Michael Mayne, also known as the Harlequin's Son, is an actor and the son of the Harlequin.
History
Origins
Michael was raised by his maternal grandmother and only saw his mother infrequently, as such their relationship was strained. When Michael was in his twenties he was the victim of a homophobic assault and so he fashioned a costume for himself, took his mother's illusion casting glasses and hunted down the men who attacked him. During the fight one of the two men accidentally shot and killed the other; to avoid consequences, the shooter blamed his partner's death on "The Harlequin's Son".
Michael turned to a life of crime after being labelled a murderer, but his true good nature shone through whenever innocents were in danger. His name was eventually cleared and he became an actor. The original Star-Spangled Kid invited him to join Infinity, Inc. when he formed the team but Michael declined as he wished to retire from costumed heroics. However, he later fought in the Crisis on Infinite Earths and Dark Crisis.[2]
Justice Society
Michael became a violent vigilante on the streets of Los Angeles, targeting domestic abusers. If the men he attacked continued to beat their partners after the first time he went after them, he would tattoo diamonds around their eyes so everyone would know that they were dangerous.[3] The JSA came for him as he was dropping an abusive husband off a rooftop and asked him to surrender for his violent assaults, offering him the chance to work off his sentence by joining them rather than go to prison. He refused and attempted to flee but was stopped by The Legionnaire.[4] Mayne was pressed into service in the JSA and repeatedly attempted to run away, but each time was swiftly recaptured. He reluctantly took part in the mission to capture Gentleman Ghost.[1]
Powers and Abilities
Abilities
- Acrobatics[4]
- Acting: Michael was a skilled actor, notably portraying Carver Colman in the film Dusk Before Dawn.[2]
- Artistry: Michael is a competent tattooist.[3]
- Hand-to-Hand Combat (Basic): The Harlequin's Son is a skilled hand-to-hand fighter, reluctantly trained by his mother.[2]
- Intimidation[4]
Paraphernalia
Equipment
- Harlequin Costume
- Energy Resistance: Michael's costume was enchanted by The Wizard, granting him exceptional resistance to magical attacks.[4]
- Harlequin Spectacles
- Illusion Casting: Utilizing the Harlequin's illusion-creating tech in his mask, Michael can project illusions in the form of lifelike holographic images, most often duplicates of himself to distract his opponents. His acting skills also come into use when Michael creates what he calls "players" which are holograms that impersonate others.[2]
Trivia
- Supposedly, Michael first appeared in Infinity Inc. #1, but does not appear in said issue. Actually, [he was proposed only in the sketches, but never used in the 1980s]
- In one possible future, Michael became a member of Helena Wayne's Justice Society.[5] This timeline was inadvertently erased by Helena when she journeyed back in time to defeat Per Degaton and told her father's past counterpart the circumstances behind his future death.[6]
Related
- 8 Appearances of Michael Mayne (Prime Earth)
- 7 Images featuring Michael Mayne (Prime Earth)
- Quotations by or about Michael Mayne (Prime Earth)
- Character Gallery: Michael Mayne (Prime Earth)
Footnotes
  This character, team or organization is or was primarily an enemy of the Justice Society, in any of its various incarnations. This template will categorize articles that include it into the "Justice Society Villains" category. |
 Justice Society of America member |