Mister Bones
Encyclopedia
Mister Bones is a fictional character
in the , created by Roy Thomas
, Dann Thomas
, and Todd McFarlane
, in Infinity, Inc. #16 (July 1985). A former low-level supervillain
, he reformed and joined the Infinity Inc. team, then later the (fictional) Department of Extranormal Operations
(a government agency which regulates superhero
activity) as a bureaucrat
, eventually rising to the rank of Regional Director for the Eastern Seaboard
. Thus, he now wears a suit and tie instead of a costume, and is also known as Director Bones. A chain-smoker, he had a habit of speaking in rhyme in early appearances; however, he no longer does so. Since he was raised from infancy by a mad scientist
, his real name (assuming he ever had one) is unknown.
, injected six pregnant
women with an experimental mutagenic drug. Each of the women gave birth to a metahuman child. Dr. Love kidnapped the infants and raised them himself, never allowing them to leave the house. The children learned all they knew from books, radio, and television. Later, the six young adults learned the true story of their origin from reading Love's diary and confronted him. They decided to execute him for what he did to them and Bones took the Dr. Love out in the desert alone to kill him with his cyanide touch; however, the doctor begged for his life and Bones felt pity for him and let him go. Bones later showed the rest of his "family" the grave of Dr. Love. After the supposed death of Dr. Love, taking their cue from the superhero
es they had watched on television, the six created costumes to go with the names Doctor Love had given them and called their group Helix.
in an attempt to extort money. Although they were defeated by Fury's teammates, Infinity, Inc., Helix managed to escape. Later, the second Wildcat
(Yolanda Montez) learned that she was in fact a cousin of Helix's new member, Carcharo, and that they are both products of the same genetic experiments as Helix. The two teams battled to a stalemate and Mr. Bones was arrested while the others escaped. Later, Mr. Bones was freed from prison by Dr. Love.
Carcharo soon turned on the Helix and kidnapped Mr. Bones. In the ensuing struggle Carcharo is stabbed with a long piece of metal and in a last ditch effort bit Bones' leg off, and then died from cyanide
poisoning (see Powers and abilities). To make sure Bones got medical care, Helix turned themselves in to the authorities. Mr. Bones received an artificial leg and Dr. Beth Chapel (Doctor Midnight) helped him recover from his injuries, and the two formed a friendly relationship.
For most of his time with Infinity, Inc. Mr. Bones was not a member of the team even though he took an active part in their adventures and became a hero in his own right, and was eventually accepted by most of the Infinitors. During the wedding of Hector
and Lyta Hall, Harlequin (Marcie Cooper) used deception to have Bones and Skyman
meet at Solomon Grundy
's room. She then deceived Solomon Grundy into grabbing Bones' arm and using him to kill Sylvester Pemberton
, alias Skyman, with his cyanide
touch.
Wracked with guilt, Bones left Infinity, Inc. When Dr. Love gained control of Helix and ordered them to kill Bones, Helix instead turned on Love, killing him. Helix then left in disgust, telling Bones he was no longer one of them. The Infinitors, though, granted Bones full membership in the team, but Bones' role in Skyman's death would end up being instrumental in their disbanding soon afterward.
(D.E.O.), and as a D.E.O., Director Bones has had numerous interactions with the operations of the superhuman community. He has at times asked various DCU teams for their covert assistance. Notably, he has worked with the Justice Society of America
a few times, to the point that Mister Terrific
infiltrated the D.E.O. headquarters to tell Mr. Bones to stop harassing them. Bones was also wary of Atom Smasher, his old fellow Infinitor, after his murder of Extant
. Mr. Bones became a supporting character in Manhunter
.
Mr. Bones and the operations of the D.E.O. are featured in the "D.C. Files Secrets and Origins" year 2000 special.
In a Final Crisis
tie-in, Mr. Bones is seen as one of the fallen during a strike against Wonder Woman
's Female Furies
in Blüdhaven
. Included are with Count Vertigo
and Negative Woman. It was revealed he survived the encounter as he is seen with Atom Smasher in a bar in Justice Society of America
vol 2 #27 discussing the aforementioned incident and the latter's position on the team. When Rothstein leaves with other Society members, Bones is seen on the telephone calling the Global Peace Agency
.
After the reality-altering events of Flashpoint
Mr. Bones is shown to be acting as the D.E.O.'s director and tasks agent Cameron Chase with capturing Batwoman
.
), flesh, and organs are all transparent, giving him the appearance of a denuded skeleton
(thus his name); second, his skin constantly exudes a cyanide
-based compound (in effect a toxic sweat), which is almost invariably lethal to anyone who touches him (as a corollary, he is immune to cyanide poisoning); third, he possesses superhuman strength.
character the Black Terror
.
Fictional character
A character is the representation of a person in a narrative work of art . Derived from the ancient Greek word kharaktêr , the earliest use in English, in this sense, dates from the Restoration, although it became widely used after its appearance in Tom Jones in 1749. From this, the sense of...
in the , created by Roy Thomas
Roy Thomas
Roy William Thomas, Jr. is an American comic book writer and editor, and Stan Lee's first successor as editor-in-chief of Marvel Comics. He is possibly best known for introducing the pulp magazine hero Conan the Barbarian to American comics, with a series that added to the storyline of Robert E...
, Dann Thomas
Dann Thomas
Danette "Dann" Thomas is a comic book writer, the wife of comic book writer and editor Roy Thomas. She has at times collaborated with Thomas on All-Star Squadron, Arak, Son of Thunder, the Crimson Avenger miniseries and Avengers West Coast.She married Roy Thomas in May 1981 and legally changed her...
, and Todd McFarlane
Todd McFarlane
Todd McFarlane is a Canadian cartoonist, writer, toy designer and entrepreneur, best known for his work in comic books, such as the fantasy series Spawn....
, in Infinity, Inc. #16 (July 1985). A former low-level supervillain
Supervillain
A supervillain or supervillainess is a variant of the villain character type, commonly found in comic books, action movies and science fiction in various media.They are sometimes used as foils to superheroes and other fictional heroes...
, he reformed and joined the Infinity Inc. team, then later the (fictional) Department of Extranormal Operations
Department of Extranormal Operations
The Department of Extranormal Operations is a fictional government agency in the DC Universe appearing in several comic books published by DC Comics. It was co-created by Dan Curtis Johnson and J. H...
(a government agency which regulates superhero
Superhero
A superhero is a type of stock character, possessing "extraordinary or superhuman powers", dedicated to protecting the public. Since the debut of the prototypical superhero Superman in 1938, stories of superheroes — ranging from brief episodic adventures to continuing years-long sagas —...
activity) as a bureaucrat
Bureaucrat
A bureaucrat is a member of a bureaucracy and can comprise the administration of any organization of any size, though the term usually connotes someone within an institution of a government or corporation...
, eventually rising to the rank of Regional Director for the Eastern Seaboard
East Coast of the United States
The East Coast of the United States, also known as the Eastern Seaboard, refers to the easternmost coastal states in the United States, which touch the Atlantic Ocean and stretch up to Canada. The term includes the U.S...
. Thus, he now wears a suit and tie instead of a costume, and is also known as Director Bones. A chain-smoker, he had a habit of speaking in rhyme in early appearances; however, he no longer does so. Since he was raised from infancy by a mad scientist
Mad scientist
A mad scientist is a stock character of popular fiction, specifically science fiction. The mad scientist may be villainous or antagonistic, benign or neutral, and whether insane, eccentric, or simply bumbling, mad scientists often work with fictional technology in order to forward their schemes, if...
, his real name (assuming he ever had one) is unknown.
Origin
Dr. Amos Love, a gynecologistGynaecology
Gynaecology or gynecology is the medical practice dealing with the health of the female reproductive system . Literally, outside medicine, it means "the science of women"...
, injected six pregnant
Pregnancy
Pregnancy refers to the fertilization and development of one or more offspring, known as a fetus or embryo, in a woman's uterus. In a pregnancy, there can be multiple gestations, as in the case of twins or triplets...
women with an experimental mutagenic drug. Each of the women gave birth to a metahuman child. Dr. Love kidnapped the infants and raised them himself, never allowing them to leave the house. The children learned all they knew from books, radio, and television. Later, the six young adults learned the true story of their origin from reading Love's diary and confronted him. They decided to execute him for what he did to them and Bones took the Dr. Love out in the desert alone to kill him with his cyanide touch; however, the doctor begged for his life and Bones felt pity for him and let him go. Bones later showed the rest of his "family" the grave of Dr. Love. After the supposed death of Dr. Love, taking their cue from the superhero
Superhero
A superhero is a type of stock character, possessing "extraordinary or superhuman powers", dedicated to protecting the public. Since the debut of the prototypical superhero Superman in 1938, stories of superheroes — ranging from brief episodic adventures to continuing years-long sagas —...
es they had watched on television, the six created costumes to go with the names Doctor Love had given them and called their group Helix.
Helix
The team kidnapped the Infinitor FuryFury (DC Comics)
Fury is the codename shared by three DC Comics superheroes, two of whom are mother and daughter, both of whom directly connected with the Furies of mythology, and the third who is an altogether different character.-Pre-Crisis:...
in an attempt to extort money. Although they were defeated by Fury's teammates, Infinity, Inc., Helix managed to escape. Later, the second Wildcat
Wildcat (comics)
Wildcat is the name of several fictional characters, all DC Comics superheroes. The first and most famous of these is Ted Grant, a long-time member of the Justice Society of America...
(Yolanda Montez) learned that she was in fact a cousin of Helix's new member, Carcharo, and that they are both products of the same genetic experiments as Helix. The two teams battled to a stalemate and Mr. Bones was arrested while the others escaped. Later, Mr. Bones was freed from prison by Dr. Love.
Carcharo soon turned on the Helix and kidnapped Mr. Bones. In the ensuing struggle Carcharo is stabbed with a long piece of metal and in a last ditch effort bit Bones' leg off, and then died from cyanide
Cyanide
A cyanide is a chemical compound that contains the cyano group, -C≡N, which consists of a carbon atom triple-bonded to a nitrogen atom. Cyanides most commonly refer to salts of the anion CN−. Most cyanides are highly toxic....
poisoning (see Powers and abilities). To make sure Bones got medical care, Helix turned themselves in to the authorities. Mr. Bones received an artificial leg and Dr. Beth Chapel (Doctor Midnight) helped him recover from his injuries, and the two formed a friendly relationship.
Infinity, Inc.
Since they were minors, an informal court hearing was held to determine the fate of the members of Helix. It was found that Mr. Bones had too much of a negative influence on them. Infinity, Inc. was given custody of Bones while the rest of the Helix would receive treatment.For most of his time with Infinity, Inc. Mr. Bones was not a member of the team even though he took an active part in their adventures and became a hero in his own right, and was eventually accepted by most of the Infinitors. During the wedding of Hector
Hector Hall
Hector Hall was a superhero who appeared in DC Comics's Infinity, Inc., Sandman and JSA. He has gone by the names Silver Scarab, Sandman and, before his death, Dr. Fate.-Childhood:...
and Lyta Hall, Harlequin (Marcie Cooper) used deception to have Bones and Skyman
Sylvester Pemberton
Sylvester Pemberton, alternately known as The Star-Spangled Kid and Skyman, is a fictional superhero in the DC Comics universe. Sylvester first appeared in Action Comics #40 and was created by Jerry Siegel and Hal Sherman....
meet at Solomon Grundy
Solomon Grundy (comics)
Solomon Grundy is a fictional character, a zombie supervillain in the DC Comics Universe. Named after the 19th century children's nursery rhyme, Grundy was introduced as an enemy of the Golden Age Green Lantern , but has since become a prominent enemy for a number of superheroes, such as Batman and...
's room. She then deceived Solomon Grundy into grabbing Bones' arm and using him to kill Sylvester Pemberton
Sylvester Pemberton
Sylvester Pemberton, alternately known as The Star-Spangled Kid and Skyman, is a fictional superhero in the DC Comics universe. Sylvester first appeared in Action Comics #40 and was created by Jerry Siegel and Hal Sherman....
, alias Skyman, with his cyanide
Cyanide
A cyanide is a chemical compound that contains the cyano group, -C≡N, which consists of a carbon atom triple-bonded to a nitrogen atom. Cyanides most commonly refer to salts of the anion CN−. Most cyanides are highly toxic....
touch.
Wracked with guilt, Bones left Infinity, Inc. When Dr. Love gained control of Helix and ordered them to kill Bones, Helix instead turned on Love, killing him. Helix then left in disgust, telling Bones he was no longer one of them. The Infinitors, though, granted Bones full membership in the team, but Bones' role in Skyman's death would end up being instrumental in their disbanding soon afterward.
Department of Extranormal Operations
At some point after Infinity, Inc. disbanded, Mr. Bones became Director of a local branch of the U.S. Department of Extranormal OperationsDepartment of Extranormal Operations
The Department of Extranormal Operations is a fictional government agency in the DC Universe appearing in several comic books published by DC Comics. It was co-created by Dan Curtis Johnson and J. H...
(D.E.O.), and as a D.E.O., Director Bones has had numerous interactions with the operations of the superhuman community. He has at times asked various DCU teams for their covert assistance. Notably, he has worked with the Justice Society of America
Justice Society of America
The Justice Society of America, or JSA, is a DC Comics superhero group, the first team of superheroes in comic book history. Conceived by editor Sheldon Mayer and writer Gardner Fox, the JSA first appeared in All Star Comics #3 ....
a few times, to the point that Mister Terrific
Mister Terrific (Michael Holt)
Michael Holt is a fictional character, a comic book superhero appearing in publications by DC Comics. First appearing in Spectre #54 , he is the second character to take up the Mister Terrific mantle....
infiltrated the D.E.O. headquarters to tell Mr. Bones to stop harassing them. Bones was also wary of Atom Smasher, his old fellow Infinitor, after his murder of Extant
Hank Hall
Hank Hall is a fictional character in the DC Comics universe who first appeared in Showcase #75 as Hawk of Hawk and Dove. He later became the supervillain Monarch in the crossover event limited series Armageddon 2001...
. Mr. Bones became a supporting character in Manhunter
Manhunter (Kate Spencer)
Manhunter is a fictional character, a superheroine in publications from DC Comics. Kate Spencer is the eighth DC Comics character depicted using the name Manhunter, and the first female to do so. The character first appears in Manhunter Manhunter is a fictional character, a superheroine in...
.
Mr. Bones and the operations of the D.E.O. are featured in the "D.C. Files Secrets and Origins" year 2000 special.
In a Final Crisis
Final Crisis
Final Crisis is a crossover storyline that appeared in comic books published by DC Comics in 2008, primarily the seven-issue miniseries of the same name written by Grant Morrison. Originally DC announced the project as being illustrated solely by J. G. Jones; artists Carlos Pacheco, Marco Rudy and...
tie-in, Mr. Bones is seen as one of the fallen during a strike against Wonder Woman
Wonder Woman
Wonder Woman is a DC Comics superheroine created by William Moulton Marston. She first appeared in All Star Comics #8 . The Wonder Woman title has been published by DC Comics almost continuously except for a brief hiatus in 1986....
's Female Furies
Female Furies
The Female Furies are a group of fictional women warriors appearing in comics published by DC Comics. They first appeared in Mister Miracle #6 , and were created by Jack Kirby.-Team history:...
in Blüdhaven
Blüdhaven
Blüdhaven is a fictional city in the . Created by Chuck Dixon and Scott McDaniel in 1996, it was originally intended to serve as a backdrop for the Nightwing comics series.-Fictional geography:...
. Included are with Count Vertigo
Count Vertigo
Count Werner Vertigo is a DC Comics supervillain. First appearing in World's Finest Comics #251 , Count Vertigo is the last descendant of the royal family that ruled the small eastern European country of Vlatava that was taken over by the Soviets and later became devastated by the Spectre.-Starting...
and Negative Woman. It was revealed he survived the encounter as he is seen with Atom Smasher in a bar in Justice Society of America
Justice Society of America
The Justice Society of America, or JSA, is a DC Comics superhero group, the first team of superheroes in comic book history. Conceived by editor Sheldon Mayer and writer Gardner Fox, the JSA first appeared in All Star Comics #3 ....
vol 2 #27 discussing the aforementioned incident and the latter's position on the team. When Rothstein leaves with other Society members, Bones is seen on the telephone calling the Global Peace Agency
Global Peace Agency
The Global Peace Agency is a fictional law enforcement organization in the . The organization first appeared in the series OMAC by Jack Kirby, set outside the DC Universe...
.
After the reality-altering events of Flashpoint
Flashpoint (comics)
Flashpoint is an American comic book crossover story arc published by DC Comics. Consisting of an eponymous core limited series and a number of tie-in titles, the storyline premiered in May 2011...
Mr. Bones is shown to be acting as the D.E.O.'s director and tasks agent Cameron Chase with capturing Batwoman
Batwoman
Batwoman is the name of several fictional characters, female counterparts to the superhero Batman. The original version was created by Bob Kane and Sheldon Moldoff. Her alter ego is Kathy Kane. This character appears in publications produced by DC Comics and related media beginning in Detective...
.
Powers and abilities
Bones' mother's exposure to mutagenic drugs during pregnancy gave him three superhuman powers, two of which are extremely inconvenient to his daily life: first, his skin (which, it has been indicated, would otherwise be blackAfrican American
African Americans are citizens or residents of the United States who have at least partial ancestry from any of the native populations of Sub-Saharan Africa and are the direct descendants of enslaved Africans within the boundaries of the present United States...
), flesh, and organs are all transparent, giving him the appearance of a denuded skeleton
Skeleton
The skeleton is the body part that forms the supporting structure of an organism. There are two different skeletal types: the exoskeleton, which is the stable outer shell of an organism, and the endoskeleton, which forms the support structure inside the body.In a figurative sense, skeleton can...
(thus his name); second, his skin constantly exudes a cyanide
Cyanide
A cyanide is a chemical compound that contains the cyano group, -C≡N, which consists of a carbon atom triple-bonded to a nitrogen atom. Cyanides most commonly refer to salts of the anion CN−. Most cyanides are highly toxic....
-based compound (in effect a toxic sweat), which is almost invariably lethal to anyone who touches him (as a corollary, he is immune to cyanide poisoning); third, he possesses superhuman strength.
Costume
Mr. Bones' costume was based primarily on that of the Golden AgeGolden Age of Comic Books
The Golden Age of Comic Books was a period in the history of American comic books, generally thought of as lasting from the late 1930s until the late 1940s or early 1950s...
character the Black Terror
Black Terror
The Black Terror is a fictional comic book superhero who originally appeared in Exciting Comics #9, published by Nedor Comics in January 1941. Some Black Terror stories were written by Patricia Highsmith before she became an acclaimed novelist...
.
List of appearances
- ChaseChase (comics)Chase was a comic book series published by DC Comics. It was written by Dan Curtis Johnson, illustrated by J.H. Williams III and inked by . It lasted ten issues . The character of Cameron Chase first appeared in Batman #550, January written by Doug Moench and drawn by Kelley Jones...
#4, 6-8 - DCU Heroes Secret Files #1
- Green ArrowGreen ArrowGreen Arrow is a fictional superhero that appears in comic books published by DC Comics. Created by Mort Weisinger and George Papp, he first appeared in More Fun Comics #73 in November 1941. His secret identity is Oliver Queen, billionaire and former mayor of fictional Star City...
v3, #22 - Infinity, Inc. #16-18, 22, 25-26, 28-29, 32, 35-36, 38-47, 49-53
- Infinity, Inc. Special #1
- JLA/JSA Secret FilesJustice LeagueThe Justice League, also called the Justice League of America or JLA, is a fictional superhero team that appears in comic books published by DC Comics....
#1 - JSAJustice Society of AmericaThe Justice Society of America, or JSA, is a DC Comics superhero group, the first team of superheroes in comic book history. Conceived by editor Sheldon Mayer and writer Gardner Fox, the JSA first appeared in All Star Comics #3 ....
#6, 11, 21, 45, 52 - JSA: ClassifiedJustice Society of AmericaThe Justice Society of America, or JSA, is a DC Comics superhero group, the first team of superheroes in comic book history. Conceived by editor Sheldon Mayer and writer Gardner Fox, the JSA first appeared in All Star Comics #3 ....
#2-3 - Martian ManhunterMartian ManhunterThe Martian Manhunter is a fictional character, a superhero that appears in publications published by DC Comics. Created by writer Joseph Samachson and artist Joe Certa, the character first appeared in Detective Comics #225...
v2, #17 - MillenniumMillennium (comics)"Millennium" was a comic book crossover story line that ran through an eight-issue, self-titled, limited series and various other titles cover dated January and February 1988 by DC Comics. The limited series was published weekly, which was a departure for an American series...
#1, 3-5, 7-8 - The New Teen Titans #38
- The Outsiders SpecialOutsiders (comics)The Outsiders are a fictional DC Comics superhero team. As its name suggests, the team consists of superheroes who allegedly do not fit the norms of the mainstream superhero community, namely the Justice League....
#1 - World War III #3
- Speed Demon (Amalgam Comics) #1
Significant stories
- Infinity, Inc. #16-18 (July 1985-September 1985) - The Helix battle Infinity, Inc.
- Infinity, Inc. #29 (August 1986); "Situation Terminal" - Mr. Bones' leg is bitten off by Carcharo.
- Infinity, Inc. #38 (May 1987); "Helix Takes the Stand" - Mr. Bones put into custody of Infinity, Inc.
- Infinity, Inc. #51 (June 1988); "A Death in the Family" - Mr. Bones unwillingly kills Skyman.
- Infinity, Inc. #52 (July 1988); "To Love and to Die in L.A." - Mr. Bones officially joins Infinity, Inc..
- Infinity, Inc. #53 (August 1988); "Death, When it Must Come" - Infinity, Inc. disbands.
- Chase #4 (May 1998); "Weep for the Future" - Mr. Bones becomes Director of the Department of Extranormal Operations.