| Character Name: | Cornelius Stirk |
| Publisher: | DC Comics |
| Debut: | Detective Comics #592 (November 1988) |
| Creators: | Alan Grant (writer) Norm Breyfogle (artist) |
| Species: | Metahuman |
| Aliases: | Fear |
| Powers: | Can cause fear or hallucinations through telepathy |
Cornelius Stirk is a fictional character appearing in DC Comics. He is a cannibalistic supervillain with the ability to cause fear or hallucinations through telepathy and appears as a recurring adversary of Batman.
He first appeared in Detective Comics #592 (November 1988) and was created by Alan Grant and Norm Breyfogle.[1]
Stirk is a serial killer who, like fellow Batman villain Scarecrow, uses fear to get to his victims. Stirk can make other people see him as someone else, allowing him to get close to his victims. He operates under the delusion that he requires the nutrients from people's hearts to stay alive.
In his first appearance, Stirk is released from Arkham Asylum, having been imprisoned there since he was 16. After his release, Stirk stops taking his medication and becomes a serial killer.
In , Stirk works with the Joker in an attempt to kidnap Commissioner Jim Gordon. However, Stirk tries to kill Gordon rather than kidnap him, during which Gordon hallucinates him as Batman.[2]
In the Madmen Across the Water storyline, Stirk is imprisoned in Blackgate Penitentiary after Arkham is destroyed.[3]
Stirk makes minor appearances in and .
Cornelius Stirk can generate a hypnotic aura which allows him to take on any face he chooses, generally a face that people will trust.