Double Down (comics)

Jeremy Tell was a con artist and compulsive gambler. One night, after losing all his money in a game, Tell murdered the high winning gambler. A mystically "cursed deck of cards" the murdered man owned animated and flew at Tell, cleaving and bonding to his skin. They have replaced most of his flesh, and cover most of his body. Tell can, either mentally or mystically, control these cards, detaching them from his body and directing their movement. He can use a card's razor edges to cut through things, or to encase someone with his cards. He often uses puns related to gambling, in much the same manner a Silver Age gimmick villain would.

The extent of his control over the cards has not been explored, nor the limitation of the cards to cut through various materials. The cards have cut Superman, who has a vulnerability to magic (Superman Secret Files and Origins 2004). When Double Down, Captain Boomerang, King Shark and Killer Frost were dispatched to kill Amanda Waller, they were unable to cut through a chunk of floor that Superman picked up. Instead, they imbedded into the floor, allowing Superman to punch out Double Down.

When Murmur released his Frenzy virus at Iron Heights Penitentiary, Flash (Wally West) and Piper were sent to investigate the cause of the virus. During the prison's mass breakout, Tell, who was serving time for murder, assault and fraud, was freed and met Piper. Tell used a card to cover his mouth to prevent him from using his flute and used the rest to slice his clothes. Piper then shoved his flute into Tell's mouth and punched his gut, forcing him to blow on the instrument. The resulting sonic blast knocked him unconscious and he was taken back to solitary confinement.[1]

After escaping Iron Heights, he and Girder were both hired by Penguin to help him establish a crime ring in Keystone City, but was stopped by Flash and Nightwing.

During the recent events chronicled in Infinite Crisis, Double Down was one of many superhuman criminals who joined the villainous Society organized by Alexander Luthor, Jr..

Double Down appears in Countdown #30, attempting to steal Piper and Trickster's car. He was later captured by the Suicide Squad but not informing Piper and Trickster of various underhanded schemes related to Waller.

In Rogues' Revenge #1, Trickster II claims he had a bet with Double Down that the Rogues were being held in Titans Tower.

Double Down was cited in Wizard Magazine by long-time Flash writer Geoff Johns as the one Rogue he would have loved to devote more time to... "The one that got away", so to speak.

Double Down’s skin has been replaced by a “cursed deck of cards.” He is able to psionically control the cards, detaching them from his body and directing their movement. He can use a card's razor edges to cut through objects, or to encase an opponent with his cards.

Double Down appears in the Arrow episode "Restoration", portrayed by JR Bourne. Unlike the comics, he is a mutated metahuman from Central City who has ability to create playing cards from the tattoos on his skin, with another tattooed card appearing in its place as soon as he peels one from his skin. He is hired by Damien Darhk to deal with vigilante situation in Star City. His first target is Green Arrow where is able to throw a card in his arm. Later, he went to Palmer Technologies to threaten Felicity Smoak and Curtis Holt, but Felicity hurt him and left the building. He attempts to escape in Central City, but is intercepted and defeated by Green Arrow and John Diggle. Afterwards, he is remanded to the metahuman section of Iron Heights Penitentiary.

• Hyperborea article on Double Down
• Crimson Lightning - An online index to the comic book adventures of the Flash.