Mad Hatter (DC)

"You are trying to understand madness with logic. This is not unlike searching for darkness with a torch."

- Mad Hatter

Jervis Tetch (a.k.a The Mad Hatter) is a villain from the Batman comic book series and various adaptations of the character. He also exists in the DC universe.

Origin
There are different stories about his past, but some say The Mad Hatter was a scientist who researched mind control, and developed a way to control humans by planting microchips in their hats. These chips allow him to use his victims as his henchmen and muscle men. They also triple their strength. Some versions have him obsessed with collecting hats, even to the point of killing to add to his collection. He first appeared in 1948 as a one-shot villain. A few other villains used the same name over the years, including the version played by David Wayne in the 1960s Batman television series. Later he was returned to his original design, albeit with a darker cast. Some versions suggest that he is a pedophile.

In Batman: The Animated Series, Jervis Tetch is given what may be his definitive origin story. He was a neuroscientist experimenting his mind control devices on mice. He fell in love with a colleague named Alice, but being a naturally shy and awkward man, he felt unable to tell her. When he heard she and her boyfriend were fighting, he decided to step in. He dressed up as his favorite character from Alice in Wonderland to give himself confidence and used his mind control chips to make Alice believe he was a well-known man about town. When Alice's boyfriend proposed to her, Tetch snapped, and resorted to using mind control to bring her to his side. Batman was able to stop him and free Alice from the mind control, but The Mad Hatter's sorrow drove him to future criminal intent. He was voiced by Roddy McDowell.

The Batman
Mad Hatter was originally planned to appear in the 2004 animation series, but for unknown reasons he didn't appear in the series.

Arkhamverse
The Mad Hatter doesn't appear in the videogame Batman: Arkham Asylum. One of the Riddler's riddles revolves around him.

He has an entry in the Character Bios. His profile states:

Obsessed from a young age with Lewis Carroll’s book Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland, Jervis Tetch, an expert hypnotist, embraced a delusion that he was the incarnation of a character in the story, the Mad Hatter. Using his skills for mesmerism, the Mad Hatter has committed many crimes, often themed around the book that inspired him and his love of hats and headgear, going so far as to implant his hats with mind-control chips to amplify his hypnosis skills. Above all other headwear, however, he covets Batman’s distinctive cowl, and will stop at nothing to acquire it.

Mad Hatter makes his first appearance in Batman: Arkham City. After this, he also appeared in Arkham Origins and Arkham Knight as an antagonist, each time hypnotizing Batman to try to make him his mindless soldier. He is defeated each time and ultimately incarcarated at the GCPD.

Gotham

 * See Jervis Tetch (Gotham)

Jervis Tetch is set to appear in the third season of the television series Gotham and will be portrayed by Benedict Samuel. The character will arrive in Gotham City to look for his sister Alice who disappeared many years before. He will be a regular character and make his debut in the third episode.

Facts

 * Real Name: Jervis Tetch


 * Occupation: Professional Criminal


 * Base of Operations: Gotham City


 * Eyes: Blue


 * Hair: Red


 * Height: 4 ft 11 in


 * Weight: 115 lb


 * First Appearance: Batman #49 (November, 1948)
 * He killed Batmans girlfriend in the Dark Night comics

Attributes

 * Master of hypnotism and mind control.
 * Obsessed with hats, especially one-of-a-kind items.
 * Delusional Obsessiom with a fixation on Alice in Wonderland .