exploded.<ref>{{c|Batman #318}}</ref>
+
'''Joseph Rigger''' was a soldier during the [[Vietnam War]], who was trained in explosives and demolitions. Before he could return to [[Gotham City]], his family had been killed in three separate building-related accidents. His sanity slipping, Rigger set out to destroy the buildings using his military training and a costume containing tanks of napalm. Under the alias of '''Firebug''', he burned the first two buildings in his list. Before he could burn the third one, he was defeated by the [[Bruce Wayne (Earth-One)|Batman]] atop the towering Gotham State Building, and believed dead after his costume exploded.<ref name=BM-318>{{c|Batman #318}}</ref>
   
 
Firebug reappeared some time later, taking on a mission from the [[Calculator]] to invade [[Hero Hotline]]'s HQ, but was disarmed and defeated by the Hotline members.<ref>{{c|Hero Hotline #5}}</ref> Still later, Firebug applied for membership in [[Black Mask]]'s gang, but was beaten by his rival arsonist, [[Firefly]]. He subsequently attempted to prove he was a better arsonist, and again appeared to be killed by his own inferno.<ref name=DCV1-690>{{c|Detective Comics #690}}</ref>
 
Firebug reappeared some time later, taking on a mission from the [[Calculator]] to invade [[Hero Hotline]]'s HQ, but was disarmed and defeated by the Hotline members.<ref>{{c|Hero Hotline #5}}</ref> Still later, Firebug applied for membership in [[Black Mask]]'s gang, but was beaten by his rival arsonist, [[Firefly]]. He subsequently attempted to prove he was a better arsonist, and again appeared to be killed by his own inferno.<ref name=DCV1-690>{{c|Detective Comics #690}}</ref>
   
Rigger again turned out to be alive, although covered in burns. He helped the detectives of the [[Gotham City Police Department|GCPD]]'S Major Crimes Unit apprehend the new [[Harlan Combs (New Earth)|Firebug]], to whom Rigger had sold his suit. He was never seen again after that.<ref>{{c|Gotham Central #4}}</ref><ref name=DCV1-690/>
+
Rigger again turned out to be alive, although covered in burns. He helped the detectives of the [[Gotham City Police Department|GCPD]]'S Major Crimes Unit apprehend the new [[Harlan Combs (New Earth)|Firebug]], to whom Rigger had sold his suit. He was never seen again after that.<ref name=GC-4>{{c|Gotham Central #4}}</ref><ref name=GC-5>{{c|Gotham Central #5}}</ref>
  +
|
 
 
| Powers =
 
| Powers =
 
| Abilities =
 
| Abilities =
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| Strength =
 
| Strength =
 
| Weaknesses =
 
| Weaknesses =
* {{Mental Illness|Pyromania}}
 
   
 
| Equipment =
 
| Equipment =
* Insulated costume with hidden tanks of a concentrated napalm derivative.
+
*'''Firebug suit''': Insulated costume with hidden antigrav tanks of a concentrated napalm derivative. The gloves of the suit were designed as flamethrowers.
** The gloves of the suit were designed as flamethrowers.
 
   
 
| Transportation =
 
| Transportation =
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| Notes = {{Multicont Earth-One}}
 
| Notes = {{Multicont Earth-One}}
* In his first appearances, Joe Rigger was African American. In subsequent appearances, he is depicted as Caucasian <ref name=DCV1-690/>
+
* In his first appearance, Joe Rigger was African American.<ref name=BM-318/> In subsequent appearances, he is depicted as Caucasian. <ref name=DCV1-690/><ref name=GC-4/><ref name=GC-5/>
   
 
| Trivia =
 
| Trivia =

Revision as of 23:42, 11 May 2019

Quote1 I owe the army one thing-- it gave me a skill I didn't have before! It made me a demolitions expert-- a master in the art of incendiary explosives-- and enabled me to equip this insulated costume with hidden tanks of a concentrated napalm derivative! Yeah, the army made me a Firebug-- and I'm putting what they thought me to good use! Quote2
Joseph Rigger src


Joseph Rigger was a soldier during the Vietnam War, who was trained in explosives and demolitions. Before he could return to Gotham City, his family had been killed in three separate building-related accidents. His sanity slipping, Rigger set out to destroy the buildings using his military training and a costume containing tanks of napalm. Under the alias of Firebug, he burned the first two buildings in his list. Before he could burn the third one, he was defeated by the Batman atop the towering Gotham State Building, and believed dead after his costume exploded.[1]

Firebug reappeared some time later, taking on a mission from the Calculator to invade Hero Hotline's HQ, but was disarmed and defeated by the Hotline members.[2] Still later, Firebug applied for membership in Black Mask's gang, but was beaten by his rival arsonist, Firefly. He subsequently attempted to prove he was a better arsonist, and again appeared to be killed by his own inferno.[3]

Rigger again turned out to be alive, although covered in burns. He helped the detectives of the GCPD'S Major Crimes Unit apprehend the new Firebug, to whom Rigger had sold his suit. He was never seen again after that.[4][5]


Abilities

Equipment

  • Firebug suit: Insulated costume with hidden antigrav tanks of a concentrated napalm derivative. The gloves of the suit were designed as flamethrowers.


  • Although this character was originally introduced during DC's Earth-One era of publication, their existence following the events of the 1985–86 limited series Crisis on Infinite Earths remains intact. However, some elements of the character's Pre-Crisis history may have been altered or removed for Post-Crisis New Earth continuity, and should be considered apocryphal.
  • In his first appearance, Joe Rigger was African American.[1] In subsequent appearances, he is depicted as Caucasian. [3][4][5]

Related

Footnotes


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Batman Villain(s)
This character, team or organization, has been primarily an enemy of the Batman, or the Batman Family as a whole. This template will categorize articles that include it into the category "Batman Villains."