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Michael Holt is the third smartest man in the world, a brilliant inventor and the second super-hero to call himself Mister Terrific. He is the successor to Terry Sloane. Despite having no powers, his T-Spheres make him invisible to technology and he is a member of the Justice Society.

Origins

At a young age, Michael Holt showed remarkable intelligence, reading and assimilating the works of Bohr, Einstein, Planck and Feynman, the pantheon of theoretic physics, at the age of six. He studied advanced science, space and time "while other children struggled through Sesame Street."

Holt displayed as he called it, "a natural aptitude for having natural aptitudes," easily picking up and retaining complex skills and abilities that other men spent their entire lives perfecting. Before he began his career as a superhero, he already possessed 14 Ph.D's (two in Engineering and Physics -- including assorted doctorates and masters in degrees in Law, Psychology, Chemistry, Political Science, Computer Science, Rocket Science, and Mathematics). He was a self-made multi-millionaire with a high tech firm called Cyberwear (later Holt Holdings Inc.) and was a Gold-medal winning Olympic decathlete.

While contemplating suicide after the death of his mentally handicapped older brother and the accidental death of his wife and unborn child, Holt was met by the Spirit of God's Vengeance, known as the Spectre (ironically, Holt is an atheist), who told him about Terry Sloane, the "Golden Age" superhero known as Mister Terrific [1]. 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.

He initially wore ordinary clothes and a leather jacket with Sloane's "Fair Play" emblem on the back. He currently wears a T-shaped mask, a black and white costume with red trim, and a collarless jacket in the same colors (the black sections of tunic and jacket forming a "T") with "Fair Play" written on the sleeves and "Terrific" on the back.

For a time he acted as spokesperson for Tylerco and consulted that company on industrial espionage and security matters in exchange for that company helping fund a youth center Terrific had started.

Holt has a friendly rivalry with Batman, his opposite number in the Justice League of America. Also, Michael Holt has encountered Terry Sloane twice through time travel, with Sloane expressing pride in having so worthy a successor. Holt has been noted as the most intelligent member of the JSA in its history, surpassing his predecessor. He describes himself as the third smartest person in the world.

Chairman of the JSA

During a conflict over leadership of the Justice Society between former chairman Hawkman and then-current chairman Sand, Terrific was elected as the JSA's new chairman by his teammates, despite not actively seeking the office. He served in this capacity until the team disbanded following the Infinite Crisis.

Mister Terrific was part of the team assembled by Batman for an attack on the Brother Eye satellite responsible for controlling the OMACs. He played a critical role as his invisibility to technology allowed him to reach the satellite's propulsion system, sending it crashing to Earth. On this meeting he met and befriended another African American superhero - Black Lightning.

One Year Later

As part of One Year Later, though Holt is still a member of the JSA, he has also become part of the United Nations Security Council's intelligence agency Checkmate. He initially held the position of White King's Bishop, but when the previous White King (Alan Scott) was forced to resign, he became Checkmate's new White King, complicating his relationship with Sasha Bordeaux, Checkmate's Black Queen. He has also given up his chairman position, which has been taken over by Power Girl. Mister Terrific has also established an ill-defined mentorship with the latest Firestorm, Jason Rusch, over the missing year. The specifics of their meeting are yet to be documented.

After Superman, Batman, and Wonder Woman began discussing the reformation of the Justice League, in regards to Mister Terrific as a potential member, Batman said, "I think we can get him." Wonder Woman reminded Batman of Terrific's position of leadership in the JSA, but Batman insisted, "That doesn't matter, we can get him."

Shortly after, Mister Terrific went to the Gotham General Hospital along with Doctor Mid-Nite to take care of Selina Kyle, whose heart was removed from her body by Hush.[2] After Batman recovered her heart, he informed Holt about the technology used to keep the heart living outside the body and after retrieving the heart, Holt and Mid-Nite performed a surgery on Selina to place her heart back. The surgery was a success, but they were not sure if Selina would ever be Catwoman again.[3]


Abilities

  • Genius Level Intellect: Holt is described as having "a natural aptitude for having natural aptitudes;" picking up complicated skills quickly and retaining them. As Holt himself put it, "everyone has a talent...Mine is learning."
    • Eidetic Memory: Holt also possesses an eidetic memory, meaning that he never forgets anything and has perfect recall.
    • Polymath: Holt is also a polymath who has specialized in multiple fields of medicine, engineering, and science. He possesses 14 Ph.D.'s (two of which are in engineering and physics-including assorted doctorates and masters in degrees in Law, Psychology, Chemistry, Political Science, Computer Science, Rocket Science, and Mathematics).
  • Tactical Analysis: Holt is good in strategy, playing chess against two opponents with eyes closed.
  • Business Management: Holt is the Billionaire C.E.O of Holt Industries aka HoltCorp, a high tech firm he founded himself. He's also an Engineer, Inventor, Industrialist, and Scientist.
  • Multilingualism: Holt is also multilingual, though the extent of this has not been revealed. He has been shown to speak the language of the nation of Kahndaq. Given Holt's propensity for learning, it likely that he speaks several other languages as well.
  • Gymnastics: Olympic Gold Medalist in the decathlon.
  • Peak Human Condition: Mr. Terrific's bodily functions are at the pinnacle of human conditioning and very athletic.
    • Peak Human Strength: His strength is superior to any normal human.
    • Peak Human Agility: His agility is pushed to the very limit of human capability
    • Peak Human Reflexes: His reflexes are heightened to the peak of human potential.
    • Peak Human Endurance: He has a highly developed musculature that generates fewer fatigue toxins than the musculature of most other humans, enabling him to gain greater endurance. While fighting the Tomorrow Thief, he was able to survive in Arctic temperatures with two broken ribs.
  • Martial Arts: He is a black belt in six different martial arts disciplines.

Equipment

  • T Spheres: Floating robotic spheres can do many things including project holographic images, create laser grids, serve as cameras, link with outside data networks, allowing him to fly by bearing his weight, self-destruct, generate powerful electrical charges,and strike as flying projectile weapons. They respond to his mental and vocal commands.
  • T-Mask: He is invisible to all forms of electronic detection. This ability is tied to nanotechnology woven into his specially designed "T-Mask" (which is molecular-bonded to his face and can disappear at will) and costume. Mister Terrific was apparently the only super-hero whom the OMACs could not detect. His mask also protects his face from chemicals and relays mental commands to his T-Spheres by detecting the subtle movements on his face. The mask works in conjunction with an ear piece to acts as a communications system. Through his mask, Holt can change instantaneously into costume and back again.
    • Holt's mask also doubles as a encephalic broadcaster, picking up aggregate thought-waves, allowing him to communicate with his T-Spheres and even project a speaking hologram of himself, even if he is injured or too weak to speak.


  • Holt is a self-made multimillionaire. Before becoming a super hero, he founded a company called Cyberwear later named Holt Holdings Inc. He has since sold that company to Waynetech, a company owned by Bruce Wayne.
  • Holt is an atheist. Terrific, though well aware and having witnessed much of the mystical nature of the DC Universe firsthand, cites scientific and rational explanations for all of them. He described souls as "a unique energy that could quantify as a telepathic discharge upon death."[4]
  • One form of electronic detection has proven able to monitor Mister Terrific, the android Red Tornado. He also can be detected by the artificial intelligence Thinker, whom Mister Terrific has brought in as the White King's Bishop in Checkmate.
  • Anthro developed a costume inspired by Mister Terrific when he came to the future.[5] Booster Gold and Blue Beetle think that it looks ridiculous.[6]
  • His identity is publicly known.[7]
  • Holt enjoys sudoku, and is so skilled at it, he fills the puzzles in with pen, instead of pencil.
  • Along with teammate and friend Doctor Mid-Nite, Mister Terrific is one of the two main superhero physicians in the DC Universe, notably participating in the autopsy of Sue Dibny in Identity Crisis (Volume 1).
  • Holt has described himself as the third smartest person on Earth after Batman and Lex Luthor.[1]

Related

External Links

Footnotes



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