MISTER CLEAN
Real Name: Paul Botham
Identity/Class: Human mutate (UK citizen)
Occupation: Professional criminal / "genetic cleanser"
Group Membership: Church of Humanity (Supreme Pontiff and others)
Affiliations: None
Enemies: London Tunnel Dwellers (Burning Puddle, Carla, Compound, Croc, Cyclops, Double Helix, Harmony, Hope, Miss Saccharine and others), X-Men (Angel/Warren Worthington III, Chamber/Jonothon Starsmore, Iceman/Robert Drake, Nightcrawler/Kurt Wagner, Wolverine/James "Logan" Howlett)
Known Relatives: None
Aliases: None
Base of Operations: London, United Kingdom
First Appearance: Uncanny X-Men I#395 (July, 2001)
Powers/Abilities: Paul Botham possessed no innate superhuman abilities, but his skin became ultra-dense after it was chemically treated by the Church of Humanity to make it withstand even Adamantium. Besides this modification Paul was a skilled and merciless killer who was trained in the use of a flamethrower, grenades, knives and guns.
Height: 5'8" (by approximation)
Weight: 155 lbs (by approximation)
Eyes: Black
Hair: Blonde
History:
(Marvel Atlas#1) - Paul Botham was born in the United Kingdom.
(Uncanny X-Men I#397-398 (fb) - BTS ) - For unrevealed reasons, Botham harbored so much hatred towards mutants, he joined the Church of Humanity. The leaders of the anti-mutant group saw promise in Paul and selected him to undergo special chemical treatments that increased the density of his skin to such a degree he practically became invulnerable. Convinced this gave him the edge to compete with mutants on an equal ground, Paul took the name Mister Clean the genetic cleanser. The Church tasked him with killing the London Tunnel Dwellers, a population of mutants living in the sewers of the British capital. Paul and the Church agreed on maintaining radio silence until the mission was completed.
(Uncanny X-Men I#395) - Mister Clean found his way into the subterranean tunnels where the Tunnel Dwellers lived and was approached by their leader Cyclops. Clean immediately used his flamethrower to kill him, followed by four other Tunnel Dwellers who tried to retaliate. Panicking and afraid for their lives, the Tunnel Dwellers tried to escape through the many tunnels while Clean started picking them off one by one, gleefully introducing himself as a genetic cleanser.
(Uncanny X-Men I#396) - A day after his initial massacre, Mister Clean was still looking for sewer mutants to kill. The X-Men, alerted to the situation, were already on site trying to find the person responsible for the bloodbath. Mister Clean managed to surprise the team when he attacked Nightcrawler with his torch. Angel grabbed the flamethrower, figuring Clean would be easily defeated without it. However, Clean still managed to beat Nightcrawler in hand to hand combat, while stabbing Angel in the back with two knives and shooting Iceman with his guns. Mister Clean left the defeated X-Men behind to continue his search for the remaining Tunnel Dwellers escapees.
(Uncanny X-Men I#397) - While the X-Men regrouped and were joined by Wolverine and Chamber, Mister Clean was still hunting Tunnel Dwellers. He was interrupted by his superiors in the Church of Humanity who became somewhat impatient at his apparent lack of progress. A little irritated they questioned his skills to get the job done, Clean assured them he would complete his mission without leaving a mess behind.
(Uncanny X-Men I#398) - Mister Clean tracked down one of the final surviving groups of Tunnel Dwellers who were under the X-Men's protection. Surprised to see the X-Men he had defeated were still alive, Clean was excited to get another go. However, Iceman closed off the tunnel with an ice wall that protected the Dwellers while trapping Clean in a corner of the tunnel with Wolverine. The genetic cleanser was unfamiliar with the feral mutant and simply set him on fire while tossing a grenade at his burning form to finish him off. Turning his attention to Iceman's barrier, Clean was shocked when Wolverine almost immediately recovered and was ready for round two. When he proved unable to pierce Clean's skin with his claws, the experienced fighter instead clawed at the gasoline tank Clean carried on his back to fuel his flamethrower. With Clean soaked in the highly flammable solution, Wolverine decided to turn the tables and lit the genetic cleanser on fire using his lighter. Mister Clean died in the fire, as Angel also saw Mister Clean's signal disappear on his tracker.
SECRET WARS III HAPPENED
(House of X#4 - BTS) - Mister Clean was listed by the X-Men as one of the greatest threats to mutants who with the Church of Humanity murdered 126 mutants.
(Marauders Annual I#1 (fb) - BTS) - In order to lure Daken to Brimstone Love, former Morlock Carver told Daken about a mutant potter's field containing the Morlocks who years ago fell victim to Mr. Clean's massacre in the London Tunnels. Daken knew Carver was lying, but agreed to meet him in Madripoor on the off chance there might actually be deceased mutants that could be resurrected on Krakoa.
Comments: Created by Joe Casey, Ian Churchill, Art Thibert, Norm Rapmund.
Mr. Clean's real name was revealed in the United Kingdom entry in Marvel Atlas#1. Having Clean be of British origin made the then newly founded Church of Humanity seem like a big, global threat.
Mr. Clean wiping out the London Tunnel Dwellers was, of course, an homage to 1986's famed Mutant Massacre during which the Marauders butchered most of the Morlocks who lived in New York's sewers. A second parallel was Angel once again getting stabbed in his wings (Clean used knives, the Marauder Harpoon used his energy lances). Mister Clean even used the words "Thought I'd clipped those wings for good."
Profile by MarvellousLuke
CLARIFICATIONS:
Mister Clean has no known connections to
images: (without ads)
Uncanny X-Men I#397, p15, pan4 (main image)
Uncanny X-Men I#395, p22, pan2 (introductions)
Uncanny X-Men I#398, p16, pan3-4 (burned to death)
Appearances:
Uncanny X-Men I#395 (July, 2001) - Joe Casey (writer), Ian Churchill (pencils), Art Thibert, Norm Rapmund (inkers), Mark Powers, Pete Franco (editors)
Uncanny X-Men I#396 (September, 2001) - Joe Casey (writer), Ian Churchill (pencils), Norm Rapmund, Lary Stucker (inkers), Mark Powers, Pete Franco (editors)
Uncanny X-Men I#397 (October, 2001) - Joe Casey (writer), Sean Phillips, Sean Rubi (pencillers), Danny Miki (inks), Mark Powers, Pete Franco (editors)
Uncanny X-Men I#398 (November, 2001) - Joe Casey (writer), Sean Phillips, Ashley Wood (pencillers), Danny Miki (inks), Mark Powers, Pete Franco (editors)
House of X#4 (October, 2019) - Jonathan Hickman (writer), Pepe Larraz (artist), Jordan White (editor)
Marauders Annual I#1 (January, 2022) - Steve Orlando (writer), Creees Lee (pencils, inks), Lauren Amaro, Jordan D. White (editors)
First Posted: 03/22/2014
Last updated: 02/16/2022
Any Additions/Corrections? please let me know.
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