Maximillian Shreck is the richest, most powerful man in Gotham City. He presents himself as a philanthropist and friend of the poor. Beneath this facade in tense circumstances he is shown to be ruthless businessman who is greedy and power-hungry, and is secretly planning to construct a power plant that will act as a capacitor and put him in control of the city's power supply. Max is a widower, and has one son, Charles (Nickname Chip) Shreck, who is also the heir to his corporate empire.