Bouncing Boy (Charles Foster "Chuck" Taine) is a superhero appearing in American comic books by DC Comics, usually as a member of the Legion of Super-Heroes. Born on Earth, Bouncing Boy has the power to inflate like a giant ball and bounce around. This combination of invulnerability and velocity makes him a surprisingly useful combatant. Born without any powers, he received his abilities from a super-plastic formula he believed was soda. Bouncing Boy is known for sharing a long-term romantic relationship with fellow Legionnaire Triplicate Girl, whom he eventually marries. In the reboot Legion continuity, he is the Legion's mechanic.
Bouncing Boy has appeared in various media outside comics, primarily in association with the Legion. He is voiced by Michael Cornacchia in Legion of Super Heroes (2006) and Googy Gress in Justice League Unlimited.
Publication history
Bouncing Boy first appeared in Action Comics #276 (May 1961), and was created by Jerry Siegel and Jim Mooney. His addition to the Legion of Super-Heroes reflected Siegel's interest in comedy and provided a vehicle for humor.
Fictional character biography
Silver Age
Chuck Taine was born on Earth with no powers. He received his ability to inflate when he accidentally drank a super plastic formula which he thought was soda pop. He applied for membership in the Legion of Super-Heroes, but was at first rejected. After he used his new power to defeat a robber using electric weaponry (which did not affect him because his bouncing kept him from being grounded), he was admitted and took the codename Bouncing Boy. With his good humor, wit and charm, Taine appointed himself the Legion's "Morale Officer".
Bouncing Boy once lost his powers while bouncing in front of a matter-shrinking machine, and was forced to resign from the Legion. He regained his powers again temporarily when the Legion faced Computo for the first time, and one of fellow Legionnaire Triplicate Girl's bodies was killed.
Bouncing Boy becomes a teacher at the Legion Academy. After once again losing his powers, he proposed to Triplicate Girl (now known as Duo Damsel). The two quickly married on Mars at Nix Olympia and both retired from the Legion because of a rule stating that Legionnaires cannot be married and remain in active duty at the same time. This rule is later overturned, but the two remain as Legion reserves. They become the headmasters of the Legion Academy and members of the Legion of Substitute Heroes alongside reservists Cosmic Boy and Night Girl.
Post-Zero Hour
In post-Zero Hour continuity, Chuck lacks powers and is the Legion's resident architect and engineer, having gone to school using his parents' money after they were killed by Daxamite terrorists.
Powers and abilities
Bouncing Boy is a metahuman with the ability to inflate into an elastic, spherical form, enabling him to bounce at high speeds. This also provides him with a limited degree of invulnerability and resistant to electric shocks. Unlike an inanimate rubber ball, which loses kinetic energy due to friction and gravity, Bouncing Boy maintains velocity as he bounces.
The reboot incarnation of Chuck Taine has no powers, but is a skilled engineer and architect. He built and pilots his own spaceship known as the Bouncing Boy.
As a Legion of Super-Heroes member, Bouncing Boy is given a Legion Flight Ring. It enables him to fly and survive in space, and acts as a long-range communicator and navigator.
In other media
Television
- Bouncing Boy makes a non-speaking cameo appearance in the Superman: The Animated Series episode "New Kids in Town".
- Bouncing Boy appears in the Justice League Unlimited episode "Far From Home", voiced by Googy Gress.
- Bouncing Boy appears in Legion of Super Heroes (2006), voiced by Michael Cornacchia.
Miscellaneous
- Bouncing Boy appears in Adventures in the DC Universe #10.
- The Legion of Super Heroes (2006) incarnation of Bouncing Boy appears in Legion of Super Heroes in the 31st Century.
- Bouncing Boy appears in Smallville Season 11.
- Bouncing Boy appears in the one-shot comic Batman '66 Meets the Legion of Super-Heroes.