- "Why do you work alone, Batman? I believe it's because you enjoy the loneliness."
- —Calendar Man[src]
Fixated on the calendar, Julian Gregory Day became Calendar Man, a villain who timed and tied his murders thematically to certain holidays throughout the year, and often left clues by which he could be caught.
Gotham City's hopes for a day off were often clouded by the knowledge that any holiday of note was likely to be shadowed by Calendar Man's presence.
Incident Reports
Arkham Origins Incident
Batman in Calendar Man's Cell at Blackgate Prison in Arkham Origins
Calendar Man was a criminal that Batman had successfully investigated, arrested, and labeled Case 153 C-M. Calendar Man was then sentenced to death for his crimes and was sent to Blackgate Prison for his last days. The Extortion Files revealed that Day was originally declared insane by Harleen Quinzel, but Warden Joseph convinced her to change her diagnosis so he could be sentenced to death by Judge Harkness.
On Christmas Eve, Calendar Man was scheduled to be executed and was on-route to the prison gas chamber when the Joker, who was impersonating Black Mask, and his gang began an invasion of the facility.
"Black Mask" then freed Calendar Man from the chamber and put Commissioner Loeb in there to be executed instead. Day assassinated Gotham's "hanging judge" (Judge Harkness) later that same night by hanging him from the roof of his mansion with a string of Christmas Lights.
Between Arkham Origins and Arkham Asylum Incident
After Calendar Man was recaptured, his death sentence was commuted when he was deemed insane by the state and was not fit to stand trial for his crimes. That came about after the murder of Judge Harkness.
Calendar Man was then committed for life at Arkham Asylum, where he was a patient of Dr. Penelope Young.
Arkham Asylum Incident
Batman in Calendar Man's Cell at the Penitentiary in Arkham Asylum.
Up until Joker's return to the island, Day remained under treatment by Dr. Young at the asylum. However, once Joker took over Arkham, Calendar Man was one of many inmates that escaped the island in the confusion.
Between Arkham Asylum and Arkham City Incident
Calendar Man presumably resumed his crimes after the events on Arkham Island, but was ultimately recaptured and brought to justice yet again by Batman. He was later transferred to the new mega-prison in North Gotham, that was called Arkham City. After being transferred, Calendar Man took sanctuary in the Solomon Wayne Courthouse. When any unfortunate individual dared to enter his new home, Calendar Man overpowered and held them prisoner. During each new holiday, Calendar Man celebrated by killing his captive.
Months later, when Two-Face sought to establish himself in Arkham City, he and his men stormed the courthouse, overwhelmed Calendar Man, and locked him the holding cells within the courthouse basement. Afterwards, Calendar Man spent his time sitting, and calmly recited, "Thirty Days Hath September". Calendar Man was briefly released to replace Bane as a juror when Two-Face put Joker on trial for indirectly creating Arkham City. Despite saving Two-Face from an explosion during the fight that broke out after the trial, Calendar Man was placed back into his cell.
Arkham City Incident
Calendar Man in his cell in the Solomon Wayne Courthouse in Arkham City
Calendar Man was one of the few violent prisoners inside Arkham City who was not a direct threat to Batman, who simply welcomed him as an old friend, and, on certain holidays, reminisced the previous crimes that he had committed.
After having shared every holiday with Batman, Calendar Man escaped his cell for good, and left a member of Two-Face's gang in his place. If you looked closely with Detective Mode, the thug's neck appeared to be broken.
After Arkham City Incident
It was presumed that Calendar Man had escaped from Arkham City. Calendar Man was later apprehended when the GCPD stormed the mega-prison, due to his shape and condition.
Before Arkham Knight Incident
On Labor Day, Calendar Man murdered several people inside the Campbell Calendar Company. It was all just a plan to draw out Batman, however. The Arkham Knight had given him the Electrocutioner's gauntlets to disable Batman's communications. To Batman's great surprise, Calendar Man had gathered seven clones of Solomon Grundy, named after each day of the week, whom he claimed to have created. Over the week it took Batman to defeat all of the creatures, Calendar Man had kidnapped a newborn baby. Calendar Man gave the exhausted Batman a list of names and told him that those people had been poisoned and had 24 hours to live. Calendar Man instructed Batman to save them all and then return to him. If Batman failed to save all of the people on the list or brought any of his allies with him when he returned, Calendar Man would execute the baby.
The listed citizens were saved, but before Batman returned as ordered, Scarecrow visited Calendar Man to dissuade him of his attempt to kill Batman. Grudgingly, Calendar Man relented and gave up the baby without a fight.
Arkham Knight Incident
Calender man had a hideout at drescher near the militia HQ where he kept his diary.
According to Calendar Man's Diary, he was ready to put into action another plan to kill Batman on Halloween, but Scarecrow's intervention foiled his plans.
Instead, Calendar Man appeared at the very end of the game as a bystander outside of Wayne Manor after Batman was unmasked, and he witnessed the "death of the Batman", which fulfilled his promise of being there at the vigilante's end.
Psychological Appearance
Arkham Origins
Arkham City
Arkham Knight
Psychological Profile
Calendar Man
Real Name: Julian Day
GCPD Profile
Julian Day
Dr. Penelope Young
CHECK PERMANENT CALENDAR BEFORE EACH VISIT...
Psychological Profile: Day suffers from schizotypal personality disorder, with ideas of reference focusing around the calendar. He believes the major dates of Gregorian calendar mark times when he is personally and uniquely freed from societal norms. On these dates, he exhibits mildly sociopathic, frequently criminal behavior. He is in general one of the easier to treat here at Arkham, except on major holidays, when he becomes impossible to handle, displaying borderline behavior and refusing to socialize throughout the day.
Additional Notes
I have been unable to source his ideas of reference; I suspect incidents of childhood trauma related to a number of major holidays.
Due to my tendency to work through the holidays during which most of other staff take leave, I've been able to study the majority of Day's schizotypal breaks.
Dr. Hugo Strange
Julian Day A.K.A. Calendar Man
He is one of the more circumspect and introverted prisoners. He whittles away his days obsessing over anniversary schedules, privately reliving every gruesome detail of his monstrous crimes. There is no hope for rehabilitating him; if he ever escapes Arkham City, his criminal plans extend endlessly into the future.
Attributes
- Obsessed with quirks of the calendar
- Carefully plans and themes crimes around holidays
- Obsessive Compulsive psychotic
- Successful inventor
Quotes
Arkham City
New Year's Day
"New Years Day. Should old acquaintance be forgot and all that. I made sure she wouldn't forget me that day, didn't I, Batman? It was the first New Year's party I'd had been invited to in a long time. Ah, but then I wasn't really invited, was I? The restraining order saw to that. Still, she and I had been close, or so I believed, and a New Year means a new start. I admit, stepping into a crowded ballroom with a flamethrower was a bit dramatic, but what better way to melt the ice at a party. Perhaps she should have taken that "cup of kindness" from me when I first offered."
Valentine's Day
"Valentine's Day. Hearts and flowers. The perfect occasion to smother my new love with tokens of affection. I chose a dozen red roses, an assortment of truffles and a darling little lacy thing...Oh, excuse me. I didn't mean to be so intimate. A-hem...You might say I'd overdone it, and in truth, at that point, my love and I had not actually met. Ever the romantic, I followed her to her apartment. Loudly proclaiming my love, I drowned out her screams of protest. Sadly, it was not to be. So instead of smothering her with gifts, I simply smothered her."
St. Patrick's Day
"March 17th, the day set aside for St. Patrick, the holy man who drove the snakes from Ireland. Interesting thing about snake venom, Batman: Some are green, just like the dye used to make green beer. That made it all the easier when I hosted that St. Paddy's Day party for my old gang. As you remember, one of my henchmen tried to tip you off. I wasn't sure which one had done it, so I decided to punish them all. One dose of green mamba venom into the beer keg and they were soon rotting under the shamrocks. So I guess that makes you responsible for their deaths too. I'll drink to that."
April Fools Day
"Well, well, well, Batman, you listened well. You appear to understand the importance of dates, don't you? Let me tell you about this day, this day of fools. I remember clearly that I watched her for days, waiting for the perfect moment. It was cold that March; it felt like spring would never come. They drank coffee and she confessed her life lacked surprises. For six more days, I watched. April 1st, 5:22 A.M. I finished cutting through the brake lines of her car. From the camera I placed on her dash, I saw her panic. My only regret, she couldn't hear me yell, "Surprise!"
Mother's Day
"M" was for the murderous look she gave me. "O" meant only that she was weak and old. "T" is for her terror as she fought me. "H" is for her heart that I now hold. "E" is for her eyes swiftly dimming. "R" means rot, and soon rotting she will be. Put them all together, they spell "MOTHER", a word that means a corpse to me. Happy Mother's Day, Mommy."
Father's Day
"I wasn't real close to my dad, and after my first internment at Arkham we never spoke at all. Seems he wrote me off as a wacko, a loser. So after I was released, I wanted to clear the air between us. The next Father's Day I dropped by his place and suggested we go fishing. You ever go fishing with your pop? Well, it's some fun, let me tell you. The two of us, out on the water, pulling in one whopper after another. Of course, I was doing the actual pulling. Dad was baiting the hooks. You know, with a finger, a foot, an eye...whatever I had left of him. Even today, whenever I eat a nice piece of fish, I feel closer to my dear old dad."
Independence Day
"Explosives planted at every exit and beneath this cell itself. What better way to celebrate Independence Day? My independence, of course, from Arkham. Unfortunately I decided to be clever about it and had a calendar sent to police headquarters with the month of July ripped out. You figured it out right away and arrived just as the fireworks were starting. You stopped me from escaping. But not before the fire swept through the intensive care ward. But then, what's the Fourth of July without a barbacue?"
Feast Day of St. Roch
"Do you remember that wonderfully hellish August, Batman? Packs of mad dogs swarming the furnace-hot streets, savaging everyone in their path? One bite and humans were reduced to crazed animals themselves. Mmm. Good times. Though Crane provided me with the hydrophobia formula, I had the presence of mind to release the hounds on August 16th, the feast day of St. Roch, patron saint of dogs. An obscure date I know, but I couldn't imagine a better way to celebrate "the dog days of summer."
Labor Day
"Ah, early September. Kids headed back to school, leaves starting to turn, and, best of all, Labor Day. Like the year I posed as a construction laborer and drove a bulldozer through the Gold Exchange. Or the year I referenced the Labors of Hercules and released lions, bulls and wild boars upon Gotham. (laughs) Better than a circus. Even you have to admit last Labor Day was my most inspired. Laying siege to that hospital maternity ward. You labored mightily yourself that day. Saved every one of them. Well, there's always next year."
Halloween
"Boo! Funny thing Halloween in Arkham. It seems redundant here. Within these walls the monsters are on display year 'round. Of course, there was that one year Joker lead a breakout on All Hallows' Eve. What a wonderful night. Costumed revelers innocently partying alongside killers and fiends. Of course, the real screams came when it was time to unmask. Trick or treat."
Thanksgiving
"You know, I always feel a little lonesome in November. I think that's because even the worst of us enjoy a good old-fashioned family Thanksgiving. I know I did a few years back when I dropped in unannounced on Turkey Day. All those surprised faces around the table. Mom and dad could hardly believe it. Mind you, I don't know whose mom and dad they were. I was on the run and needed a place to lay low. That family, whoever they were, could certainly cook. Stuffing and gravy and pumpkin pie to die for. Unfortunately, they did. Like I said, always feel lonesome in November."
Christmas Day
"Ebenezer Scrooge was a saint compared to old Judge Harkness. Remember him, Batman? Gotham's hanging judge, they called him. Even though the state had ruled me insane, Harkness swore he'd send me to the gallows. So you see, it was all a simple act of self-preservation. I could hardly be held responsible for strangling that street corner Santa Claus for his suit. I needed the disguise to sneak into the judge's Christmas Eve party. Harkness thought it was all in fun until "St. Nick" caught him around the neck with a string of Christmas lights. The cops found him later, hanging from the elaborate light display of his own roof. Judgie almost looked like a cartoon himself alongside the comical reindeer, elves, and snowmen. I called that murder my "Christmas special."
December 13, 2004
“Well, well, well. And on today of all days.”
“Do you remember my early work? Flawed but it showed promise. Just like you. As your skills improved, I perfected mine.”
“Starting with seasons, and moving through the weeks, I became stronger. My work more elaborate. Days were the secret, Batman. And the end of days is coming.”
“I was there at your beginning, and I will be there at your end.”
Trivia
- Even though Calendar Man looks significantly overweight, his physical strength isn't to be underestimated, as he was strong enough to snap the neck of someone who looked to be stronger than him.
- In Batman: Arkham Asylum, in the Main Cell Block of the Penitentiary, Calendar Man's cell could be glimpsed. The cell was covered with torn calendar pages, and when scanned, the bio of Calendar Man is unlocked.
- He appeared to have worked with Scarecrow before. Scarecrow was the one to deliver the formula (the one for the substance that turned the dogs Day unleashed on the people of Gotham in August into foul beasts) to him.
- In Batman: Arkham City, after the player had visited him on 12 holidays, (there will be a calendar on a wall next to his cell) if they returned, Calendar Man would be gone, and a dead Two-Face goon would be in his cell in his place.
- In the comics, Calendar Man's crimes usually were pranks and rarely resulted in murder. However, in Arkham City, all he seemed to talk about was murder. The fact that he was locked up inside Arkham City where most criminals were allowed to run free, was an indication of how dangerous he was in the Arkhamverse.
- By collecting all of the Riddler's Trophies in the Courthouse, you unlocked Calendar Man's Character Trophy, Character Bio, and Concept Art.
- Scan Calendar Man or his cell in Arkham City to solve the Riddle: "Who's crazy enough to date this guy?"
- The appearance of Calendar Man in Arkham City looked to be inspired in the Batman: The Long Halloween and Batman: Dark Victory.
- It was never specified whether Calendar Man really got out of Arkham City. He survived Protocol 10, but it's never been confirmed if he escaped the mega-prison (which is unlikely, given his physical ailments).
- Although he shouldn't be underestimated, as said before, as he is shown to be capable of more than his appearance makes us believe.
- Despite being released at the very start of Arkham Origins, Calendar Man did not appear again at all in the game. He committed his murder of Judge Harkness, which was established in Arkham City, during the game's events.
- In Batman: Arkham Origins, Calendar Man had a to-do list written on his cell wall. It read:
- 1. Judge Harkness
- 2. Celebrate
- 3. New Year Party
- 4. (Star) Day with her
- 5. Go fishing
- 6. Turkey Day with Family
- 7. New calendars
- There were also some calendars that had December 2 circled for unspecified reasons. Also, on the wall, there was a note that read "Happy Holidays, Julian! -HQ" The note was most likely written by Harleen Quinzel.
- According to Calendar Man, he killed his victims on St. Patrick's Day by spiking their beer with snake venom. In reality, drinking venom would be harmless, as venom only affected the bloodstream. It does not affect the digestive system.
- If you turned the date back to December 13, 2004, and visited Calendar Man in Arkham City, he would give you a new dialogue as this date was when Rocksteady was created. His dialogue during this meeting foreshadowed the ending of Batman: Arkham Knight.
Gallery
External Links
Calendar Man on the DC Comics Wiki
