One forgotten supervillain has the potential for a career resurgence on par with Harley Quinn: Peyton Riley, DC’s second ventriloquist. At her inception, Harley was an evil sidekick who wasn’t even supposed to be in official DC Comics canon. However, her popularity grew enough to justify her going solo and a “rebranding” of the brand. Harley is now one of the leading figureheads of the DC brand.
The Harley Quinn method of re-building a character can do wonders for someone like Peyton Riley, DC’s forgotten ventriloquist. Riley actually has a history with Harley Quinn, and has made frequent appearances alongside Quinn, including in Detective Comics #831 by Paul Dini, Don Kramer, Wayne Faucher, John Kalisz and Jared K. Fletcher.
DC never seems consistent about whether the original ventriloquist, Arnold Wesker, should stay dead. As a result, Peyton Riley does not make as many appearances in the latter continuity, as Waker tends to take priority. however, Riley’s potential signals that she can be so much more.
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Meet Peyton Riley, DC’s Forgotten Ventriloquist
First appearance: Detective Comics #827 by Paul Dini, Don Kramer, Wayne Faucher, John Kalisz and Jared K. Fletcher
2007s Detective Comics #827 — Written, in fact, by Harley Quinn’s co-creator, Dini – Marked Peyton Riley’s first appearance. The story takes place one year after the murder of Arnold Wecker. Despite his death, Scarface mysteriously resurfaces, which, as someone who believed Sharpe to be a physical manifestation of Waker’s split personalityBatman stomps. Bruce Wayne opts to go undercover as a dirty hood named Lefty Knox at the Penguin’s Iceberg Lounge, where he promotes the comeback of Scarface.
The grand entrance establishes Peyton Riley as Scarface’s new, second ventriloquist.
Wesker appears on stage, but he is really dead – to everyone’s confusion. Then an uncontrollable blonde woman in a red dress makes her way to the stage, pushes Wesker Leib into the crowd, and takes his place. The grand entrance establishes Peyton Riley as Scarface’s new, second ventriloquist. Batman immediately pegs her as “There never was a better ventriloquist than Wesker.” Whether Peyton is somehow controlled by an omnipotent Scarface or she is disturbed and, like Waker, projecting a split persona, is left to interpretation.
Like Harley Quinn, Ventriloquist II needs to make a comeback
She has great potential
at the time, Peyton’s origins are expanded upon in future issues. She was born into the mafia lifestyle and even briefly dated Thomas Elliot, better known as Hush, but Thomas left her in favor of spending his late mother’s fortune around the world. This – and being trapped in an abusive marriage with Johnny Sabbitino – drove Peyton crazy. She only found solace in her husband’s boss, Scarface. Once Wesker died, Riley found an opening for herself to investigate crime in a new way for herself.
As expansive and intricate as her origin story is, Peyton has few appearances, but see how interesting she is as a minor character and sidekick now, The potential is there for a breakout that rivals Harley QuinnAnother former minor sidekick on a villainous path. Much like how Quinn proved to be a better villain than the Joker, Peyton immediately established himself as better than Wesker, at least in Batman’s eyes. She may not have hero potential like that Harley Quinn, But she has star potential (and star power greater than Wesser) that is wasted in current DC canon.
Detective Comics #827 is available now from DC Comics.