Professor Pyg facts for kids

Professor Pyg is a supervillain who appears in comic books published by DC Comics. Pyg was created by Grant Morrison and Andy Kubert. Professor Pyg was re-introduced following DC's The New 52 comics relaunch in 2011.

The character's in-world real name is Lazlo Valentin, a scientist who suffered a schizophrenic breakdown that led him to become a supervillain who wears a pig mask. Cocreator Grant Morrison envisioned him as "one of the weirdest, most insane characters that's ever been in Batman [comics]."

Pyg is an obsessive perfectionist who sees human beings as broken individuals; he commonly kidnaps people and uses surgery and chemicals to permanently change them into mind-controlled automatons known as Dollotrons, and sometimes into human–animal hybrids.

Morrison took the name "Professor Pyg" from the song "Pygmalism" by Momus and Kahimi Karie; the name "Pyg" is also shorthand for "Pygmalion", referring to both the mythical sculptor who fell in love with his own creation and the 1913 stage play, both of which serve as parallels for Lazlo Valentin and his love for his Dollotron creations.

Professor Pyg most commonly wears a pig mask, a makeshift surgical outfit, and a butcher's apron. Much of his original wardrobe in the comic books was designed by Frank Quitely and is a homage to the Edwardian suits worn by Rex Harrison in My Fair Lady.

Pyg began making substantial appearances in other media in 2013 with the animated series Beware the Batman and has since appeared in video games, television, and film. The character has been positively received by entertainment journalists as a strange and disturbing addition to Batman's rogues gallery.

Images for kids

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  Professor Pyg's traditional pig mask was adapted into one more resembling the flesh of a pig that, according to Michael Cerveris, gave it a more disturbing and comedic quality.

See also

In Spanish: Profesor Pyg para niños