Josiah Wormwood

Josiah Wormwood is a fictional villain created originally for Batman: The Animated Series. Voiced by Bud Cort, his first, and only appearance was in episode 31, The Cape and Cowl Conspiracy.

Known as "The Deathtrap Specialist", Wormwood is a psychotic sadist who specializes in torture and information extraction. Very similar to the Riddler, he designs twisted mazes of psychological torture and death, and leaves clues to lead victims to them. Once they arrive, he uses various deathtraps to force valuables out of them; information, possessions, or anything else of value. He oversees the mazes through an unseen control center, and taunts his victims to further their torture.

In the episode's events, Wormwood is suspected of a bearer bond theft. Not long after, a small-time conman known as "The Baron" hires him to retrieve Batman's cape and cowl. Curious to know what his benefactor wants with it, Wormwood complies. Although his first trap fails, he eventually forces the Caped Crusader to surrender his cape and cowl in exchange for his life. After boasting of how he stole the bonds, and how he will supply his client with a key to the locker containing them (which the Baron demanded to know before he told him why he wanted the cape and cowl), Wormwood discovers, to his shock, that Batman was impersonating the Baron all along, to obtain a recording of his confession. After a short scuffle, Batman obtains the key, and Wormwood is taken to prison.

To add insult to injury, Wormwood receives a letter in his clue style that reads "Confinement will speed your reform, but long cold nights will be the norm. So here's something to keep you warm." The package with the letter contains Batman's cape and cowl. Enraged, Wormwood tosses it to the floor.