The Maniax

"The world sees criminal lunatics. I see brilliance, I see charisma, I see power."

- Theo Galavan The Maniax are an elite group of villains founded by Theo Galavan and led by Jerome Valeska in the DC Comics television show Gotham.

Creation
The Maniax start as six inmates assigned to Arkham Asylum, which consists of Jerome Valeska, Robert Greenwood, Aaron Helzinger, Arnold Dobkins, Richard Sionis & Jim Gordon's ex-fiancee Barbara Kean. The group is knocked out by Zaardon and are broken out by Tabitha Galavan. The six are brought to Theo Galavan, who inspires them to become a fierce organization. Sionis refuses & is killed by Tabitha.

Terror on Gotham City
The remaining gang orchestrate a robbery at the docks to raid a tanker truck. Robert and Jerome fight over the leader position through a game of chance, in which Jerome wins the position and a katana. They later use this to douse a school bus full of cheerleaders with kerosene. The GCPD manage to save the cheerleaders, but Arnold is assassinated by Tabitha when he is arrested. Jerome & Robert create a massacare inside GCPD Police Headquarters, while Helzinger and Barbara beat up Jim Gordon in an alleyway. Jerome shoots Robert when he steals one of his quotes and mortally wounds newly ranked Commissioner Essen, who laters dies of her wounds. Jerome leaves a video message who tells them that Gotham is vulnerable to the Maniax and that they "haven't seen nothin' yet".

Jerome along with Barbara held the children's gala hostage, with Jerome plotting to kill Bruce Wayne. However Theo Galavan stabs Jerome in the neck, which causes his death and makes Theo out to be a hero. Barbara manages to escape by using a trapdoor hidden.

The Maniax were disbanded afterwards as they are now inactive after Jerome's death and Theo earning a hero status to advance his goals. Barbara later made a move on Jim but was rendered comatose during a fall and Helzinger was returned to Arkham.

Legacy
Despite the death of Jerome and disbandment of the Maniax, many people found amusement in Jerome's activities, with a few mimicking his laughter.

A nightclub owner named Jeri sets up a band devoted to the Maniax, and the attendees dress up in straight jackets copying the Maniax and also wear clown makeup. Images of the Maniax's activities and their mugshots are also spliced together in their music videos and projected inside the night club.

Team Members
"Jerome Valeska: 18 years old; Matricide. Arnold Dobkins: Schizophrenic; poisoner; rapist. Aaron Helzinger: Killed his entire family with his bare hands. Robert Greenwood: Killed and then ate a dozen women. Barbara Kean: Killed her parents."

- Jim Gordon listing the crew members of the Maniax


 * 1) Jerome Valeska: Jerome Valeska was a carnival worker at Haly's Circus. He killed his mother because she was usually having sex with one of the other workers while Jerome was forced to do chores like a slave. Prior to being sentenced to Arkham, Jerome pretended to be saddened and shocked by his mother's death but fully revealed his true nature after an interrogation. He was busted out by Theo Galavan & was made the leader of The Maniax before being betrayed & killed by Galavan after several missions, who wanted to better his appearance as a significant heroic.
 * 2) Barbara Kean: Barbara Kean was the owner of an art gallery and the fiancee of James Gordon. She became the target of Jason Skolimski and underwent a relationship with him. After being brainwashed by him, she lost her grip on sanity and killed her parents. After being made a member of the Maniax, she made a friendship with Tabitha Galavan and disguised as the magician's assistant - the magician being Jerome Valeska - before his death when he was backstabbed by Theo Galavan during a hostage situation. She managed to escape during the confusion as later Theo noted that her time was coming.
 * 3) Robert Greenwood: Greenwood was a mass murderer and cannibal who ate a dozen women. He became a member of the Maniax after being broken out of Arkham & fought for the position of Team Leader with Jerome Valeska through a game of Russian Roulette, but lost. He was killed by Jerome during the attack on the GCPD when Robert stole one of his quotes.
 * 4) Aaron Helzinger: Helzinger was sentenced to Arkham after killing his entire family with only his bare hands and became a member of the Maniax after being broken loose out of the asylum. Helzinger served as Barbara Kean's bodyguard & was described by Jim Gordon as "six-seven, two-seventy-five and with the mind of a five-year old". He was captured and returned to Arkham Asylum.
 * 5) Arnold Dobkins: Arnold Dobkins was a rapist & poisoner with a disorder known as schizophrenia. After being busted out of Arkham, he was assigned to light a school bus full of cheerleaders. Dobkins was arrested during the attempt and was assassinated by Tabitha Galavan.
 * 6) Richard Sionis: Richard Sionis was a millionaire and owner of his own company Sionis Investments. He would put his new staff in a fistfight with Sionis' men, which would usually result in the would-be-employee's demise. After busted by Jim Gordon and sent to Arkham, he was broken out and was invited to be a member of the Maniax, but refused. He was released and prepared to leave, but was strangled with a whip by Tabitha Galavan, which followed Sionis being stabbed viciously.