History Main / TheGimmick

Most common in ComicBooks and ProfessionalWrestling, gimmicks are so important to the latter that professional wrestling was the first category to get its own sub page, but gimmicks can show up elsewhere. See also {{Idiosyncrazy}}, for when a character's gimmick is driven by his insanity, rather than out of universe considerations. Compare the DancingBear. A whole ''team'' of people with a shared gimmick tends to result in a GangOfHats.

!! Categories with their own pages

!! Examples:

[[folder: Comic Books ]]
* Franchise/{{Batman}}'s gimmick in the [[ComicBook/JusticeLeagueOfAmerica Justice League]] is either his detective skills, or his sheer intellect.
** He's also TheCowl in a team of [[TheCape Capes]].
* Batman's RoguesGallery is filled to the brim with these. To name some particularly famous cases:
** ComicBook/TheJoker provides an example of how far you can go without going outside your Gimmick: outside of UsefulNotes/{{the Silver Age|of Comic Books}}, he defines the human version of the MonsterClown. Within the Silver Age and Silver Age-styled settings, he's merely a prankster VillainousHarlequin. He and his minions generally just focus on the abstract theme of humor or play up the clown shtick for all it's worth: depending on the medium, they will style themselves as standard [[NonIronicClown circus-style clowns]], jesters, mimes, classic comedians of vaudeville and Hollywood, or on at least two occasions the Pierrot-type whiteface clown from Leoncavallo's ''I Pagliacci''. And this doesn't even include those non-Joker villains who occasionally disguise themselves or their henchmen as clowns for some reason, probably much to the Joker's annoyance. [[FridgeLogic You have to wonder]] why Gothamites [[GenreBlind haven't learned to react with screaming paranoia whenever a buffoonish character appears on the scene]].
** ComicBook/TheRiddler, in some versions, is actually an interesting case, in that his gimmick is also explicitly his motivation and downfall: His superiority and inferiority complexes are such that he has to leave clues, to prove that he's smarter then everybody else.
** The Penguin has flip-flopped over the years from snobbish social climber to cold-blooded gangster to mutant bird-man, often depending on the medium. His umbrella and beak-like nose seem to be the only constants.
** Similarly, the Mad Hatter's gimmick has vacillated between hats and ''Literature/AliceInWonderland''. Or sometimes [[TakeAThirdOption both at once]].
** Most Batman villains are like this to either a small extent (ComicBook/{{Catwoman}} is fond of going after Cat related valuables) or a huge extent (the Riddler as previously mentioned). Appropriately, ComicBook/TwoFace can't seem to decide whether his theme is opposites or the number two. Maybe he should just flip for it.
** Gimmicky villains are so common in DC that some even wind up sharing gimmicks. Riddler's niche is crowded by Baffler, Puzzler, and Cluemaster, while Joker has to compete with Punch and Jewelee, Trickster, Prankster, and maybe Toyman to a degree.
* Toyman is an excellent example of a character whose only real continuity between versions is his Gimmick, ranging from a [[HarmlessVillain harmless nuisance]], to a [[WouldHurtAChild psychotic child murderer]], to child-loving toymaker seeking revenge for his destroyed [[{{Robosexual}} robo-wife]], to a heroic Japanese teenage GadgeteerGenius.
* An example of a poorly implemented gimmick: Paste Pot Pete. (Pete later changed his name, because it was too silly, even for UsefulNotes/{{the Silver Age|of Comic Books}}.)
* Franchise/SpiderMan's gimmick, in universe, is his spider theme (less important) and sharp wit (more important); but out of series, his gimmick is that he's one of us: he's an average person who got hit with the superpower stick, and now has an extra set of responsibilities.
* ComicBook/CaptainAmerica's gimmick is Patriotism and embodying the American Fighting Spirit.
* ComicBook/GreenArrow has a whole Myth/RobinHood and Bow And Arrow gimmick going.
** As well as his very outspoken left-wing political views, which, since the '70s, have been a defining character trait of his.
* Franchise/TheFlash's RoguesGallery was full of gimmick themes with obvious names: Captain Cold, Heat Wave, Captain Boomerang, Mirror Master, Rainbow Raider, The Top (in that he spun like one).
* ComicBook/ThePunisher's willingness to [[PayEvilUntoEvil kill and torture bad guys]]. [[ArsonMurderAndJaywalking And having a skull on his tunic]].
* When they started out, the ''ComicBook/DoomPatrol'''s gimmick was being former [[TheBeautifulElite beautiful elites]] who became outcasts and freaks through cruel twists of fate. However, the outcast hero niche got more and more crowded throughout the 60s, and today their gimmick is more like "really damn bizarre".

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