| Character Name: | The Ten-Eyed Man |
| Publisher: | DC Comics |
| Debut: | Batman #226 (Nov. 1970) |
| Creators: | Frank Robbins (writer) Irv Novick (artist) Dick Giordano (artist) |
| Real Name: | Philip Reardon |
| Species: | Metahuman |
| Alliances: | Suicide Squad |
| Aliases: | "Three-Eye" Reardon |
| Powers: | 360° and limited periscopic vision Superb hand-to-hand combatant and marksman Magic user |
The Ten-Eyed Man (Philip Reardon) is a fictional character in DC Comics. He first appeared in Batman #226 (Nov. 1970) and was created by Frank Robbins, Irv Novick, and Dick Giordano.[1]
Philip Reardon served as a soldier in the U.S. Special Forces during the Vietnam War until he was honorably discharged after a grenade fragment hit him between the eyes, leaving a scar which gave him the nickname "Three-Eyed Reardon". He returned to civilian life as a warehouse security guard. One night, he was knocked out by thieves who planted a bomb to destroy the warehouse. When Batman arrived at the scene, Reardon recovered, but his vision was blurred. Mistaking Batman for one of the thieves, Reardon battled him. When he recognized Batman, the warehouse exploded and Reardon's retinas were burned, blinding him. Wanting to make use of Reardon, the thieves took him to a doctor who states that his eyes cannot be repaired. Ophthalmologist Dr. Engstrom tended to Reardon, performing an experimental procedure that connected his optic nerves to the sensory cells in his fingertips and enabled him to see through them. Reardon blamed Batman for what had happened and tried to take revenge on him. As Batman was also affected by the blast, he used black contact lenses to help him out. As Reardon attacked Batman, Alfred Pennyworth helped Batman by coordinating instructions to him through the microphone in Batman's mask. Upon finding out that Reardon can see through his hands, Batman used this to his advantage by using his cape to wrap up the Ten-Eyed Man's hands and then knocked him unconscious. After Batman contacted Dr. Engstrom, Reardon got away.[2] [3] [4]
Waking up one night in his apartment following a nightmare involving Batman attacking him with a flamethrower, Philip Reardon finds himself unable to see, thinking that Batman blinded him again, only to remember that he had placed gloves on his hands since his "eyes" lack eyelids. He then goes to apply for a job as an air marshal, which he passes with his talents and starts making plans to have his revenge on Batman. After hijacking an airplane to lure Batman to Vietnam, Reardon led Batman on a chase through the jungle before being defeated.[5]
When incarcerated at Gotham State Penitentiary, Readon was kept in a jail cell, where the correction officers had his hands locked in a special opaque box to restrict his vision. Director Lowell has him released from prison. Due to Reardon's nerve grafts starting to fail him, Director Lowell has him go after Man-Bat and capture him where he will find a way to transfer Man-Bat's sonar energy to him. Reardon was given a costume that includes opaque goggles and became Ten-Eyed Man where he went after Man-Bat. Ten-Eyed Man was defeated by Man-Bat and fell off the building to his apparent death.[6]
During the "Crisis on Infinite Earths" storyline, Ten-Eyed Man was killed by Anti-Monitor's shadow demons before eventually being resurrected by the Psycho-Pirate.[7] [8]
In September 2011, The New 52 rebooted DC's continuity. In this new timeline, Ten-Eyed Man first appears among the inmates at Arkham Asylum who attack Batwing and Jim Corrigan.[9]
In 2016, DC Comics implemented another relaunch of its books called "DC Rebirth", restoring its continuity to a form much as it was prior to "The New 52". Ten-Eyed Man is one of the many villains taken down by Batman and Catwoman after he takes her along with him on an average night of his job.[10]
Ten-Eyed Man later kidnapped a girl named Jade who was under Killer Croc's protection and plans to sacrifice her to find out the doom that is coming for him. One of his fingers sees Batman, Killer Croc, and Jason Bard above as they leap down towards him upon being discovered.[11] Batman, Jason Bard, and Killer Croc work to stop Ten-Eyed Man before he can sacrifice Jade so that he can open an inter-dimensional portal. His plot is thwarted by Batman and Jason Bard.[12]
Following Arkham Asylum's destruction, the Gotham City Police Department's headquarters is filled with its inmates. Maggie Sawyer tries to get the answers on what happened there from the inmates, starting with the Ten-Eyed Man. He tells Maggie that he can help her with the answers she needs if she would remove the hand masks from his hands. After being unable to get answers from Ten-Eyed Man, Maggie Sawyer then attempts to get answers from Maxie Zeus, the Magpie, and the other Arkham Asylum inmates.[13]
In the miniseries "Arkham City: The Order of the World", which takes place before the "Fear State" storyline, Ten-Eyed Man was incarcerated in Arkham Asylum. At one point, he had learned how to use magic and sported a new costume. Ten-Eyed Man was later attacked by Azrael and rendered blind in one hand.[14]
Ten-Eyed Man visits Eat By the Slice where he finds it closed. Upon entering it, Ten-Eyed Man confronted Pete and used one of his fingers to see into Pete's head and sees a hole in it. Unable to make out what caused the hole, Ten-Eyed Man knocks out Pete with a spell from his finger and heads to the hospital. He then chases after a nurse upon seeing what she had in her hand and was subdued by security guards. Back in the present, Ten-Eyed Man relates his story to Commissioner Renee Montoya, who has the guard give him a pizza. Then Ten-Eyed Man uses his finger to see that there is a "hole" in Renee's head and escapes his cell. Montoya mentions to the guard that he climbed through a hole that she felt. She described the hole that Ten-Eyed Man escaped into as the "hole in the world". Ten-Eyed Man is then seen on top of a gargoyle eating his pizza.[15] [16]
Ten-Eyed Man can see through optic nerves in his fingertips, giving him a complete 360 view and limited periscopic vision. His enhanced vision augments his Special Forces training, making him a superb fighter and marksman. In the "DC Rebirth" continuity, he is also a skilled magic user.
During his fight with Man-Bat, Ten-Eyed Man was provided a jet pack and a latex spray.
As a side-effect of his optic nerves being in his fingertips, Ten-Eyed Man's hands are sensitive and vulnerable to any kind of excessive force.
In the "DC Rebirth" continuity, Ten-Eyed Man suffers from schizophrenia.
The Ten-Eyed Men of the Empty Quarter, a Middle Eastern tribe of demon hunters inspired by the Ten-Eyed Man, appear in 52.[17]