Origin
Dr. Edgar Cizko, Dr. Psycho is a telepathic criminal and sworn enemy of Wonder Woman. He was once a psychologist who was often mocked and ridiculed by his peers for his studies in psionics and the power of the mind, even giving him the moniker “Dr. Psycho”, causing him to swear vengeance on all who mocked him. He later developed vast psychic powers that allowed him to enter and sometimes shape people’s dreams, control minds, and project illusions.
Creation
Doctor Psycho was created by William Moulton Marston, creator of Wonder Woman and a psychologist. His character was created with a strong hatred of women. Doctor Psycho is one of the few Wonder Woman villains to have appeared in the Golden, Silver, and Bronze age comics of the series. He has also been featured in the early issues of the post Crisis on Infinite Earths issues.
Character Evolution
Pre-Crisis
Edgar Cizko was picked on (mostly by women) for his short stature and his disfigured facial features. This relentless taunting by the opposite sex would later cause Cizko to develop a misogynistic hatred for women. However, Cizko did have his older brother to look after him. His older brother would later become a geologist and then a villain called King Ironsides. When Edgar became a medical student at Gateway University, Cizko was made a joke by his peers for his research in psionics. Edgar studied psionics because he was an amateur telepath that could enter or reshape another personâs dreams.
Edgar later fell in love with Marva Jane Gray, the daughter of a WAAC soldier, who considered Cizko as a friend because she actually loved Ben Bradley, the universityâs athletic champion. Bradley proposed to Marva and after she accepted, Bradley staged a robbery of radium at the universityâs laboratory. The radium was worth over $125,000 dollars and ended up in Cizkoâs possession. Cizko knew he would never be released from prison so he staged his own death to escape. Cizko mentally tortured and killed Bradley for having him convicted of a crime he didnât commit. However, Bradley didnât want to take the blame all for himself so he falsely confesses that Marva was his willing accomplice in the robbery.
Angered by this latest development, Cizko kidnaps, tortures and hypnotically compels Marva to marry him. Afterwards, Cizko subjects Marva as well as his secretary Joan White, to occult experiments because he learns that Marva and Joan are mediums that can summon ectoplasm. Cizko utilizes their powers by fashioning a machine called the ectoplasmatron. Cizko used the mediumsâ gift to create and animate human forms in order to reshape his own deformed body into a handsome one. Only drawback was Cizkoâs ectoplasmic form could only be maintained if the mediums were present and remained under hypnotic suggestion.
With these powers, Cizko started a career as an occultist and gained millions by staging paranormal events with his psychic powers. Marva was eventually free from Cizko’s influence when Edgar began courting Etta Candy with a new disguise. Cizkoâs cover was blown by Col. Steven Trevor and Marva helped Wonder Woman expose Cizkoâs accomplice Gen. Stoffer, a former Nazi saboteur, who posed as General Oscar Scott Sweetgulper in order to obtain valuable strategic information. Unfortunately, Marva was later hit by a car and it is implied that Cizko may have been responsible for Marvaâs death.
Cizko renames himself as Doctor Psycho and becomes a colleague of the Duke of Deception, a servant of Ares. When Ares became angry that women were gaining power in Earthâs society, he summoned the Duke of Deception to do his bidding. Ares knew that women would potentially threaten his ability to have the entire world succumb to war. The Duke of Deception calls on Cizko to use his powers in order to discredit women from any war effort. Cizko created an ectoplasmic form of Col. Darnell, one of the many heads of United States military intelligence. As Col. Darnell, Cizko proclaimed that women were hindering war efforts. Cizko was also framing women with high military offices, for espionage.
Cizko used his remaining medium Joan White to create an ectoplasmic form of Col. Steve Trevor after he captured Trevor. Doctor Psycho dubbed his new ectoplasmic form as Captain Wonder and fell in love with the first Silver Swan because he could relate to her. The Silver Swan was an ugly young woman that Ares had transformed into a deadly beauty. Wonder Woman along with Steve Trevor defeated Cizkoâs Cap. Wonder persona and Silver Swan but they were forced to let Cizko go because they couldnât prove any of Cizkoâs crimes in court.
With Wonder Woman constantly standing in his way, Cizko becomes fixated on Wonder Woman by combining his pathological hatred of women to his fantasies of revenge the Amazon Princess. Cizkoâs ectoplasmic machine was later upgraded by the Monitor and renamed as the ectoplasmic extractor. This machine now allows Cizko to draw ectoplasm from any part of the world without a medium. Cizko fought alongside with other foes of Wonder Woman but they were all defeated by Wonder Woman and Etta Candy when they used Cizkoâs ectoplasmic extractor machine to create a powerful version of Wonder Woman.
Post-Crisis
He is a telepath with the ability to enter and sometimes shape other people’s dreams. Psycho was enlisted by Circe to create disturbing dreams for Vanessa Kapatelis. Psycho warped Vanessaâs mind while Circe, Sebastian Ballesteros and Veronica Cale transformed Vanessa into new Silver Swan. However, Circe plan was foiled and Cizko ended up in catatonic state in a mental facility. Later on, several members of the Legion of Super-Heroes were lost in the present time and it was up to Saturn Girl to find them. Unfortunately, her psychic cry for her comrades awakened Cizko and Cizko attacked staff members at the institution before escaping.
After his escape, Psycho becomes a core member of Alexander Luthor ‘s Secret Society of Super Villains while working with Talia al Ghul. Cizko tries to recruit Catman to join the Society but his offer is turned down when Catman summons his loyal pack of lions. Cizko also works with Deathstroke in order to capture members of the Marvel Family. As time goes by, members of the Society suspect Cizko is influencing them to do his bidding but Cizko proves his loyalty by freeing Doomsday from the center of Earth thanks to Warp. Cizko uses Doomsday to lead an assault on Metropolis but this plan failed.
New 52
Doctor Psycho’s new look is a short, balding man who has scars and bandages on his bald head. He also wears a neck brace that may extend down his spine to help him walk and run.
Doctor Psycho used his telepathic abilities to pose as a psychic in New York City. He would search through his customer’s memories for bank account numbers, then rob them. He wore a cloak that covered almost his entire face, as he feared that the H.I.V.E. would find him. One day, he found Superboy battling Plasmus downtown. Due to the telekinetic backlash, the cowardly Doctor Psycho’s astral form was absorbed into Superboy’s body. There, he discovered Superboy’s memories and, eventually, Lex Luthor‘s own astral form.
He would later find Superboy again and told him that he knows the truth behind him.He also told him that he and Superboy,together,can beat H.I.V.E and end everything. He helped him in his battle with the Dreadnought who was controlled by Psiphon. After ending the battle,he and Superboy became partners.
After being attacked by Psycho-Pirate, his origin was viewed by Superboy who was manipulated into going into a rage to fight Dr Psycho. He then revealed that he has every psionic power cataloged by H.I.V.E but was too weak to use them, but due to the time he spent around him he now had enough power from Superboy to do so. However, during his fight with Superboy, Psycho-Pirate removed his memories of Superboy’s origins, which unfocused him giving Superboy the opportunity to defeat him
Later on Dr. Psycho has been recruited by the Secret Society and has been dispatched to Kandaq as an unknowing scapegoat, as the Justice League and Justice League of America storms his hideout convinced he had mentally influenced Superman into killing Dr. Light. The Martian Manhunter however finds that Psycho had nothing to do with it by mentally overpowering him.
Major Story Arcs
Trials of Manhunter
After his latest failure in the Metropolis invasion, Edgar Cizko ends up getting arrested and Director Bones assigns Kate Spencer as Cizko’s defense attorney. During the proceedings, Cizko slowly began to manipulate Spencer as well as lurk inside her mind to discover hidden secrets like her secret identity. Before the trialâs verdict could be heard, Cizko used his telepathy to hold the people in the courtroom hostage. This act caused Spencer to regain consciousness and allowed her to become Manhunter once again. It was difficult for Spencer to overcome Cizko but she managed to drop his guard by kissing him then stabbing him in the stomach and in his head. Manhunterâs quick thinking caused Cizko to forget Kate’s alter-ego. Cizko also lost his telepathy until Circe restored his powers as well as amplifying them. Circe was acting on behalf of the Society and Genocide was sent to the DMA (Department of Metahuman Affairs) Headquarters to help Doctor Psycho escape.
Secret Six
Doctor Psycho still remains a figurehead with his own position of authority inside the Society while becoming a member of the latest Injustice League. As a request from Vandal Savage, Cizko enlists Cheshireâs services and begins to put out hits on the Secret Six but Cizko ends up getting stabbed repeatedly as well as brutally injured by Mad Hatter.
Return of Wonder Woman
Cizko survived his injuries and assisted Cheetah as well as Giganta in trying to destroy Wonder Woman.
Odyssey
Edgar appears in a strangely altered form when Diana undergoes the reality warped world of Odyssey, where Paradise Island was long gone ans she had grown up in the modern world. Beaten and on the brink of death at the hands of the Morrigan reanimated minions; Artemis, Giganta and Cheetah, Diana is saved by Edgar who takes her away through a journey through her mind, apparently having a deeper knowledge of the changes that’s come over her. Initially he insists on being known only as Edgar, showing himself as a man on normal stature as he tries to reawaken the memories and great powers Diana didn’t even know she had. Eventually, he reluctantly shows his true form to Diana, but doesn’t reveal the exact nature of their normal relationship. But before the end of the vision, Diana promises she will try and remember him and his kindness towards her. Diana wakes up in a hospital attended by a nurse called Prince and a doctor called Trevor.
During the assault on the Morrigans headquarters, Edgar appears again and releases a fearsome Spartan warrior the Morrigan have kept alive for centuries with a blade in his chest, allowing the ancient to take revenge on one of of the trio before their mistress (the mad goddess Nemesis) reveals herself and destroys the floor, presumably killing Edgar in the explosion
Powers and Abilities
Doctor Psycho’s power lie in his formidable mental powers, both in terms of his criminal cunning and his telepathy. He is also a skilled psychologist. Due to his small stature he is a below average hand to hand combatant (in fact he is rarely seen fighting at all.) However, he is a masterful hypnotist and can use this gift on a nearly superhuman level.
Often he employs his psionic powers to warp the perceived realities of those around him, making things happen around him that are not really there or using his powers to make himself appear different. Such as impersonating Veronica Cale for some time while the real person was tied up in a closet. Also he appears capable of mentally dominating people, bending them to his will. He can create hallucinations, have one bend to his will, and even torment foes with their own fears. However his powers appear to be mostly ineffective against Wonder Woman due to the Lasso of Truth’s proximity that allows her to see through his illusions. Also is appears baser minds are also immune to his powers as Catman was able to threaten him to go away with the pride of lions he was living with.
Dr. Psycho, due to his childhood trauma, has an almost infamous hatred of women, while it doesn’t prevent him from working with them. The story in Odyssey however begs to question the depths of his hatred.
Other Media
Televison
Powerless
Doctor Psycho appears in Powerless episode “Emergency Punch-Up.” In the show, he appears as a subject of a documentary about supervillains. Later on, a reporter tells the story that Doctor Psycho has released a dangerous gas which causes Wayne Security to go on lockdown until the all clear can be given.
Video Games
DC Universe Online
Doctor Psycho appears in DC Universe Online. He is seen as a member of the Secret Society of Super Villains and is shown running an experimental facility within Metropolis General Hospital funded by LexCorp. He had also used Kryptonite to capture Supergirl in order to study her DNA for Lex Luthor. The players defeat Doctor Psycho and free Supergirl. In the villain campaign, the players help Doctor Psycho capture Supergirl..