Charles Dutton | |
Biographical Information | |
Real Name | Charles Dutton |
Gender | Male |
Class | Joker |
Wild Card Traits | Disfigured face |
Social Information | |
Place of Birth | New York, USA |
Citizenship | Citizen of the United States |
Occupation | Entrepreneur |
Base of Operations | Jokertown |
Affiliations | Bowery Wild Card Dime Museum, Crystal Palace, Holbrook's |
Allies | Chrysalis, the Oddity |
Origin | |
First Appearance | Aces High |
Creator | Walton Simons |
Charles Dutton is a fictional character from the Wild Cards series of books. He is a reclusive joker businessman with a face like a living skull. He owns and lives above Holbrook's, the most exclusive mask shop in Jokertown.
History[]
Dutton grew up on Rhode Island during the Depression, part of an upper middle class family. He was educated at Princeton and became a successful stockbroker. He contracted the wild card virus in the late 1950s. The virus affected only his face, giving it the appearance of a hideous living skull.
Dutton dropped, or was pushed out of New York’s business world and moved to Jokertown. He began to invest, commercially developing the area with services and establishments tailored to joker needs. He started with a coffeehouse and barber shop, but quickly acquired or became a silent partner in other establishments, including the Bowery Wild Card Dime Museum. One such partnership was with Chrysalis whom he met shortly after she arrived in the city. He had a one-third interest in the Crystal Palace until Chrysalis’ murder, when he inherited full ownership.
Wild Card Traits[]
The wild card disfigured Charles, pulling his skin taught over the skull and turning it a pale shade of yellow.
Appearance[]
Charles Dutton is tall and lean, with a yellowish face that resembles a living skull. He dresses well, in quality garments that harken back to the Victorian age. Although he has occasionally worn masks, he usually wears a cloak with a cowl that he can pull on when he wants to conceal his feature in shadow.
Personality[]
Dutton maintains a low profile, but is known by many in the joker community. He used to give to every joker charity, but has been cheated a few times and is now more wary. Dutton is reclusive by nature, although he does appear in public occasionally. He is an incurable gossip and constantly tries to pry information from people. One could say that Charles inherited Chrysalis’ mantel as keeper of the secrets of Jokertown when he gained control of the Crystal Palace. Dutton’s sources may be different, but the quality and depth of his knowledge of Jokertown’s underside is no less formidable than Chrysalis’ was.
Like Xavier Desmond, he does not use a joker name. He is powerful and well-known enough that no one has tried to label him with one. Dutton has formed close relations with other jokers he feels have been particularly damaged by the wild card, like the Oddity and Chrysalis. Although Dutton harbors a dislike for aces and nats, he has still became friendly toward Thomas Tudbury and Zoe Harris.
Selected Reading[]
- Wild Cards Volume V: Down and Dirty