Savant (DC Comics)

Savant (Brian Durlin) is a fictional superhero appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics, depicted as a member of the Birds of Prey and the Suicide Squad.

Savant
Savant, art by Joe Bennett.
Publication information
Publisher	DC Comics
First appearance	Birds of Prey #56 (August 2003)
Created by	Gail Simone Ed Benes
In-story information
Alter ego	Brian Durlin
Team affiliations	Birds of Prey Suicide Squad
Partnerships	Creote
Abilities	Genius level intellect Master martial artist Computer operation Multilingualism

The character made his cinematic debut in the DC Extended Universe film The Suicide Squad, portrayed by Michael Rooker.

Fictional character biography

Brian Durlin is the spoiled heir to an enormous fortune who moves to Gotham City to become a vigilante. After Batman discourages him because of his lack of care to protect others, Durlin becomes a blackmailer known as Savant. He is assisted by ex-KGB agent Aleksandr Creote.

Throughout his appearances, Oracle attempts to rehabilitate Savant, but he eventually returns to villainy. Furthermore, he attempts to commit suicide, but Oracle and Creote rescue him, and Savant enters a relationship with the latter. The two then join the Birds of Prey as a technician and bodyguard respectively.^[1]

In The New 52 continuity reboot, Savant is a member of Amanda Waller's Suicide Squad.^[2]

Powers and abilities

Savant possesses genius-level intellect and is an expert at martial arts, computer operation, and multilingualism.^{[citation needed]} However, he also exhibits non-linear memory due to a neuro-chemical imbalance,^{[citation needed]} which causes his recollection of events to occur out of order and leaves him with a distorted sense of time. While this has allowed him to resist an interrogation attempt, making it appear to last hours instead of days for him, he was left believing it happened five minutes prior and was in constant agony for two years afterward.^{[citation needed]}

In other media

• Savant appears in The Suicide Squad, portrayed by Michael Rooker.^[3] This version is a war veteran who was convicted of blackmail. Amanda Waller recruits him into the eponymous team for a mission to Corto Maltese before killing him after he attempts to leave the group.
• Savant appears as a character summon in Scribblenauts Unmasked: A DC Comics Adventure.^[4]

References

1. • Birds of Prey #59 (November 2003). DC Comics.
   • Birds of Prey #88 (January 2006). DC Comics.
   • Birds of Prey #90 (March 2006). DC Comics.
   • Birds of Prey #108 (September 2007). DC Comics.
   • Birds of Prey (vol. 2) #2 - #4 (August - October 2010). DC Comics.
2. Suicide Squad Vol.4 #1 (November 2011). DC Comics.
3. Vary, Adam B (August 22, 2020). "The Suicide Squad First Look, Full Cast Revealed by Director James Gunn at DC FanDome". Variety.
4. Eisen, Andrew (October 2, 2013). "DC Characters and Objects - Scribblenauts Unmasked Guide". IGN. Retrieved November 5, 2024.