- "For years, I held a grudge against a quiz show for dumbing down their answers. My world was so tiny back then, but there's nothing like five years in prison to expose you to all the ignorance and stupidity on this planet. Let's weed them out, together."
- —Arthur Brown to his daughter, Stephanie[src]
Arthur Brown, also known as Cluemaster, is a former Quiz Bowl gameshow host-turned-criminal. Arthur is also the estranged father of Stephanie Brown.
Biography
Early life
Sometime before or during 2016, Arthur Brown became the host of a gameshow known as Quiz Bowl and had a daughter, Stephanie. Becoming disillusioned with how the gameshow had begun "dumbing down" the questions, Brown was later fired, leading to him going on a murdering spree as the criminal "Cluemaster" while leaving clues for law enforcement to follow.
In 2016, Sophie Moore investigated Cluemaster's crimes and, thanks to an anonymous tip by Stephanie, was able to thwart and arrest him. Arthur was sentenced to Blackgate Penitentiary to serve 13 life sentences, leaving him to wonder how Sophie was able to beat him.[1]
Revenge
In 2021, Brown escaped Blackgate and went to see Stephanie, hoping that she would be his partner-in-crime; Stephanie denied the request. Brown then knocked his daughter unconscious and began writing in code on her body. Before she awakened, Brown placed Stephanie in a box that could only be opened with gunshots to certain targets in a particular order. Brown poisoned Sophie's drink with a puss caterpillar, one of the most venomous caterpillars in the world, for revenge and left a clue for Sophie to pursue. Deducing the use of the word "hotshot", Ryan Wilder held up a candle to the poisoned glass, revealing an emblem.
Eventually, Sophie, Ryan, and Mary Hamilton managed to find and free Stephanie; who started working with them to discover her father's whereabouts. Later, the trio fell into Arthur's trap on the set of Quiz Bowl. Arthur appears on a screen and gives the women more time by answering the questions on his Gotham Villain quiz. Stephanie managed to decipher Arthur's code and tracked him to their first house. There, Arthur found her and was happy to see that Steph has retained her puzzle-solving skills and wants her to be his partner in crime. Until Steph admits that she was the one who solved his puzzles five years ago and anonymously denounced him to Sophie, to arrest him so he can't hurt innocent people. Then Arthur knocked her unconscious, trapping her and himself in a car to die. However, Luke Fox was able to save them and Arthur was arrested and sent to Blackgate again.[1]
Personality
- "He thinks he's the most brilliant mind in Gotham."
- —Sophie Moore[src]
Arthur is vengeful and a psychopath. He doesn't mind killing someone; even if it's his own daughter, Stephanie Brown. He is also proud and self-centered; as he doesn't accept being compared to the Riddler, another criminal who uses similar ways to commit crimes; completely disregard the fact that his criminal methods are almost identical to the Riddler's.
Arthur is extremely arrogant and egotistical; to the point of being delusional; for example, he believes himself to be the most intelligent individual in all of Gotham City; but in truth, he is not, as other individuals are; proven to be far more intelligent than Arthur himself; such as the Riddler and Stephanie respectively.
Abilities
- Genius-level intellect: Arthur is a highly intelligent individual.
- Expert engineer: Arthur is capable of creating many of his death trap puzzles.
- Expert escape artist: Arthur is a capable escape artist, as he escaped from prison; by hiding and placing a decoy in his bed before killing the guard.
Equipment
- "Why are you in that creepy outfit?"
- —Stephanie Brown[src]
- Cluemaster suit: Arthur wears this suit; when operating in the field as Cluemaster. It has a yellow bandana to hide his face and protection from gases.
- Capsule smoke bombs: Arthur carrels serval breakable capsules that; acts as smoke bombs; with a knockout gas variety.
- Shiv: Arthur used a makeshifts knife to kill as guard; when escaping prison.
Appearances
Batwoman
Season 2
- "I'll Give You a Clue"
- "Power" (mentioned)
Behind the scenes
- In the DC comics, Arthur Brown, known as Cluemaster, is a failed gameshow host-turned-criminal who leaves clues in his crimes. He is a Batman villain and the father of Stephanie Brown/Spoiler. He debuted in Detective Comics #351 (May, 1966).