Gotham is home to some of the most noteworthy heroes of the DC universe, not that Mother Panic considers herself one. The fabled “White Witch of Gotham” dives headfirst into the deepest shadows of Gotham’s criminal underground on her own terms. Mother Panic debuted as part of the 2016 Young Animal imprint, curated by Umbrella Academy author, Gerard Way. Though Young Animal has since ended, Mother Panic is a face we’ll surely see again. Here are 10 must-know facts about Gotham’s most reluctant hero.
10 Who Created Her
Mother Panic was created by My Chemical Romance vocalist, Gerard Way. Way has previously penned award-winning comics like The Umbrella Academy. Mother Panic was Way's own brainchild. Reportedly, the character gave him a chance to explore the legendary city of Gotham and contribute to the larger Batman mythos. It quickly became a core title in Way's Young Animal imprint alongside Doom Patrol and Shade the Changing Girl.
9 Her Real Name
Mother Panic’s real name is Violet Paige, a Gotham City socialite with a reputation for bad behavior and hard-partying. Most of the public believes that Violet accidentally killed her father, Martin Paige, in a hunting accident. In reality, Martin’s death may have been more intentional that authorities believed, and very much justified on Violet’s end.
8 Her Mother
Violet’s mother, Rebecca Paige, is believed to have early-onset Alzheimer’s disease. To help her mother feel comfortable, Violet has constructed a private “Wonderland” style suite for her mother to live in. Rebecca is later noted to have supernatural abilities. She gives accurate prophecies but often delivers them in rhymes and songs. These jumbled prophecies are initially written off as a symptom of Alzheimer’s. Mysteriously, Rebecca knows that Bruce Wayne is Batman, although her connection to the Wayne family is unclear.
7 Her Relationship With Her Brother
Violet has an older brother named Victor and they do not get along. After their father’s death, Victor sent Violet off to a boarding school called Gather House. Gather House was not what it seemed. The “school” was little more than a human experimentation facility that targetted children. The tension between Violet and Victor lasts long into adulthood. Even so, it is painfully obvious that Victor hates Violet more than she dislikes him.
6 Her Powers
Due in part to Gather House’s testing, Violet has super strength and stamina. As Mother Panic, her mission is not to protect all citizens of Gotham. Instead, her goal is to hunt and punish all those responsible for Gather House. Despite her powers and costume, Violet makes a point of insisting that she is not a superhero. The Mother Panic suit was designed with the help of Violet's personal physician, Dr. Suditi Varma. The suit helps Violet to focus her powers and access a wealth of technological abilities.
5 Her Greatest Enemy
Mother Panic’s main antagonist is Gala, an artist who favors using human suffering as the raw material for her “masterpieces”. Violet has a personal vendetta against Gala because she is not above using children in her "art." Violet has a particular dislike of criminals who hurt children because of the horrors she witnessed while attending Gather House. Gala is in the same criminal circle as many of Gather House's benefactors, which is partly how she ends up on Mother Panic's radar.
4 No Romance?
Violet is not a fan of romance. Throughout the series, we see little of her romantic past. Even so, her partying and dating habits are crucial for distracting the public. Violet, similar to Bruce Wayne, uses her public image to draw attention where she needs it. There are hints that she once had a close bond with a fellow student from Gather House, but the relationship ended darkly. Part of Violet's biggest challenge is opening up to other people, especially in a romantic setting. There are heavy indications that Violet may have feelings for Dr. Varma but is unwilling to pursue real relationships until her mission as Mother Panic is complete.
3 Father Bruce
In the Milk Wars crossover event, Mother Panic faces a priest Batman and his cult of misfit kids/ Robins. Perhaps one of the strangest depictions of Batman, Father Bruce is brainwashed into collecting children against their will. Among these Robins is a little girl named Rosie. Rosie is determined to be Mother Panic’s sidekick but Violet rejects the idea on multiple occasions. Even so, Rosie sports her own vigilante disguise and tags along on many of Mother Panic’s missions. Violet has reason to be concerned about the little girl. Possibly as a result of the trauma stemming from her Father Bruce encounter, Rosie has a fascination with violence. Luckily, she still wants to be a hero.
2 A Different Timeline
After Milk Wars, Violet and Rosie end up in a completely different universe and timeline. Violet’s main concern is getting back to her mother in her own timeline. This event launches the Gotham A.D. title for Mother Panic. During this storyline, Violet meets an alternate version of the Joker. He is among the characters to refer to Mother Panic as “The White Witch.”Additionally, Violet works with alternate versions of Harley Quinn, Catwoman, and Poison Ivy to take down Gotham's criminal underground.
1 Her Home Base
Violet’s base of operations is the old Pike Hotel in Gotham. She turned the gutted building into a laboratory and living space for herself, her mother, and several other “strays”. Ratcatcher is one of Violet's most loyal roommates. She allowed him to live in the basement of her home with his army of rats. In return for shelter, he and his rats help Violet gather intel and protect Rebecca when Violet is away. This arrangement came in handy on many occasions, including in Violet's new Gotham A.D. timeline.