Superhero Sunday 2: Chew On This

Cookie Monster? Who's that?

So here's one for the "what were they thinking?" files of comic book lore. Meet Matter Eater Lad of the Legion of Superheroes. This prosaically-named superhero has the ability to eat any form of matter. I suppose they could have just called him "Eater Lad," but perhaps they wanted to alleviate any possible confusion.

The bravest guy in this picture is the one
behind the guy eating the tunnel.

Police Commissioner: Thank goodness you're here, Matter Eater Lad! We need someone to eat these electric energy bolts!
Matter Eater Lad: (shaking head) Dude . . .

The Legion of Super Heroes is a 30th (and 31st) Century Superhero team in the DC Comics Universe who regularly interact with Superboy/Superman via time travel. Matter Eater Lad's real name is Tenzil Kem and he hails from the planet Bismoll (yes, a pun on Pepto-Bismol) where all inhabitants of the planet can eat any form of matter.
While the power may seem a bit silly, I suppose it is useful to have someone on hand who can eat his way through walls, eat the enemies' weapons, finish off all of those extra fruitcakes, etc.
(Out of taste and decency, I won't speculate any further on Kem's digestive processes.)
Still, it's a little hard to be taken seriously among superheroes when your battle cry is "Nom, nom, nom. . ."

"Have some more chicken. Have some more pie. . ."