Mister Terrific (comics)
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| Mister Terrific | |
|---|---|
 Holt and Sloane, both versions of Mr. Terrific. Cover art by Dave Gibbons to JSA #70. |
|
| Publisher | |
| First appearance |
Sensation Comics # 1
(January 1942) |
| Created by |
Charles Resizenstein
Hal Sharpe |
| Characters | |
Mister Terrific is the name of two different superheroes in the DC Comics universe.
Contents |
[edit] Terry Sloane
The Golden Age's Mister Terrific was Terry Sloane, a rich man whose photographic memory, Olympic-level athletic skills, and mastery of the martial arts made him a virtual Renaissance man. After graduating college at age 13, he eventually became a renowned business leader in the community. Having accomplished all his goals, he felt there were no challenges left for him to pursue, leading him towards suicidal tendencies. However, upon seeing a young woman jump from a bridge, Sloane reacted quickly and saved the woman, Wanda Wilson. Sloane assisted his brother, who had been caught up in a gang, by adopting his Mister Terrific persona. This provided him with what he had been missing; a sense of accomplishment. He then created the "Fair Play Club" to stymie growing juvenile delinquency.
[edit] Michael Holt
In 1997, the mantle of Mister Terrific was passed on to Michael Holt, an equally talented man who, while contemplating suicide after the accidental death of his wife and unborn child, was met by the Spirit of God's Vengeance, known as the Spectre (ironically, Holt is an atheist), who told him about Sloane. Inspired by Sloane's life story he took the name Mister Terrific and later joined the current Justice Society of America, eventually serving as its chairman. This incarnation of Mr. Terrific is most known for his invention of the T-Spheres, artificially intelligent miniature holographic devices that he controls with his mask and earpieces.
Holt is now serving as the White King in the newly restructured Checkmate.
[edit] Other versions
In Kingdom Come, Alex Ross portrayed Mister Terrific with oversized guns, shoulder pads, and other military accouterments. He still sported the "Fair Play" logo, but has since lost sight of its true and original meanings. In the JSA All-Stars mini-series chapter focusing on Mister Terrific, Terry's brother Ned appears at a costume ball dressed in an anti-Mister Terrific costume, calling himself Doctor Nil, in order to irritate his brother. In Villains United #5, a new villain calling himself Mister Terrible appears as a part of Deathstroke's criminal army, wearing a variation of Holt's Mister Terrific costume. Yet another version was portrayed in JSA: The Liberty File and its sequel JSA: The Unholy Three. Here, Terry Sloane was portrayed as a World War II intelligence agent transferred to desk duty, until the untimely death of his fiance by the story's version of the Scarecrow. He was seen wearing a variation of the classic "Fair Play" costume and using a rapier.
[edit] In other media
It is the Michael Holt version of Mister Terrific that has made several cameo appearances in the animated TV series Justice League Unlimited. He moves into a more prominent role in the series' final season, becoming the League's Coordinator and responsible for assigning tasks to the various heroes after J'onn J'onzz resigns from active duty. The animated Mr. Terrific is voiced by former Third Watch star Michael Beach.
