Miklos, also known as Sponge-Man and the Sponge, crossed paths with the Challengers of the Unknown several times.
History
A Florida-based sponge diver, Miklis discovered a rare type of sponge. But as he wanted to investigate it, he was startled by a moray eel, and cut his hand on a rock. He took the sponge and the rock it was attached to with him, and went home, feeling weaker by the minute. The next morning, he was covered in sponge. He called the Challengers of the Unknown, in town for a diving exercise, to help him. They discovered it was an alien rock andsponge.
His neighbor, mister Stacy, overheard them, and decided to cash in. He told Miklos he knew a foreign doctor who might help him, but it required money - and Miklos would have to steal. He begrudgedly agreed. The Challengers tried to stop him, and exposed Stacy's plan as a con to him. Not knowing what to do, he decided to walk off, absorbing most of the water in the process.
This drought created problems, including a forest fire. When he discovered a girl was surrounded by the flames, he drained his body, dousing the flames. But he did not like facing humanity in his grotesque state, so he went to live on the ocean floor by himself.
Some time later, he ran into the Sea Devils, who called in their friends the Challengers. Miklos was caught in a conflict between the United States Navy and the terrorist group Scorpio. They manipulated him into breaking loose and creating havoc. However, as he was doing so, he discovered the effects of the sponge were wearing off. At the same time, Scorpio's plot, a missile full of poison gas, was launched, straight at him. He caught it with no effort, but realized thousands would die of the gas if he would not absorb it. Torn between becoming human again or letting many people die but dying himself, he chose the latter, and absorbed the poison. He had enough time to get clear before he died a hero.
Powers and Abilities
Powers
- Power Absorption: The Sponge-Man can absorb water, but also color, sound and energy.
Notes
- This version of Sponge-Man, including all history and corresponding appearances, was erased from existence following the collapse of the original Multiverse in the 1985–86 Crisis on Infinite Earths event and later restored following the rebirth of the infinite Multiverse during the Dark Crisis of 2022-2023. Even though other versions of the character may have appeared, this information does not apply to those versions.
Related
- 2 Appearances of Miklos (Earth-One)
- 1 Images featuring Miklos (Earth-One)
- Quotations by or about Miklos (Earth-One)
- Character Gallery: Miklos (Earth-One)
Footnotes