Mento (character)

Comics character

Mento

Mento as depicted in Teen Titans (vol. 3) #37 (August 2006). Art by Tony Daniel.

Publication information
Publisher| DC Comics
First appearance| Doom Patrol #91 (November 1964)
Created by| Arnold Drake (writer)
Bruno Premiani (artist)
In-story information
Alter ego| Steve Dayton
Species| Metahuman
Team affiliations| Doom Patrol
Seven Soldiers of Victory
Hybrid
Dayton Industries
Suicide Squad
Notable aliases| The Crimelord
Abilities| Psionic abilities

All types of empathy

* Empathic burst
* Empathic projection
* Lie detection

All types of telepathy

* Thought projection
* Memory manipulation
* Limited mind control
* Mind reading

All types of Telekinesis

* Telekinetic shield
* Telekinetic force manipulation

Extrasensory perception

* Clairvoyance
* Clairaudience
* Psychometry
* Precognition
* Enhanced intuition
* Danger intuition

Mento is a superhero appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics.

Mento appeared in his first live adaptation on the first season of the Doom Patrol television series for DC Universe played by Will Kemp and Dave Bielawski.

## Publication history

[edit]

Mento first appeared in Doom Patrol #91 (November 1964) and was created by Arnold Drake and Bruno Premiani.[1]

## Fictional character biography

[edit]

Steve Dayton, the world's fifth richest man, owns Dayton Industries, builds a helmet to enhance his mental abilities and calls himself Mento. This is an attempt on Dayton's part to impress Elasti-Girl (a.k.a. Rita Farr) of the Doom Patrol. Although his arrogant manner annoys the male field members of the team, he is successful, and in Doom Patrol #104 (June 1966), Mento and Elasti-Girl are married. They soon adopt Beast Boy (Garfield Logan). After Elasti-Girl's death, Mento becomes involved in the hunt for her killers, General Zahl and Madame Rouge. During this time, he invents ~~a~~ form of uranium called Promethium which is used by Deathstroke and Vic Stone/Cyborg.[2][3][4][5]

In Swamp Thing (vol. 2) #49-50 (June–July 1986), John Constantine recruits Mento to assist him in a battle in Hell. During the battle, Mento is driven insane before Raven cures him.[6][7]

Much later, Dayton hires Deathstroke to find the Titans during the Titan Hunt. Afterwards, he becomes the "Crimelord"[8] and tries to frame Deathstroke for murder, but Dayton's dual identity and plans are revealed and Deathstroke is cleared of all charges.[9] The Crimelord's plans also involved nuclear bombs placed across the country, but this is neutralized by a large gathering of superheroes, mainly current and former Teen Titans.

### One Year Later

[edit]

Main article: One Year Later

Steve Dayton is revealed to have returned with the rest of the Doom Patrol. Though a member of the Patrol, he furiously writes novels (remarking that he intends to entitle the series My Greatest Adventure), supposedly spurred on by a creative streak created by the helmet. He also seems to have developed an addiction again to his helmet, as he claims that Rita is only in love with Mento and not Steve Dayton. He claims to remember his days as the Crimelord, calling them "a glitch in the helmet".[10]

Seeing the truth about Niles Caulder (a.k.a. the Chief), who is trying to convince Kid Devil to join the Doom Patrol by telling him that his own teammates, the Titans, will always despise him as a freak, Dayton shakes off his addiction and finally removes the helmet. Thinking clearly again for the first time in years, he takes the control of the Doom Patrol from the Chief, claiming respect for the other members of the squad, and threatening the Chief if he ever reclaimed his leading role from him.[11]

Mento is later shown, fully in possession of his mental faculties, as an occasional helper of the Justice League, filling with his cybernetically augmented mental abilities the role once held by the late Martian Manhunter. In such a role, he diagnoses Jericho's dissociative identity disorder, spurring the League to seek professional help for him.[12]

In Final Crisis #6, Mento (along with Miss Martian) is shown amongst a group of psychics who are trying to purge the world of the Anti-Life Equation.

In the 2010 run of Doom Patrol, Mento is revealed to have left the Patrol, despite still being in contact with Caulder. Estranged from his wife, as his marriage failed when Rita found out how Dayton routinely used his mind-reading powers on her, he is called back by Caulder to stop an alien hive mind by using Rita's enlarged form as a proxy. Upon becoming aware of this new violation, Rita cuts ties with Mento, blaming Caulder too for her mistreatment.

## Other versions

[edit]

An alternate universe variant of Steve Dayton appears in Teen Titans: Earth One. This version is a S.T.A.R. Labs scientist.

## Powers and abilities

[edit]

Steve Dayton wears a helmet of his own invention that amplifies his own latent psychic powers. While wearing the helmet, he has the powers of telepathy, psychokinesis, intangibility, and limited mind control. The helmet has the negative side effect of increasing Dayton's paranoia and dementia. Raven is eventually able to cure him of these side effects.

## In other media

[edit]

### Television

[edit]

Mento as depicted in Teen Titans

* Mento appears in the Teen Titans two-part episode "Homecoming", voiced by Xander Berkeley.[13] This version is the leader of the Doom Patrol.
* Mento appears in Young Justice, voiced by Scott Menville.[13] This version is Beast Boy's legal guardian and exploits his abilities for profit despite displaying a mutual disliking towards him. After forming the Outsiders, Beast Boy is legally emancipated from Mento.
* Mento appears in the Doom Patrol episode "Doom Patrol Patrol", portrayed by Will Kemp as a young man and by Dave Bielawski as an old man. This version dated Rita Farr in 1955 and was a member of a 1950s incarnation of the Doom Patrol before they were defeated by Mr. Nobody and disbanded. As a result of the battle, Mento loses control of his powers, which Joshua Clay works to keep in check while caring for him.

### Video games

[edit]

Mento appears as a character summon in Scribblenauts Unmasked: A DC Comics Adventure.[14]

### Miscellaneous

[edit]

* Mento appears in Teen Titans Go!.[15][16]
* Mento appears in Batman: The Brave and the Bold #9.

## References

[edit]

1. ^ 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. 197\. ISBN 978-1-4654-5357-0.
2. ^ Wells, John (2015). American Comic Book Chronicles: 1960-64. TwoMorrows Publishing. p. 181\. ISBN 978-1605490458.
3. ^ Wells, John (2014). American Comic Book Chronicles: 1965-1969. TwoMorrows Publishing. p. 119\. ISBN 978-1605490557.
4. ^ The DC Comics Encyclopedia. Dorling Kindersley Limited. 2004. p. 200\. ISBN 0-7566-0592-X.
5. ^ New Teen Titans #9
6. ^ Swamp Thing (vol. 2) #49-50 (June–July 1986)
7. ^ New Teen Titans #34 (1987)
8. ^ New Teen Titans #115 (1994)
9. ^ Deathstroke #50 (1995)
10. ^ Teen Titans (vol. 3) #36 (July 2006)
11. ^ Teen Titans (vol. 3) #37 (August 2006)
12. ^ DC Universe: Decisions #4
13. ^ a b "Mento Voices (DC Universe)". Behind The Voice Actors. Retrieved March 17, 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.
14. ^ Eisen, Andrew (October 2, 2013). "DC Characters and Objects - Scribblenauts Unmasked Guide". IGN. Retrieved July 29, 2024.
15. ^ "Teen Titans Go! #28 - Surprises (Issue)". Comic Vine. Retrieved July 29, 2024.
16. ^ "Teen Titans Go! #53 - Wacky Wednesday & Hot & Cold (Issue)". Comic Vine. Retrieved July 29, 2024.

* v
* t
* e

Doom Patrol

Creators|

* Arnold Drake
* Bruno Premiani
* Murray Boltinoff
* Bob Haney
* Grant Morrison
* Rachel Pollack
* Gerard Way

Current members|

* Negative Man
* Robotman
* Danny the Ambulance/World
* Crazy Jane
* Flex Mentallo
* Elasti-Girl

Notable members|

* Ambush Bug
* Beast Boy
* Bumblebee
* The Chief
* Celsius
* Joshua Clay
* Coagula
* Danny the Street
* Doctor Light (Kimiyo Hoshi)
* Element Woman
* Elongated Man
* Flex Mentallo
* Mento
* Negative Woman
* Dorothy Spinner
* Vox

Supporting characters|

* Animal Man
* Aquaman
* Blue Beetle
* Booster Gold
* Justice League
* Power Girl
* Superman
* Teen Titans
* Willoughby Kipling
* Will Magnus

Villains|

* Animal-Vegetable-Mineral Man
* The Brain
* General Immortus
* General Zahl
* Madame Rouge
* Monsieur Mallah
* Mr. Nobody
* Shrapnel

Villain teams|

* The Brotherhood of Dada
* The Brotherhood of Evil

Related|

* Teen Titans

Media|

* Teen Titans
* Titans
* Doom Patrol

* v
* t
* e

Teen Titans

* Bob Haney
* Bruno Premiani

Founding members|

* Aqualad/Garth
* Kid Flash/Wally West
* Robin/Dick Grayson
* Speedy/Roy Harper
* Wonder Girl/Donna Troy

Current members|

| Teen Titans|

* Bunker
* Crush
* Jakeem Thunder
* Kid Flash
* Ace West
* Red Arrow
* Emiko Queen

|

Titans|

* Beast Boy
* Cyborg
* Flash
* Nightwing
* Raven
* Starfire
* Troia
* Tempest
* Swamp Thing
* Arsenal

Past members|

| Teen Titans|

* Aqualad
* Jackson Hyde
* Arsenal
* Atom
* Ray Palmer
* Baby Wildebeest
* Blue Beetle (Jaime Reyes)
* Bumblebee
* Bushido
* Cyborg
* Danny Chase
* Mal Duncan
* Flash/Kid Flash/Wally West
* Gnarrk
* Green Lantern (Kyle Rayner)
* Hawk and Dove
* Impulse/Kid Flash (Bart Allen)
* Jericho
* Kid Flash
* Ace West
* Kole
* Miss Martian
* Nightwing
* Omen
* Pantha
* Raven
* Ravager (Rose Wilson)
* Red Arrow
* Emiko Queen
* Red Hood
* Red Star
* Robin
* Tim Drake
* Damian Wayne
* Shazam
* Starfire
* Static
* Steel (Natasha Irons)
* Superboy
* Kon-El
* Jon Kent
* Supergirl
* Kara Zor-El
* Tempest
* Terra
* Troia
* Wonder Girl (Cassie Sandsmark)

|

Supporting characters|

* Doom Patrol
* Dubbilex
* Justice League
* Sarah Simms
* Sarge Steel
* Silas Stone
* Thunder and Lightning
* Wendy, Marvin and Wonder Dog
* Young Justice

Enemies|

| Antagonists|

* Blackfire
* Brain
* Brother Blood
* Cheshire
* Cinderblock
* Clock King
* Copperhead
* Deathstroke the Terminator
* Ding Dong Daddy
* Doctor Light
* Duela Dent
* Dreadbolt
* Gemini
* General Immortus
* Gizmo
* Gorilla Grodd
* H'San Natall
* Jericho
* Jinx
* Lady Vic
* Lord Chaos
* Mad Mod
* Madame Rouge
* Mammoth
* Mister Twister
* Mongul
* Monsieur Mallah
* Persuader
* Phobia
* Plasmus
* Psimon
* Ravager
* The Reach
* Shimmer
* Siren
* Superboy-Prime
* Terra
* Trident
* Trigon
* Vandal Savage
* Warp
* Wintergreen
* Zookeeper

|

Organizations|

* Brotherhood of Evil
* Dark Nemesis
* Fearsome Five
* H.I.V.E.
* Legion of Doom
* Terror Titans
* Titans of Myth
* Wildebeest Society

Locations|

* Titans Tower
* S.T.A.R. Labs

Publications
and storylines|

* Team Titans
* Teen Titans: Earth One
* Teen Titans Go!
* Teen Titans: The Lost Annual
* Tiny Titans
* "Titans Tomorrow"
* Titans/Young Justice: Graduation Day
* The Uncanny X-Men and The New Teen Titans
* "The Lazarus Contract"
* "Super Sons of Tomorrow"
* "The Terminus Agenda"
* "Titans: Beast World"

Affiliated teams|

* Doom Patrol
* Legion of Super-Heroes
* Titans East
* Young Justice

In other media|

| Films|

| Teen Titans|

* Teen Titans: Trouble in Tokyo (2006)
* Teen Titans Go! vs. Teen Titans (2019)

|

DCAMU|

* Justice League vs. Teen Titans (2016)
* Teen Titans: The Judas Contract (2017)

Teen Titans Go!|

* Teen Titans Go! To the Movies (2018)
* Teen Titans Go! vs. Teen Titans (2019)
* Teen Titans Go! & DC Super Hero Girls: Mayhem in the Multiverse (2022)

Television|

| Teen Titans|

* Episodes
* Season 1
* 2
* 3
* 4
* 5
* Characters
* Cinderblock

|

Teen Titans Go!|

* Episodes
* Characters
* "The Night Begins to Shine"

Titans|

* Season 1
* 2
* 3
* 4
* Characters
* Dick Grayson

Video games|

* Teen Titans (2005)
* Teen Titans (2006)

* Category

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