The Toyman is the name of three supervillains and one adolescent superhero appearing in comic books published by DC Comics. He is depicted as an adversary for Superman.
The most well-known incarnation of Toyman is Winslow Schott, a criminal who uses toy-based or toy-themed devices and gimmicks in his various crimes. Toyman made frequent appearances in Golden Age comics, but has appeared infrequently since then.
In the succeeding years, small-time crook Jack Nimball briefly took up the mantle after Schott retired while Japanese genius Hiro Okamura uses the name while operating as a superhero despite Schott coming out of retirement by then.
Schott, Nimball, and Okamura have made several appearances in DC-related media, with Schott appearing in television series set in the DC Animated Universe, in which he is voiced by Bud Cort, and the live-action television series Smallville, portrayed by Chris Gauthier. Additionally, Schott along with his son and series original character Winslow "Winn" Schott Jr. appear in the live-action Arrowverse television series Supergirl, portrayed by Henry Czerny and Jeremy Jordan respectively.
Publication history The Winslow Schott version of Toyman first appeared in Action Comics #64 (September 1943) and was created by Don Cameron and Ed Dobrotka. The first Silver Age appearance of Toyman was in Superman issue #182 from 1966.
The Jack Nimball version of Toyman first appeared in Action Comics #432 (February 1974) and was created by Cary Bates and Curt Swan.
The Hiro Okamura version of Toyman first appeared in Superman (vol. 2) #127 (February 2002) and was created by Jeph Loeb and Ed McGuinness.
Fictional character biography Winslow Schott Pre-Crisis
Toyman first appeared in 1943 and appeared in several Golden Age Superman stories. Schott appeared less frequently in comics published after the early 1950s, but remained a semi-regular foe during the 1960s, 1970s, and 1980s.
Winslow Schott started out as a boy who had a knack for toymaking. He made his own biplane that got destroyed by the neighborhood bully Chester Dunholtz. When he reached adulthood, Schott became a successful toymaker, but the incident from his childhood led him to go on a life of crime and develop dangerous toys to help him in his crimes.Superman's Pal, Jimmy Olsen #59 (December 1955)Action Comics #561 (November 1984)
While initially portrayed as more of a nuisance, Toyman gradually grew more emotionally unstable and paranoid over time, his toys following suit by becoming significantly more dangerous. In his civilian persona, Winslow Schott was sweet, humble, and quirky (though socially withdrawn). As Toyman, however, he became a childish and destructive megalomaniac. During the 1970s, Schott was effectively retired from crime, but he kept in contact with Superman, even helping take down Jack Nimball, whom he felt had sullied the Toyman legacy.Action Comics #432 (February 1974)
This retirement proved to be short, as not long after Winslow put some of his toys on display, the entire museum exhibition was destroyed. Sightings reported this to be the work of a man in blue tights flying at great speeds. Believing Superman had made a fool of him, Schott swore to destroy everything that Superman cared about to avenge his life's work. It is revealed that the real culprit was Bizarro, in search of a duplicator ray, but by then it was already too late. Schott had already returned to his criminal ways, murdered Jack Nimball, and built a giant robot to terrorize the city. After this incident, Schott's mental state grew even worse, and while he often made several legitimate attempts to atone for his crimes, he would often relapse back into madness.
Post-Crisis After 1985's miniseries Crisis on Infinite Earths and John Byrne's Man of Steel miniseries, Toyman's history was revised, and the Post-Crisis version of the character first appeared in Superman (vol. 2) #13 (January 1988). In this version, Winslow Schott is a British toymaker who was fired from his job and blames Lex Luthor and LexCorp for the loss of employment. He uses his toymaking talents to seek revenge, which causes him to cross paths with the British hero Godiva and Superman himself. Toyman continues to commit various crimes in Metropolis, including engaging in child abduction.
Toyman later became a much more sinister figure, shaving his head, wearing black and getting advice in his head from "Mother". This was prompted by him being told that a range of Superman action figures would not include him, as he was not "edgy" enough.Superman (vol. 2) #84 (December 1993) While this seems to begin as a pose of what he thought people expect of a villain, it rapidly became a true psychotic break. While in this state he abducted and later murdered Adam Morgan, the son of Daily Planet reporter Cat Grant.Superman (vol. 2) #85 (January 1994)
He was later seen as a member of the Injustice League in the Justice League of America Wedding Special.
Toyman's history was later revised in Action Comics #865, by Geoff Johns and Jesus Merino. Winslow Schott tells Jimmy Olsen that he was a toymaker who lived with his wife, Mary. When a businessman offered to buy his shop to expand the number of children that his toys can reach, he refused. When Mary was killed in a car accident a few weeks later, Schott agreed to the purchase. However, the businessman lied and gave his technologically advanced toy plans to arms manufacturers. Schott proceeded to bomb the business with an explosive teddy bear. A twist at the end of the story reveals that Mary was one of his first robotic creations.Action Comics #865 (July 2008)
Schott reveals to Jimmy Olsen that Toyman who killed Adam Grant was a robot created by Schott to replace him in the event that he was ever incarcerated and that a glitch in the robot's programming resulted in it developing a personality and a hatred of children, and that Schott's repeated attempts to contact the robot resulted in it suffering from delusions of "Mother".
In the Supergirl series while in Arkham Asylum, Toyman is visited by Cat Grant and Supergirl. Grant interrogates him about children who have been kidnapped with dolls left behind. Toyman claims that he is innocent and the robotic dolls attack him. Supergirl saves him and gets him to medical care. When Grant returns home, she is confronted by the Dollmaker. He identifies himself as Anton Schott, implying that he is related to Toyman.Supergirl (vol. 5) #58 (January 2011) The Dollmaker reveals himself to be the abandoned son of Winslow, who has been kidnapping and enslaving children. He tells Grant that he wants her to become his new mother, and that he wishes to serve as a replacement for her murdered son, but Grant violently rejects him.Supergirl (vol. 5) #59 (February 2011)
DC Rebirth In 2016, DC Comics implemented another relaunch of its books called "DC Rebirth" which restored its continuity to a form much as it was prior to "The New 52". Toyman was first seen in Harley Quinn's hallucination.Harley Quinn and the Suicide Squad April Fool's Special #1 (June 2016)
While in his prison cell following a fight with Superman, Toyman was approached by King: Director of Checkmate who recruits Toyman to help take down Leviathan. Toyman takes this opportunity.Superman: Villains #1 (May 2020)
Jack Nimball In the 1970s, Jack Nimball is a small-time crook assumes the identity of the second Toyman during a period in which Schott had retired from his criminal career. Nimball first appeared in Action Comics #432 (February 1974). Nimball wore a jester costume and used a similar modus operandi to the original Toyman. However, this version of Toyman proved short-lived. Schott killed Nimball with a mechanical toy bird and resumed his criminal career in Superman #305 (November 1976).Superman #305 (November 1976) Nimball was restored to continuity following the DC Rebirth relaunch where Superman thwarted his Christmas heist.DC Holiday Special (February 2018)
Hiro Okamura is a teenage mechanical genius from Japan first appearing as Toyman in Superman (vol. 2) #177 (February 2002) by Jeph Loeb and Ed McGuinness. He shows up in Metropolis in a giant Superman Robot fighting Metallo, claiming that the cyborg's body was based on material stolen from his grandfather.Superman (vol. 2) #177 (February 2002)
He later becomes an ally to Superman and Batman. In the Superman/Batman series, he aids the two in destroying a kryptonite meteor that threatens Earth. He strikes a deal with Batman to provide him with various technological implements.Superman/Batman #7 (April 2004) Okamura uses more technologically advanced devices than the traditionally-constructed contrivances that Schott uses and his work is largely whimsical in nature. Many of his inventions are inspired by anime and manga, including giant mechas.Superman/Batman #5 (February 2004)
In Superman/Batman #26, Okamura fakes his own kidnapping at the hands of Winslow Schott. Superboy and Robin attempt to rescue Okamura, but offer their friendship to him after learning of his scheme and realizing that he is lonely.Superman/Batman #26 (June 2006) Okamura attends Superboy's funeral at Titans Tower after he is killed by Superboy-Prime.
A future version of Okamura, allied with a power-hungry group of Titans, travels back in time to the modern day to cement their power-base in Teen Titans (vol. 3) #52 (January 2008).Teen Titans (vol. 3) #52 (December 2007)
In 2011, The New 52 rebooted the DC Comics universe. Hiro Okamura operates as the Toymaster.Batman/Superman #5 (January 2014) He appears as a confidant at his Toymaster Gameshop for a witness named Condesa to Clark Kent and Lois Lane's story on HODOR_Root, in which he agrees to help them.Superman (vol. 3) #42 (September 2015)
Skills and abilities Winslow Schott possesses an incredible technological prowess and expertise in robotics, as well as knowledge of biological weaponry. Despite the childish motif which he usually insists on incorporating, his creations are highly sophisticated, destructive, and dangerous. In addition, most of these inventions have an innocuous or even comical appearance that disconcerts his opponents.Who's Who: The Definitive Directory of the DC Universe Volume XXIV (February 1987)
Jack Nimball, the second Toyman, possesses skills identical to Winslow Schott.Action Comics #432 (February 1974)
Hiro Okamura is considered to be a skilled engineer, able to fix most machinery (such as giant robots and computer hardware).
Other characters named Toyman Toyman robot Toyman surfaces in Metropolis and allies with Lex Luthor in Action Comics #837 (May 2006) as part of the One Year Later 'Up, Up, and Away' story arc. His first appearance was written by Geoff Johns and Kurt Busiek with art by Pete Woods.
His appearance, inspired by the character's Superman: The Animated Series incarnation, is that of a child-sized doll. This Toyman mentions meeting Hiro Okamura in Japan and stealing one of his Superman robots. As part of his bargain with Luthor, he is given the information needed to find his creator Winslow Schott in exchange for assistance in a plot against Superman.
In Justice League of America (vol. 2) #13, Toyman appears as a member of the Injustice League.
Toywoman A female version of Toyman named Toywoman appears in Superman #349 (July 1980). She is a gender-inverted version of Winslow Schott created by Mister Mxyzptlk to serve as an enemy to his creation Superwoman. Once Superman tricks Mxyzptlk into saying his name backwards, Superwoman and Toywoman are erased from existence.Superman #349 (July 1980)
Bizarro Toyman A Bizarro counterpart of Toyman appears in Action Comics #856 (November 2007). He was created by the original Bizarro, who gained the ability to clone himself and create Bizarro lifeforms after being infused with radiation from a blue sun.Action Comics #856 (November 2007)
Other versions World's Finest Comics