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 My Comments: Unfortunately, I doubt Tally Man will appear in any new Batman series. He's a violent, but cool, character, with a very dark origin story. However, if they can find a way to use him, he'd definitely be a welcome addition. POSSIBLE VOICE ACTOR CHOICE: Richard O' Brien He is best known for playing Riff Raff in the "Rocky Horror Picture Show" and was Mr. Hand in "Dark City" Richard has a distinct, creepy voice which is perfect for Tally Man. COMIC ORIGIN REAL NAME: Unknown FIRST APPEARANCE: Shadow of the Bat #19 ORIGIN: The few glimpses we have seen into the mysterious Tally Man's past reveal the tragic childhood of a boy who loved his mother. Starving and living in rags, the boy who was to become the Tally Man lived, with his mother and sister, in constant fear. His father had borrowed a large sum of money many years before. After he died, a cruel money collector continued to collect his weekly fee from the deceased man's wife. Terrorizing her, this wicked man did not care whether the woman's children starved, as long as he got his money. The boy begged his mother not to pay, but she tearfully replied, "Everybody has to pay the tally man." One night, when the collector came, the mother could not afford to pay him the whole sum because she bought a doll for her daughter. The tally man proceeded to viciously beat her. Filled with rage, the young son of the woman, attacked and brutally killed the money collector with a fireplace poker. The twelve-year old boy was arrested for murder, and treated horribly by the others in the boy's prison, who called him a "mama's boy." He was just a boy who loved his mother. He wasn't bad. He wasn't crazy. They made him that way. After his release, the boy returned home. The final image of his family was eternally burned into his mind. He discovered his sister had died of starvation, and found his mother hanging from a noose. The young man snapped in that instant. Years later a figure, dressed in the strange dark robes of an old-fashioned tax collector, emerged. He called himself the Tally Man. Hired by the underworld to "collect" on debts owed, his fee was not money, but human lives. It is unknown at this time how or why the boy decided to adopt the personae of that which brought about the destruction of his family. With each debt he collects, with each person he kills, the Tally Man witnesses in his mind, the horrible circumstances which led to his current state. When Tally Man attempted to collect the 'debt' owed by Batman, he was defeated by the the new Batman (Azrael). He returned to claim his debt again, and the second time he was defeated by Dick Grayson (who was filling in for Bruce Wayne as Batman). ((from SOTB #20)) |