History: Henry was the son of supervillain Brain wave and heroine merry, and was born with his father's mutant abilities. Merry seemingly died from a broken heart, and Henry refused to speak to his father for years. Henry assumed the identity of Brainwave, Jr., donning one of his father's old costumes, to prevent Brain Wave and Ultra-Humanite from altering the outcome of WWII.

Brainwave, jr. joined Infinity, Inc., a group of second-generation superheroes.

(JSA #34, 35) - The Ultra-Humanite used Johnny Thunder’s Thunderbolt to conquer the world, and imprisoned Brainwave and virtually every superhuman on Earth. The Humanite mind-controlled Brainwave and a number of other telepaths, using them as his Mindsweepers so he could extend his mental domination over a greater number of superhumans. The JSA used a device that disrupted the braincaps.

(Hawkman IV #25 (fb, BTS) - Black Adam offered up Brainwave for Mr.Mind to reside in. Mr. Mind burrowed into Brainwave’s head and began eating away at the growth in Brainwave’s brain that was responsible for his recent fits of madness.

(JSA #40) - Brainwave, Jr., Black Adam, Northwind and Atom-Smasher watched news coverage of Captain Marvel and the JSA’s rescue of elementary school students from the clutches of the Shadower. They were disgusted by the light-handed approach Captain Marvel used to make Shadower give up to the authorities.

(JSA #51) - In the wake of a series of terrorist attacks carried out by Kobra cultists, Brainwave, Jr., Black Adam, Atom-Smasher and Northwind stormed Kobra’s temple in the Himalayas and slaughtered the Kobra cultists. They confronted Kobra and told him they were sick of villains like him never facing justice, always being briefly imprisoned then escaping to do more harm. Black Adam then ripped out Kobra’s heart, killing him.

(JSA #56) - Brainwave and the rest of Black Adam’s team arrived in Adam’s homeland of Kahndaq with the intention of reclaiming it for Adam. They freed the workers of a slave labor camp and slaughtered the soldiers guarding the camp. Brainwave read the memories of the soldiers as they lay dying, and was disturbed by the atrocities they’d committed. He told his teammates that if they had any doubts about the righteousness of their mission he’d happily beam these memories into their minds. They went to Kahndaq’s capital of Shiruta and confronted dictator Asim Muhunnad. After Black Adam ordered Atom-Smasher to execute Muhunnad Adam proclaimed himself ruler of Kahndaq.

(JSA #57, Hawkman IV #24, JSA #58, Hawkman IV #25)- Brainwave and his teammates made Muhunnad’s palace their hq, and addressed the population of Kahndaq, who welcomed them as triumphant heroes. The JSA came to Kahndaq to take Brainwave and their other former allies home, but Brainwave sensed their presence, and alerted Black Adam, who destroyed their plane, scattering the JSA across Kahndaq. Adam wanted to bring Captain Marvel to his side, so after defeating Marvel with some help from Brainwave, he had Brainwave read his mind and pick his vulnerabilities. Adam and Brainwave decided to use his affection for Stargirl to bring him over to their cause. They had no luck winning over Marvel, so they battled the rest of the JSA, and Brainwave took out the heroes by enhancing their pain nerves to an unbearable degree. Atom II managed to crawl inside Brainwave’s head, with the intention of performing neurosurgery that would hopefully cure Brainwave of his madness and deprive him of his powers. Atom encountered Mr. Mind in Brainwave’s head and defeated him, causing Brainwave to lose consciousness. When he woke up the JSA had made a peace pact with Adam and brought Brainwave back to the U.S., freed from Mr. Mind’s influence and cured of the malignant growth in his brain, which Mind had mostly consumed. He was placed in the care of his mother Merry Pemberton.

(JSA #63, 64) - Dr. Fate recruited Brainwave to link the minds of the JSA so they could travel to the Dreaming and rescue Sand’s astral self. Brainwave realized most of the JSA thought of him as unstable; as he couldn’t help but read their thoughts. He accompanied them to the Dreaming, where they met Sand, who’d come under the control of Brute and Glob and become their new Sandman. Sand attacked the heroes, but Dr. Fate disposed of Brute and Glob, allowing Brainwave to undo the brainwashing they did on him. Brainwave and the JSA left the Dreaming and Sand’s mind was restored to his body.

Comments: Created by Roy Thomas & Jerry Ordway