Batman’s deadliest enemy isn’t the Joker, but the Black Mask, thanks to his terrifying backstory. Bruce Wayne has made a lot of enemies, some of which are due to his choices as Batman. However, Roman Sionis should become Batman’s greatest enemy, as his past is a dark mirror image of Bruce Wayne.
Roman Sionis debuted in 1985 batman #386 Doug Moench and Tom Mandrake. His origin story can serve as a guide on how to create a super criminal. When he was born, Sionis was dropped on the head by a doctor, causing many psychological problems to follow him for many years. Roman is the heir to a wealthy cosmetics company called Janus Cosmetics run by celebrity parents. They were the source of all of Roman’s trauma and pain as he became the Black Mask. Roman’s parents only care about their looks and the “social mask” they wear to please people like the Wayne family.
Black Mask and Batman Origins are similar in the darkest ways
Growing up, Sionis gradually transformed into a darker version of Bruce Wayne. While the young Bruce was loved by his parents, Sionis grew increasingly resentful of his parents for forcing him to make a puppet to fulfill their demands. Even after the murders of Thomas and Martha Waynes, Sionis developed jealousy and hatred towards the Wayans and their son. Bruce gradually becomes the Dark Knight due to his fear of bats and tragedy, while Roman uses his childhood trauma to become more fearsome. Instead of encountering a bat, Roman encounters a rabid raccoon, which he believes is the one who is forced to wear a mask like himself.
Roman wears a mask, but does not carry out a mission of justice like Batman. As an employee of Janus Cosmetics, Roman fell in love with Circe, Janus’ cover girl from an early age, but his parents forced him to break up with her because of her low social status. Roman did as his parents wanted, and a few months later he set fire to their mansion, killing them both. Roman took control of Janus only to keep it running underground, leading to Wayne Enterprises taking over the company from Sionis. With nothing left, Roman uses his father’s grave to create a mask as a way to avenge Bruce Wayne and his gang. With a mission to destroy Wayne Enterprises, Black Mask is introduced as a gangster/cult leader along with his own group, the Fake Face Society.
The black mask turns his trauma into the devil
Black Mask and Batman excel, turning their childhood traumas into personified vengeance. Despite the deaths of his parents, Bruce still received unconditional love and important lessons in how to protect others, which led to him becoming Batman. However, when parents ignored their son’s real mental health problems, Roman Sionis became a sadistic criminal. Black Mask is the product of a sad upbringing, but instead of working towards justice like Bruce did, Sionis embraces pain and suffering. Batman learns to manage his trauma and turn it into something positive, while Black Mask learns to hide his pain from his helpless parents through a mask.