Fictional character biography
The character debuted in House of Mystery #156 (January 1966), and his storyline continued until issue #173 (March–April 1968). The art was by Jim Mooney (though he did not finish the run), with scripts by Dave Wood.[1]
The original owner of the dial is portrayed as Robert "Robby" Reed, a highly intelligent teenager with a penchant for exclaiming "Sockamagee!" He lives in the fictional town of Littleville, Colorado with his grandfather "Gramps" Reed and their housekeeper Miss Millie. During a camping trip, Robby accidentally falls into a cavern and discovers the dial in one of its alcoves. The origins of the dial and how it came to be in the cavern are never revealed.[2]
Resembling a rotary telephone dial, the device is hand-held with unknown symbols inside the dial's finger- openings and along its outer rim, which Robby deciphers into modern English letters. In Mark Waid's "Silver Age" mini-series, it is revealed that the symbols on the dial are Interlac.[3] Each time he dials the letters H-E-R-O, Robby transforms into a different super-powered being; dialing O-R-E-H reverts him to his normal form. Robby soon uses the dial to protect Littleville under the guises of numerous superheroes.[4]
The wide array of Robby's superhero identities included the Squid, Quake-Master, King Coil, Hornet-Man, Shadow-Man, Mighty Moppet, King Kandy, Future-Man, Human Bullet, Super-Charge, the Mole, Mr. Echo, Hypno-Man, the Cometeer and the Human Starfish, among others.[5]
The H-Dial came with certain limitations. Typically, Robby could transform from one hero to another immediately, but occasionally he would have to wait an unspecified length of time after being one hero before using the dial again to become another. A "freak electrical storm" in space affects his H-Dial, changing him temporarily into oddly-shaped "freak" super-heroes dubbed "Whoozis", "Whatsis", and "Howzis".[6] Certain high-pitched frequencies from a villain's supersonic motor affect Robby's hero forms, causing them to rob the criminals and keep the loot for themselves. Only after the motor is destroyed does Robby realize what is happening to him, enabling him to recover the stolen items.[7]
Robby's H-Dial could also be used by others, transforming them into unique superhuman forms. The dial was once used by Robby's adversary Daffy Dagan. He briefly became a supervillain known as Daffy the Great after dialing V-I-L-L-A-I-N.[8] Robby's girlfriend Suzie discovers Robby's secret and dialed H-E-R-O-I-N-E to temporarily transform into Gem Girl in order to help defeat Toymaster. At the end of the story, Suzie receives a blow to the head that causes her to forget about the secret of the device.[9]
With issue #174, editor Joe Orlando dropped "Dial H for Hero" and "Manhunter from Mars" as regular features in House of Mystery, changing the comic to an anthology of horror-themed short stories.[10]
After the series ceased its run in House of Mystery, Robby appeared in Plastic Man #13 (June–July 1976). Recovering from an attack of amnesia, Robby retrieves his dial which has become corroded with rust. The corrosion causes Robby to turn into an evil version of Plastic Man and he attacks the real Plastic Man. After defeating Robby and returning him to normal, Plastic Man confiscates the dial from Robby for using it irresponsibly. It is never explained how Robby is seen with the dial in later stories.[11]
During a fight with Shirkon, Robby had to dial in D-I-V-I-D-E to split himself into Wizard and Master who had to deactivate a bomb and defeat Shirkon. When both sides attacked each other, Wizard faked his death and made two new H-Dials which were later found by Chris King and Vicki Grant while Master briefly worked for Project Cadmus and learned how to make supervillains from the cell samples of unknown humans. When it came to Chris and Vicki's fight with the Master where he trapped the two of them and their friend Nick Stevens in a flooding container, Wizard resurfaced and was able to get close enough for him and Master to merge back into Robby Reed with Nick's help. After rescuing Chris, Vicki, and Nick from the trap, Chris, Vicky, and Nick learn the truth behind his Wizard and Master forms. With Nick developing the ability to actively influence the dials' results (rather than subconsciously as before), Robby passes his dial to Nick, and retires as a hero.[12]
Silver Age event
During the 2000 Silver Age cross-over event, Robby encountered his old House of Mystery co-star Martian Manhunter, in Silver Age: Dial H for Hero #1. Believing that he and the rest of the Justice League had gone bad, Robby turns into a superhero to stop him. Actually, Martian Manhunter has been mind-swapped with Dr. Light (the other Justice League have undergone similar mental transpositions, but those seen here are only Light's illusions).
Subsequently, in Silver Age 80-Page Giant #1 (July 2000), Robby lends the H-Dial to the now mind/body-restored Justice League, allowing several of its members to transform themselves into new superheroes to defeat Agamemno's Injustice League at a time when they had learned how to defeat the Justice League members in their normal forms:
- Superman becomes Doc Fission, a superhero who can divide his enemies.
- Batman becomes Minuteman, a superhero who can compress time and make punching hourglass.
- Flash becomes Marionette, a superhero who has a weapon that is the letter X.
- Atom becomes Mod-Man, a superhero who is Robbie Reed's king coil with leg and hands.
- Black Canary becomes Miss Fortune, a superhero who wields a magic wand.
- Aquaman becomes Terra-Firma, a superhero who is a hybrid of a brick and a Sasquatch.
- Green Arrow becomes Poltergeist, a ghost-themed superhero who can copy any power.
- Martian Manhunter becomes Go-Go, a teleporting superhero.
In these new forms, the Justice League were able to defeat the Injustice League.
DC Rebirth
In the comic series Dial H for Hero that was released during the "DC Rebirth", Robby Reed first became Giant-Boy when he first used the H-Dial. During his time with the H-Dial, Robby has also become Mole, King Kandy, Mighty Moppet, Radar Sonar Man, Tea Rex, and General Electric.[13] A flashback showed Robby Reed using the H-Dial to fight Gorilla Grodd.[14] One day, his grandfather died leading him to build the Hero Capsule.[13] As Robby wanted to know where the H-Dial came from, he used the Hero Capsule to explore the Multiverse where he traveled to the Bleed and stopped at the Speed Force. He arrived at Skyland where he passed the trials of Zeus who granted him access to the Heroverse. Robby explains that the Heroverse is the grand potential of every hero past, present, and future. Robby learns that the H-Dial can also make anyone a villain.[15] When Robby Reed found the Y-Dial, it split him to where he was two characters: the Operator and Mister Thunderbolt.[13]
Following Miguel Montez' first use of the H-Dial, it rings as the Operator talks to Miguel stating that he is calling from the Heroverse. Miguel is advised by the operator to beware of the Thunderbolt Club.[16]
Miguel answers the H-Dial as the Operator informs him that the Thunderbolt Club knows his location and to make his way to Gemworld.[17]
When she briefly had the H-Dial, Officer Benson contacts the Operator who claimed that Mister Thunderbolt is an old friend of his. Back in the Heroverse, the Operator is revealed to be Robby Reed who plans to stop Mister Thunderbolt.[14]
In the Heroverse, Robby talks to himself how he is surrounded by the energies of many extraordinary beings with nobody to talk to as he approaches a stasis pod containing Mister Thunderbolt as his spirit roams Earth.[18]
While in the Heroverse, Miguel sees the secret origins of Wonder Woman, Green Lantern, Supergirl, Flash, and Shazam until he runs into Robby Reed who Mister Thunderbolt evades through the other secret origins. Miguel and Robby arrive at the memory of when Robby found the H-Dial. Robby then accesses a memory of Miguel where his parents perished in a plane crash and that Superman wasn't there to save them as Superman apologizes for not making it in time.[19]
Robby shows Miguel as cyan-colored H-Dial that he discovered during his travel through the Multiverse. In order for these new heroes to find their secret origins and guide them, he gives Miguel the cyan H-Dial stating that this is a job for Superman. Meanwhile, Mister Thunderbolt and the Thunderbolt Club set up a hideout beneath the Daily Planet.[20]
In light of Mister Thunderbolt using the H-Dial in his possession to turn anyone into a superhero, Robby reviews each of the people who were transformed into superheroes like Tony Altman becoming Sir Prize, a hospitalized woman named Tara Shimura becoming Phantasma, a girl named Lucy becoming Lucy the Monster Hunter, Fiona becoming Pink Flamingo Detective, and a service dog named Gretchen becoming Guardian Angel. Afterwards, Robby states that it will be tough to cope with his past and Mister Thunderbolt's past.[21]
Mister Thunderbolt works to obtain all the H-Dials so that he can make use of the Multiverse Dial.[13]
Mister Thunderbolt meets with the Thunderbolt Club beneath the Daily Planet telling them about the Multiverse and states that they have to obtain the remaining H-Dials. Robby informs Miguel advising him not to use the H-Dial or the Thunderbolt Club will find him as well as mentioning on what the Thunderbolt Club will do if they gain control of the Multiverse Dial.[22]
When Miguel Montez and Summer Pickens show up on Earth-32, the heroes there direct them to where the Y-Dial is which they safeguarded under the advice of the Operator. When the Y-Dial is retrieved from the H-Vault, Mister Thunderbolt shows up as Lobo Kick You and reveals to Miguel and Summer that Mister Thunderbolt is also Robby as Mister Thunderbolt revealed how he and the Operator split from Robby Reed. Miguel is then swayed to Mister Thunderbolt's side as they leave Earth-32. Back at the Thunderbolt Club's headquarters, Mister Thunderbolt places the Y-Dial on the stand as Miguel states that his nightmares told him of the K-Dial being on Apokolips. Using the Y-Dial, Mister Thunderbolt transforms Miguel into the Reign of the Supermiguels.[23]
Mister Thunderbolt then sent the Reign of the Supermiguels to invade Apokolips. After they get the K-Dial, Summer informs Robby about what Granny Goodness told them about the K-Dial. Robby mentioned how his grandfather had died as he and Summer note that everyone with superpowers would be a bad outcome. When the Reign of the Supermiguels invade the Heroverse to target the C-Dial in Summer's possession, Mister Thunderbolt shows up as they give him the C-Dial. Using the Y-Dial again, the Reign of the Supermiguels become Supermiguel and Thunder Montez as Mister Thunderbolt states that the Y-Dial will only merge the heroes back into their hosts if both of them want that to happen. After using the K-Dial to send Supermiguel and Summer into the K-Hole, Mister Thunderbolt returns to the Thunderbolt Club's headquarters and places both H-Dials on their stands in front of the other members. He instructs them to dial the numbers on them where he then disappears. His actions are felt by the Monitor, Bart Allen, an unnamed angel, and Darkseid. Mister Thunderbolt arrives in the Overvoid as he begins to rebuild the Multiverse in his own image.[24]
In the Overvoid, a realm outside the Multiverse, Mister Thunderbolt begins to put his plans into action in the presence of Thunder Montez. Before he can finish dialing H-E-R-O, Miguel and Summer managed to escape from the K-Hole and interrupt Mister Thunderbolt. As Miguel contends with Thunder Montez while constantly changing, Summer wraps the C-Dial's cord around Mister Thunderbolt's neck to turn him into Robby Reed. Then Mister Thunderbolt's Robby form uses the H-Dial to become Thunderdoom who is unable to press the buttons. As both Miguel and Thunder Montez put aside their differences and reunite into one Miguel, Summer joins the different H-Dials which starts to make Mister Thunderbolt trapped inside a comic book. After dialing H-O-P-E on the Multiverse Dial, Miguel and Summer travel through the Multiverse before reuniting with Robby's Operator form in the Heroverse thanks to the Chromium H-Dial. Robby states that he will keep the H-Dials safe until duty calls. He then sends them back to Metropolis.[25]
Other appearances
- In The Brave and the Bold #9 (February 2008), Robby Reed teamed up with the Metal Men, even lending the dial to Tin to allow him to transform into a more resilient superhero to defeat the monster conjured by the deranged alchemist Megistus. The dial, due to its transformative abilities, bore an optional part in Megistus' plans to draw the storm that brought about the genesis of Red Kryptonite upon Earth, warping it as to protect it from the events of the Final Crisis. Dial H appeared again in issue #27 of the same series, this time in a team-up with Batman. While staying at a hotel in Gotham City, Robby uses the dial to see the future but realizing that something will kill him while using the dial he decided to let the dial be stolen by a down on his luck young man named Travers Milton. After using the Dial to transform into a Superman-esque flying hero named the Star, Travers assists Batman in defending Gotham after the Joker arranges a series of violent crimes to be committed throughout the city in order to break Batman. After discovering that the final challenge for Batman is a remote-controlled bomb placed over a group of bound and gagged men and women, Travers heroically sacrifices his life by flying out into the night sky while clutching the bomb, saving Batman and the hostages seconds before it detonates. Afterwards, Batman returns the H-Dial to Robby who refused it because even though it prevents his eventual fate he didn't want to let it affect to anyone else but Batman tells him that it gave Travers what he had always wanted; the chance to be a hero that Robby will do the same thing. There is no indication given as to where either of the "Brave & the Bold" stories fit into Robby Reed's personal timeline however.
- In the "Watchmen" sequel "Doomsday Clock", Robby Reed's Human Starfish form is among the superheroes that confront Doctor Manhattan on Mars.[26]
