Obscure Character of the week: The Question

Today, our character for discussion is DC Comic's The Question.

Before being bought by DC comics, The Question, AKA Vic Sage, was an investigative journalist and detective, making his debut in the Blue Beetle series in 1967.

The Question's most notable feature is a lack thereof. Utilizing a mask composed of an artificial skin known as pseudoderm, Vic Sage created an alter ego that would keep his anonymity, whilst allowing him to obtain the answers from suspects that the legal system itself could not.

Eventually, Vic's suit was modified with a special binary gas, that not only bonded the mask to Vic's face, but also temporarily altered the character's hair and clothes colour.

This gas also had several other applications, one of which, as seen above, is a Question calling card, used to instill fear in criminals.

However, although The Question was notably aggressive towards criminals, he was no expert in fighting.

In The Question #1, he was beaten to near death by Lady Shiva, the martial arts mercenary, shot, and thrown into a river to die. However, for reasons unknown at the time, Lady Shiva saved The Question's life, and directed him to her former master, Richard Dragon, to learn Dragon-Style kung fu once he had healed from his injuries.

To show some scope of the martial arts prowess of Lady Shiva, a Dragon-Style martial arts expert herself, above is her New 52 incarnation, standing toe-to-toe with Catwoman (who can stand up to the Batman), and not breaking a sweat

With his new capabilities, as well as an acquired Eastern Philosophy on Objectivism, The Question returns to Hub City, his place of patrol. The Question himself deals more with political and social corruption, as opposed to the Batman-esque patrolling of the streets. However, years of corruption and the negative environment begin to take its toll, and with signs of schizophrenia beginning to show, Vic Sage is urged by his former master, Richard Dragon, and Lady Shiva, to leave Hub City.

He journeys to South America, wanting to distance himself from his "No-Face" alter ego. However, during a forced LSD trip, he kills in order to save a life. This marks The Question as one of the earliest DC heroes to not only kill to save lives, but also conclude that, if the situation ever arose, he would kill again if necessary.

Publically, The Question makes several appearances in the Justice League Unlimited animated series, mimicing his real-time involvement in the Justice League incarnations of DC comics.

His "cracked" psyche and odd persona are portrayed in the childrens cartoon as those of a paranoid conspiracy theorist. Nevertheless, this does lead to some of the more comical dialogues the series has to offer.

*drops mic*

However, all things must end. Before his death, Vic Sage saw fit to train a replacement, Renee Montoya. Upon his death, she received all of his vigilante items, including his trademark fedora.

She also received ample hand-to-hand combat training from Sage himself, and has proven herself alongside the DC group Birds of Prey.

In summary: The Question's history has been altered many times, but that does not alter his unparalleled mystery and coolness. He is a character that may not feature as prominently as the other mainstream heroes, but when you can solve crimes and deduce faster then Batman, You deserve some appreciation.

Next Time on Obscure Characters : DC May have The Dark Knight, but Marvel has Moon Knight!

Previously: Taskmaster http://imgur.com/gallery/5slRK
The Cat http://imgur.com/gallery/YdFMe