While reading through these original Batman comics, one particular individual stood out to me: The faceless Charles from Detective Comics #34. At first I did a double take and assumed that this individual, simply referred to as "Charles," was the superhero known as the Question. I had been exposed to the Question through the Justice League Unlimited TV show when I was younger and later learned more about him through his appearances in comic books. I always liked his character, but only knew his secret identity to be that of Vic Sage, so I assumed that this character was a precursor or template for the Question to appear later on in comics. But I didn't think he was the actual Question.
However, when I researched the Question to see if his creator took inspiration from this Batman comic, I found that Vic Sage was actually short for "Charles Victor Szasz." Essentially, this faceless, trench-coat wearing man named Charles could very well be the very first time comic readers actually see the Question, even though his first appearance is cited as being in Blue Beetle #1 (1967).
I find it very interesting how this character in Detective Comics #34 was potentially re-purposed into becoming an iconic hero that has been featured in many comics over the decades and on TV. We talk about how characters evolve over time through various artists and writers, and the differences in Batman from these early comics to his current portrayal certainly testifies to how much characters change. I find it very interesting how often these side characters like Charles are overlooked, even when they have the potential to be recreated into something iconic and beloved by fans years later.
It's hard not to be intrigued by the faceless man, and I buy your connection, Polly, seems reasonable enough. What perplexes me is how close "Charles Victor Szasz" is in name to the knife wielding serial killer, and enemy of batman, "Victor Zsasz". Let's be a little more creative with these names DJ, jeez.
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