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| − | Six of the Flash's old foes are somehow [[transported]] to various locations in Central City at the same time. The Mirror Master arrives in the [[Central City Park]] but is overwhelmed with the urge to visit a criminal tailor to get himself a new Mirror Master costume. At the tailor's, Scudder encounters five of his fellow rogues, [[Captain Cold]], [[Captain Boomerang]], [[Heatwave]], the [[Pied Piper]], and the [[Roscoe Dillon|Top]]. All five criminals share similar stories. The Mirror Master proposes that instead of going their separate ways, they pull off their next caper, as a team. He then refers to this ensemble of super-villains as Flash’s [[ |
+ | Six of the Flash's old foes are somehow [[transported]] to various locations in Central City at the same time. The Mirror Master arrives in the [[Central City Park]] but is overwhelmed with the urge to visit a criminal tailor to get himself a new Mirror Master costume. At the tailor's, Scudder encounters five of his fellow rogues, [[Captain Cold]], [[Captain Boomerang]], [[Heatwave]], the [[Pied Piper]], and the [[Roscoe Dillon|Top]]. All five criminals share similar stories. The Mirror Master proposes that instead of going their separate ways, they pull off their next caper, as a team. He then refers to this ensemble of super-villains as Flash’s [[Rogues Gallery]]. This informal gathering is the first of many conventions for this team. Unbeknownst to them all, their liberation has been engineered by [[Gorilla Grodd|Grodd]], who hopes to use their weapons to drain the Flash of his speed. With the help of [[Solovar]], the Rogues are subdued and Grodd is imprisoned.<ref>As revealed in ''The Flash, #155'' (September 1965).</ref> |
Five of Flash’s enemies arrive at a yearly convention of the Rogues (Pied Piper, Weather Wizard, Mirror Master, Heat Wave, and the Top), to see which of them wins the award for best crimes that year, until a newcomer crashes the party and says that he has defeated the Flash time and again already. It's a character calling himself the 'Dude', who is actually the Flash in disguise. He foils their plans and stops the crime!<ref>As revealed in ''The Flash, #231'' (January/February 1975).</ref> |
Five of Flash’s enemies arrive at a yearly convention of the Rogues (Pied Piper, Weather Wizard, Mirror Master, Heat Wave, and the Top), to see which of them wins the award for best crimes that year, until a newcomer crashes the party and says that he has defeated the Flash time and again already. It's a character calling himself the 'Dude', who is actually the Flash in disguise. He foils their plans and stops the crime!<ref>As revealed in ''The Flash, #231'' (January/February 1975).</ref> |
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Revision as of 01:24, 19 January 2021
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| Mirror Master | |
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| Information | |
| Real name: | Samuel 'Sam' Joseph Scudder |
| AKA: | Joe Scudder[1] Master of Mirrors (self-named)[2] Wizard of Mirrors[3] Lord of the Looking Glass[4] Rajah of Reflection[5] |
| Species: | Human |
| Homeworld: | Earth |
| Universe: | Earth-One Earth-1A Mirror World |
| Base: | Central City |
| Affiliations: | The Rogues Injustice Gang Secret Society of Super-Villains |
| Rogue of: | Flash |
| Abilities: | Enter the 6th Dimension Cast High-Powered Light |
| Voiced/Played: | Casey Kasem |
.jpg){kind=link}
The Mirror Master
Image from Justice League, #111 (May/June 1974).
Samuel Joseph Scudder
Image from SuperFriends, #23 (August 1979).
.png){kind=link}
Mirror Master!
Mirror Master is a supervillain. His gimmick is that all of his weapons are mirror or light oriented.
Background Information
Early Years, Continuity from Earth-One
| Early Years, Earth-One Continuity |
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In the parallel universe of Earth-One, little is known about Sam Scudder's origins. He became involved in petty-crimes at a young age in Central City and ended up doing crime. While incarcerated, he worked at a mirror factory when he accidentally used the wrong chemical when he painted the silver backing on a mirror. After the foreman yells at him for his mistake, Scudder takes the defective mirror. Later, when he gazes into it, he discovers that the mirror still maintains the image of the foreman. Ecstatic, he tucks the mirror away so he can examine it later.[6] After Prison, Sam Scudder lived outside Central City in a secluded house in a new persona, with a new uniform – calling himself the ‘Master of Mirrors’. He is still however, committing petty crimes.[7] It is during this time, that he has perfected his mirror-capturing invention, calling it a "camera mirror". He has also created a device called a ‘Developer Machine’ which creates mirror-image, real-life size duplicates of the images captured by the camera-mirror – three dimensional images! He has also created a device called an 'image controller', which controls the mirror-images.[8] After an attempted robbery of the Central City Bank, Scudder is brought to justice by the Flash.[9] Later, while in prison, Scudder is visited by newsgirl Iris West, who is eager for an interview with the infamous ‘Mirror Master.’ Outside the prison cell, Iris takes his picture. After the flash of the camera, Scudder disappears. Scudder has developed the technology to envelope himself in mirrors, which render him invisible. Shimmering in an aura of light, he is able to escape. Along with this new technology, the invisibility mirrors (aka Invisibility Shield) can also give off brilliant light, protecting him from an advancing foe and a ‘mirror-reducer’ which reduces objects it reflects, smaller than a mouse. Scudder attempts to rob the Central City Bank again, but is foiled by the Flash and returned to jail.[10] Prison can’t hold the Mirror Master. He is soon able to escape using one of his mirror tricks. He sets up a secret base outside the city. With villainy on his mind he rents an apartment in the building adjacent to the Museum of Antique Arts in Central City. His plan is to steal an antique collection of mirrors put on display by the Duke of Ferrand. This plan is thwarted by the Flash, who later catches up with the Mirrror Master at his hideout outside the city.[11] While in prison, Scudder employs his latest discovery as a means to escape. Before he was captured, he discovered a world inside mirrors. A sort of fourth dimension (in the Earth-1A universe it’s the sixth dimension) that can only be entered through a mirror – a mirror that is reflecting multiple mirrors at the correct angle. He had not entered this world before. That is about to change. While receiving a haircut at the prison barber shop, he holds up a mirror to reflect the mirror behind him and in an instant he disappears. While in this 'Mirror World,' he meets the Orinocas, a race of telepathic warrior-women native to this dimension. They originally were intent on killing him, having never seen anything like him before. However, they noticed a mirror he was carrying. Entranced by it, they decided to spare Scudder's life if he would make more mirrors for them. This he did, and he quickly became a local celebrity because of it. He soon decides to return to Earth, but is unable to. He decides that if he wants to leave, he must lure the Flash to the Mirror World, so he can be captured and brought back to the real world. He begins projecting his image into Central City, hoping to get the Flash’s attention. His plan was successful, but as soon as the Flash vibrates back, he just put him right back in prison.[12] During his trial, Scudder used mirrors to control the mind of his lawyer, Paul Barrett. He had the man make appearances throughout Central City dressed as several of the Flash’s Rogues, all of whom were currently imprisoned. This intrigued of the Flash, who began his investigations by questioning Barrett. The lawyer captured the speedster, and, dressed in a Flash costume, went to the prison to question Scudder. In his cell, Barrett and Scudder switched clothes, and so he was able to walk out of prison dressed as his enemy. His freedom didn't last for long, for as soon as the Flash freed himself, Scudder was captured again and sent to prison again.[13] Despite the fact that Mirror Master was not allowed to have a single mirror in his cell, he breaks out of jail again! Barry is out with Iris when he hears the news on the radio. With no leads as to his whereabouts, the Flash goes to the jail cell where Mirror Master was being held and examines his room. He finds a fire bucket and a loose wire and deduces that Mirror Master's escape. He explains to the Warden that Mirror Master filled up the bucket with sand and then used the wire to attract lightning which fused the sand into glass that was then polished, creating a reflective surface. Meanwhile, the Mirror Master, at his secret hideout, begins his plot to destroy the Flash. By using a new device of his own invention he populates two mirrors with mirror duplicates that he will use to act as bodyguards for his current criminal plot. Mirror Master then makes an appearance at a Central City jewel salon where diamonds from the Bari Mines of South Africa are out on display. The Flash, however, is prepared for this gimmick, and using his vibration powers mimics Mirror Master's powers and splits into three distinct beings. Two tackle and easily destroy the mirror duplicates while the real Flash defeats the real Mirror Master, who is summarily put back into prison.[14] After breaking out of prison, Mirror Master tries to bring down the Flash again. This time, with the help of Elongated Man, the Flash foil the Mirror Master's plan. Despite the success, Scudder gets away.[15] |
The Rogues
| The Rogues |
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Six of the Flash's old foes are somehow transported to various locations in Central City at the same time. The Mirror Master arrives in the Central City Park but is overwhelmed with the urge to visit a criminal tailor to get himself a new Mirror Master costume. At the tailor's, Scudder encounters five of his fellow rogues, Captain Cold, Captain Boomerang, Heatwave, the Pied Piper, and the Top. All five criminals share similar stories. The Mirror Master proposes that instead of going their separate ways, they pull off their next caper, as a team. He then refers to this ensemble of super-villains as Flash’s Rogues Gallery. This informal gathering is the first of many conventions for this team. Unbeknownst to them all, their liberation has been engineered by Grodd, who hopes to use their weapons to drain the Flash of his speed. With the help of Solovar, the Rogues are subdued and Grodd is imprisoned.[16] Five of Flash’s enemies arrive at a yearly convention of the Rogues (Pied Piper, Weather Wizard, Mirror Master, Heat Wave, and the Top), to see which of them wins the award for best crimes that year, until a newcomer crashes the party and says that he has defeated the Flash time and again already. It's a character calling himself the 'Dude', who is actually the Flash in disguise. He foils their plans and stops the crime![17] After the Top dies as a result of his last encounter with the Flash,[18] the rogues find a prerecorded message for his fellow villains informing them that he has planted six bombs in Central City, to find which they must repeat his same robberies--and risk capture by the Flash. They try to finish his final scheme only to be thwarted by The Flash. [19] Over the years, the Mirror Master enjoys yearly conventions and frequent team-ups with various members of Flash’s Rogues Gallery.[20] In addition to Rogues, the Mirror Master even team-ups with the Shark.[21] |
Injustice Gang of the World
| Injustice Gang of the World |
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In addition to his solo efforts and his work with the Rogues gallery, Mirror Master was also a founding member of a villainous team called the Injustice Gang. This team also consisted of Chronos, Poison Ivy, the Scarecrow, Shadow Thief and Tattooed Man and Libra. Every villainous schemes this team comes up with is thwarted by the Justice League and they are sent back to prison.[22] |
Secret Society of Super-Villains
| Secret Society of Super-Villains |
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In addition to the Injustice Gang, the Mirror Master was called together with a grouping of supervillains to the mysterious Sinister Citadel in San Francisco, to become members of a new Secret Society. This gathering included, Gorilla Grodd, Captain Cold, Copperhead, Sinestro, Star Sapphire, the Wizard (from Earth-Two), Captain Boomerang and the Shadow Thief. After meeting each other (many for the first time) and wondering the nature of their mutual calling, they are seemingly set upon by the Justice League. After they defeat the heroes, they discover that they were in reality robots. Then their mysterious host steps out and reveals himself – it’s the Manhunter, an evil clone of the original Manhunter. He lectures the villains on the benefits of joining together as a form of "enlightened self-interest", and then tells them that a mysterious benefactor he is working as an agent of requests that they prove themselves.[23] This mysterious benefactor is eventually revealed to be Darkseid, who created this team to be his secret strike-force on earth and to be a replacement for the ineffectual Intergang.[24] The Shadow Thief almost immediately departed and was replaced by Hi-Jack. Captain Comet, a hero from the 1950's, returns to Earth after a long absence and is duped into joining the Secret Society. In secret, Manhunter reveals the group’s true nature and his infiltration of the team. Soon afterward, Manhunter tells the Society members that their secret benefactor is Darkseid. Once the machinations involved in their collective origin are revealed, Mirror Master and the team quickly began rebelling against their leadership and struggling to function on their own. In response, they are confronted by Darkseid's minion Mantis and his slaves, who offer them the choice to surrender willingly to the domination of the Lord of Apokolips, or die. Star Sapphire and Manhunter escape. Sapphire contacts Green Lantern to come to their aid. Meanwhile, with Manhunter’s help, the Society frees its captured members and defeats Mantis in battle. Darkseid, observing the conflict, declares that he and his son Kalibak will go to Earth to discipline them.[25] The Wizard and Sinestro leave the team. Green Lantern battles Mantis, but looses. Mantis boasts that he will soon have more power than Darkseid, at which point Darkseid arrives. Kalibak battles Mirror Master and the Society, and as Mantis cowers before Darkseid.[26] Together, this evil duo battles the Secret Society members, eventually forcing the Lord of Apokolips to escape in a Boom Tube.[27] The Secret Society becomes a villainous team in its own right. About a year and half after Darkseid’s defeat, Mirror Master and Copperhead are hired by the Silver Ghost to assemble a squad of the Secret Society to destroy the Freedom Fighters. This squad included, the Wizard, Star Saphire, the Reverse-Flash, Floronic Man and Blockbuster.[28] |
Later Adventures
| Later Adventures |
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The Mirror Master falls in love with an Atlantean beauty named Narcissa, who has been trapped in a mirror for thousands of years, since before Atlantis sank. The Mirror Master arranges a trap for the Flash that will liberate her. Unfortunately, the battle with the Flash shatters the mirror, devastating the Mirror Master.[29] Captain Boomerang and Mirror Master both hit Gotham City at the same time, end up competing with each other, and run afoul of the Batman. On their first criminal attempt at the Gotham Museum, the crime is prevented by Batman, but the villains escape, each going in their own direction. The Mirror Master devices a scheme to bring down hi old ally. After a failed attempt, the Boomerang is able to secretly subdue the Mirror Master and hypnotize him for his own nefarious purposes. This conflict between the Central City villain has drawn the attention of Batman and Robin (aka Jason Todd).[30] Working together with Commissioner Gordon, Batman and Robin come up with a plan to capture at least one of the criminals using Harvey Bullock as bait. As part of the plan, Batman goes undercover as Matches Malone and spreads the word in the underworld about the transport of the valuable museum piece. When the news reaches Captain Boomerang, he commands a hypnotized Mirror Master to steal the item. With Bullock is in charge of transporting the relic, Mirror Master attempts to steal it from him. Unfortunately, Bullock doesn't wait for Batman and Robin and tries to capture the crook himself. This plan fails and Bullock is captured by Mirror Master. Back at the hideout Mirror Master reveals that he was never hypnotized and the two villains start fighting. Batman and Robin arrive and they defeat them with help from Bullock. With Boomerang and Mirror Master arrested, Bullock learns that the relic he was supposed to carry is nothing but the shards of the broken Bat-Signal.[31] At the Hall of Justice, Superman and Samurai are playing chess, when they receive an Emergency… Code 2 at the Metropolis Observatory. It’s the day that they are installing the new Telescope Mirror. They speed off wasting no time. They are baffled when they arrive, because no one had sent the distress call. Just then, things start to go awry. They realize that this is more than a practical joke. As Superman saves the Telescope Mirror setting it in place, he is ambushed by the Mirror Master and sent into the ‘Sixth Dimension’ – the dimension behind mirrors! Trapped, he seeks out all the various mirrors, looking for a way out. Meanwhile, back at the Hall of Justice, Samurai is debriefing Batman, Robin and Firestorm on what happened and Superman’s disappearance. Just then a message comes through the computer. It’s printed backwards! Batman deduces that it’s from Mirror Master. The distress call sounds, stating that a robbery is in progress at the Metropolis City Bank. Superman has found a mirror at the Hall of Justice and overhears the distress call but is too late to let them know he’s trapped. The heroes arrive at the bank, and find Mirror Master robbing the bank. Batman gives chase along the mountain roads outside the city. Firestorm and Samurai arrive to give aid. They are too late, as Batman and Robin are sent into the Mirror World too – joining Superman. Samurai and Firestorm regroup at the Hall of Justice, only to be greeted by another distress call. The Mirror Master has been sighted at the Metropolis County Fair. Upon arrival, Firestorms youthful arrogance gets him captured immediately and sent to the Mirror World. Samurai chases the Mirror Master into Maze of Mirrors. The Mirror Master seeing his image is captured, immediately begins to activate a mirror which sucks Samurai toward it. Samurai disappears to the horror of the SuperFriends and the glee of the Mirror Master. However it was a ruse, as Samurai was able to turn invisible at last second causing the Mirror Master to turnoff the Mirror. Invisible, Samurai is able to take the Mirror Device and free the SuperFriends. The Mirror Master is captured and sent to jail, once again![32] |
Crisis on Infinite Earths
| Crisis on Infinite Earths |
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It is July 1985. The skies overhead have turned red. Weather around the world is out of whack. All the signs point to the coming of Armageddon. The people of earth are unaware of the Monitor and the war with the Anti-Monitor from the Anti-Matter Universe. As a result of this battle, the Monitor is killed.[33] Aboard the now deceased Monitor's satellite, Lyla (the Monitor’s aid), a scientist named Pariah and Alexander Luthor Jr. from Earth-Three decide to summon together a massive congregation of heroes to and villains aid in the cause of preservation.[34] The trio explains, that there is great battle between the Anti-Monitor who is consuming all realities (universes) with and anti-matter wave and a hero called the Monitor. As a result, their universe is in great peril. Now, following the Monitor’s death; his life energy was able to complete his plan of saving the five remaining universes (Earth-One, Earth-Two, Earth-S, Earth-X, and Earth-Four. Now all five universes are partially merged and protected in a ’pocket universe’. They further explain how the Monitor, in an effort to save the multiverse, has set up a series of ‘Anti-Tuning Fork’ dispersed across space and time, anticipating a single universe that could resist the Anti-Monitor's on-coming wave of anti-matter. This means, that the Multiverse must be folded back upon itself and become a single universe – the way it was intended, or else all worlds will be destroyed. This partial merging, is why we see varying timelines intermingle and strange atmospheric anomalies.[35] Soon after, Lex Luthor of Earth-One and Brainiac of Earth-One have gathered a cadre of Earth's most powerful super-villains, aboard Brainiac’s ship. Brainiac tells them that he is unable to find the Anit-Monitor, either in this universe or his. Luthor then explains to them that they should take advantage of the Crisis by holding three of the multiple Earths hostage. Lex Luthor of Earth-Two protests, believing that he should lead the horde rather than his Earth-One counterpart. Brainiac concedes that there is no need for two Lex Luthors and kills the Earth-Two Luthor. The villains depart, spreading themselves across the realities, sowing chaos and discord at every turn. Mirror Master and several other villains head out to conquer Earth-S, the home of Captain Marvel and the Marvel Family.[36] As battles spread across the remaining universe, the Spectre, in a grand display of his power; makes his presence known across the five partially merged Earths. He speaks to all of the heroes and villains at once, warning them that the Anti-Monitor is still alive and that he has retreated into the past, to the dawn of time itself. And while everyone is engaged in meaningless battle, the Monitor is trying to consume all realities, leaving only the Anti-Matter Universe. He further explains that one group of ‘super-powered beings’ must travel to the beginning of time and the other half must go to Oa’s past, to the time of the mad-scientist Krona. He states that they must decide now. There will be no second chances. The heroes and villains then declare a truce to deal with the threat of the Anti-Monitor. The various teams soon develop a strategy using various time-traveling capabilities. As our heroes prepare to head to the dawn of time, the ‘Lord of Time’ takes Lex Luthor, Mirror Master and their allies backwards in time ten billion years to the planet Oa, before Krona’s time viewing equipment creates the multiverse and the anti-matter universe. As one group is stopped by a group of Oan’s, another bursts into Krona’s laboratory, but he is ready for them. An explosion kills Icicle, Mirror Master and Maaldor.[37] This is the last we see of the Earth-One Mirror Master. |
Mirror Master!
Powers and Abilities
Powers
No Special Powers.
Abilities
- Disguise: Mirror Master has altered his appearance through use of his gimmick mirrors to fool others on multiple occasions.[38]
- Hand-to-Hand Combat (Basic)
- Thievery
Paraphernalia
Equipment
- Spy-Mirror: A view-screen through mirrors. [39]
- Camera Mirror: A Mirror that captures the image of what it reflects.[40]
- Developer Machine: A device that creates mirror-image, real-life size duplicates of the images captured by the camera-mirror – three dimensional images![41]
- Invisibility Shield: Allows the one who wears it to appear invisible.[42]
- Mirror-Reducer: A mirror which reduces objects it reflects.[43]
- Future-Mirror: The Future Mirror can see 20 1/20th seconds into the future. Scudder added a special compound to the silver nitrate on its back which enabled the mirror to distort rays of light so as to reflect the future.[44]
- Body Switching Mirror: Creates 3-dimensional, life-size duplicate images.[45]
- Reverse Mirror[46]
Transportation
Weapons
- Mirror Gun:[49] This device allows him to keep any opponent in a mirror (or the 6th Dimension) after they see their reflection in that mirror. Furthermore, any highly reflective surface can serve the purpose as well. It also has the ability to cast a bright light.
Appearance
Earth-1A Appearances:
- SuperFriends, #8 (November 1, 1977) -- indirectly referenced
- In this SuperFriends issue, we are told that the Red Tornado's appearance follows the events in Justice League of America, #146 (September, 1977). In the JLA #146 we are introduced to the Injustice Gang.
- SuperFriends, #23 (August, 1979).
- Super Friends (TV Series): Season 8, The Legendary Super Powers Show:
- Episode: Reflections in Crime (September 15, 1984)
Notes
- The 'Mirror Master' was created by John Broome and Carmine Infantino.
- He made his first appearance in The Flash, #105 (February/March 1959).
- His final Earth-One appearance and death was in Crisis on Infinite Earths, #10 (January 1986).
- In 2009, Mirror Master was ranked as IGN's 79th Greatest Comic Book Villain of All Time.[50]
Trivia
External Links
- See: Samuel Scudder (New Earth) at DC Database
- See: The 'Mirror Master' at Those Who Ride the Lightning
- See: Mirror Master at wikipedia.org
Appearances in Other Media
Live Action
.png "Sam Scudder (The Flash 1991).png (326 KB)")
.png "Sam Scudder (Arrowverse).png (553 KB)")
Animation
DCAU / Justice League (2001-04)
.jpg "Mirror Master (The Batman, 2008).jpg (15 KB)")
.png "Sam Scudder (Brave and the Bold).png (116 KB)")
.png "Mirror Master (Justice League Doom).png (186 KB)")
Justice League: Doom (2012)
.png "Samuel Scudder (Justice League - The Flashpoint Paradox).png (862 KB)")
References
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