Titus Bird was the author and illustrator of an obscure 1970s comic book series called Enigma.
History
By his own admission, the series was a self-indulgent piece written during a time when Titus was perpetually high on drugs. He created the titular hero, the Enigma, as well as the Enigma's foes: The Head, the Truth and Envelope Girl.
In the winter of 1992, Titus learned that his characters were miraculously coming to life and were active in Pacific City, California. A new found appreciation was placed on the old comic, and the ever-growing fan base had come to regard Titus as some sort of guru. Dubbed the "Enigmatics", they believed that his comics contained subliminal messages and prophecies.
A man from Pacific City named Michael Smith found himself caught up in the craziness of the Enigma and traveled to Texas to find Titus Bird. He saved Titus from a throng of over-eager Enigmatics and took him to a bar where he explained what had been happening in Pacific City. Titus couldn't believe that characters such as the Head, the Truth and Envelope Girl really existed now.
During their meeting, Titus made an inebriated assumption regarding Michael's sexuality and made a pass at him. Michael was greatly shocked and offended and punched Titus in the face.
Michael convinced Titus to accompany him back to Pacific City. When they arrived, they discovered that the modern embodiment of the Enigma was embroiled in a fight with the Truth at Saint Peter's Cathedral.
After the Truth debacle, Titus and Michael rented a temporary apartment together so they could investigate this strangeness even further. By this point, a new group of super-villains called the Interior League had been conducting murders in the Pacific City area. Unlike the previous villains, the members of the Interior League were not based on any of Bird's characters from the old comic.
It was Titus who came up with the theory that somehow Michael's subconscious had been creating all of these characters, including the Enigma. Michael didn't deny the concept, but still had no idea why these beings were suddenly coming to life.
A short time later, Titus was assaulted by one of his fabled Enigmatics. He managed to get to his car in time to avoid any harm, but the Enigmatic produced a gun, put it to his own head and shot himself. Titus soon discovered that more than three-hundred Enigmatics were likewise committing suicide in homage to Bird's work. The news hit him pretty hard. At first he blamed himself for inspiring these kids to take their lives, but Michael convinced him that he is not to blame for the ills of society.
Titus later accompanied Michael on a road trip to meet the brother of Roger Cliff - the man who became the Head. They learned very little information from him, but as they were leaving, Titus was struck down in a hit and run accident. He survived the incident, but suffered several contusions as well as a broken arm and leg. He later learned that the driver was the father of one of the Enigmatics who had committed suicide.
While convalescing, Titus called Pacific News and publicly disassociated himself from anything having to do with the Enigma or the Enigmatics.
During this time, Titus discovered that his presumptions about Michael Smith's sexuality had actually been correct. Michael was a repressed homosexual, who had since become romantically tied with the Enigma himself. They both later learned that the Enigma used his powers to alter Michael's sexuality. Titus couldn't suppress his surprise that the man he had made a pass at was now having sex with a comic book character he created.
Though gravely injured, Titus Bird was moderately mobile and accompanied Michael and the Enigma on a journey to confront the Enigma's psychopathic mother, Ellen Collins.
Related
- 6 Appearances of Titus Bird (Enigma)
- 1 Images featuring Titus Bird (Enigma)
- 4 Quotations by or about Titus Bird (Enigma)
- Character Gallery: Titus Bird (Enigma)
Footnotes
This character exists under the Vertigo Imprint which is intended for Mature Readers.Their continuity takes place within the context of Vertigo titles although they may cross over into regular DC continuity.