Gotham Introduces Another Serial Killer

It didn’t take long for Gotham to affirm my belief that this season should be renamed “Rise of the Serial Killers.” Yep, this week saw the introduction of another murderous lunatic in the form of a … wait for it … a cannibal. Hey, you gotta keep things new and exciting right? Well, Gotham really tries to keep it Ziploc-fresh with Eduardo Flamingo — a dangerous hitman who literally has a taste for his fellow man. And notice that I said “tries.” I didn’t say Gotham “succeeded” because what’s another serial killer in a landscape of serial killers?

More from TV

For all the divergence from the comics the show has taken, Eduardo Flamingo is actually a character rooted in the comics. If everyone reading this is giving me a simultaneous “huh?”, that’s not a surprise. Flamingo is a relatively new character who’s literary creation would have him just getting out of the third grade.

Created by mind-bending writer Grant Morrison and artist Frank Quietly, Eduardo Flamingo was introduced in Batman #666 (July 2007) — what a fitting issue number for such a devious character. Flamingo was originally an ordinary man who was caught by a criminal organization named the Mob. The Mob brainwashed him and turned him into a sociopathic serial killer who had a knack of eating his victims’ faces after their murders. He later kills all his family members and becomes a hitman with a perfect record.

Flamingo then went to Gotham City to eradicate enemies of the criminal underworld — namely, Batman and Robin. He first has a run-in with the Red Hood (Jason Todd) and Scarlet when he chases both of them into their lair. Flamingo would shoot the Red Hood in the head, but the Red Hood survives this due to his helmet. Batman (Dick Grayson at the time) and Robin (Damian Wayne) quickly arrive to assist. Robin’s encounter was almost fatal if not for his cape-protected back. Though the cape stopped Flamingo’s bullets from fully penetrating Robin’s spine, the attack still left him in paralysis.

As the fight continued, Scarlet slashed the right side of Flamingo’s face with her blade. This was enough to distract Flamingo from the Red Hood driving a bulldozer towards him. The Red Hood finally scoops Flamingo up and dumps him over the edge, while also burying him with various rubble and debris. In the aftermath, Commissioner Gordon would tell Batman that Flamingo’s body was never found.

In The New 52, Flamingo made an appearance as one of Arkham Asylum’s inmates where he’s seen attacking Batman. In the “Forever Evil” story arc, Flamingo is part of the Secret Society of Super Villains. In the “Gothtopia” story arc, Flamingo is part of a group that takes over Arkham Asylum. In Batman Eternal #28 (December 2014), Batman takes down Flamingo, but allows him to leave for the purposes of finding out who employed Flamingo.

This isn’t the first incarnation of Flamingo outside of the comics. His first television appearance was in the animated series Batman: The Brave and the Bold in the episode titled “The Knights of Tomorrow.” He is shown in a montage of villains defeated by Batman and Robin.

Next: Catch up on Gotham with a Recap of 'A Bitter Pill To Swallow'

For a “Bitter Pill to Swallow“, Gotham continues to give us a “NutraSweet” version of DC’s deadliest villains. If this villain can be defeated at the hands of Jim Gordon, then he isn’t that tough to begin with. In the comics, it took a team to bring the sociopath down, and not without sacrifice. Let’s also not forget that when Bruce Wayne does come of age to become the Dark Knight, Flamingo will be middle-aged. Unless he has access to Gotham‘s version of a Lazarus Pit, I really don’t want to see Batman fighting a geriatric cannibal.

Fox’s Gotham airs on Mondays at 8:00PM EST.

Home/TV

Gotham Introduces Another Serial Killer – Flamingo

By Steve Lam | Nov 19, 2015