House of Mystery #165

House of Mystery #165 (1966)
by Dave Wood & Jim Mooney

We’ve seen Robby transform into some truly bizarre heroes, but this issue takes it to a whole other level.

We begin with a crime syndicate recruiting a scientist to fight the new superheroes that keep showing up: Dr. Rigoro Mortis and his creation… a monster created from a dead body.

Yeah he’s a blatant ripoff of Frankenstein’s monster… but he can also SHOOT FREAKING LASER BEAMS.

Robby is busy playing badminton with Gramps (???) when he hears of a bank robbery, so he has to fake an injury.

When he activates the H-Dial, he transforms into AAAAAAHHH!!!!

KILL IT WITH FIRE!!!

This… THING has the power to bounce. That’s it.

Well I’m joking, we all know Bouncing Boy is not useless… unlike Whoozis, who gets IMMEDIATELY trapped by Not Frankenstein and his Hardening Sticky Ooze^{(patent refused)}.

Yeah, uhm, in addition to being the lamest, Whoozis is probably the most useless transformation so far.

I mean ROBBY is more useful, because his transformation breaks the bubble prison!

At least his next transformation can’t possibly AAAAHHHH!!!

“Whatsis” can fly, which is already a superpower that 99% of Robby’s transformations have… and that’s it.
This makes this transformation the first so far not to add ANYTHING.

He also falls for a rather obvious trap from the criminals.

One of the most embarrassing super-hero losses of all time.

Whatsis can’t even fly properly! After he’s been thrown into the elevator shaft, he has to get out on foot.

Imagine being stuck in this form. That would probably be the worst nightmare imaginable.

Things can’t POSSIBLY be any worse, even when the H-Dial transforms Robby into a human pinball machine.

Believe it or not, “Howzis” is actually rather powerful! For starters, he can shoot Dazzler Rays from his crotch.

Perhaps as a consolation for his previous two immensely lame transformations, Howzis can have basically any power he wants.

He’s not very creative with it, though, considering he initially uses flight and radar sense, both of which are already on the list.

But he can also shoot acetylene (!!!) and a shrinking ray!

To top it all off, he can also shoot sleeping gas and concussions. (???)

And so we close with the explanation of what caused these weird transformations… an electrical storm IN SPACE.

Sounds legit.

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Historical significance: 1/10
Would YOU want to remember turning into these things!?
However you know the drill at this point: Dr. Rigoro Mortis shows up in the same team of whacky scientists in “52” and Doom Patrol, like Bug Baron and Dr. Cyclops.

Silver Age-ness: 10/10
The fact that the villain was created by “Dr. Rigoro Mortis” ISN’T EVEN THE MOST RIDICULOUS THING THAT HAPPENS.

Does it stand the test of time? 0/10
No. Just… just no.
Now, you COULD turn this into a straight-up horror, but it would be a completely different story.
If the H-Dial picks up the heroes from realities where they exist… which is apparently the current explanation in modern comics… it means that somewhere Whoozis, Whatsis and Howzis ACTUALLY EXIST.
Pleasant nightmares, everybody!

Dial S for SOCKAMAGEE! : 58
Six catchphrases.

Dial I for superhero identities: 27
*sigh* adding Whoozis, Whatsis and Howzis.

Dial C for the superpowers count: 46
Whoozis adds bouncing, and as mentioned Whatsis is the first transformation that doesn’t add ANYTHING. But Howzis is the one to contribute the most!!!
His “Dazzler Ray” is already covered by several heroes who could shoot either light or radiation, as of course is the fact he can fly and have a radar sense.
But he can create acetylene, shoot a shrinking ray AND a sleeping gas AND he can shoot concussions!
[EDIT: as pointed out in the comments of #171, Whatis does show a superpower! I’m adding “impact resistance” to the total count. Reviews from #171 onwards will show the corrected total.]