Mister Bones

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.

Sometime after Infinity's breakup, Mr. Bones was offered the Director's position at the D.E.O. (the US Department of Extranormal Operations). Though the D.E.O.'s agenda sometimes brings Bones into conflict with his former comrades (the JSA), Bones keeps mementos of his days with Infinity and is ever-conscious of his role in Skyman's death.

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 in 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