Everywhere Man

:"For the song, see "I've Been Everywhere"."

The Everywhere Man is a fictional character in the animated series "The Batman". He is voiced by Brandon Routh (who plays Superman in "Superman Returns"). He first appeared in the episode "The Everywhere Man".

Character history

Everywhere Man is introduced as John Marlowe, one of Bruce Wayne's rich friends, who owns a large collection of art. He is a scientist, and his work centers on quantum physics. His work results in the "Quantex", a gadget that allows its user to multiply himself or anything he encounters. The Quantex also allows the user to "recall" the clone, erasing its existence.

Once Marlowe creates a viable clone of himself, he decides to keep the clone around to help him with his lab work. Upon perfection of the Quantex, however, the clone rebels, kidnaps the real Marlowe and locks him up under guard by other clones. The fake Marlowe (referred to as "Marlowe" from here on out) then proceeds to take over the real one's life. The clone uses the Quantex as an easy way to expand "his" art collection and thus became the supervillain known as The Everywhere Man.

At a party "Marlowe" hosts at his penthouse to show off his collection, Everywhere Man made his first appearance. "Marlowe" creates a clone in order to create an alibi for himself, since "Marlowe" is in attendance at the party at the same time the clone (dressed as Everywhere Man) attempts to steal his artwork. Along with Bruce Wayne, the guest list includes Clea, the curator of the Gotham Museum of Art. Upon seeing Everywhere Man, Bruce quickly changes into Batman, then with "Marlowe" chases the clone into a closet, where he disappears ("Marlowe" has recalled him). "Marlowe" later attempts a heist at the Gotham Museum of Art, this time facing both Batman and Robin, who seems at the time able to foil the theft. Batman later analyzes hair found at the Museum, matching it to Marlowe's DNA. Bruce hopes for Marlowe's innocence, but can not rule him out as a suspect. He visits Marlowe's apartment under the pretense of getting a look at the closet where the thief disappeared. While looking at the closet, Bruce uses a scanner hidden in a pair of sunglasses to get a reading on anything unusual and picks up traces of radioactivity. Dick Grayson does the same with the paintings at the Museum with the same result. After examining the closet, Bruce confronts "Marlowe" about his change in personality, temporarily angering him. While the conversation takes place, the scanner reveals "Marlowe" to have a very high level of the same radiation found in the closet and museum.

Later that night, Batman and Robin search Marlowe's building. Batman confronts two Everywhere Men in a laboratory, where they reveal their identity and the secret of the Quantex by duplicating themselves. The four unmasked Everywhere Men, along with a fifth in an elevator, accompany Batman to Marlowe's penthouse, where they met "Marlowe". "Marlowe" gave a further explanation and demonstration of the Quantex's capabilities. The radiation is revealed to be an effect of the cloning process. Another clone then confronts "Marlowe", saying they could conquer the world. Batman then realizes that the clones were "like a bad photocopy. Each duplicate is just a little darker than the last". "Marlowe" quickly recalls the clone. "Marlowe" then reveals that the real Marlowe is still alive, just as Robin finds and frees him. Batman escapes to the atrium, but "Marlowe" sends a huge army of Everywhere Men to meet him. Robin arrives in the atrium with the real Marlowe and evens the odds by using Marlowe's original prototype of the Quantex to clone an army of himself and battle the other clones. However, the Robin clones become unstable and disappear on contact due to the imperfections of the prototype.

After a lengthy battle, all of the Robin clones are eliminated and the prototype short circuits. Batman is surrounded by the Everywhere Men, but turns them against each other and "Marlowe" by reminding them that they will be recalled as soon as they are no longer useful. This eventually angers "Marlowe" into recalling all of the clones. Before he can create a new army of them, however, the real Marlowe uses the Quantex and recalls his original clone.

John Marlow donates his art collection to the museum and is currently started dating Clea

The Batman Strikes!

Everywhere Man makes a cameo in issue #45 "Gotham Girls" in the spin-off comic book "The Batman Strikes!". He, along with Ragdoll, Spellbinder, and Maxie Zeus, is caught and arrested by Batgirl. However, this appearance does not make sense, since all the Everywhere Man duplicates were deleted, and may simply be a continuity error.

Powers and abilities

With the Quantex at his possession, fake Marlowe/Everywhere Man can duplicate himself as much as he likes. He can clone himself from a small group, to an entire army of Everywhere Men. The clones are also extremely good hand-to-hand fighters, and are stronger and more agile than the real Marlowe. However, the clones become more psychologically unstable and aggressive than the ones before them.

Also, with the Quantex, Everywhere Man can clone objects themselves, useful in art thefts.

ee also

* List of The Batman villains

External links

* [http://www.worldsfinestonline.com/WF/thebatman/?x=bios/everywhereman/index Profile at World's Finest]
* [http://www.batmanytb.com/animated/thebatman/bios/everywhereman.php Profile at Batman: YTB]