Music Meister

Music Meister
Music Meister, as he appears in Batman: The Brave and the Bold.
Publication information
Publisher	DC Comics
First appearance	Batman: The Brave and the Bold "Mayhem of the Music Meister!"
First comic appearance	Batman: The Brave and the Bold #16 (April 2012, non-canon) DC Pride 2022 #1 (August 2022, canon)
Created by	Michael Jelenic & James Tucker
Voiced by	Neil Patrick Harris
In-story information
Species	Metahuman
Notable aliases	Darius Chapel
Abilities	Vocal hypnosis through singing Conductor's baton shoots music sheet-like lasers

The Music Meister is a fictional character created by Mike Jelenic and James Tucker who first appeared in "Mayhem of the Music Meister!", an episode of the animated television series Batman: The Brave and the Bold, voiced by Neil Patrick Harris. The character later appeared in the comic book sequel to the series of the same name, published by DC Comics.

The first live-action version of the character appeared in "Duet", a crossover between the live-action television series Supergirl and The Flash, portrayed by Darren Criss. In the animated series Harley Quinn, the Music Meister is voiced by Larry Owens.

Fictional character biography

Batman: The Brave and the Bold

The Music Meister, a villain capable of controlling others through song, first appeared in the Batman: The Brave and the Bold episode "Mayhem of the Music Meister!", voiced by Neil Patrick Harris. In order to hijack a United Nations communications satellite, he induces Black Manta, Gorilla Grodd, Clock King (who were there to steal the satellite themselves), Black Canary, Green Arrow, and Aquaman (there to stop the other villains) to commit the crime for him, launching it into space after they install a device inside it. ("I'm The Music Meister") During the song, Music Meister relates his origin:

Bullies used to pick on me because I sang in Choir.

But something very strange occurred when I kept singing higher.

The ruffians around me quickly fell into a trance.

And it was then with wicked glee I made those puppets dance.

When Batman intervenes, Music Meister orders his thralls to attack the hero, which they do in a dance style reminiscent of West Side Story. His plan successful, the Meister escapes by forcing his captives to dance towards the rocket blast, leaving Batman to rescue them rather than apprehend him. Meister flees to an empty opera house where, in a reference to Phantom of the Opera, he plays the organ to a cardboard audience. Batman tries to capture him in a cross-town chase, but Meister releases inmates and villains from Iron Heights Penitentiary and Arkham Asylum ("Drives Us Bats"). Having heard Black Canary sing about her unrequited love for Batman ("If Only"), the Meister falls for her, but not enough to give up villainy. Canary, in turn, firmly rejects him. Meister captures Black Canary and Batman and puts them in a death trap ("Death Trap"). However, they escape just as Music Meister uses the satellite to hypnotize the world with his music ("The World Is Mine"). When Black Canary becomes his slave, Batman tricks her into singing as high as he. He then seizes the Meister's microphone and uses the satellite to transmit Canary's sonic scream to break the mind control and defeat the Music Meister.

The Music Meister makes a cameo appearance during the final episode, playing the piano.

Batman: The Brave and the Bold (comics)

The Music Meister later appeared in Batman: The Brave and the Bold' #16 (April 2012). After Bat-Mite became instantly infatuated with Batgirl and tried to impress her with his magic, conjuring up scenarios from the comic books he has read, he teleported the Music Meister, Pied Piper, and The Fiddler for entertainment. The Music Meister tried to take control of Bat-Mite, but was knocked out before his powers could take effect. This comic also offered up an alternate origin story for the character, revealing he was the sole human survivor of an alien race consisting entirely of sentient frying pans, with the exception of Meister, whose real name was given as a combination of bizarre symbols.

DC Pride 2022

The Music Meister made his first canon appearance in the one-shot DC Pride 2022 as a villain to Robin (Damian Wayne) and Green Arrow (Connor Hawke).

Powers, abilities, and equipment

The Music Meister is a metahuman with the ability to cause every human who hears his voice to burst into singing and dancing as though they were in a musical. In this hypnotic state, they are compelled to obey the Meister's commands, including those that endanger themselves. His influence is effective even when he is several feet away or in another room. The effects of his vocal hypnosis can be blocked out using specialized ear plugs. The deaf and the hearing impaired are also immune to his powers. Victims recover their normal faculties within moments after the Meister departs or is rendered unconscious. In addition, he appears to have a subtle reality bending ability to change his outfits to any that represent different milestones of music, such as Elvis Presley's leisure suit and Cab Calloway's zoot suit.

Music Meister carries a rod-shaped weapon resembling a conductor's baton that fires energy blasts shaped like musical scores. For transportation, he rides a fast, highly maneuverable scooter in the shape of two beamed eighth notes.

In other media

Television

Darren Criss portrays the Music Meister in The CW's live-action series Supergirl and The Flash.

• A earlier rendition of the character appears in the Justice League two-part episode "Legends" who is referred to as Music Master (voiced by Andrew Kreisberg), a music-themed supervillain that uses weaponized instruments and is one of the enemies the Justice Guild of America.
• An original incarnation of the Music Meister appears in the Arrowverse, portrayed by Darren Criss. This version is an extra-dimensional being and fan of Supergirl and the Flash. Introduced in the Supergirl episode "Star-Crossed" as a prisoner of unknown origin in the Department of Extranormal Operations (DEO)'s custody on Earth-38, he hypnotizes Supergirl into a coma before stealing her inter-dimensional extrapolator to escape to Earth-1. In The Flash episode "Duet", Supergirl's allies bring her to the Flash's team on Earth-1, but the Music Meister traps him and Supergirl in a shared dream where they are singers in a 1940s gangster / musical film. Once the pair escape with help from their friends, the Meister reveals he brought them together to teach them a lesson in love before disappearing.
• An original incarnation of the Music Meister appears in the Harley Quinn episode "It's a Swamp Thing", voiced by Larry Owens. This version is a black therapist who is inspired by R&B instead of musical theater.

Film

The Music Meister makes a non-speaking cameo appearance in Scooby-Doo! & Batman: The Brave and the Bold.

Video games

• The Music Meister appears as a playable character in Lego Batman 3: Beyond Gotham, voiced by Troy Baker.
• The Music Meister appears as a playable character in Lego DC Super-Villains, voiced by JP Karliak.