 | This article has multiple issues. Please helpimprove it or discuss these issues on thetalk page.(Learn how and when to remove these messages) (Learn how and when to remove this message)
|
| Mister Bones | |
|---|---|
 Cover art toManhunter #16, by Jesus Saiz. | |
| Publication information | |
| Publisher | DC Comics |
| First appearance | Infinity, Inc. #16 (July 1985) |
| Created by | Roy Thomas Dann Thomas Todd McFarlane |
| In-story information | |
| Alter ego | Robert Todd |
| Team affiliations | Global Peace Agency Department of Extranormal Operations Infinity, Inc. Helix Checkmate |
| Notable aliases | Director Bones |
| Abilities | Superhuman strength and endurance Invisible skin and invisible internal organs Skin exudes a cyanide compound |
Mister Bones (Robert Todd) is a character in theDC ComicsUniverse, created byRoy Thomas,Dann Thomas, andTodd McFarlane, inInfinity, Inc. #16 (July 1985).[1] A former low-levelsupervillain and member ofHelix, he reformed and joined the Infinity Inc. team, then later theDepartment of Extranormal Operations (a government agency which regulatessuperhero activity) as a bureaucrat, eventually rising to the rank of Regional Director for theEastern Seaboard. Thus, he now wears a suit and tie instead of a costume, and is also known asDirector Bones.[2] A chain-smoker, he had a habit of speaking in rhyme in early appearances, but he no longer does so.
Keith David voices Mister Bones inStargirl.
Dr. Benjamin (also known as Amos) Love, agynecologist, injected six pregnant women with an experimental mutagenic drug. Each of the women gave birth to ametahuman child. 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.[3] 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 Love out in the desert alone to kill him with hiscyanide touch; the doctor begged for his life and Bones felt pity for him and let him go. Bones later showed the rest of his "family" Love's grave.[4] After the supposed death of Love and taking their cue from thesuperheroes they had watched on television, the six created costumes to go with the names Love had given them and called their groupHelix with them taking on names likePenny Dreadful,Tao Jones,Kritter,Baby Boom, andArak Wind-Walker.[2]
The team kidnapped theInfinitorFury in an attempt to extort money. Although they were defeated by Fury's teammates,Infinity, Inc., Helix managed to escape.[5] Later, the secondWildcat (Yolanda Montez) learned that she was in fact a cousin of Helix's new memberCarcharo 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 Doctor Love.[6]
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's leg off, and then died from cyanide poisoning. To make sure Bones got medical care, Helix turned themselves in to the authorities.[7] 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.[8]
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.[9]
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.[2] During the wedding ofHector andLyta Hall,Harlequin (Marcie Cooper) used deception to have Bones andSkyman meet atSolomon Grundy's room. She then deceived Grundy into grabbing Bones's arm and using him to kill Skyman with his cyanide touch.[10]
Racked 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's role in Skyman's death would end up being instrumental in their disbanding soon afterward.
At some point afterInfinity, Inc. disbanded, Mr. Bones became Director of a local branch of the U.S.Department of Extranormal Operations (D.E.O.), and as a D.E.O., Director Bones has had numerous interactions with the operations of the superhuman community.[2] He has at times asked various DCU teams for their covert assistance. Notably, he has worked with theJustice Society of America a few times, to the point thatMister Terrific infiltrated the D.E.O. headquarters to tell Mr. Bones to stop harassing them. Bones was also wary ofAtom Smasher, his old fellow Infinitor, after his murder ofExtant. Mr. Bones became a supporting character inManhunter.
Mr. Bones and the operations of the D.E.O. are featured in theDC Files Secret Files and Origins Year 2000 special.
In aFinal Crisis tie-in, Mr. Bones is seen as one of the fallen during a strike againstWonder Woman'sFemale Furies inBlüdhaven, withCount Vertigo andNegative Woman.[11] He later survived the encounter as he is seen with Atom Smasher in a bar inJustice 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 theGlobal Peace Agency.
In 2011, "The New 52" rebooted the DC universe. Mr. Bones is shown to be acting as the D.E.O.'s director and tasks agentCameron Chase with capturingBatwoman.[12] Bones now believes himself to beJacob Kane's illegitimate son.[13][14][15][a] He capturesBeth Kane, sister of Batwoman, and blackmails Batwoman into agreeing to uncoverBatman's secret identity.[16] Batwoman, Col. Kane's "Murder of Crows" elite paramilitary group, and the heroineHawkfire fail to rescue Beth. Agent Asaf, compromised by Hawkfire,[17] shoots Bones in the head after he threatens to kill Beth rather than hand her over.[15][b] Asaf later says Bones was mentally unbalanced, and is not Jacob Kane's son.[15]
In "Infinite Frontier", Mister Bones is talking to Cameron Chase about the recent events that have transpired since the events of "Dark Nights: Death Metal" that revealed theMultiverse to everyone.[18] He makes a deal withDarkseid to spare their Earth and battlesJade, but escapes.[19][20]
| This section has multiple issues. Please helpimprove it or discuss these issues on thetalk page.(Learn how and when to remove these messages) (Learn how and when to remove this message)
|
Bones' mother's exposure to mutagenic drugs during pregnancy gave him three superhuman powers, two of which are extremely inconvenient to his daily life: superhuman strength; transparent skin, flesh, and organs that give him a skeleton-like appearance; and toxic, cyanide-like sweat.
| Incarnations | |
|---|---|
| Supporting characters | |
| Enemies | |
| Publications | |
| Other media | |
| Related | |
![[icon]](/mt/?noimg=&dark=on&url=https%3a%2f%2fen.wikipedia.org%2fwiki%2fFile%3aWiki_letter_w_cropped.svg)
