Maniac

Continuing with my theme of exploring characters with moral ambiguity, here's Maniac.  Based on the premise "What if the Joker was Batman?"

Nemesis by Mark Millar asked the reverse question - what if Batman was the Joker?  I.E. What if someone with Batman's advanced skills, weaponry and resources tried to be the bad guy rather than the hero.  I wanted to ask the opposite question with the Joker- what if someone with the Joker's mangled psyche, sadism and unpredictability decided he was going to try and be the hero.

Granted, I get that there are those that would argue that Deadpool is already that character.  But it would ultimately come down to execution.  Deadpool tends to be either played for laughs or tragedy.  The character gradually morphed into one that illicit a high degree of sympathy from the audience, because we know he is fundamentally a good person, albeit an incredibly broken one. 

Maniac, on the other hand, would play it entirely straight.  Maniac would be a very bad person, doing very bad things, to very bad people.  He wouldn't just go after villains- he'd torture them.  Physically and psychologically.  If he set his sights on someone, he'd play a long, drawn out game to try and draw out his target's suffering.  He'd have to problem going after the families of his targets, or allowing people to die in his cause.  He'd "Try" to limit the damage, but wouldn't be too concerned with the fallout.  Just as long as his target gets it in the end.  And he'd make no qualms about it- he's no hero.  He's punishing those that need to be hurt, but he doesn't see himself as a hero for doing it. 

For his origin, I decided that keeping it ambiguous like the Joker's would be best.  He'd be a shadowy figure, who's origins would be unknown to all.  All that would be known is that if goes after you, it's only a matter of time before you meet your end.  But if he had to have one, again I'd try to do my best to create a mirror of the Joker's best known origin story, albeit twisted.  Rather than an average Joe, Maniac could have started off as a mob lawyer, or accountant, or a hitman of some kind.  He'd know he was working for the "Bad" guys, but take solace in the notion that at least he, and his family would be safe.  Until one day where he was betrayed, for no discernible reason, and have his life come to an end.  He'd be assaulted and left for dead, his family and friends killed for their simple association with him, and his life utterly ruined.  Facing so much loss, the only way someone could survive would be to go mad.  And thus, the Maniac was born. 

For his costume, the look really came together around the character's mask- blank, save for a single, jagged grin.  That look then informed the rest of the costume, with the jagged smile also being reflected not only in his chest design, but also his cape, which then informed the rest of the costume.  It all came together rather nicely.