The Electrocutioner is an alias used by three fictional characters in the DC Universe, all minor enemies of the superhero Batman.
Publication history
The first Electrocutioner (known only as Buchinsky) appeared in
Batman #331 (January 1981) and was created by writers
Marv Wolfman and
Michael Fleisher and artist
Irv Novick.
The Electrocutioner II first appeared in Detective Comics #626 (February 1991) and was created by Wolfman and artist Jim Aparo.
Lester Buchinsky, the Electrocutioner III, first appeared in Detective Comics #644 (May 1992) and was created by writer Chuck Dixon and artists Tom Lyle and Scott Hanna.
Fictional character biography
Buchinsky
Buchinsky (first name unknown) is a self-appointed executioner of criminals in
Gotham City who uses an electrically charged suit and goes by the name "Electrocutioner".
has three encounters with him. In the first, Electrocutioner murders killer Mike Caine;
[ Batman #331 (January 1981)] in the second, Batman rescues Dane Whitney; in the third, Electrocutioner falls through a window, grips a metal railing, and shocks himself so that he lets go and plunges off a cliff into the river below.
Electrocutioner later goes to Manhattan. He encounters two muggers in Central Park and attacks them with lethal doses of electricity from his gauntlets. The Adrian Chase, meanwhile, continues to cut a bloody swathe of bodies in the name of justice. He breaks into Charles McDade's limousine and shoots McDade and his lady friend Mona Simpson to death. That evening, the Vigilante learns that Electrocutioner is back in town and is, in fact, targeting the same criminal element that the Vigilante himself is.[ Vigilante #23 (November 1985)][ Vigilante #27 (March 1986)]
When S.T.A.R. Labs opened a portal to Limbo in Operation Zeppelin, they did this as various deceased criminals wished to return to the earthly realm through the portal. These criminals included Electrocutioner, Icicle, Clayface, El Papagayo, the Iron Major, and the Top. When Operation Zeppelin's creator Director Jeffrey Simon disappeared, a rescue party went through the portal and the villains captured them. They bargained with their demonic jailer, a demon impersonating Etrigan the Demon, exchanging their prisoners to gain temporary mortal forms and preparing to return to Earth. They were opposed by Hawk, Dove, and Titans West. The battle was fierce, but the tide turned when J.E.B. Stuart came down from Heaven and gave Hawk his Haunted Tank. The false Etrigan offered them a way out through another portal, but he was merely toying with the dead villains: when he sent them through the portal, it turned out to be an entrance to Hell.[ Hawk and Dove Annual (vol. 3) #1 (1993)]
Electrocutioner II
The second Electrocutioner used a red costume rigged to generate a lethal electrical shock against criminals (including Cannon and Saber), and ran afoul of Batman, who disapproved of his extreme justice.
[ Detective Comics #626] His real name was never revealed.
Lester Buchinsky
Lester Buchinsky is the brother of the original Electrocutioner. Originally fighting for justice just like his brother, he later became a criminal and a mercenary. Overly reliant on his ability to generate
electricity, Electrocutioner has faced (and been defeated by)
Batman,
Tim Drake, and
Dick Grayson. In at least one scheme, working with the
Cluemaster to steal an armored car full of money, the Spoiler works to oppose him. The Spoiler turned out to be the Cluemaster's daughter. The stupidity of Lester's second partner, a hulking brute with delusions of intelligence calling himself Czonk the Baffler, would also hamper their plans.
[ Robin (vol. 4) #1-5 (November 1993 - April 1994)] For a time, Lester was frequently seen in the employ of Blüdhaven crime boss the
Roland Desmond II.
[ Nightwing (vol. 2) #33-34 (July - August 1999) and #54-55 (April - May 2001)] In
Infinite Crisis, Lester became a member of the Secret Society of Super Villains.
[ Infinite Crisis #7 (June 2006)] During the 34th week of the series
52, Electrocutioner appeared as part of a Suicide Squad operation against
Black Adam.
[ 52 #34 (December 2006)]
In the Rise and Fall storyline, Green Arrow is still hunting Electrocutioner and those who worked with Prometheus; keeping secret his murder of the man as the rest of the Justice League tries to track him down. Green Arrow confronts Electrocutioner, who set off the device that devastated Star City in . He was close to killing the man when the Black Canary stops him during their argument. Black Canary then realizes what Green Arrow did; thus, Electrocutioner escapes from the Green Arrow's attempt to bring him down.[ Justice League: The Rise and Fall Special (March 2010)] Although Electrocutioner was defeated and horrifically injured by Speedy,[ Green Arrow and Black Canary #31 (May 2010)] the Green Arrow's arrival convinces Speedy that killing is not the answer and the two archers take him into custody.[ Green Arrow and Black Canary #32 (June 2010)] Once Electrocutioner awoke from his coma, Roy Harper vowed revenge. He broke into the jail and killed Electrocutioner, despite Green Arrow's protests.[ Justice League: The Rise of Arsenal #4 (April 2010)]
Skills and equipment
All of the Electrocutioners wore a special costume lined with built-in circuitry that allows them to project bolts of electricity for either stunning or killing their targets. They even have expertise in weaponry.
In other media
Television
-
An unidentified Electrocutioner makes non-speaking appearances in Justice League Unlimited. In the episode "The Cat and the Canary", he takes part in Roulette's Meta-Brawl. As of the episode "The Great Brain Robbery", he has joined Gorilla Grodd's Secret Society.
-
An original incarnation of Electrocutioner based on the first iteration of the character appears in Gotham, portrayed by Christopher Heyerdahl.
[ Edlund, Ben (writer) & Egilsson, Eagle (director) (January 19, 2015). "What The Little Bird Told Him". Gotham. Season 1. Episode 12. FOX.]
Film
-
An unidentified Electrocutioner appears in , voiced by Robin Atkin Downes.
-
An unidentified Electrocutioner makes a minor appearance in . This version is an ally of Lex Luthor who is later possessed by the Anti-Monitor.
Video games
-
An unidentified Electrocutioner appears as a boss in . This version wields an electric sword-arm capable of firing arcing high-voltage projectiles and works for the Joker.
-
The Lester Buchinsky incarnation of Electrocutioner appears as a character summon in .
-
The Lester Buchinsky incarnation of Electrocutioner appears in , voiced by Steve Blum.
Miscellaneous
An unidentified Electrocutioner makes a cameo appearance in the
prequel comic. This version claims to be an underling of Lester Buchinsky, having acquired several of his prototypes and modified them using Wayne Industries technology. Following the events of , this Electrocutioner attacks Batman, who defeats him quickly as well before leaving him for the GCPD. However, the
Jason Todd finds Electrocutioner first and kills him.
[ Batman: Arkham Knight #1]
See also
-
List of Batman family enemies
