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Orpheus is a fictional martial artist published by DC Comics. He first appears in Batman: Orpheus Rising (October 2001), and was created by Alex Simmons and Dwayne Turner.
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Fictional character biography
Gavin King grew up in Gotham dreaming of becoming a professional dancer and singer. His ambitions made him a target for local bullies, and after one too many beatings, King began studying the martial arts, excelling at them from the start. His father, a TV sports producer, and his mother, a former professional dancer, were very supportive -- as long as he completed his college education. Having reached his goal in his late teens, King toured the world as part of a famous dance troupe, but his travels exposed him to a world full of famine, poverty, violence, prejudice, and lack of faith. King tried to help these unfortunates on more than one occasion, nearly getting himself killed in the process. Eventually, he was recruited by a secret organization dedicated to correcting some of the world's problems. Getting special training and technological support in the form of a stealth-circuitry-enhanced costume, King became Orpheus – a force against evil and ignorance. Reasoning that Gotham City needed a black hero, Orpheus returned to his native city as a successful entertainment producer as well as a crimefighter. Orpheus' first cases in led him into contact with the Batman, who was not fond of the debut of another inexperienced vigilante in Gotham, but still recognised Orpheus as a competent force for good.
War Games
During the 'War Games' story arc which took place in several Batman-related issues, Spoiler, desperate to prove herself, took one of Batman's contingency plans and set it into action. The plan was to get all of Gotham's crime lords under the control of Orpheus, an agent of Batman, and therefore under the control of Batman himself. The plan failed because Spoiler was unaware that the man who was set to meet with the crime lords, Matches Malone, was really just one of Batman's disguises. When "Matches Malone" did not show the meeting quickly broke out into a fight, leaving many dead. This quickly erupted into a brutal gang war on the streets of Gotham.
Death
Feeling guilty, Spoiler went to go find Orpheus, believing that if she could find him and fill him in on the particulars of the plan and what he had to do everything would turn out okay. However, right when she told Orpheus that the whole plan depended on him, Black Mask came out from behind and slit Orpheus' throat. Black Mask then tortured the Spoiler for the rest of information on the plan. It is unknown what reaction the secret organization that trained Orpheus and other agents like him will have once they realize he is dead.
Bibliography
- Batman: Orpheus Rising #1-5
- Nightwing Vol. 2 #66 (April, 2002) [Bruce Wayne: Murderer? Part Nine] "The Unusual Suspects"
- Batman: Family #3 (January, 2003) "P.O.V."
- Batman: Family #8 (February, 2003) "Blackout"
- Detective Comics #794-797
- Batman: The 12-Cent Adventure #1 (October, 2004): "War Games Prelude: No Help"
- Batman: Legends of the Dark Knight #182 (October, 2004) "War Games Act 1, Part 2: Behind Enemy Lines"
