BRAIN WAVE (Henry King)	BIOGRAPHY
Created by Gardner Fox

PERSONAL DATA

Real Name: Henry King
Aliases: Dr. Forest Malone
Occupation: Psychologist, later career criminal
Status: Deceased
Citizenship: American
Marital Status: Unknown
Known Relatives: Henry King, Jr. (son), Merry Pemberton (wife or partner – status uncertain)
Base of Operation: Sharkstooth Bay, later mobile
Group Affiliation(s): Injustice Society of the World, Secret Society of Super-Villains
Gender: Male
Height: 5'7"
Weight: 128 lbs
Eyes: Blue
Hair: Bald; originally blond
Distinguishing Features: very large cranium
First Appearance: All-Star Comics #15 (February-March 1943)
Creators: Gardner Fox

OVERVIEW

A villain in the Golden Age, possessed of many incredible mental abilities, which unhinged him somewhat, as he soon moved from petty criminal to would-be conqueror. His son became a hero known as Brainwave Jr, and the original Brain Wave passed on the whole of his mental power to him at his death.

HISTORY

Henry King was born around 1912 and lived the life of a carefree adolescent until one summer he discovered that he could summon up lifelike illusions that he could command using his brainpower. He used this ability sparingly as a youth, gaining control of it as he grew older. He was of above average intelligence and went to college and graduated with a doctorate in Psychology. Setting up private practice in New York City, he grew in the feeling that his mutant abilities would be better served in trying to amass power outside of the normal political channels and sought to use his abilities for personal gain.

Amassing a large fortune through illegal means, King enlisted Professor Able to start off his schemes for greater power. He aided Able in creating a formula which would rob men of their inner controls and make them uncontrollable brutes. Able, acting as Dr. Elba, used the formula to destroy witnesses to upcoming criminal trials for a fee for criminals. Running afoul of the Justice Society, Elba committed suicide rather than face trial for his crimes. King noted that the mystery-men would be an impediment to his plans, had after defeating Elba briefly meet them and place a post-hypnotic suggestion using his abilities.

In early February, 1942, King set up a trap for them in the abandoned World's Fair grounds in Queens, NY. Drawing them in, he used an illusion of a large floating brain to establish himself using the nom du crime of The Brain Wave.

Ensnaring them using equipment to augment his abilities, he created a mass delusion among the heroes that they were flying to mainland Japan and ending the hostilities by force. However, Brain Wave corrupted the dreams/illusions and sought to crush their spirit and kill them. They were saved by a group of heroes from the newly formed All-Star Squadron, who entered the dream/illusion and ultimately Green Lantern, using the willpower behind his mystic ring, destroyed the illusion and the machinery behind it, nearly killing King in the process. He swore that he would try again, however not relying on machinery to bolster his abilities. The abandoned Trylon and Perisphere became headquarters of the All-Star Squadron, and unknown to the heroes, contained hidden passages that would serve Brain Wave well in the future as he secretly looted their trophy room and personal effects.

After regaining his strength, The Brain Wave began on a crime wave, ultimately capturing the Justice Society again, only to have them freed by their girlfriends.

Several months later, Brain Wave used a device invented by Mekanique to shrink and depower the heroes to capture them. Once again, the Justice Society escaped and thwarted his plans.

Once again, Brain Wave used his machinery to place the JSA in dreamlike comas, only using the mechanisms to drive them insane and under his control. However, the process gave Johnny Thunder, normally not the clearest thinker, enough willpower and clarity of thought to foil his plans again. The Thinker thought enough of Brain Wave to include him in his Injustice Society of the World, using him to defeat Green Lantern. However, he, along with the other would-be conquerors, were defeated. He appeared in another grouping which was defeated by the JSA and allied heroes then spent the next 40 years locked up in various prisons and psychiatric facilities. It was during this period that he met Merry Pemberton (the former Gimmick Girl) and they produced a son, Henry Jr. (It is unknown whether the coupling was with Merry's consent or knowledge.)

About ten years ago, Brain Wave was again free and sought to take revenge against the Justice Society. Needing the technological assistance of Per Degaton, he sought out his former ally and found him a decrepit old man living on the street. Offering him a new body to replace his old one, The Brain Wave set in motion plans to blackmail the world. Using his illusionary powers on a grand scale, he was thwarted by the JSA and two new members, Power Girl and the Star-Spangled Kid. He also began to use a younger illusionary form of a younger, taller muscular man.

Using the equipment created by The Thinker, The Shade and The Fiddler, Brain Wave kidnapped Keystone City only to be defeated by the newest member of the JSA, Power Girl.

Teaming with several other villains in the Secret Society, King found himself defeated again and tossed into Limbo and then briefly through time in 1942.

About seven years ago, he discovered that his son had acquired psychic abilities as well and began a career as a super-hero, trying to make amends for his father's years as a criminal. King gave up his life, infusing his son with his psionic abilities and his subconscious. This tried to reassert itself, causing Henry Jr. to blast his father from his mind, with dangerous side effects, causing Henry Jr. to go insane and begin a criminal career as well. Recently, however, Henry Jr. has made a full recovery and aids the Justice Society on occasion, though retired from full-time crimefighting.

BLACK LANTERN: BRAIN WAVE

POWERS AND WEAPONS

Brain Wave's main abilities were psionic in nature, able to cast realistic illusions both aurally and visually. After many decades of study and practice, he was able to use other telepathic abilities such as telepathic concussive bolts and limited telepathic abilities. King gave the impression that he was a supergenius, but his advanced machinery was either developed by his cohorts or stolen.

Brain Wave was a poor hand to hand fighter and would flee rather than exchange blows physically.

CHRONOLOGY

For a definitive list of appearances of Brain Wave in chronological order click here

PROFILE REFERENCES

Who's Who: The Definitive Directory of the DC Universe #3 (May 1985)