POP SYKE
Real Name: A.E. Syke
Identity/Class: Alternate reality (Earth-78423) human
Occupation: Farmer, amateur inventor, self-help guru and writer
Group Membership: None
Affiliations: None
Enemies: Howard the Duck, his former mind-controlled victims (including Larraine)
Known Relatives: None
Aliases: Pop
Base of Operations: Hayseed, Wisconsin
First Appearance: Howard the Duck Newspaper Strip (June 6th, 1977)
Powers/Abilities: Pop Syke invented a device called the Psycho Prosthetic Helmet that could control the minds of others, making them do his bidding when it was placed on a person's head and activated. Those affected would not remember doing anything while under his control when it's commands or power source was turned off. He could issue specific orders to the helmets using a computer he called "Diode Lizzie." The Psycho Prosthetic Helmet worked by inducing a mind loop with thoughts of success that instilled the wearer with feelings of happiness and well-being. Those wearing the helmet can then be ordered to perform whatever task given to them.
Height: Unrevealed (5'9"; by approximation)
Weight: Unrevealed (150 lbs.; by approximation)
Eyes: Brown
Hair: Grey
History:
(Howard the Duck Newspaper Strip (June-July, 1977) - BTS) - Pop Syke for years toiled on his farm in Hayseed, Wisconsin never achieving any wealth or success for himself until he discovered his talents for tinkering and psychology. As an amateur inventor he designed a Psycho Prosthetic Helmet with the ability to control people's minds. Seeing this as a way to get rich, Pop Syke mass-produced them for distribution as well as a couple of best-selling self-help books called "Its Your fault" and "Think Yourself Human" filled with a regimen of mental exercises that along with the Psycho Prosthetic device alleged to bring you your own personal wealth and success. He went on to write more than 47 books.
(Howard the Duck Newspaper Strip (June-July, 1977) - BTS) - He once sold shoes for $2.10 an hour and now as an author and self-help guru has claimed to now make 2.5 million dollars a year.
(Howard the Duck Newspaper Strip (June-July, 1977)) - Beverly Switzler was introduced to this new fad by their favorite restaurant's waitress Tillie, but a cynical Howard the Duck had his doubts about the hokey nonsense. Tillie gave them a pair of tickets to attend Pop Syke's latest lecture scheduled to take place at the Hotel Dyspepsia in Cleveland. During the lecture Pop Syke handed out free Psycho Prosthetic Helmets to the audience and took mental control of their minds and tested his devices by ordering his audience to stand up, shake and belch and to sing about salmon. Having complete control, he then sent them out into the city to bring him back money.
(Howard the Duck Newspaper Strip (June-July 1977)) - Howard discovered Pop Syke's secret of mind control, and he sent a group of mind-controlled audience members to attack and kill him. Pop Syke again ordered his captive audience to scour the streets and bring him back more money. He then took Howard who survived being attacked by a bunch of old ladies into his confidence and expressed that he had no hard feelings and went on to explain how his Psycho Prosthetic Helmet worked and his joy in having his own personal minions to do his bidding. As time passed, his mind-controlled minions returned with enough money and valuables to fill a large trunk. He then showed Howard his computer he called "Diode Lizzie" was able to issue commands to all the Psycho Prosthetic Helmets. Pop Syke then ordered some mind-controlled minions to grab Howard so he could put a Psycho Prosthetic Helmet on his head and turn him into a vegetable as he was the only witness to his criminal scheme. Howard, after a brief scuffle with Pop Syke, managed to take command of "Diode Lizzie" and reprogrammed the Psycho Prosthetic devices by changing the mental command "Success" to "Suckers" that broke Pop Syke's mind control. No longer under his mental control the angry audience turned on Pop Syke leaving him battered and bruised. Pop Syke pleaded with the mob that they wouldn't harm an old man with glasses but that only made them angrier, and the helpless Pop Syke declared that he quit. Howard managed to appeal to the angry mob by stating they had won and called them off from causing Pop Syke further harm. Defeated, Pop Syke was then left behind to wallow in his defeat.
Comments: Created by Steve Gerber and Gene Colan.
Pop Syke is a play on the term Pop(ular) Psychology. The term pop psychologist is also used to describe authors, consultants, lecturers, and entertainers who are widely perceived as being psychologists, not due to their academic credentials, but because of their projected image having been perceived in that way in response to their work. He was the Tony Robbins and Dr. Phil McGraw of the 1970s.
Pop Syke wrote a substantial number of books and among the 47 penned, the ones featured in this story were "Think Yourself Human," "It's All Your Fault," "You Make Your Own Good Times" and "Your Mind - Stronger than Dirt."
The Hotel Dyspepsia was an odd name for a hotel. Dyspepsia is a medical term for a condition where digestion is impaired. It causes persistent or recurrent pain or discomfort in the upper abdomen.
Profile by AvatarWarlord.
CLARIFICATIONS:
Pop Syke has no known connections to:
images: (without ads)
Howard the Duck Newspaper Strip (July 8th, 1977), pan4 (main image)
Howard the Duck Newspaper Strip (July 10th, 1977), pan2 (face)
Howard the Duck Newspaper Strip (June 29th, 1977), pan3 (Psycho Prosthetic Device)
Howard the Duck Newspaper Strip (July 10th, 1977), pan1 (Captive Audience)
Howard the Duck Newspaper Strip (July 26th, 1977), pan1 (Angry mob turns on Pop)
Appearances:
Howard the Duck Newspaper Strip (June-July, 1977) - Steve Gerber (writer), Gene Colon (pencils & inks)
First Posted: 08/25/2021
Last updated: 08/25/2021
Any Additions/Corrections? please let me know.
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