Matter-Eater Lad (Tenzil Kem) is a superhero appearing in media published by DC Comics, primarily as a member of the Legion of Super-Heroes in the 30th and 31st centuries. He first appeared in Adventure Comics #303 (December 1962), and possesses the power to eat matter in all forms, as do all natives of his home planet, Bismoll.
| Matter-Eater Lad | |
|---|---|
 Matter-Eater Lad as depicted in Superman: Last Stand of New Krypton #2 (June 2010). Art by Pete Woods. | |
| Publication information | |
| Publisher | DC Comics |
| First appearance | Adventure Comics #303 (December 1962) |
| Created by | Jerry Siegel John Forte |
| In-story information | |
| Alter ego | Tenzil Kem |
| Species | Bismollian |
| Place of origin | Bismoll |
| Team affiliations | Legion of Super-Heroes |
| Notable aliases | M-E Lad |
| Abilities | Powers:
Abilities:
Equipment:
|
Publication history
editMatter-Eater Lad first appeared in Adventure Comics #303 and was created by Jerry Siegel and John Forte.[1]
Fictional character biography
editPre–Zero Hour
editMatter-Eater Lad is the fifteenth member inducted into the Legion of Super-Heroes, joining soon after Bouncing Boy. In his first appearance, Matter-Eater Lad explains his origins, saying that the natives of Bismoll evolved their abilities to survive after microbes rendered all normal food inedible.[2] He has an unrequited crush on Shrinking Violet, which features for the bulk of the Legion's run in Adventure Comics.
Later, Matter-Eater Lad is drafted to serve in Bismollian politics and becomes a senator and celebrity. He assists the Legion in battling Omega, a monster created by the Miracle Machine, and is driven insane after destroying the latter before Brainiac 5 cures him.[3][4]
During the "Five Year Gap" following the Magic Wars, Earth falls under the control of the Dominators and leaves the United Planets. Matter-Eater Lad frees Polar Boy from the Dominators and is cloned as part of the latter's "Batch SW6".[5]
Post–Zero Hour
editFollowing Zero Hour: Crisis in Time!, which reboots the Legion's continuity, Tenzil Kem is reimagined as the Legion's primary chef.
Threeboot
editIn the "Threeboot", Matter-Eater Lad is reintroduced as a government agent, investigating Cosmic Boy's disappearance and the legality of his final act as Legion leader. He also bites off Mekt Ranzz's pointer finger.
Post-Infinite Crisis
editThe events of Infinite Crisis restore a close analogue of the pre-Crisis Legion to continuity. In Final Crisis: Legion of 3 Worlds #5, the SW6 incarnation of Matter-Eater Lad is among the Legionnaires summoned to fight the Time Trapper.
In Superman #694, Matter-Eater Lad is revealed to have been masquerading as Mon-El's friend Mitch. He reveals his identity by stepping in to save a woman trapped in a burning car, allowing Mon-El to continue fighting larger threats.
In Last Stand of New Krypton, Matter-Eater Lad is part of a secret team who R. J. Brande sends to the 21st century to save the future.
Powers and abilities
editMatter-Eater Lad possesses the innate ability to eat almost any substance. Additionally, he can move at superhuman speeds by harnessing consumed energy and determine the chemical composition of objects using his enhanced taste buds.[6]
In other media
edit- Tenzil Kem / Matter-Eater Lad appears in Legion of Super Heroes, voiced by Alexander Polinsky.[7] Introduced as a civilian in the episode "Champions", he later joins the Legion in the episode "The Substitutes". In the two-part second season premiere "The Man from the Edge of Tomorrow", Kem destroys the Emerald Eye of Ekron, de-powering the Emerald Empress, but is hospitalized after the Eye's magic drives him insane. Throughout the season, he recovers and eventually returns to active duty.
- Matter-Eater Lad appears as a character summon in Scribblenauts Unmasked: A DC Comics Adventure.[8]
- Matter-Eater Lad appears in Adventures in the DC Universe #10.[9]
- Matter-Eater Lad appears in the one-shot comic Batman '66 Meets the Legion of Super-Heroes.[10]
- Matter-Eater Lad received an action figure in Mattel's DC Universe Classics line as part of the Legion of Super-Heroes 12-pack.
- Matter-Eater Lad is referenced in a self-titled song in Guided by Voices' EP Clown Prince of the Menthol Trailer.
- A parody of Matter-Eater Lad called Matter-Muncher Lad appears in The Fairly OddParents episode "The Big Superhero Wish!".[citation needed]
References
edit- ^ Cowsill, Alan; Irvine, Alex; Korte, Steve; Manning, Matt; Wiacek, Win; Wilson, Sven (2016). The DC Comics Encyclopedia: The Definitive Guide to the Characters of the DC Universe. DK Publishing. p. 197. ISBN 978-1-4654-5357-0.
- ^ Adventure Comics #303
- ^ Superboy and the Legion of Super-Heroes #250–251 (April–May 1979)
- ^ Legion of Substitute Heroes Special (1985)
- ^ Legion of Super-Heroes (vol. 4) #38, late December 1992
- ^ Paxton, Rachel (July 28, 2015). "7 Weirdest Comic Book Superpowers". ScreenRant. Retrieved October 27, 2024.
- ^ "Matter-Eater Lad Voice - Legion of Super Heroes (TV Show)". Behind The Voice Actors. Retrieved July 29, 2024. A green check mark indicates that a role has been confirmed using a screenshot (or collage of screenshots) of a title's list of voice actors and their respective characters found in its credits or other reliable sources of information.
- ^ Eisen, Andrew (October 2, 2013). "DC Characters and Objects - Scribblenauts Unmasked Guide". IGN. Retrieved July 29, 2024.
- ^ "Adventures in the DC Universe #10 - The Blobs (Issue)". Comic Vine. Retrieved June 22, 2023.
- ^ "Batman '66 Meets the Legion of Super-Heroes #1 - Atomic Batteries To Power, Flight Rings To Speed (Issue)". Comic Vine. Retrieved August 18, 2023.