John Dillinger is a villain in the series.
He was a deceased gangster from the early 20th century who was brought back to life by Professor Emil Hamilton.
History[]
Dillinger was a dangerous gangster who operated with a gang known as "The Dillinger gang" during the Great Depression committing many crimes including bank robbery, murder, assault and grand theft auto.
He had been arrested and imprisoned, but managed to escape twice. Dillinger was fond of movies and often went to the Biograph theatre. In 1934, he was killed by two FBI agents who gunned him down after he had just finished watching a particular movie and was leaving the theatre.
Rebirth[]
Many years later, a scientist called Emil Hamilton dug up Dillinger's remains and those of other well known gangsters such as Al Capone, Bonnie Parker and Clyde Barrow as an experiment of cloning DNA from people such as criminals and alter their personalities to help mankind.
Dillinger however wanted to continue his life the way he had done before and continued to rob and terrorize.
Dillinger using Dynamite to stop Superman from capturing him during a bank robbery.
Later, during a bank robbery with Bonnie and Clyde, they encountered Superman who to their surprise was impervious to Clyde's Tommy gun bullets when he tried to shoot him.
Dillinger however, pulled out some dynamite which gave them enough time to make their getaway.
Later Dillinger was counting the money they stole and told the others that they would have a great future in Metropolis as long as Superman didn't get in their way again.
He and the others were being tired of getting cooped up in Hamilton's laboratory and Al Capone announced that he would now play by his own rules and take over Metropolis.
One evening at a nightclub that Daily Planet investigative reporters Clark Kent and Lois Lane were staking out after hearing about their terrorism and Capone bribing the important people of Metropolis, he suddenly burst in with Capone and the rest of the gang with Capone declaring that it now belonged to him as he had previously killed the owner Georgie Hairdo.
Dillinger making a move on Lois.
Dillinger then tried to make on a move on the attractive Lois, stating that he was "always partial to a lady in red." Clark knocked his hand away, telling him to leave her alone. Dillinger then pushed him away "What are you, her big brother?" As Clark went back, Clyde shot him and Clark fell down dead.
Lois was devastated, but unknown to her, Dillinger and the others, Clark had to pretend he was dead so no one would find out he was Superman. Capone berated Clyde for shooting Clark as it gave them no choice but to find somewhere to dump the body as they couldn't be linked to a murder.
He left with Capone and the others after Joey and another member of the gang picked up the "dead" corpse and carried it away. They threw it into a nearby pile of rubbish. Clark got up, dusted himself down and left.
Dillinger was then seen leaving a movie theatre and was caught by Clark now as Superman who had been given a clue to his whereabouts by a ticket stub he had dropped during their first encounter at the bank, as this was how he had been caught sixty years ago. Superman then questioned Dillinger on the whereabouts of Capone and the others. Dillinger declared he didn't "rat" so the Man of Steel took him to a very high building, giving him one last chance to tell him where Capone was or he would drop him off of it.
Dillinger captured by Superman.
Dillinger thought Superman was bluffing as he knew good guys never hurt anyone. Superman retorted that he and the gang had "killed" his good friend Clark Kent so he was in no position to underestimate him and threw down Dillinger's hat to prove his point.
Dillinger then felt scared and declared that he didn't know he and the reporter had been so close. Superman then repeated his question of where Capone was.
Dillinger then replied that he didn't remember so Superman pushed the terrified gangster off the building to refresh his memory. The Man of Steel then caught him before he reached the ground and told him he has occasionally missed saving someone on the odd occasion.
Now frightened by his near death experience, Dillinger had no other choice but to spill the beans which gave Clark an opportunity to also come up with a explanation to his friends on his sudden reappearance. Dillinger was then presumably sent to prison.
After Capone and the others were captured for terrorizing the Daily Planet anniversary party, Detective Wolf of the Metropolis Police mentioned that Dillinger had got himself a lawyer and was willing to testify against Capone.
Trivia[]
- He is based on the real life gangster of the same name.