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Quote1 Go ahead, Robotman--have your laughs... and know... that the man you mocked is also your executioner! Quote2
Animal-Vegetable-Mineral Man src

Animal-Vegetable-Mineral Man is a recurring foe of the Doom Patrol fueled by a misguided personal hatred of their leader the Chief.

Biologist Sven Larson seemingly became a victim of one of his own experiments when he was transformed into a being capable of taking on any animal, vegetable, or mineral form, appropriately known as the Animal-Vegetable-Mineral Man. After a battle with the Doom Patrol, however, the Chief deduced that Larson's transformation was deliberate and that by killing the Doom Patrol he sought revenge on the Chief, whom he wrongly believed once stole an invention of his. Ironically, the device in question proved to be the sole means of stopping the Animal-Vegetable-Mineral Man by "freezing" him in a single transmuted form until he could be captured and returned to normal.

The Animal-Vegetable-Mineral Man returned to plague the Doom Patrol several months later, right after an accident had forced the team to function with their powers switched around. The same device was again used to stop the AVM-Man, and he was again sent back to prison.[1]

Over four years later, Larson was broken out of prison by General Immortus in order to aid him in bringing the Chief out of seclusion. This also brought him into conflict with the Doom Patrol again, this time the team that Celsius had assembled to help her find the Chief for herself. Larson still wanted revenge on the Chief for the invention he believed was stolen, and went against Immortus' orders and attempted to kill the Chief himself. Unfortunately for the AVM-Man, the one weapon that Immortus' men had not found in the Chief's wheelchair was a water pistol full of a chemical retardant to stop the villain's transformations. The Chief had miscalculated and the chemical only slowed the changes. It took Scott Fischer to almost accidentally stop the AVM-Man by burning him severely with his hands. Celsius then encased the now normal Larson in ice.[2][3]

Larson eventually resurfaced when the enterprising Thayer Jost – in reality inhabited by Mister Somebody – got in contact with him and offered membership on his latest project, the Front Men, with the promise of some skillful wiping of his criminal past[4]. Alongside Botfly and Porcelain Doll he did battle with the latest Doom Patrol on several occasions, first as part of Mr. Somebody's vengeful scheme to discredit and demonise his old foes, then later under the employ of Oolong Island's President Veronica Cale - herself also under Mister Somebody's possession by that time. While the Flashpoint happened right after their final showdown, Larson wasn’t around to know as he suffered one last defeat by Robotman.[5]

Powers

  • Unique Physiology
    • Transformation: Animal-Vegetable-Mineral Man is capable of taking on any animal, vegetable, or mineral form, as well as combinations of any of the three or all three at once. His strength and durability are increased to exponential levels whenever he does so.
    • Size Alteration: Animal-Vegetable-Mineral Man can switch between his regular human height and giant sizes, usually in conjunction with his transformations.


  • Although this character was originally introduced during DC's Earth-One era of publication, their existence following the events of the 1985–86 limited series Crisis on Infinite Earths remains intact. However, some elements of the character's Pre-Crisis history may have been altered or removed for Post-Crisis New Earth continuity, and should be considered apocryphal.

Related

Footnotes


Doom Patrol Vol 1 86
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Doom Patrol Villain(s)
This character, team or organization, is or was primarily an enemy of the Doom Patrol at some point in their career. This pertains to all incarnations of the Patrol throughout history. Including but not restricted to their arch-enemies the Brotherhood of Evil. This template will categorize articles that include it into the category "Doom Patrol villains."

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