MAXIE ZEUS

Real Name: Maximillian Zeus

Class: Human

Occupation: Gangleader

Group Affiliation: New Olympians

Known Relatives: Medea (daughter), unnamed wife

Aliases: None

Base of Operations: Gotham City

First Appearance: Detective Comics #483 (April-May, 1979)

Powers: Maxie Zeus was a brilliant criminal mastermind and a charismatic leader. His overconfidence and delusions of being a god were his main failings.

History: Maxie Zeus was a Gotham crimelord who believed he was the reincarnation of Greek god Zeus. He was once a history teacher who lost his mind under unexplained circumstances, possibly caused by the loss of his wife. Maxie amassed a sizeable following of criminals who admired his brilliant schemes and were willing to put up with his eccentricities.

(Batman I #327) - A series of crimes were committed in Gotham with the same M.O. as Arkham Asylum inmates. Commissioner Gordon called Arkham’s director, who assured him the patients were still safely locked away, but Batman suspected something was up. He went undercover as inmate Shank Taylor, and after escaping his cell investigated the asylum. He stopped by Maxie Zeus’ cell, but rules him out as the one to the keys to the asylum, knowing that if Maxie had a way out he would take it himself.

Maxie Zeus warred with Batman for a time, but eventually decided to end the feud by moving his operations to the west coast.

(Batman and the Outsiders #14, 15) - Maxie Zeus formed the New Olympians, and attempted to take Olympic athlete Lacinia Nitocris as his bride. To prove his worth he pitted the New Olympians against the Outsiders II. Nitocris was disgusted by this violent display, but was touched by Maxie's desire for his daughter Medea to have a mother. Zeus was captured and sent to Arkham Asylum.

(Batman #491, Detective Comics #659) - Bane enabled Maxie Zeus and a number of other criminals to escape from Arkham Asylum. While fleeing from the asylum Maxie ran into a tree and knocked himself out.

(Batman: Arkham Asylum: Tales of Madness) - During a breakout from Arkham, Joker refused to let Zeus out of his cell because he deemed him annoying.

(Batman: Shadow of the Bat #81, 82) -

Comments: Created by Denny O'Neil and Don Newton

Maxie Zeus received profiles in Who's Who: The Definitive Directory of the DC Universe #15 and Who's Who in the DC Universe #14..

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