Mr. Nobody

Origin

Very little is known about Eric Morden's early life. He stole a giant robot and so impressed the Brotherhood of Evil with his crime wave that they invited him to join. His first mission with the Brotherhood failed, and he was soon after thrown off the team and warned that he would be killed if he ever met a Brotherhood member again. He fled to Paraguay, where an ex-Nazi scientist housed him for several years. Dissatisfied with his life, he agreed to take part in one of the scientist's experiments. He was immobilized and left in a completely white room for three days, which drove him irrevocably mad. In a critical moment, his body completely transformed into a strange half-present abstraction. Killing his tormentors, Morden traveled the world seeking the odd and the outcasts, bringing them together to form the Brotherhood of Dada.

Creation

Eric Morden was created by Arnold Drake and Bob Brown. He made his first appearance in Doom Patrol #86. The character was significantly rebooted by Grant Morrison and Richard Case.

Major Story Arcs

The Painting That Ate Paris

Collecting his new team, Mr Nobody leads them on a chaotic, anarchic quest to steal a painting that he claims will consume all those who look at it. They successfully steal the painting and set it up in Paris. Mr Nobody recites a dadaist poem of his own composition, activating the painting and trapping all of Paris, and his team, within it. Inside the painting, he confronts the newly-arrived Cliff Steele, and sends him careening through the various layers of the painting. After the Brotherhood defeats the Doom Patrol, he plans to absorb the rest of the world in the painting. This is prevented by the awakening of the Fifth Horseman of the Apocalypse. He and his team join forces with the Doom Patrol to stop the Horseman from destroying the world, and Mr Nobody realizes that they can destroy the Horseman by directing it through the dada level, stripping away the meaning and symbology that powers the Horseman. After the Horseman is defeated and the painting is partially destroyed, Mr Nobody remains inside it with the other members of the Brotherhood, though he does not particularly want to remain.

Nobody for President

Still trapped in the painting, Mr Nobody begins contacting various oddballs psychically. They gather in Venice, where the painting is being stored, and free Mr Nobody. He leads them to locate Albert Hoffman's bicycle, which has been imbued with the energy of the first LSD trip. He rides it through Venice, intoxicating the populace and attracting the attention of the Doom Patrol. He takes a homeless man hostage to force Danny the Street to transport himself and the Brotherhood of Dada to New Mexico. There, he plans to run for President, and uses the bicycle's psychedelic resonances to predispose the populace towards him. He manages to gain a fair amount of support, and plans to merge the Painting That Ate Paris with reality during a speech, but is attacked by John Dandy, who has been sent by the government to halt Mr Nobody's campaign. Dandy is able to transform Mr Nobody back into the human Eric Morden, and impales him on a wooden stake. He attempts to escape into the painting, but it is destroyed by other agents, and he fades from existence.

The Front Men

Mysteriously returned and able to possess people, Mr Nobody takes possession of the body of Thayer Jost. No longer interested in creating chaos and absurdity, he begins manipulating public opinion towards superheroes. He creates his own team, the Front Men, which consists of villains for whom he ruthlessly manipulates the press and public, making them appear to be heroes who are under attack by the rogue Doom Patrol. He travels to Oolong Island where he takes control of Veronica Cale to further his goals. He nearly defeats the Doom Patrol, but is stopped by Ambush Bug who reveals to him that the title is about to be cancelled, and the universe will soon be rebooting anyways. Mr Nobody abruptly vacates Cale's body and vanishes.

Nada

Reappearing, Mr Nobody begins a plan to destroy and remake reality. He assembles several people who have nothing in common and forms a new group with them, the Brotherhood of Nada. He aggressively markets a mysterious and addictive foodstuff called $#!+ which he can trigger to screw up the existence of anyone who has consumed it. Using the tap-dancing of his daughter, Terry None, to trigger the $#!+, Nobody attempts to destroy reality so that he can remake it as he sees fit. He and his Brotherhood are confronted by the Doom Patrol, and his plans are derailed when his daughter becomes suddenly pregnant with Casey Brinke's child. When Terry gives birth to the omniblank, all combatants including Mr Nobody are transported to Final Heaven. There, he accepts the opportunity to become the new entertainment for The Eonymous.

Alternate Versions

Trinity

Mr Nobody appears in this alternate timeline as a possible candidate for the Dark Arcana's Fool. He takes part in the Final Battle for the Arcana in Metropolis.

Powers and Abilities

Mr Nobody has a unique physiology which is disorientating for others to observe. Due to his physiology he appears to be invulnerable, and may be immortal. He also possesses largely unexplained psychic abilities, as he has demonstrated the ability to enter dreams, as well as to locate individuals and know everything about them before they meet. He is also capable of possessing people, who appear to remain fully aware of his behaviour while he inhabits their bodies. He is very intelligent, and a competent leader.

Other Media

Doom Patrol

Mr Nobody appears as the main antagonist of the first season of series, making his first appearance in "Pilot". He is portrayed by Alan Tudyk. He frequently breaks the fourth wall