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History

Jonathan Bates is the orphaned child of deceased Air Force personnel, and like Mike Moran, he was used by The Spookshow as a test subject in Project Zarathustra. In 1954 he was given the ability to change places in space and time with a superpowered cellular replicate, Kid Miracleman, through the use of the magic word, “Miracleman.” As with Mike Moran/Miracleman, all of Johnny Bates/Kid Miracleman’s thoughts and memories are shared between the two bodies, while the body occupying infra-space has no consciousness and did not age.[citation needed]

After 9 years being kept in a "Para-reality dreamworld", he, Miracleman and Young Miracleman were released into the artic, where they were nuked. While Young Miracleman died, and Miracleman lost his memories, Kid Miracleman survived.

Deciding to remain in his Kid Miracleman form but utilizing Bates' identity, he would grow Starburst Cybernetics thanks to his powers, intellect and corporate espionage. He would eventually grow entirely corrupt as well, his power leading him to detest regular humans.

After 12 years had past, Miracleman remembered his change word and regained his memories. Watching him on tv and realizing Mike's threat to his empire, he called him to his tower to discuss things. While he and his wife are there, Kid Miracleman attempts to persuade Mike with telepathy and telling him how he also lost his powers, however Mike can see past it and confirms his suspicions when Kid Miracleman flies after being thrown off the balcony.

He then kills a secretary who was bringing him tea to show how he doesn't mind killing people. Transforming into Miracleman, they battle, however Kid Miracleman's superior experience and powers allows him to triumph twice, but in a moment of hubris, he utters his name, reverting back into 13-year-olf Johnny Bates, then promptly taken to a nursing home.

Bate's remains catatonic for a while, seeking to keep back Kid Miracleman, however after the Qys probe his mind and Kid Miracleman manipulates him, he regains consciousness. He is bullied by the other kids at the orphanage, and confides in a nice nursing lady who took care of him when he was catatonic.

Bate's finally breaks when the boy's assault him, releasing Kid Miracleman, who kills them, but in a moment of mercy, spares the nursing lady, only to return to kill her. He wreaks havoc on London, killing time, until Miracleman, Miraclewoman, Huey Moon and a Warpsmith appear. He defeats them all, but one of the Warpsmiths figures that due to him relying on a force field, teleporting in an object can harm him. Kid Miracleman is wounded by a rock in the side of his head, and kills the Warpsmith, but not before it can teleport a metal bar into his chest. The pain forces him to revert to Bates, who is comforted and killed by Miracleman to end the threat once and for all.

Kid Miracleman then appears in Young Miracleman's dreams, telling him to finish what he started. However, Young Miracleman apparently rejects his offer and seeks to keep him at bay.

Personality

In his youth, Kid Miracleman was bright, optimistic and a bit immature, fighting for good alongside the rest of the Miracleman Family. However, after they were nuked and Johnny was seemingly the lone survivor, he would grow arrogant and conceited, seeing how weak other humans were and taking sadistic pleasure in killing them. He also harbored an immense hatred for Miracleman and was overjoyed when he proved his superiority in combat.

After being trapped in Johnny Bates' mind, he grew increasingly mad, and once he was released, brutally massacred the people of London simply to pass time and get Miracleman's attention. Now, he seeks to corrupt Dickie Dauntless.

Attributes

Powers

  • Psionics: Bates's powers and strength stem from powerful mental abilities that affect the world around him based on his will. These grow with age and experience allowing him to become much stronger than Miracleman while developing abilities Miracleman lacks. The affects of using his mental power are:
    • Superhuman Strength: Bates is superhumanly strong and able to lift/press many tons of weight with little effort. He was able to knock Miracleman into the sky with a punch[2], can casually hurl tanker truck and shrug off an entire building being dropped on him.
      • Thunderclaps: He is able to create thunderclaps by clapping his hands.
    • Superhuman Speed
    • Superhuman Stamina
    • Invulnerability: Bates can withstand tremendous force and temperatures with no harm or discomfort. As a kid he survived being caught in the blast of a nuclear explosion but it caused him extreme damage, although he survived.[2] The superhuman blows of Miracle Man did little if any damage.[2] The great pressures at the bottom of the Ocean only cause him mild discomfort. He was unharmed by a building falling on him and by fiery explosions he was at the center of. His invulnerability is due to sheath of energy surrounding his body rather than from natural toughness.
    • Self-Sustenance: He is capable of surviving in space without ill effects.
    • Self-Propelled Flight: Bates has the ability to fly at supersonic speeds of at least mach 3.[2]
    • Energy Blasts: He is capable of projecting energy blasts from his hands.
    • Telepathy: Bates has telepathic abilities that allow him to infiltrate the minds of others.[2]
    • Laser-Vision: Bates can shoot powerful energy blast of energy capable of easily liquefying a human and even burn Miracleman's skin.[2]
    • Electrokinesis: By manipulating positive ions around him, Bates can project powerful blasts of lightning.[2]

Abilities

  • Exceptionally intelligent beyond the human norm.

Weaknesses

Kid Miracleman's powers are psionic in nature and affect the world around him. He can move heavy objects because he wills it and his invulnerability is due to a thin sheath of energy surrounding his body like invisible armor. While his body itself is more resilient than a normal human being's, it is not much more durable than a normal human's once the energy sheath around his body has been breached, as a simple object like a stone teleported into his body can do catastrophic damage. If a powerful enough psionic force were used against him it could disrupt his abilities or even disable them.

  • Human Form: If he is forced to change back into his human state, he would be vulnerable, though this weakness only applies if he is linked to a human form.

See Also

Links and References

References

  1. Kimota! The Miracleman Companion #1
  2. 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 2.5 2.6 Miracleman #2
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