Count Vertigo

Count Vertigo is a

Two incarnations of Count Vertigo, Cecil Adams and Werner Zytle, appeared as guest characters in Arrow, portrayed by Seth Gabel and Peter Stormare respectively.

Publication history

Count Vertigo first appears in World's Finest Comics #251 (July 1978) and was created by Gerry Conway, Trevor Von Eeden, and Vince Colletta.^[2]

Fictional character biography

Starting his career

Count Vertigo first appeared in

He would later come to join the Suicide Squad in exchange for a shortened prison sentence, and it was revealed that he was plagued by bipolar disorder. After the Suicide Squad disbanded for the first time, Count Vertigo was captured by Vlatavan rebels, who wished to use his powers to overthrow the current Vlatavan government. They used a variety of drugs on him, each with a differing effect on the Count, as he would for example suddenly see himself as an Angel of Vengeance, sent to wreak havoc on the current rulers. Although he largely believed himself master of his own will, his mood swings were completely subject to his captors.^[1]

He was captured by

Vertigo succeeded, and it turned out that as he went into rehab and expunged the chemicals that had been pumped into his body by both Ivy and the rebels, that he was unwittingly cured of the disorder that had plagued him for so long. This was something he found hard to deal with and he approached Deadshot, one of his teammates, hoping that Deadshot would be willing to end his life. As it happened, Deadshot was unmoved by his teammate's plight, and saw no problem in killing once again. However, he cautioned Vertigo to make up his mind - after all, he would not fail or hesitate. The running subplot would ultimately culminate in the last pages of the first volume of Suicide Squad, in which Deadshot and Vertigo stood across one another, Deadshot ready to kill him. Count Vertigo realized that this was ultimately an indirect suicide, and that would ruin his chances for the afterlife. Deciding for now that he would deal with the disease that now indirectly plagued him, he walked away from the duel.^[5]

In the meantime, he was also approached by members of the Vlatavan government, who sought to see Count Vertigo reclaim his rightful place as ruler. He declined, stating that he wasn't fit to rule at this point, as he wasn't even sure if he wanted to live or die.

Vertigo also resolved his grudge with Poison Ivy. During the War of the Gods crossover, he was perfectly willing to let her die when he found her abandoned on an Amazonian island; ironically, she was bound and promised whoever freed her, her undying devotion. Snickering snidely, Vertigo left her to die in the ruins of the collapsing temple they were in.^[6] Still, Ivy was saved, and Count Vertigo would later reluctantly work alongside her in the Suicide Squad, leaving their grudge be.

The destruction of Vlatava

Ultimately, Count Vertigo did return to his homeland to ensure that he would once more become the country's rightful ruler. While his forces were at war with the government's army, the

Grudges and a new Injustice Society

Working for the American government for a while, Count Vertigo eventually sought out his old enemy Green Arrow and after the two had a fight, Count Vertigo decided to leave the vendetta behind and focus on more positive prospects, getting his life back on track. Afterwards he showed up as a member of the new Injustice Society.^[1]

He also shows up as an operative of the Suicide Squad when they attempt to dissuade the Justice League from investigating the "Salvation Run" project.^[7]

Infinite Crisis, 52 and One Year Later

Count Vertigo has been seen among Lex Luthor's ranks in the Secret Society of Super Villains in the pages of Infinite Crisis.^[8]

He appeared during the 52-week series, as a member of a Suicide Squad led by

Even later, he would feature again as an operative of Waller's Suicide Squad, siding faithfully to her side in destroying a conspiracy to release a violent viral agent, working alongside fellow agent King Faraday. In this capacity, he would also duel against the Secret Six, and briefly take down Black Alice with his vertigo abilities.

During the events of Final Crisis, he is seen defeated as part of a Checkmate squad sent against the forces of

Count Vertigo later appears as a member of Richard Dragon's Longbow Hunters.^[12] With a new look in DC Rebirth, Count Vertigo appears in Green Arrow.^[13]

Powers and abilities

Being raised in a noble family, Vertigo was trained in classical martial combat and the sports of boxing, fencing, and equestrianism. He has also been trained in judo and general karate.

Upon joining Task Force X and Checkmate, he learned other hand-to-hand combat skills.

His "Vertigo Effect" has long since been internalized through circumstances that have not yet been revealed. He uses his power to disrupt his enemies' balance. In hand-to-hand and melee combat, Vertigo uses his power to disorient his opponents. He also uses the Vertigo Effect to disrupt the aim of gunmen, snipers and the like. The exact range of the power is yet to be determined, seeing as how on one mission, guards watching him in action on camera were also affected by his power. This ability is also capable of disrupting guidance systems on missiles, vehicles, and detection systems of all kind (lasers, cameras, pressure-sensitive floor plates, infrared, thermal, and night vision). Count Vertigo also wears magnetic boots with which he can walk walls or ceilings. He also has in recent years gained the ability of flight.

Ménière's disease

During a fight with the Justice Society of America, Doctor Mid-Nite suggested that the source of Count Vertigo's powers was a condition known as Ménière's disease. This condition causes constant vertigo in those afflicted and in some cases—such as that of Count Vertigo—deafness. Therefore, the hearing aid devices used by Vertigo to inflict his condition on others are necessary for him to be able to hear or maintain his balance, creating a weakness that his opponents can easily exploit.

Other versions

Flashpoint

In the alternate timeline of the

Rag Doll for the Resistance. Vertigo then retrieves Doctor Fate's Helm of Nabu from the Amazons' attacks.^[14] Vertigo and the other circus members run at the countryside for reinforcements, but Vertigo is killed, impaled on a spear. A dying Vertigo tells Dick to take the Helm and secure it.^[15]

In other media

Television

• Count Vertigo, referred to simply as Vertigo, appears in the
  Society of Shadows. After being defeated by Batman and Talia al Ghul
  , Vertigo is presumed dead.
• Count Vertigo appears in
  Oliver Queen
  who wields a mechanical eyepiece, which he used to strand Queen on a deserted island for years.
• Count Vertigo appears in
  Markovia
  , only to be defeated by the Team once more.
• Two incarnations of Count Vertigo appear in Arrow, with both being involved in the distribution of a street drug called "Vertigo" and displaying great skill in using it as an offensive weapon via syringes.
  • The first,
    Starling City's citizens, such as Thea Queen, with his namesake drug. Upon learning of this, her brother Oliver Queen develops a bitter rivalry with Adams as the Arrow, which culminates in the former killing him before he can fatally dose Felicity Smoak
    with Vertigo.
  • The second is Adams' successor
    third season episodes "The Calm" and "Canaries", he becomes the new "Vertigo" and takes advantage of Queen capturing his mob rivals to rapidly build a criminal empire. Additionally, Zytle modified his namesake drug so that it causes the user to experience their deepest fears. Throughout his appearances, he battles Queen and Laurel Lance
    , both of whom eventually capture Zytle.

Film

• Count Vertigo was reportedly featured in David S. Goyer's script for Escape from Super Max as an inmate of the titular Super Max Penitentiary for Metahumans.^[17]
• Count Vertigo appears in DC Showcase: Green Arrow, voiced by Steve Blum.
• Count Vertigo appears in flashbacks depicted in
  Jewelee in an attempt to betray Amanda Waller
  , only to be killed by the latter for it.

Video games

Count Vertigo appears as a playable character in Lego DC Super-Villains, voiced again by Steve Blum.

Miscellaneous

The Arrow incarnation of Werner Zytle appears in the non-canonical tie-in comic

Arrow: Season 2.5

.

References

1. ^
   OCLC 213309017
   .
2. ISBN 978-1-4654-5357-0
   .
3. ISBN 0-8160-1356-X
   .
4. ^ Suicide Squad #45 (September 1 1990)
5. ^ Suicide Squad #66 (June 1992)
6. ^ Suicide Squad #58 (October 1 1991)
7. ^ JLA: Salvation Run #2
8. ^ Infinite Crisis #3
9. ^ 52 Week 34
10. ^ Final Crisis #4 (2008)
11. ^ "Green Arrow #22". DCComics.com. 2012-04-08. Retrieved 2012-04-23.
12. ^ Green Arrow (vol. 5) #31. DC Comics.
13. ^ Green Arrow (vol. 6) #19
14. ^ Flashpoint: Deadman and the Flying Graysons #2 (July 2011)
15. ^ Flashpoint: Deadman and the Flying Graysons #3 (August 2011)
16. ^ "Kapiushon". Arrow. Season 5. Episode 17. March 22, 2017. The CW.
17. ^ Mayimbe, El (May 19, 2008). "Supermax: Green Arrow Story Details + Villains/Inmates Gallery". LatinoReview.com. Archived from the original on October 13, 2008. Retrieved April 2, 2019.