Mr. Terrific (DC Comics)
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Mr. Terrific (sometimes spelled “Mister Terrific”) is a fictional comic book superhero owned by DC Comics. There have been two superheroes with the title Mr. Terrific. The first, Terry Sloan, was active in the Golden Age of Comics.
Golden Age Mr. Terrific
Terry Sloane was a “Renaissance Man”. He was good at everything. He was rich, had a photographic memory, a genius I.Q., an Olympic level athlete and a martial arts master. He graduated college at the age of thirteen, started his own business, and became a leading member of his community. He lectures on English Literature at Gateway University. He was in his early twenties, and had accomplished all of his life goals. At a loss as to what to do for the rest of his life, he began having dark thoughts of suicide.
He was probably considering jumping off a bridge himself, when he spotted a woman jumping off a bridge. He reacts with his incredible athletic prowess and saves her. He realizes then that he can use his talents to help people. He gives the girl, whose name is Wanda Wilson, a job as his personal assistant, and the two begin to look for a cause to get behind.
Sloan uses his ability to fight crime as the superhero Mister Terrific. His brother Ned was being pressured to join a local gang. He uses the Mister Terrific persona, and the theme of “Fair Play,” becoming a role model for the local kids. He wears a red suit with a green tunic with an emblem with “Fair Play” printed upon the front in large letters. He starts a “Fair Play” club to compete with the gangs. Being a seemingly unbeatable crime finder helped impress the kids, who were drawn to him like flies.
Terry was an occasional member of the Justice Society of America, and was later part of the All-Star Squadron. He never married, but his brother Ned had an illegitimate daughter being raised in a casino by the villain Roulette. Unable to tolerate his niece being raised that way, he took custody of her and raised her as a daughter.
He was killed by the Spirit King in Justice League of America #171 (1979).
| Mr. Terrific
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| Gender
| Male
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| Publisher
| DC Comics
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| Origin
| New York
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| First Appearance
| Spectre #54 (1997)
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| Creator(s)
| John Ostrander and Tom Mandrake
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| Alter ego
| Michael Holt
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| Aliases
| White King
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| Abilities
| Martial Artist, photographic memory, Olympic-level athlete, inventive genius, learns quickly.
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| Affiliations
| Justice Society of America, Checkmate
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Modern Age Mr. Terrific
Michael Holt is the modern day version of a “Renaissance Man”. He is an Olympic decathlon gold medal winner, an electronics engineer, and a financier from an upper middle class family. He has 14 PH.Ds. and a black belt in six martial arts. He wears a gray and black track suit with a matching jacket that says “Terrific” on the back and “Fair Play” in large letters on each of the sleeves. Until recently, he was chairman of the modern day Justice Society of America.
He is haunted by the death of his wife who was killed in a car accident. He later learns that she was carrying his unborn child. He seems fearless because he doesn’t fear to die. Once, when he is near death, he experiences going to heaven where he meets his wife. She convinces him to return to life and assured him that he and his child would be waiting for him when he crosses over.
He uses robotic information gathering drones called his “T- Spheres” that can project holograms, record data, shoot electrical blasts, explode on command, strike with significant force, and fly around under his control. They can even carry him aloft! The controls are in his mask and ear pieces. Subtle movements of his face tell the T-Spheres what to do. He has used his inventive genius to become invisible and undetectable by any machine or technology. He refers to this as his “one super-power”. This ability is linked to the nanotechnology in his T mask.
He has an aptitude for picking up new skill after a quick study. If he has a super-power, it is to learn things quickly and completely. While it has never been stated that he had an M.D., he seems to have extensive medical training, second only to his Justice Society colleague, Doctor Mid-Nite.
Batman, a difficult man to impress, has adopted his T-Sphere technology. Batman once implied to Superman that he would like to “steal” Mr. Terrific from the Justice Society and have him in the Justice League.
Mr. Terrific is an atheist, and tends to explain supernatural phenomena in scientific terms. The one thing he can’t seem to explain is how the android Justice League member Red Tornado can see him despite his “one super-power” of being invisible to technology. Could it be because the Red Tornado has a soul?
Recently, Mr. Terrific resigned as Chairman of the Justice Society to become the White King in the international espionage organization, Checkmate. He still appears regularly as a member in the Justice Society of America series, as well as in the on-going series Checkmate.
Character Origin
Michael Holt started his own cyberwear company which he sold to Waynetech for enough money to never have to work again in his life. Still, his marriage gave his life meaning and purpose. When his wife, Angela, is killed in a freak car accident, Michael is emotionally destroyed. Like Terry Sloan, Michael Holt contemplated suicide.
At this dark time, Michael encounters the Spectre. Michael’s life story reminds the Spectre of Terry Sloan, whom he knew from his Justice Society days. He shares the story of Terry’s life with Michael. Michael is inspired by the story.
Michael adopts the name and legacy of Mr. Terrific. He goes to live in the worst area of the city, which he makes his base of operations. Like Terry Sloan, he fights for the hearts and minds of the inner city street kids. He fights the local “gangstas” with panache and style that makes him a role model for every kid who meets him.
He has since left the inner city to become a member, and finally chairman, of the modern day Justice Society of America.
2008, SCI FI. All rights reserved.
