STANLEY (Stanley Dover Jr.)	BIOGRAPHY
Created by Arnold Drake and Bob Oksner

PERSONAL DATA

Real Name: Stanley Dover Jr.
Citizenship: American
Marital Status: Single
Known Relatives: Sheila Dover (mother); Mitchell Dover (father); Stanley Dover Sr. (maternal grandfather, deceased); Marge Dover (maternal grandmother, deceased)
Base of Operation: The suburbs of Star City
Gender: Male
Eyes: Blue
Hair: Blond
First Appearance: Fox and the Crow #95 (January 1966)
Creators: Arnold Drake and Bob Oksner

HISTORY

The story about Stanley and his Monster is actually two stories. One, an innocent fairytale about a boy and his dog. The other, a considerably darker tale about arts arcane and evil personified.

It starts with an entirely different Stanley. A monster in his own right.

Growing up in an American suburban area in the 1950s, Stanley Dover Sr. was seemingly the most decent citizen anyone could imagine. He was married to a beautiful woman and housewife named Marge, he had a decent job as a postman, was a good neighbor, and went to church every Sunday.

However, the bright idyll of the 1950s could cast a dark and twisted shadow. After a few years of marriage, Stanley and Marge were drawn into Satanist circles by one of their friends. Although most of the Satanic worshippers in their "club" - including Marge - saw the practicing of arcane arts mainly as a way of "letting loose", a way of breaking the taboos of the Truman era and engaging themselves in group sex sessions, for Stanley Dover it became much more. He deeply wanted to serve the Dark Powers and use them for his own satisfaction. Ultimately, he was captivated by the promise of life eternal - and by that, he did not mean in the hereafter, as most religions promised.

Marge didn't think much about Stanley's serious dedication, not until the day she found that she was pregnant, and suggested to Stanley that it was time to grow up and leave the Church of Satan. Stanley could not believe it. There was not a chance that they would abandon the church for the sake of the child - on the contrary, the newborn child was going to be sacrificed in the name of Satan. The very next day, a death-scared Mary fled the neighborhood, and Stanley never saw her again. [Green Arrow Vol. 3 #9, December 2001]

Bitter and disappointed, Dover travelled to England to study the science of the supernatural and socialize with well-known occultists, such as Jason Blood and Alexander Burgess. It was in the Burgess Estate in Wych Cross, that Stanley Dover had an encounter that would forever change his life.

In the early 1920s, Alexander Burgess' father, the magus Roderick Burgess, had attempted to capture Death herself, but instead got hold of Death's little brother - Dream of the Endless. For decades, the Roderick family had kept the so-called Sandman in a glass cage in their basement, and now, in the late 1960s, Stanley Dover snuck a peek of him. Not knowing who the strange creature was, Dover was still impressed by the capturing of a being that he sensed had great power. It was rumored that Burgess' ancient book known as the Magdalene Grimoire had been crucial to the capturing, and Dover, not above stealing when it suited his purposes, returned to the United States with the unholy book in hand. The Magdalene Grimoire provided Dover with enough wealth to set himself up in style in Star City, but, like Burgess, he never succeeded in capturing Death. [Green Arrow Vol. 3 #9, December 2001, Sandman Vol. 2 #1, January 1989]

In 1985, life took an unexpected turn for Dover. Knocking at his door was a woman named Sheila, who introduced herself as the daughter he had never seen. Sheila explained that Marge had been dead for many years, that she herself had been brought up by her aunt, and that her boyfriend Mitch had advised her to seek out her long-lost father. She did not know why her parents have separated, but wanted to get back to her roots, her family. Pretending to be touched by her tears, Dover decided to play the good father.

Some years later, Sheila gave birth to Stanley Dover Jr., giving old Stanley the perfect cover for his wicked activities. While the parents was at work, grampa Stanley looked after his grandson at the same time that he attempted to arise creatures of Hell. The ancient chants and spells of the Magdalene Grimoire served as lullabies for the baby Stanley, something that old Stanley remembered as something rather cute later in his life. And on the surface, the family life was both very cute and very happy. [Green Arrow Vol. 3 #9, December 2001]

Young Stanley grew up in the happy suburbs of Star City with his caring parents, Sheila and Mitchell Dover. (A modern man, Mitch had agreed on taking his wife's family name.) Except for Sheila's sad childhood, the Dovers were probably the most typical suburban couple you'll ever find - in the most positive meaning of the word. Caring, intelligent and fun-loving people, fond of gardening, barbecues and socializing with their neighbors. They still love each other and experience no marital difficulties except for the occasional quarrel. And they are both starting to gain weight. Neither of them has been involved in any criminal affairs...and none of them has ever joined any Satanic church.

Stanley was (and is still) the Dovers' only child, something that has not seemed to make him a spoilt brat. Actually, Stanley is a lovable kid, who dreams of becoming either a professional wrestler or a super-hero as a grown-up. Early in his life, his parents realized that he was quite intelligent. For example, he learned how to read and write before he was five years old.

Nevertheless, at the age of five, Stanley was a very lonely boy. He had no siblings. No other kids his own age lived in his neighborhood. He found some content in comic books and his own wild flights of imagination, but longed for company. He wanted a dog, but was allergic to them. Things looked bleak...until one day, while he was chasing a baseball down a sewer, and actually found the dog he had longed for. Or...it was not quite a dog. It was something even better. A genuine monster!

What Stanley did not know at the time, was that the Monster in question was actually a demon - a nameless creature that had been banished from Hell by Lucifer himself, just because he was, well, too nice to be there. He had treated his fellow demons with love and respect, given solace to the damned, and pasted "have a nice day" stickers all over the city of Dis. These actions drew the attention and awakened the anger of Lucifer, who decided that the nameless one should be banished to Earth. That would teach him some manners.

Lucifer's plan almost succeeded. Wherever the Monster moved on Earth, he was feared and hated by ignorant humans. Frustrated and angered, the Monster had probably chosen the path of evil, were it not for the interference of the good-hearted and innocent Stanley.

Stanley did what any normal five-year-old would have done - he befriended the Monster and took it home. The lonely Monster despised the fact that he scared people, and was more than happy to be Stanley's "dog" and friend. And since he had no name, Stanley gave him one. Although the Monster would have preferred "Massachusetts", he was content with Stanley calling him "Spot" - or "Thpot" as the kid pronounced it (he had a lisp in those days).

When Stanley asked his parents if he could keep a Monster he had found, they gladly agreed, more than happy that their son could be so satisfied with an imaginary friend. Even to this day, the Dovers have not actually seen the Monster, and, just like the parents of "Calvin and Hobbes", they believe it to be a figment of Stanley's imagination. For months, even years, Stanley has kept the Monster in his bedroom, hiding him under the bed in times of crisis (and ignoring the fact that this should be topologically impossible). [Fox and the Crow #95, January 1966; Secret Origins #48, April 1990; Who's Who in the DC Universe #1, August 1990]

As time went by, Stanley and his Monster embarked on many fun adventures together, developing a deep and sincere friendship. Whatever would happen, they promised never to leave each other. [Fox and the Crow #96, February 1966 - Stanley and His Monster Vol. 1 #112, November 1968.] However, Hell's rulers would not agree on that bargain. During this time, a weary Lucifer had abdicated and abandoned Hell. The infernal realm was now under Heaven's control, and the punishment of the damned overseen by the angels Remiel and Duma. [Sandman Vol. 2 #28, July 1991] The Hell's Angels did not like the thought of having demons running around on Earth, and decided to send out agents to fetch them all, the unnamed one included. Some escapees, like Lord Asteroth, were collected by Etrigan, who had been appointed "Hitman of Hell" at the time.

[Demon Vol. 3 #42-45, December 1993-March 1994] 

Others, like Anton Arcane, were brought back by Agony & Ecstasy, Hell's inquisitional "police". [Swamp Thing Vol. 2 #125, November 1992, #136-138, October-December 1993]

To collect Stanley's Monster, the Angels appointed the female rhyming demon known as Nyx, who was sent to Earth and invaded the Dover household. With the help of the Phantom Stranger and the mysterious Ambrose Bierce (a John Constantine-wannabee), Stanley and his Monster were able to avert the danger, and the Monster was ultimately allowed to stay on Earth. Stanley's parents were introduced to the Monster and encountered a lot of weirdness during this time, but their memories of the whole event were soon erased. Life in the suburbs returned to normal. Such as "normal" was. [Stanley and His Monster Vol. 2 #1-4, February-May 1993]

Time went by. Stanley grew older and went to school, and his parents got increasingly worried about him never outgrowing his "imaginary friend". They asked grampa Stanley if he couldn't talk to the boy. Stanley Sr., still playing the part of the good grandfather, agreed, just as happily as Stanley Jr. agreed to introduce his grandfather to his "friend". What Stanley Sr. had not anticipated, was that his grandson's imaginary friend was real. And that he suddenly would stand eye to eye with a demon of Hell.

Old Stanley recognized the Monster instantly. This was the one who in his arcane books was referred to as "the Beast With No Name" - a creature that would be forced to do the bidding of any human being that gained control over it. Stanley Sr. had been trying to summon the creature for years, often while taking care of little Stanley, and now realized that he had succeeded, indirectly and unknowingly, by transferring the curse to his grandson. Astonished, old Stanley asked his grandson to go get him a glass of water while he got "acquainted" with the magenta-colored Monster.

He had only turned away for a couple of seconds, but that was enough for the repulsed Monster to flee the Dover household. Furious about having been so close to the goal, and that the creature still would elude his grasp, old Stanley finally revealed to his grandson what kind of person he really was.

Old Stanley kidnapped young Stanley and imprisoned him in the basement of his big Star City mansion. Reasoning that hurting the child would be the only sure way to lure the demon out from hiding, the old mage started a wicked scheme to get the Monster's attention. He contained his grandson in a glass cage (similar to the one he had seen in the Burgess Estate), dressed him up as the Monster, and fed him only the blood of children who had been innocently killed by Stanley Sr. on the streets of Star City. Infamously known as "the Star City Slayer", the seemingly mild-mannered old man was never suspected to be guilty of the murders, or, for that matter, the disappearance of young Stanley. However, his plan didn't work. The Monster did not appear and Stanley Sr's frustration increased.

Ironically, the Star City Slayer almost fell prey to street violence himself when Stanley Sr. was assaulted by robbers one night. To his surprise, he was saved by a delirious Green Arrow. The original Green Arrow, Oliver Queen, who everybody believed to be dead. In fact, the real Oliver Queen was still dead. Stanley Sr., who had studied occultism for decades, recognized this Green Arrow as a "hollow" - a creature with the body and mind of a living man, but no soul. It was later revealed that this "Ollie" was a creation by Hal Jordan, the Spectre, who believed that his former friend deserved a second life. Ollie's soul, on the other hand, was still in Heaven, and refused to inhabit the new body.

However, this was not known to Stanley Dover Sr. at the time. He only realized that this soulless "Green Arrow" could be a valuable instrument for him in his evil mission. He befriending the confused, soulless hero (who didn't realize that he was anything less than the real thing), offering him food, clothes, a sanctuary, and, above all, friendship. While "Green Arrow" resumed his hero career, Stanley Sr. played the role of Ollie's old, good-hearted, gay friend.

While adventuring, the soulless Ollie gradually learned more about what he really was. Afraid that his plan would fail if the hollow learned too much about itself, Stanley Sr. put his plan in motion, trapping Ollie and his young friend Mia in the basement where Stanley Jr. was already held captive. Here, Stanley Sr. revealed the plan he had had since the day he met Ollie: he was to mystically transfer his own soul to the soulless body. In the shape of the Green Arrow, he could infiltrate the JLA HQ, and thus get the means to locate the missing demon who could provide him with everything...perhaps even life eternal. It was a convoluted and far-fetched plan, but Stanley Sr., mad and power-hungry, really believed it would work. [Green Arrow Vol. 3 #9, December 2001]

The soulless Ollie was just about to be killed when fate intervened in the form of Oliver's son, Connor Hawke, the second Green Arrow, who entered the building in an attempt to free the captives. Of course, Stanley Sr. was not unprepared, but unleashed a cadre of demons to fight the young archer. Feeling that Connor had no chance to survive this fight, the soul of Oliver Queen finally returned to the "hollow" body, making the original Green Arrow "whole" again. Soon, the first and second Green Arrow stood side by side, battling the minions of Hell. Finding themselves outnumbered, they were ready to sacrifice themselves and save the world by letting the JLA destroy the building with them in it.

At the last second, Stanley's Monster actually turned up and succeeded in sending the other demons back to Hell. He saved the Green Arrows, freed young Stanley from captivity, and punished the old Stanley with the words: "You dreamed of mastering me, didn't you? Of inhabiting me…as you intended to inhabit Mister Queen over there. You wanna get inside me? Fine." A screaming Stanley Dover Sr. was then devoured by the Beast.

Oliver, Connor, Mia, and Stanley Jr. were all freed from their imprisonment and returned to their respective lives.

The reunion of Stanley and his Monster was a sweet one, with the Monster erasing the painful memories of abuse from Stanley's mind. They returned to the simple life of building forts and climbing trees - and their mutual satisfaction of forever being each others' heroes. [Green Arrow Vol. 3 #10, January 2002]

POWERS AND WEAPONS

Stanley Dover Jr. is a typical boy of his age. He has no meta-gene, no extraordinary abilities, and does not know any martial arts. He is highly intelligent and rather hyperactive.

Before he was banished to Earth, the Monster had demonic powers of a fairly high caliber. Most of them were stripped from him as part of his punishment. He has working knowledge of magic, but is mostly incapable of using it since his Earthly exile. However, he can recognize other Demons, no matter how well they are disguised. He has also been able to conduct other mystic feats at occasions, such as the time when he closed old Stanley's doorway to Hell, and erased Young Stanley's painful memories. The Monster is vulnerable to magic spells, and certain mystical objects and substances (such as holy water).

The Monster still has superior strength and an incredibly high threshold of pain. He is impervious to cold and fire. He has good night vision. His diet consists mainly of poisons, toxic wastes, garbage, and trash (which makes him come in handy on cleaning day). He has an adverse effect on normal animals, who are terrified of him and will run away, no matter how well trained. He can be hurt by heavy-duty weapons, but will heal completely unless they've been blessed. He has no extensive knowledge of weaponry, but if called upon, can wield a mean pitchfork. His claws can rip through concrete and his teeth can bite through an inch of Steel (though they'll smart a bit afterward). Despite his appearance, he can move swiftly, and delicately if the need arises. [Who's Who in the DC Universe #1, August 1990; Green Arrow Vol. 3 #10, January 2002]

CHRONOLOGY

For a definitive list of appearances of Stanley in chronological order click here

PROFILE REFERENCES

Who's Who in the DC Universe #1 (August 1990)