The Big Question

The Big Question's History

Edward Nigma Fisk was elected the Mayor of New Gotham, despite the fact that he had a record as a convicted felon. As the "big man" in the city of New Gotham, Fisk reigned as the quizmaster crimelord supreme.

The Big Question captured the meddlesome assassin known as Dare the Terminator and subjected her to a "government" experiment. Calling her a "daredevil", the Big Question had his surgeons implant two horns on her head so that she could look more like a true daredevil. The radioactive chemicals used in the experiment caused Dare to permanently lose her eyesight.

Years later, facing mounting rumors that he was under the influence of the mysterious mystic known as Doctor Strangefate, the Big Question devised a brilliant plan to rid himself of Dare and Catsai while at the same time save his tarnished reputation. Keeping his identity a secret, he hired Dare and Catsai to come to Arkham Tower and assassinate the Big Question.

This was all a plan to improve his reputation and make himself seem independent of Dr. Strangefate. He had spread rumors that Strangefate hired Catsai and Dare to kill the Mayor. He hired mercenaries to face the two assassins on their way to reach him. All the mercenaries they would kill on their way up were there to improve the two lady assassins' considerable reputations as fighters. He intended to kill the two women personally, solidifying his reputation as an independent agent and a master fighter. If he failed and dies instead, the death would still be blamed on Strangefate. Also he would be regarded as a man who died fighting and not as a magician's pathetic stooge.

Fisk hired 14 mercenaries to face Catsai and Dare. The names of the first eleven of them were not depicted. The 12th was Deadeye, the 13th was Lethal, and the 14th and last was Wired.

As Dare and Catsai battled their way to the top of the Arkham Tower skyscraper, the Big Question watched them on a security monitor from the comfort of his penthouse suite on the 107th Floor as he eagerly anticipated their arrival.

Later, the Big Question was watching the WNGN News when reporter Jimmy Urich came on air with an editorial. Urich criticized the Big Question's corrupt administration and asked why New Gotham had a convicted felon in office. Finally, Urich suggested that the Big Question was being manipulated by the mysterious Dr. Strangefate, and claimed that the only reason Fisk got elected was so that Strangefate could play puppet-master. Infuriated, the Big Question smashed his television screen to pieces with his bare fist. His hand started bleeding.

The Official Digital Toolset for Dungeons & Dragons

Dare and Catsai eventually reached the 107th Floor where they were confronted by the jovial Big Question. He first complimented them on their appearances, since their recent scars and open wounds had failed to tarnish their beauty. He then revealed that they were mere pawns in his plot. Hearing that this a win-win situation for her enemy, an enraged Dare leaped forward with her sword drawn. But she fell right into a trap. A metal door slammed shut between Dare and Catsai, leaving Dare and the Big Question alone in one-one-one combat.

The Big Question easily outclassed Dare as a fighter. He successfully faced all her attacks and removed her weapons one by one. Finally he got a hold of the little horns on Dare's head. He pointed out that the surgically added horns were a gift from him, and Dare had failed to thank him for his generosity. Now it was time for him to get the gift back. He used brute strength to pull out both horns. The horns had left behind gaping wounds on her head, from which a mix of blood, bone, and bodily fluids flowed. Soon Dared died from blood loss and Big Question jokingly asked if he should call for a doctor. He commented that she had all eternity to decide and answer him.

He soon discovered that one of Catsai's trained cats infiltrated his office through a ventilation duct and planted an explosive device on the other side of the door. He did not have time to prevent the explosives from detonating. He commented that he hated cats. The resulting explosion destroyed the metal door and left Fisk's clothes in rags, but he was otherwise unharmed.

Catsai entered the room and taunted him. Big Question was no longer cheerful, he was enraged and vowed to make his opponent suffer. The two opponents fought, but Catsai proved a more skilled fighter than her deceased partner. She got the best of her opponent and pointed out that she wanted to avenge her friend Dare. Big Question was left bleeding on the floor. Catsai had a chance to kill her opponent but decides that death would be too easy a fate for him. She wanted him to live and suffer.

She hung him from the antennae at the top of Arkham Tower and called Jimmy Urich on a tip about an exclusive on the Mayor. Urich used a helicopter to reach Arkham Tower and located Big Question. The villain was hanging upside down from the antennae at the top of the Tower, mostly naked and still bleeding. Jimmy started taking photos.

The following day, one of Urich's photos made the front page of the Gotham Bugle and the accompanying article proclaimed the Question finished. Fisk was a public laughing stock. Meanwhile, Catsai promised that she would eventually come up with more "creative tortures" for her foe.

Powers and Abilities