Who's This? A genetically-modified team.
The facts: Created by Roy and Dann Thomas and Todd McFarlane in Infinity Inc. #17 as a supervillain team to go up against the JSA's progeny, they mostly appeared in the second and third year of that series, and then in a flashback during Convergence. As a team anyway. Arak and Penny Dreadful died fighting the Cry Justice JLA. Kritter scored a cameo in JSA Secret Files, as did Baby Boom in addition to being part of Circe's all-female team in Wonder Woman #174. Tao Jones was then seen in #175. Only one member did better, and he did a LOT better...
How you could have heard of them: Mr. Bones has had some longevity thanks to flipping over to Infinity Inc., and then becoming director of the Department of Extranormal Operations. In that role, he appeared in Chase, Manhunter, JSA, Batwoman, Event Leviathan, and more. Most recently, he led a new version of Stormwatch in The Brave and the Bold anthology series. He was also featured in the Stargirl TV series.
Example story: Infinity Inc. #18 (September 1985) "Helix Goes to Hollywood!" by Roy Thomas, Todd McFarlane and Pablo Marcos
Helix's first foray into the real world - as opposed to their sheltered existence in Doctor Love's house - is a wild ride, fuelled by Todd McFarlane's graphic struggle with Roy Thomas' dense script. The stakes are high as Baby Boom and Kritter (young adults even if one looks like a toddler - who apparently stopped growing at five-years-old no matter what the art tells me - the other like a dog) stealing CANDY. Let the crime spree begin.
That lollipop is full of dog hair after that first panel, so I wouldn't eat keep eating it. After some more fracas, other members show up, including Arak (Roy creating a weird legacy for his Son of Thunder) and Mr. Bones who have given themselves odd verbal tics as a kind of shtick.
I get Arak doing some kind of cod-Thor-isms (and I like the bear spirit behind him), but Mr. Bones... rhymes?! Not very well, so he presumably drops the gimmick soon after this. Is this something the JSA villain known as the Wizard did? Why are we seeing what looks like his accessories floating at the bottom of the panel (and then a devalued, hobo version)? There's also Penny Dreadful, who saps electricity out of a lightbulb to zap the guy who dares to grab her. As told in tiny, cramped panels I'm sure contributed to Todd eventually rebelling and founding a comics company predicated on splash pages.
They make their escape as Baby Boom explodes pursuing cars (I am sparing you the weird Eddie Murphy cameo - I guess it's to remind us we're in Hollywood), while back at the most rundown house in comics history, Tao Jones keeps watch on captives Fury and Silver Scarab. And tells them the Secret Origin of Helix. Well, you have to Who's Who page right there, so I won't go into it except to show the second page, because Tao apparently has one very cool pose that needs to be in every appearance.
Despite having grown up on JSA clip, despite having found the late Doctor Love's diary and knowing he lied to them all their lives, they still decide to become villains. But they ARE a family, and one of the things Arak steals is a summer dress for Tao Jones to thank her for babysitting the heroes.
She's hard to buy for (look, just let her steal her own wardrobe), but he also brought back Obsidian, hiding inside his shadow. Even if F&SS break their bonds and go after her, her power reflection abilities make her pretty untouchable and so the two Helixers get away. Elsewhere, Infinity Inc. have caught up with the rest and are battling it out in the streets. Tiny cramped fights result.
Until their ride arrives (Arak, basically) and they leave, undefeated, as the heroes are left to take care of Jade who got a taste of Bones' cyanide touch. Infinity hadn't seen the last of the "genomorphs".
What a weird collection of characters. Roy gives all a similar low-brow speech patter no matter their look (except the mute Kritter), because they all grew up together, which makes sense. Perhaps that's why he wanted to mix it up with the gimmick rhymes, etc. But otherwise, they look like they were each designed in a vacuum. For all I know, they were.
Who's Next? A future demi-god.
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