Some villains want to take over the world, some villains want to remake the universe in their image, but villains like this one? All they want is that jolt that hits your heart the second you take a life. Leaving only the remains of your victim and the word "bang". Today's Z-Lister is the Green Arrow villain Onomatopoeia.
Onomatopoeia was created by Kevin Smith and Phil Hester in "Green Arrow #12" in 2002. Kevin Smith-for those who don't know him-is an independent movie maker. He produces, directs, writes and occasionally stars his films, such titles include 1994's "Clerks", 1997's "Chasing Amy", 1999's "Dogma", 2008's "Zack and Miri Make a Porno" and 2014's "Tusk" just to name a few. He is also a huge comic book fan, having worked on some titles for DC Comics and having his own Batman-focused podcast called "Fatman on Batman". His nerd credit is so well-known he actually worked on a script for a Superman film in 1996 before the project was cancelled and-of course-got comic legend Stan Lee to cameo in his 1995 film "Mallrats". All that being said when Smith wrote for Green Arrow he started by raising Oliver Queen from the dead and reestablishing the Green Arrow family. When tasked with creating a new villain for Green Arrow, Smith created the character of Onomatopoeia just based off the word. He liked that word. Ono's whole gimmick is that he voices the sounds of things around him. If Ono is firing a gun he says "bang, bang, bang", if Ono sits by a leaky sink he says "drip, drip", if he unzips a bag he says "zip". It's unknown if he imitates the sounds made around him out of habit or by choice. Smith claimed he thought the idea of a character who voiced sound effects could only work in a comic book format. Though Ono lacks superpowers, he is a trained martian artist and proficient in all forms of ranged and melee weapons. His greatest skill is his mysterious durability, he can survive multiple arrow shots, explosions, and long falls.
Onomatopoeia first showed up in Star City where he began a career as a serial killer, specifically targeting non-powered superheroes. While we never learn his name or origin, we do see he has a family (a wife and two kids) who don't know about his secret life. In his suburban home and away from his mundane family he has a secret shine of masks he's taken from the heroes he's killed. When he attempts to kill the second Green Arrow (Connor Hawke) and only manages to get the hero hospitalized, he tries to finish the job and is stopped by the first Green Arrow (Oliver Queen) and Black Canary. Though the two of them only have that one confrontation, Green Arrow and Onomatopoeia share an aggression for each other as Green Arrow is the kind of hero Ono targets and Ono almost killed Green Arrow's son/successor.
Kevin Smith loved writing the character so much he brought him back for his mini-series "Batman: Cacophony". In this story Onomatopoeia frees The Joker from Arkham Asylum and provides him with resources needed to start a gang war with Maxie Zeus. Batman is able to stop both Zeus and The Joker, but before he can capture Ono, the black-clad villain fatally injures The Joker. This forces Batman to decide between chasing Ono down or saving The Joker's life. He chooses the latter and Ono escapes again. When Ono gets home he adds a Batarang to his collection right next to one of Green Arrow's arrows.
Kevin Smith created a new vigilante called Baphomet in his mini-series "Batman: The Widening Gyre". Though Batman was hesitant of letting this new vigilante fight crime in Gotham, he eventually offers to train Baphomet. As they battle against Poison Ivy, Etrigan the Demon, Deadshot, Crazy Quilt, and Calender Man, Batman becomes more comfortable with Baphomet and even eases the vigilante's nervousness by admitting that during one Batman's first appearances before Gotham's crime organizations he actually urinated in his costume and didn't notice until he got home. By the end of the book Batman trusts Baphomet (who reveals his true face to Batman, but not his true name) so much he brings him to the Batcave, reveals himself to be Bruce Wayne and introduces Baphomet to his girlfriend Silver St. Cloud. With Baphomet fully invited into the Batman Family, Bruce turns around to place his utility belt on a counter. When the belt hits the counter Bruce hears the belt go "ka-klack" and next he hears Baphomet say "ka-klack". When Batman realizes what's really going on and turns around, Baphomet is wearing his Onomatopoeia mask and slitting Silver's throat. The book ends on that.
Onomatopoeia is one of the coolest Z-List villains I've ever seen. Leave it to a comic book fan like Kevin Smith to create a unique and terrifying villain. Rather than being a superpowered monster or evil tycoon, this character is a serial killer with no name. The knowledge that he has a normal life covering his horrible acts makes the character all the scarier, I mean this is a guy who infiltrated Batman's life without giving himself away until the end. And while the actual onomatopoeia gimmick seems like just a gimmick or perk of the character, it actually makes the character creepier. Sure he talks like everyone else, but just knowing the last thing you're going to hear is the the sound that kills you makes it worse. A man dressed head-to-toe in black walks through the night with the only sound being "tap, tap" coming from his mouth with every step he takes. It's no wonder Kevin Smith is the only guy reusing his character, other writers probably don't see the appeal of a simple and effective villain like this one. I hope Smith gets more to write in the future so Onomatopoeia can expand his collection.
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Onomatopoeia first showed up in Star City where he began a career as a serial killer, specifically targeting non-powered superheroes. While we never learn his name or origin, we do see he has a family (a wife and two kids) who don't know about his secret life. In his suburban home and away from his mundane family he has a secret shine of masks he's taken from the heroes he's killed. When he attempts to kill the second Green Arrow (Connor Hawke) and only manages to get the hero hospitalized, he tries to finish the job and is stopped by the first Green Arrow (Oliver Queen) and Black Canary. Though the two of them only have that one confrontation, Green Arrow and Onomatopoeia share an aggression for each other as Green Arrow is the kind of hero Ono targets and Ono almost killed Green Arrow's son/successor.
Kevin Smith loved writing the character so much he brought him back for his mini-series "Batman: Cacophony". In this story Onomatopoeia frees The Joker from Arkham Asylum and provides him with resources needed to start a gang war with Maxie Zeus. Batman is able to stop both Zeus and The Joker, but before he can capture Ono, the black-clad villain fatally injures The Joker. This forces Batman to decide between chasing Ono down or saving The Joker's life. He chooses the latter and Ono escapes again. When Ono gets home he adds a Batarang to his collection right next to one of Green Arrow's arrows.
Kevin Smith created a new vigilante called Baphomet in his mini-series "Batman: The Widening Gyre". Though Batman was hesitant of letting this new vigilante fight crime in Gotham, he eventually offers to train Baphomet. As they battle against Poison Ivy, Etrigan the Demon, Deadshot, Crazy Quilt, and Calender Man, Batman becomes more comfortable with Baphomet and even eases the vigilante's nervousness by admitting that during one Batman's first appearances before Gotham's crime organizations he actually urinated in his costume and didn't notice until he got home. By the end of the book Batman trusts Baphomet (who reveals his true face to Batman, but not his true name) so much he brings him to the Batcave, reveals himself to be Bruce Wayne and introduces Baphomet to his girlfriend Silver St. Cloud. With Baphomet fully invited into the Batman Family, Bruce turns around to place his utility belt on a counter. When the belt hits the counter Bruce hears the belt go "ka-klack" and next he hears Baphomet say "ka-klack". When Batman realizes what's really going on and turns around, Baphomet is wearing his Onomatopoeia mask and slitting Silver's throat. The book ends on that.
Onomatopoeia is one of the coolest Z-List villains I've ever seen. Leave it to a comic book fan like Kevin Smith to create a unique and terrifying villain. Rather than being a superpowered monster or evil tycoon, this character is a serial killer with no name. The knowledge that he has a normal life covering his horrible acts makes the character all the scarier, I mean this is a guy who infiltrated Batman's life without giving himself away until the end. And while the actual onomatopoeia gimmick seems like just a gimmick or perk of the character, it actually makes the character creepier. Sure he talks like everyone else, but just knowing the last thing you're going to hear is the the sound that kills you makes it worse. A man dressed head-to-toe in black walks through the night with the only sound being "tap, tap" coming from his mouth with every step he takes. It's no wonder Kevin Smith is the only guy reusing his character, other writers probably don't see the appeal of a simple and effective villain like this one. I hope Smith gets more to write in the future so Onomatopoeia can expand his collection.
Thanks for reading!
Facebook: The Panel Biter
Twitter: @ThePanelBiter
Podbean: Panelbiter.podbean.com
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