Template:Short description Template:Infobox comics character 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 the reboot Legion continuity, he is the Legion's mechanic.
Bouncing Boy has appeared in various media outside comics, primarily in association with the Legion. He is voiced by Michael Cornacchia in Legion of Super Heroes (2006) and Googy Gress in Justice League Unlimited.
Publication history
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
Silver Age
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 leave the Legion due to a rule that prohibits members from being married.[3][4][5][6][7]
Post-Zero Hour
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
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 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][9]
Powers and abilities
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 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
Television
- Bouncing Boy makes a non-speaking cameo appearance in the Superman: The Animated Series episode "New Kids in Town".Template:Cn
- Bouncing Boy appears in the Justice League Unlimited episode "Far From Home", voiced by Googy Gress.[16]
- Bouncing Boy appears in Legion of Super Heroes (2006), voiced by Michael Cornacchia.[16] This version temporarily replaced Cosmic Boy as leader of the Legion during the first season, and inspired a group of discouraged Legion applicants to form the Legion of Substitute Heroes.
- Bouncing Boy appears in the Harley Quinn episode "Icons Only", voiced by Eric Bauza.Template:Cn This version is a contemporary Las Vegas performer.
Film
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
Bouncing Boy appears as a character summon in Scribblenauts Unmasked: A DC Comics Adventure.[18]
Miscellaneous
- Bouncing Boy appears in Adventures in the DC Universe #10.[19]
- Bouncing Boy appears in Legion of Super Heroes in the 31st Century.[20]
- Bouncing Boy appears in the Smallville sequel comics.[21]
- Bouncing Boy appears in the one-shot comic Batman '66 Meets the Legion of Super-Heroes.[22]
References
Template:Legion of Super-Heroes Template:Superman characters
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 Template:Cite book
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- ↑ Adventure Comics #301 (October 1962)
- ↑ Adventure Comics #341 (February 1966)
- ↑ Doomsday Clock #12 (December 2019). DC Comics.
- ↑ Justice Society of America (vol. 4) #10. DC Comics.
- ↑ Who's Who in the Legion of Super-Heroes #1 (April 1988)
- ↑ Adventure Comics #351 (December 1966)
- ↑ Superboy starring the Legion of Super-Heroes #200 (February 1974)
- ↑ Superboy and the Legion of Super-Heroes #230 (August 1977)
- ↑ Template:Cite book
- ↑ Legion of Super-Heroes (vol. 4) #76 (January 1996)
- ↑ 16.0 16.1 16.2 Template:Cite web 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.
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