DC comics seem to confirm that the most underrated Batman villains in Gotham City, in the canon, are none other than Tweedledee. They have a history in DC lore that goes back to the classic Batman adventures of the 1940s. Dumfrey Tweed and Deaver Tweed are initially presented as almost identical cousins (and not real twins, as many think) who commit their crimes modeled after Lewis Carroll’s classic characters Tweedledee and Tweedledee, two Alice in Wonderland characters they both happen to resemble.
Both in the canon and in real life, Tweedledee is often overlooked and often forgotten by and large, despite the fact that their names have quite a pedigree. In their comic book history, the two served as the Joker’s henchmen (although the Joker’s strangest henchman is still Daffy Duck), members of Lex Luthor’s Secret Society of Supervillains, and had their own gang called the Wonderland Gang. These two have no real powers to speak of, unless using their round bodies to bounce off walls is considered a superpower.
Despite the silly concept, the relevance of The Tweedles in the real DC canon is presented in a new perspective thanks to Batman Killing Time #5. In the work of Tom King and David Marquez, there is a war between thugs representing every criminal in Gotham City. While most villains have multiple representatives (in some cases a gang), Tweedles only have one fan representing them. The fan, Matthew Kahan, doesn’t really resist, as he almost instantly dies of a heart attack, but his presence on behalf of The Tweedles underscores the actual impact that these underrated Batman villains really had on Gotham City.
While readers may find Tweedles easily forgettable, real Gotham residents acknowledge the impact the duo has left on their city. Whether it’s part of the larger scheme of the main villain or the commission of crimes by themselves, there’s no denying that these two have left enough of an imprint in Gotham (no matter how small that imprint may be) for Gotham people to remember him. And, in the case of Matthew Kahan, an influence admired by at least one Gotham resident. While Batman has a lot of underrated villains, these two go beyond the underrated label.
This doesn’t mean Tweedledum pose a bigger threat than they already were—they’re still just thugs that Batman usually gets rid of easily—but perhaps readers shouldn’t discount them as easily as if they were nothing more than a comedy acting in the broader DC canon.
