Who's Who: Dr. Mantis Morlo

Dr. Mantis Morlo
by Russell & Siskoid

Real Name: Mantis Morlo

Super-Power(s): SCIENCE!
Planet of Origin: Earth

Relationship to Legion: Villain

Legion Log
Dr. Mantis Morlo was a research chemist at a Moon Lab complex, underpaid and under-appreciated, when he began a series of thought-process chemical experiments. Initially he was lauded by the scientific community, but then it was discovered that he had been using human slaves in his experiments. He was able to hold off the Science Police, but the Legion was alerted and captured him, shutting him down. He vowed revenge against them.

Several years later Dr. Morlo met the Legion again when it was discovered that his current experiments were letting off waste gases that were heading towards Earth's atmosphere. The Legion was sent to shut him down again, and he decided to take care of them once and for all.

Morlo organized his Chemoids to battle the Legionnaires, meeting them specific power against power. Likewise, he attacked specific Legionnaires' home planets with deadly smog, deadly weather conditions, and food poisonings. His final objective was the destruction of planet Earth. The Legionnaires were able to defeat his individual threats and save each of the four targeted planets.

Several years later, Dr. Morlo returned with an advanced chemical life form that he used to infect the sewers of Metropolis. The Legion was able to defeat him again and sent him back to Takron-Galtos.

Dr. Morlo does not appear after the Threeboot, but does appear in the Reboot as a Vyrdan terrorist who, inspired by fellow Vyrdan Gates, mutated himself - gaining super strength rather than teleportation powers, and used modified Proteans in an attempt to make a fusion core melt down on Earth, then later to attack the Vyrdan government. He was defeated by the Legion and sent to Takron-Galtos.

After Infinite Crisis, Dr. Mantis Morlo's original history has presumably been more or less restored.

Important Dr. Mantis Morlo stories:

Adventure Comics #2362-363
 (reprinted in The Legion of Super-Heroes Archives #7 
and Showcase Presents: The Legion Vol. )

The debut of Dr. Mantis Morlo as he nearly destroys four Legionnaires' worlds

Superboy/Legion of Super-Heroes #248-249

Dr. Morlo returns to try to take over Metropolis from the bottom up 

Legionnaires #45

The Reboot's Mantis Morlo is a mutated Vyrdan terrorist who uses Proteans, not Chemoids

Legionnaires #72

Morlo is still an inmate at the Takron-Galtos facility