Salvatore Valestra
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| Salvatore Valestra | |
|---|---|
| |
| Information | |
| Species: | Human |
| Hair: | Grey |
| Base: | Gotham City |
| Rogue of: | Batman |
| Voiced by: | Abe Vigoda |
Salvatore "Sal" Valestra was once the most powerful gangster in Gotham City.
Contents |
[edit] History
[edit] Before the Bat
Sal Valestra ruled Gotham's underworld with an iron fist alongside chief lieutenants Chuckie Sol and Buzz Bronski for several years prior to the first known appearance of Batman. About a year before Batman's first appearance, Sal's organization loaned a large amount of money to Carl Beaumont, a local businessman. Despite promises to the contrary, Mr. Beaumont could not pay back the sum. Carl and his daughter Andrea fled to Europe after the elder Beaumont managed to squeeze an extra twenty-four hours of time from Velestra.
However, Valestra bribed Arthur Reeves, one of Beaumont's assistants, to rat out his old boss. Reeves, under the impression that all Valestra wanted was repayment, gave up the secret location that Carl Beaumont had entrusted to him. Valestra sent his top hitman to Europe with instructions to kill Carl Beaumont. The hit was successful.
[edit] Final Days
Less than a decade later, an aging, sickly Valestra was now facing problems with his criminal empire. His favorite trigger man had become a white-faced, green-haired psychopath and his businesses were being pressured by both the sharp new police commissioner James Gordon and a mysterious vigilante called Batman. To make matters worse, his two oldest and closest partners, Chuckie and Buzz, had been killed within days of one another - apparently by the Batman.
With all of his old friends gone, Valestra turned to the last person who could help him - his old hitman and current notorious criminal, the Joker. He offered the Joker vast sums of money to kill the Batman, but the clown was not interested in being Sal's "pest control." Velestra then made the mistake of becoming angry and grabbing the Joker by the shirt. After cheerfully reassuring his "old pal Sal" that he would take care of everything, the Joker killed Salvatore Velestra with his signature "Smilex" toxin. The unfortunate mobster's grinning corpse was left as bait. Using Valestra's body, Joker was able to discover what Sal would never know: the killer was not Batman, but rather Andrea Beaumont, out to avenge the mob hit on her father as the Phantasm.
[edit] Appearance
[edit] Feature Film
The New Batman Adventures
- "Beware the Creeper" (Mentioned Only)
