Matter-Eater Lad

The Quirky Politician…

Matter-Eater Lad is Tenzil Kem of the planet Bismoll, a planet whose environment is so caustic, nothing organic grows on it and the inhabitants were forced to evolve into beings that could eat any form of matter.  Tenzil joined the Legion and served a quiet tenure for the most part, always commenting on how yummy some bit of prison cell was as he helped the Legion escape many prison walls.

Tenzil had a battle of faith when an upstart from his planet and other Legionnaire planets came to challenge some Legionnaires for a place on the team.  Calorie Queen had developed the ability to turn whatever matter she ate into super-strength and Tenzil was wondering where he truly belonged.  He did not have long to wait, while the upstarts were defeated, Tenzil was soon drafted into the politics on his homeworld and was forced to resign from the Legion.

When Brainiac Five went insane, the Legion brought in Matter-Eater Lad to do something no one could do. Destroy the Miracle Machine by eating it.  The energies of the Miracle Machine drove Tenzil mad and he too was put in a hospital for his health in an energy cell so he could not escape.

Brainiac Five soon regained his sanity, but it wasn’t so easy for Tenzil and as we begin our Legion stories, Brainy is trying to cure Tenzil of his affliction.

First Appearance

Created By:  Jerry Siegel & John Forte

Powers

Devouring – Tenzil’s digestive system is so strong that he can take in massive quantities of inorganic matter and digest it.

Sharp Maw – Tenzil’s teeth/mouth are capable of cutting through almost any substance, short of energy structures.

Vulnerabilities

Tenzil is a normal humanoid that suffers the same vulnerabilities as you or I would, except for dying from starvation as long as there is matter to eat.

Skills

Gift of Gab – Tenzil is a skilled negotiator given his time in the Bismollian Senate and is able to use this to his advantage.

Power Player – Tenzil is connected to government and as such is able to call in favors when needed.

Equipment

Legion Flight Ring – All Legionnaires wear a ring which enables them to fly, communicate with each other across the distances of space, call for assistance, or locate other Legionnaires.

Legion Transuit – A transparent spacesuit that activates automatically in the event of a vacuum, though Mon-El rarely wears his.