Who's Who: LSV Tarik the Mute

Tarik the Mute
by Russell & Siskoid

Real Name: Benno Tarik

Super-Power(s): None
Planet of Origin: Earth

Relationship to Legion: Villain

Legion Log
Tarik was an innocent bystander who was in the wrong place at the wrong time. Caught in a crossfire between Science Police officers and a gang of bank robbers, a stray blast destroyed his larynx, making him mute. Surgery could not help, so instead he was paired with a telepathic android who could receive Tarik's thoughts and give voice to them.

However, Tarik blamed the SP for his injury and altered life style so in true comic book logic, he vowed revenge against all law enforcement agencies. Tarik decided to take his fortune and build a "school for super-villains" to organize and train the next generation of evil. This organization would become the Legion of Super-Villains.

Tarik decided to base his school on the same training regimen that the Legion itself used, so blackmailed Colossal Boy into furnishing official Legion training manuals by threatening to kill his parents. He had the Allons turned into glass and threatened to smash them if Colossal Boy did not cooperate wit his plans.

Eventually, with the help of new Legionnaires Timber Wolf and Chemical King, the Legion defeated the Legion of Super-Villains and captured Tarik. 

While imprisoned, Tarik was diagnosed with a terminal heart condition. Based on that and on his model behavior, Tarik was paroled so that he could die a free man. Before he succumbed, he pre-programmed his android companion to attempt another attack on Colossal Boy's mother, now the President of Earth. The Legion destroyed Tarik's android and rescued the President.

Tarik does not appear in the Reboot, but in the Threeboot, helps a group of delinquent teenagers break giant criminals out of prison. He is a voice over their coms, so it's not clear if he is mute and using electronic help, or has never had this injury in this timeline.

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

Important Tarik the Mute stories:

Adventure Comics #371-372
(reprinted in The Legion of Super-Heroes Archives Vol. 8
and Showcase Presents: The Legion Vol. 4)

Tarik the Mute is the leader of the Legion of Super-Villains Academy

The Best of DC Digest  #24

The  Legion foils the final plans of Tarik the Mute

Supergirl and the Legion of Super-Heroes #21

In the Threeboot, Tarik is apparently a delinquent teenager who helps
break giant criminals out of prison