Better late than never, right?
Anyway … proving without a doubt that pop culture is eating itself, both Marvel and DC are dusting off obscure characters right and left. Over at Joe Q’s kingdom, for example, such nigh-forgotten (but awesome) creations as Humbug and Dr. Bong are enjoying their moments in the sun.
Not to be outdone, DC is reaching deeeep into its bench as creators and readers alike explore “New Earth.” A recent issue of 52 not only resurrected Justice League Europe Z-grader Beefeater but also heralded the triumphant (well, sort of) comebacks of Yellow Peri and The Blimp.
(Odd Man, yet another strange hero courtesy of Steve Ditko, already popped up in Gail Simone’s super-awesome Villains United special.)
Least notable of all, however, is Mind-Grabber Kid (seen above attempting to hit on a less-than-impressed Peri).
Possessing the twin powers of telepathy and telekinesis, the Kid premiered in Justice League of America #70 (although the cover featured The Creeper in a scene that - natch - barely resembled any aspect of the actual story).
Our tale opens with our teen hero - who provides this reader a greater appreciation of Peter Parker’s skills as a costume desiger - using his telekinetic powers to take down your standard-issue bank robbers. In the Marvel Universe, this would rate enough attention to at least warrant a call from the X-Men.
At DC however - where heroes routinely juggle planets and run faster than the speed of light - Mind-Grabber Kid is barely a footnote.
Fortunately for our would-be hero, the Silver Age DC was rife with anonymous alien races who had nothing better to do than visit Earth and screw things up for awhile. Complicating matters - this is wayyyy before the age of decompression remember - the JLA decides to check out The Creeper because, well, it’s kind of a slow week.
Put it all together, and you’ve got super-hero hijinx in the Daring DC Demeanor!
The Justice League quickly find The Creeper and attempt to uncover his true intentions. Unfortunately, the Motley Marauder is busy bashing baddies (Alliteration is fun! Whee!) and hardly in the position to answer questions.
The League’s untimely intervention causes the anonymous Aliens - who have been tricked by Mind-Grabber Kid into believing that Earth’s Greatest Heroes are actually criminals - to don their all-powerful “Meta-Caps.”
In Grant Morrison’s hands, “Meta-Caps” would probably enable the aliens to step outside of the comic world and buy a sandwich at Arby’s. Unfortunately, that’s not how writer Denny O’Neil rolled. Instead, the hats merely canceled out the Justice League’s powers.
*yawn*
Meanwhile, the amazing Mind-Grabber Kid hears of the JLA’s impending defeat and quickly suits up. The twerp - who, alert readers may have noticed, has an annoying habit of saying “O Boy, Wow” every sentence - crows that soon he will be the only hero left on Earth.
Yep, we want this guy taking on Lex Luthor, Braniac and Superboy-Prime!
Fortunately for the world (and DC Comics), M-G Kid has a change of heart when he sees Superman near death and sets things straight with the powerful, yet extremely gullible, aliens.
The crooks are captured, Kal-El decides the Creeper is A-OK and the aliens leave our planet peacefully.
Meanwhile, guess who learns an important lesson in the tradition of the greatest Super Friends cartoons…
Despite Denny’s entreaty, nobody much liked Mind-Grabber Kid and he wasn’t seen again until much later - when the older and overweight “hero” was dissed by the immortal Conglomerate.
He then turned up as a villain known as Mind-Eater, who took on the equally memorable Primal Force.
Yes, the ’90s were hard on a lot of people …
All that may have been wiped out in New Earth, however, because the Kid is back to his glory-seeking, pathetic self as seen in 52 and Grant Morrison’s Seven Soldiers of Victory opus.
Will it be another 30 years before we see him again?
Or, to be more truthful, do we even want to see him again?
