10 Comic Book Supervillains Improved Through Retcon
1. Calculator - Noah Kuttler
The character of the Calculator was based on the then brand new pocket calculator complete with buttons on his chest and an LCD display in his helmet that created images a la a Green Lantern ring. The claim was that the buttons on his costume analyzed the hero’s weakness and “turn defeat into victory”. At least that was the theory. He often got clobbered by Batman and Robin.
He was eventually retconned to be a villain version of Barbara Gordon’s Oracle. Calculator would use his genius intellect and gift for strategy to give villains suggestions, tactics, and escape scenarios for $1,000 a question. He also became obsessed with learning the identity of Oracle and was a key member of Lex Luthor’s Secret Society. He usually worked behind the scenes and rarely engaged in any of the dangerous field operations.
Kuttler was also revealed to be the father of original Super Friends characters Wendy and Marvin. He became violent towards the Birds of Prey when Marvin was killed and Wendy was injured. He also had OCD and a mental breakdown but still did pretty well for a guy who took his inspiration from a pocket calculator. Texas Instruments might have been proud, if he wasn’t a bad guy.