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Bouncing Boy

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Bouncing Boy
Publication information
PublisherDC Comics
First appearanceAction Comics #276 (May 1961)
Created byJerry Siegel
Jim Mooney
In-story information
Alter egoCharles Foster Taine
SpeciesMetahuman
Place of originEarth (31st century)
Team affiliationsLegion of Super-Heroes
Abilities

Bouncing Boy (Chuck Taine) is a superhero appearing in American comic books by DC Comics, usually as a member of the Legion of Super-Heroes. Born on Earth, Bouncing Boy has the power to inflate like a giant ball and bounce around. This combination of invulnerability and velocity makes him a surprisingly useful combatant. Born without any powers, he received his abilities from a super-plastic formula he believed was soda. Bouncing Boy is known for sharing a long-term romantic relationship with fellow Legionnaire Triplicate Girl, whom he eventually marries. In reboot Legion continuity, he is the Legion's mechanic.

Publication history

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Bouncing Boy first appeared in Action Comics #276 (May 1961)[1] and was created by Jerry Siegel and Jim Mooney. His addition to the Legion of Super-Heroes reflected Siegel's interest in comedy and provided a vehicle for humor.[2]

Fictional character biography

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Silver Age

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Bouncing Boy is a member of the Legion of Super-Heroes who gained his abilities after accidentally drinking a super plastic formula which he believes to be soda. He later becomes a teacher at the Legion Academy and marries Luornu Durgo. However, the two are forced to leave the Legion due to a rule prohibiting members from being married.[3][4][5][6][7]

Post-Zero Hour

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In post-Zero Hour continuity, Chuck lacks powers and is the Legion's resident architect and engineer, having went to school using his parents' money after they were killed by Daxamites. He designs the Legion Outpost space station and builds a specialty vehicle called the "Bouncing Boy" which acts as a bouncing juggernaut, smashing everything in its way.[1]

Retroboot / New Earth

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Infinite Crisis restores a close analogue of the original Legion to continuity. Bouncing Boy is depicted as an instructor at the Legion Academy and a reserve member of the Legion.

In the Watchmen sequel Doomsday Clock, Bouncing Boy is among the Legion of Super-Heroes members who are erased from existence after Doctor Manhattan alters the timeline. However, he is resurrected when Superman convinces Manhattan to restore the timeline.[8]

In The New Golden Age, Bouncing Boy is among the Legionnaires who arrive in the present and confront the Justice Society over their decision to recruit Legionnaire, a young, heroic incarnation of Mordru.[9]

Powers and abilities

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Bouncing Boy is a metahuman with the ability to inflate into an elastic, spherical form, enabling him to bounce at high speeds. This also provides him with a limited degree of invulnerability and resistant to electric shocks. Unlike an inanimate rubber ball, which loses kinetic energy due to friction and gravity, Bouncing Boy maintains his velocity as he bounces.[10]

Bouncing Boy has lost his powers on two occasions, but regained them shortly afterward.[11][12][13][14]

The reboot incarnation of Chuck Taine has no powers, but is a gifted engineer and architect. He built and pilots his own spaceship known as the Bouncing Boy.[15]

As a Legion of Super-Heroes member, Bouncing Boy possesses his own Legion Flight Ring. It enables him to fly and survive in space, and acts as a long-range communicator and navigator.

In other media

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Television

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Film

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Bouncing Boy appears in Legion of Super-Heroes (2023), voiced by Ely Henry.[17][16] This version is a student of the Legion Academy.

Video games

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Bouncing Boy appears as a character summon in Scribblenauts Unmasked: A DC Comics Adventure.[18]

Miscellaneous

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References

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  1. ^ a b Beatty, Scott; Wallace, Dan (2008). The DC Comics Encyclopedia: The Definitive Guide to the Characters of the DC Universe (Updated and expanded. ed.). New York: DK Pub. p. 59. ISBN 978-0-7566-4119-1.
  2. ^ Cadigan, Glen; Shooter, Jim (2003). The Legion Companion. Raleigh, N.C.: TwoMorrows Publishing. p. 23. ISBN 978-1893905221.
  3. ^ Fleisher, Michael L. (2007). The Original Encyclopedia of Comic Book Heroes, Volume Three: Superman. DC Comics. p. 28. ISBN 978-1-4012-1389-3.
  4. ^ Cowsill, Alan; Irvine, Alex; Korte, Steve; Manning, Matt; Wiacek, Win; Wilson, Sven (2016). The DC Comics Encyclopedia: The Definitive Guide to the Characters of the DC Universe. DK Publishing. p. 53. ISBN 978-1-4654-5357-0.
  5. ^ Adventure Comics #301 (October 1962)
  6. ^ Adventure Comics #341 (February 1966)
  7. ^ Cowsill, Alan (2010). DC Comics Year by Year: A Visual Chronicle. New York: DK Pub. p. 159. ISBN 978-0-7566-6742-9.
  8. ^ Doomsday Clock #12 (December 2019). DC Comics.
  9. ^ Justice Society of America (vol. 4) #10. DC Comics.
  10. ^ Who's Who in the Legion of Super-Heroes #1 (April 1988)
  11. ^ Adventure Comics #351 (December 1966)
  12. ^ Superboy starring the Legion of Super-Heroes #200 (February 1974)
  13. ^ Superboy and the Legion of Super-Heroes #230 (August 1977)
  14. ^ Sacks, Jason; Dallas, Keith (2014). American Comic Book Chronicles: The 1970s. TwoMorrows Publishing. p. 143. ISBN 978-1605490564.
  15. ^ Legion of Super-Heroes (vol. 4) #76 (January 1996)
  16. ^ a b c "Bouncing Boy Voices (Legion of Super Heroes)". Behind The Voice Actors. Retrieved April 15, 2024. A green check mark indicates that a role has been confirmed using a screenshot (or collage of screenshots) of a title's list of voice actors and their respective characters found in its credits or other reliable sources of information.
  17. ^ Couch, Aaron (October 13, 2022). "DC's Legion of Super-Heroes Sets Voice Cast With Meg Donnelly and Harry Shum Jr. to Star (Exclusive)". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved April 15, 2024.
  18. ^ Eisen, Andrew (October 4, 2013). "DC Characters and Objects - Scribblenauts Unmasked Guide". IGN. Retrieved April 15, 2024.
  19. ^ "Adventures in the DC Universe #10 - The Blobs (Issue)". Comic Vine. Retrieved June 22, 2023.
  20. ^ "Legion of Super-Heroes in the 31st Century #1 - Yesterday's Hero (Issue)". Comic Vine. Retrieved April 15, 2024.
  21. ^ "Smallville: Season Eleven #15 - Argo, Part 3 (Issue)". Comic Vine. Retrieved April 15, 2024.
  22. ^ "Batman '66 Meets the Legion of Super-Heroes #1 - Atomic Batteries To Power, Flight Rings To Speed (Issue)". Comic Vine. Retrieved August 18, 2023.
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