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Changes: Steven Sharpe III (New Earth)

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{{Character Stub}}
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{{DC Database:Character Template
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| Image = Gambler 001.jpg
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| RealName = Steven Sharpe III
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| MainAlias = [[Gambler|The Gambler]]
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| Aliases =
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| Identity = Secret
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| Alignment = Bad
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| Affiliation = [[Injustice Society]]
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| Relatives = Steven Sharpe (grandfather, deceased); Steven Sharpe, Jr. (father, deceased); Steven Sharpe IV (son);[[Rebecca Sharpe (New Earth)|Rebecca Sharpe]] (Hazard, granddaughter); [[Steven Sharpe V (New Earth)|Steven Sharpe V]] (Gambler, grandson)
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| Universe = Earth-Two; New Earth
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| BaseOfOperations =
   
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| Gender = Male
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==Related Articles==
  
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| Height = 5'7"
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*[[Gambler (Steven Sharpe)/Appearances]]
  
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| Weight = 151 lbs
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| Eyes = Blue
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| Hair = White
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| UnusualFeatures =
   
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| Citizenship = American
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[[Category:Characters]]
  
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| MaritalStatus = Married
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[[Category:Bad Characters]]
  
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| Occupation =
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[[Category:Deceased Characters]]
  
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| Education =
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[[Category:Justice Society villains]]
  
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| Creators = Henry Kuttner; Martin Nodell
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| First = Green Lantern Vol 1 12
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| Death = Infinity Inc. Vol 1 35
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| Overview = '''Steven Sharpe III''' was the '''Gambler''', a man turned to villainy by the cost of his gambling addiction.
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| HistoryText = The day after his high school graduation, young Steven Sharpe III asked his girlfriend, Helen, to marry him, but she refused until he could prove he was not a habitual gambler like his father and grandfather before him. When Helen ran off with a local boy who had won a fortune gambling on the sweepstakes, Steven quit his job and decided to make a new life for himself. When an armored car crashed right in front of him as a result of a freak accident, Steven decided to help himself to the money that had spilled out of the back of the van, vowing that from then on he would take whatever he could get.
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Convinced that the only thing that mattered in his life was luck, and that the lucky people were those who took chances, Steven drank a toast to his grandfather's memory -- and to his own new life as the Gambler.
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Over the next several years, Steven spent time with a traveling carnival, learning the art of makeup and becoming an expert with throwing knives and pistols. Embarking at last upon his new career of crime, the Gambler quickly became one of the most wanted men in the country.
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Sharpe was immediately successful as a criminal. He started off robbing trains and small town banks. Growing bored, he moved East to the big cities. He was spotted in [[Gotham City]] by [[Alan Scott (New Earth)|Green Lantern]] while standing next to his own wanted poster. The Gambler eluded Green Lantern twice using his special Derringer, which could fire ammonia or blackout gas in addition to real bullets. Green Lantern was finally able to catch the Gambler at a horse race where Gambler had turned the horses towards the crowd to cover his escape. Gambler was imprisoned in the Gotham Penitentiary.<ref>{{c|Green Lantern #12}}</ref>
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Gambler was extremely adept at escaping from prison. Perhaps his boldest escape was in [[1946]] when he wrote a note to Green Lantern telling the hero that he would escape prison and then daring the hero to stop him. When the hero arrived to search the prison, he was surprised to see his friend [[Charles Dickles (New Earth)|Doiby Dickles]] in a cell. The Gambler had used his mastery of disguise to confuse Green Lantern. In the confusion, Gambler managed to escape, as well as to free all of the inmates of the prison. He used the real Dickles as a hostage to escape Green Lantern. In another escape, Gambler bribed the executioner at his own electrocution to rig the floor to be electrocuted instead of the chair. This incapacitated the crowd and allowed him to escape.
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Gambler clashed with Green Lantern many more times over the years. At one time, he won a gambling vessel and armed it to the teeth. Another time he helped an art collector commit insurance fraud, coming into conflict with [[Theodore Knight (New Earth)|Starman]] and [[Wesley Dodds (New Earth)|Sandman]].
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Gambler was one of the original members of the [[Injustice Society]], who planned to kill the [[Justice Society of America (New Earth)|Justice Society]] and control the [[United States of America]]. This group failed miserably and Gambler returned to prison. He escaped from prison again and came into conflict with the [[Jason Garrick (New Earth)|Flash]] and Green Lantern. He even teamed up with the [[Joar Mahkent (New Earth)|Icicle]] and the [[Isaac Bowin (New Earth)|Fiddler]] in an attempt to kill Starman.<ref>{{c|Starman Vol 2 46}}</ref>
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At one point, Gambler married and had a son. He had two grandchildren to whom he imparted much of his criminal knowledge. The last time that Sharpe was paroled, he traveled to [[Las Vegas]]. He fell in love with the gambling in the Taj Mahal Casino. What the Gambler did not know was that the games in this casino were rigged, and he soon lost every penny. This final defeat coupled with all of the defeats he had suffered at the hands of costumed heroes was too much for Sharpe. Using his famous Derringer pistol, he shot himself in the head. His suicide was later avenged by his granddaughter, Rebecca, who became the villain known as [[Rebecca Sharpe (New Earth)|Hazard]]. His grandson, Steven V, also became a villain: the second [[Steven Sharpe V (New Earth)|Gambler]].
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| Powers =
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| Abilities =
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* {{Gambling}}
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* {{Firearms}}
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* {{Throwing}} (knives)
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* {{Gadgetry}}: Sharpe modified a Derringer. Once he held Green Lantern on a giant pinball machine, which seems to be his own invention.
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* {{Disguise}}: A master of disguises.
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| Weaknesses =
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| Equipment =
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| Transportation =
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| Weapons =
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* A modified {{WP|Derringer}} (handgun) which could fire ammonia or blackout gas in addition to real bullets.
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* Knives
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| Notes = {{Multicont Earth-Two}}
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| Trivia =
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| Wikipedia =
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| Recommended =
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| Links =
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}}
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{{Green Lantern Villain}}
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{{Justice Society Villain}}
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[[Category:Injustice Society members]]
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[[Category:Black Lantern Corps members]]

Latest revision as of 19:54, 16 June 2022

Steven Sharpe III was the Gambler, a man turned to villainy by the cost of his gambling addiction.

The day after his high school graduation, young Steven Sharpe III asked his girlfriend, Helen, to marry him, but she refused until he could prove he was not a habitual gambler like his father and grandfather before him. When Helen ran off with a local boy who had won a fortune gambling on the sweepstakes, Steven quit his job and decided to make a new life for himself. When an armored car crashed right in front of him as a result of a freak accident, Steven decided to help himself to the money that had spilled out of the back of the van, vowing that from then on he would take whatever he could get.

Convinced that the only thing that mattered in his life was luck, and that the lucky people were those who took chances, Steven drank a toast to his grandfather's memory -- and to his own new life as the Gambler.

Over the next several years, Steven spent time with a traveling carnival, learning the art of makeup and becoming an expert with throwing knives and pistols. Embarking at last upon his new career of crime, the Gambler quickly became one of the most wanted men in the country.

Sharpe was immediately successful as a criminal. He started off robbing trains and small town banks. Growing bored, he moved East to the big cities. He was spotted in Gotham City by Green Lantern while standing next to his own wanted poster. The Gambler eluded Green Lantern twice using his special Derringer, which could fire ammonia or blackout gas in addition to real bullets. Green Lantern was finally able to catch the Gambler at a horse race where Gambler had turned the horses towards the crowd to cover his escape. Gambler was imprisoned in the Gotham Penitentiary.[1]

Gambler was extremely adept at escaping from prison. Perhaps his boldest escape was in 1946 when he wrote a note to Green Lantern telling the hero that he would escape prison and then daring the hero to stop him. When the hero arrived to search the prison, he was surprised to see his friend Doiby Dickles in a cell. The Gambler had used his mastery of disguise to confuse Green Lantern. In the confusion, Gambler managed to escape, as well as to free all of the inmates of the prison. He used the real Dickles as a hostage to escape Green Lantern. In another escape, Gambler bribed the executioner at his own electrocution to rig the floor to be electrocuted instead of the chair. This incapacitated the crowd and allowed him to escape.

Gambler clashed with Green Lantern many more times over the years. At one time, he won a gambling vessel and armed it to the teeth. Another time he helped an art collector commit insurance fraud, coming into conflict with Starman and Sandman.

Gambler was one of the original members of the Injustice Society, who planned to kill the Justice Society and control the United States of America. This group failed miserably and Gambler returned to prison. He escaped from prison again and came into conflict with the Flash and Green Lantern. He even teamed up with the Icicle and the Fiddler in an attempt to kill Starman.[2]

At one point, Gambler married and had a son. He had two grandchildren to whom he imparted much of his criminal knowledge. The last time that Sharpe was paroled, he traveled to Las Vegas. He fell in love with the gambling in the Taj Mahal Casino. What the Gambler did not know was that the games in this casino were rigged, and he soon lost every penny. This final defeat coupled with all of the defeats he had suffered at the hands of costumed heroes was too much for Sharpe. Using his famous Derringer pistol, he shot himself in the head. His suicide was later avenged by his granddaughter, Rebecca, who became the villain known as Hazard. His grandson, Steven V, also became a villain: the second Gambler.


Abilities


Weapons

  • A modified Derringer (handgun) which could fire ammonia or blackout gas in addition to real bullets.
  • Knives


  • Although this character was originally introduced during DC's Earth-Two era of publication, their existence following the events of the 1985–86 limited series Crisis on Infinite Earths remains intact. However, some elements of the character's Pre-Crisis history may have been altered or removed for Post-Crisis New Earth continuity, and no longer apply.

Related

Footnotes

  1. ↑ Green Lantern #12
  2. ↑ Starman (Volume 2) #46


Green Lantern 80th Anniversary 100-Page Super Spectacular Vol 1 1 Textless 1960s Variant
Green Lantern Villain(s)
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This character is or was primarily an enemy of the Green Lantern of Earth, or the Green Lantern Corps as a whole. This template will categorize articles that include it into the category "Green Lantern Villains."

Injustice Society 0002
Justice Society Villain(s)
DC Rebirth Logo

This character, team or organization is or was primarily an enemy of the Justice Society, in any of its various incarnations. This template will categorize articles that include it into the "Justice Society Villains" category.

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