Batwoman: Who Is Professor Pyg?
Batwoman's third season is trucking along, and it has been taking a unique approach to the DC Comics lore that fans know and love. Each episode of the latest season of The CW series has reimagined a significant Batman villain, after a wide array of trophies and gadgets from the rogues gallery were unleashed on Gotham. Previous episodes have showcased new takes on Mad Hatter, Killer Croc, Mister Freeze — and in this week's episode, "A Lesson From Professor Pyg", another villain will be reimagined. So, who exactly is Professor Pyg? Here's what you need to know.
The main Professor Pyg, Lazlo Valentin, was created by Grant Morrison and Andy Kubert in 2009's Batman and Robin #1. Valentin's past is unknown, outside of the fact that he allegedly created a mind-altering drug that led him to have a psychotic break. Under the new persona of Professor Pyg, Valentin formed a cult called the Circus of the Strange, and unleashed a violet campaign to make the people of Gotham City "perfect" by brainwashing them. Those Pyg did brainwash became known as mindless "Dollotrons", and lost all sense of their identity. After being arrested by Batman and Robin, Pyg was broken out by The Black Glove, and briefly became their ally.
In the New 52 continuity, Pyg was subsequently established as a former agent of Spyral, and was given a hospital to perform twisted experiments on after Batman left the city. That continuity also established Valentin's son, Janosz Valentin, who operated as the "Son of Pyg."
It remains to be seen if the Professor Pyg on Batwoman will be either of the father or son incarnations of Valentin, or a wholly new character.
"So freaking epic," series star Javicia Leslie said of the Batman villains storyline in an interview shortly after the Season 2 finale. "Like literally a lot of your epic Batman villains, we have all of their weapons and they've all been released into the river and people are going to find [them] and you're going to find the effects that these weapons have on these normal Gotham citizens and then becoming like these supervillains, and it's just going to be so much fun. I can't wait! I'm excited because we're about to start shooting season 3 and I can't wait to read the scripts and to see where it goes."