He is a cannibalistic supervillain with the ability to cause fear or hallucinations through telepathy and appears as a recurring adversary of Batman.

He first appeared in Detective Comics #592 (November 1988) and was created by Alan Grant and Norm Breyfogle.

[1] Stirk is a serial killer who, like fellow Batman villain Scarecrow, uses fear to get to his victims.

In Batman: Knightfall, Stirk works with the Joker in an attempt to kidnap Commissioner Jim Gordon.

[2] In the Madmen Across the Water storyline, Stirk is imprisoned in Blackgate Penitentiary after Arkham is destroyed.