Mister Bones

Created by Roy Thomas and Todd McFarlane

NAME + ALIASES:
Bones

KNOWN RELATIVES:
None

GROUP AFFILIATIONS:
Helix, Infinity, Inc., D.E.O.

FIRST APPEARANCE:
Infinity, Inc. #15 (July 1985)

Years ago, the gynecologist Dr. Amos Love injected several pregnant women with an experimental mutagneic drug. As a result, the women each gave birth on the same night to metahuman children. Mister Bones was among these "genomorphs." Six of these children were raised toghether like siblings: Bones along with Arak, Baby Boom, Kritter, Penny Dreadful and Tao Jones. Love raised the children himself, and kept them in seclusion. After the supposed death of Dr. Love, the six genomorphs learned the true story of their origins from reading his diary. Since they'd all grown up watching TV clips of the Justice Society of America, another group of super-powered beings, the young adults designed costumes to go with the names Doctor Love had given them and called their group Helix.

In an attempt to extort money, Helix kidnapped the heroine, Fury. This brought Helix into conflict with Fury's Los Angeles based allies, Infinity, Inc. Bones later learned that two others, Carcharo and Wildcat II were alson long-lost "cousins" and products of Love's experiments. Following this fracas, Mr. Bones was arrested and the others escaped. To ensure Bones' safety, Helix turned themselves in. After this, Mr. Bones received an artificial leg and was nursed to health by Dr. Beth Chapel (Dr. Midnight). The court found that Mr. Bones was a bad influence on the rest of Helix and he was remanded to the custody of Infinity, Inc.

Bones' time with Infinity was strained, but he became a hero (and an Infinitor) in his own right. His tenure with Infinity ended tragically; his cyanide touch was the cause of Skyman's death. This happened when the Harlequin used Solomon Grundy to place Bones' hand on Skyman's flesh. Bones helped to free his siblings from Dr. Love one last time, but Helix departed bitterly, claiming that Bones was no longer one of them. The end for Bones was bittersweet, though he was granted official Infinity membership, the group soon disbanded.

D.E.O.

Sometime after Infinity's breakup, Mr. Bones was offered the Director's position at the US Department of Extranormal Operations (D.E.O.). Though the D.E.O.'s agenda sometimes brought Bones into conflict with his former comrades, (now in the Justice Society) he kept mementos of his days with Infinity and was ever-conscious of his role in Skyman's death. His primary D.E.O. agent was Cameron Chase. (Chase #4)

Shortly after the new JSA's debut, they took down Black Adam. Adam was taken into custody by the D.E.O. Meanwhile, Mister Bones planned to make the JSA some kind of offer, and he kept dossiers on the new Hawkgirl. (JSA #6)

When Kobra destroyed a plane carrying Atom-Smasher's mother, Mister Bones advised the JSA to strike back. (#11) Later, after Atom-Smasher went rogue, Bones warned Al that the D.E.O. was watching him. (Justice Society of America vol. 3 #27)

It seemed that Bones was always a step ahead of the JSA. Though Bones was occasionally helpful, the JSA's leader, Mister Terrific, confronted the Director about the D.E.O.'s metahuman surveillance. Bones caught Terrific off-guard by revealing that his wife had been pregnant when she died. (JSA: All-Stars #7) And Bones met Mister Terrific and the Flash at S.T.A.R. Labs when both sought access to Power Girl's space craft. (JSA Classified #2)

Notes

Bones' signature overblown cape and cowl later found its way into Todd McFarlane's most famous creation: Spawn.

Bones first appeared as a pin-up in Infinity, Inc. #15, then in-story the next issue.

Bones' costume was based on the Golden Age villain called the Black Terror. He first appeared in Standard's Exciting Comics #9 (1941)

Thanks to Tom Tomorrow

Powers

Mr. Bones' skin and muscle are transparent, giving him the appearance of a living skeleton. He possesses superhuman strength, and has a poison touch, the result of a cyanide compound produced by his skin. Mr. Bones has no control over this power, and any living creature coming in contact with him will soon die.

Appearances + References

» FEATURED APPEARANCES:

Chase #4-8
Infinity, Inc. #16-18, 22, 24, 28, 29, 45-47, 49, 51, 52
JSA #6, 11
JSA: All-Stars #7
JSA Classified #2
Justice Society of America vol. 3 #27
Manhunter vol. 3 #??
Martian Manhunter vol. 2 #17
Millenium #1, 3–5, 7

» SERIES:

Chase, 10 issues (1998)

» SEE ALSO:

Helix
D.E.O.