Professor Hugo Strange
Back to Villains Main > Professor Hugo Strange
Real Identity: Hugo Strange
Affiliation(s): U.S. Army and Project Samson
Appearances Crack-Up! Part One, Crack-Up! Part Two, and Crack-Up! Part Three
Skills: Knowledge of Psychiatry
Professor Hugo Strange was a brilliant psychiatrist that once attempted to sell Batman's secret identity to the Joker, Penguin, and Two-Face but it was a failure. He and Joker developed an unpleasant history at Arkham Asylum. Strange later worked for the U.S. Army. He approached Colonel Haslett and Captain Finley at an army hospital after overhearing the latter wishing he could have done more for his unit. Strange commented he was spoken like a true hero with all the sincerity and sadness of a warrior who desires to go beyond his limits in a changing world. He spoke of a need for powerful fighters in the civilian world in the form of ordinary men and women gifted with abilities. He believed they were the saviors of humankind. Haslett recalled hearing about an army shrink going around pushing some new hyperwarrior theories. Strange stated he worked in facts. Gretchen Gallway, his assistant, handed him a file. Strange clarified the facts stated she and Finley were excellent candidates for his program.
Strange promised they would have their strength increased a hundred fold and become, in effect, invulnerable. Haslett did not believe Strange. Strange spoke of world where no soldier has to suffer or get left behind, a world with no war or crime. Finley was intrigued and extended his hand to shake but realized he didn't catch his name. Strange chuckled and introduced himself as Professor Hugo Strange. Finley joined Project Samson, the Enhanced Warrior Program. Many of the other candidates never made it and became psychotic and impossible to control. They were eliminated and their deaths were covered up. The final step in the program was the Psi-Ber Helmet, a brainwashing device Strange developed and considered the ultimate achievement in biocybernetics. The program candidates were lied to and told the helmet would increase their brain power, just as the drugs augmented their strength. In reality, the helmet projected images and voices of a select group of generals into the soldiers' premotor cortices, making the generals their controllers, whatever commands they gave, the soldiers would be programmed to obey. The Joker had somehow broken in and taken over the entire session, turning Finley into his loyal sidekick Straightman.
A few years later, Joker and Straightman invaded Camp Finger, a U.S. Army base, and confronted Professor Hugo Strange in his office after the latter drifted off. He was overcome by a feeling he had been to the base before. Joker gave Strange a hug. Strange demanded to be let go. Joker teased he was almost ready to forgive him for trying to con him, Penguin, and Two-Face into buying Batman's secret identity. Strange ordered Gretchen Gallway to call the military police. Joker noticed Gallway and informed them they already took care of them. Joker requested the "happy helmet" but Strange refused. Joker was crestfallen then ordered Straightman to break Gallway's neck on the count of three. Colonel Haslett intervened and ordered him to stand down. Straightman recognized her and released Gallway. Joker stated he was the one that gave orders then took a right cross from Haslett. Joker ordered him to kill everyone. Strange desperately asked Haslett to do something. Haslett ordered Straightman to snap out of it. Straightman couldn't think and ran through the wall into the city. Joker was aghast and shouted he worked solo better anyway. He unleashed his Joker Toxin then fled the base, too.
Batman later infiltrated the base to confront Haslett, whom he thought was the one who stole a prototype battle suit and was searching for Straightman. Haslett refused to cooperate and give him the truth about Straightman's origins. Professor Strange entered the room and revealed he informed the military police already. Batman mused Strange's involvement in the program was why it had gone to hell. Strange pointed out how quickly he went to personal attacks because he was a classic case of Oppositional Defiant Disorder. Batman warned him the Joker never quit until he got what he wanted. The military police arrived but Batman was already gone. Professor Strange heeded Batman's warning about Joker and had the Psi-Ber Helmet moved to a safer location. A sergeant assigned to the transport checked in with Strange to confirm they were ahead of schedule. The Joker somehow infiltrated the transport and took over driving then flooded with with his Joker Toxin gas. Strange panicked and ordered them in vain to return to base. Joker called him a spoilsport and declared he wasn't ruining their night.
Professor Strange, Nurse Gallway, Colonel Haslett, Commissioner Gordon, Batman, and Robin went over the military transport used for the Psi-Ber Helmet. Haslett found the sight of the dead Jokerized men monstrous. Strange misinterpreted her and agreed it was a tragedy his greatest invention was stolen by a madman. Haslett blamed the fiasco on Strange. Strange was quick to point out it was Joker's doing. Gallway agreed Strange could hardly be blamed. Haslett took offense to her words when Gallway herself stole her identity to steal the WayneTech prototype suit to pursue Carl Finley unsanctioned. She mused Gallway should be in jail. Strange believed Gallway could be useful in manipulating Finley since they had a rapport. Robin sarcastically praised Strange for treating everyone like lab rats. Strange surmised Batman indulged Robin to assuage some guilt within his psyche then advised Batman to keep the brat silent. Robin quipped he thought Harley was the worst shrink in Gotham. Batman told them both that was enough and emphasized the need to find Joker and Straightman before Waller and Task Force X turned Gotham into their own personal warzone.
At Camp Finger, Gallway attended to the captured Finley. Batman, Robin, and Batgirl were on standby. Strange checked in on Finley. Finley became irate and reckoned he should snap Strange's neck. Gallway tried in vain to calm him down. Strange observed his mind was almost unsalvageable and only the helmet could save him. Haslett informed everyone Joker was breaching the south entrance. Finley suffered a seizure. Strange believed there was nothing they could do since he was in the first state of a bicameral breakdown and would devolve into utter schizophrenia without the helmet. He found it a shame they couldn't record it. Joker arrived and joked he admired his bedside manner then smacked Strange with a gun. He placed the helmet on Finley. Gallway pleaded in vain for Finley to be spared. Strange told her not to be an idiot. Joker advised her to listen to the professor. Batman kicked the door down. Joker grabbed Gallway and held her at gunpoint. Finley became enraged, grabbed Joker, and slammed him like a ragdoll. Haslett got him to stop by telling him "At ease." Harley remarked she was enjoying the show. Amanda Waller pulled strings to ensure Professor Strange was blamed for the incident.