Colin Wilkes, alias Abuse was a ten year old orphan with a history of claustrophobia, chiroptophobia, abandonment issues, paranoia and violence.
History
He had spent time in several foster homes, and underwent therapy sessions at the Children's Hospital. He was introduced to superheroes by George, a janitor at one of the orphanages he grew up in. He started collecting newspaper clippings, which was everything he had ever owned, along with his teddy bear Rory.[1]
The Scarecrow abducted Colin and experimented on him with a synthetic Venom, hoping Batman would not fight a child. But, realizing that despite Colin's grotesque appearance he was a child at heart, Batman used his Batrope to stick Colin's teddy bear to Crane causing him to attack Scarecrow instead of Batman. In the end, Batman prevents Colin from killing the Scarecrow by cutting his venom lines. Scarecrow was arrested, and Colin was moved to a hospital.[2]
After the hospital, Colin was placed in St. Aden's Orphanage. He was still suffering from side effects of the Venom-treatment, and when he concentrated, he could activate it, changing into a giant behemoth. He decided to use this nearly indestructible form to fight crime, but knew he didn't look the part. He donned a trench coat and a hat, and ordered custom-made brass knuckle dusters that carried his new name: Abuse.
Though his first adventure involved stopping robberies, he later turned to something bigger when he found children's bodies in the river. After investigating Humpty Dumpty's connection, he teamed up with Robin to take down the cause of the bodies: an illegal fighting ring for children, operated by Mr. Zsasz. Robin and Colin took him down, and shut down the operation. As a sign of gratitude, Robin gave Colin the Cycle of Abuse, a trike, because he thought Abuse looked stupid walking with his trench coat.
Powers and Abilities
Powers
- Venom: Colin was injected with a substance created by the Scarecrow meant to be like Bane's Venom, though it was not as potent.
Other Characteristics
- Mental Illness: Colin suffered from a number of mental issues, including:
- Claustrophobia
- Chiroptophobia: Fear of bats, in very broad terms
- Abandonment Issues
- Paranoia
Paraphernalia
Equipment
- Venom: Still inside him, Colin could activate it by concentrating.
Transportation
- Cycle of Abuse
Weapons
- Brass Knuckle Dusters
Related
- 9 Appearances of Colin Wilkes (New Earth)
- 8 Images featuring Colin Wilkes (New Earth)
- 1 Quotations by or about Colin Wilkes (New Earth)
- Character Gallery: Colin Wilkes (New Earth)
Footnotes