Cranky Combustible Chemists

Duncan Pramble was a scientist's assistant who accompanied his employer and the Challengers of the Unknown to an exotic island in order to obtain the famed "liquid light". Locating it with a map before the rest, Pramble ingested the ancient elixir and gained the ability the transform his body. He battled the Challengers of the Unknown as Multi-Man, and used his variety of forms throughout the years to bedevil his arch-enemies. With the aid of his now superhumanly enhanced intellect, Multi-Man developed various pellets which enable him to effect further transformations and/or abilities. These included a red pellet which alter his body into an energy being, a green pellet providing him an anti-gravitational form, and a black pellet which reverted him to his large cranial form.

Mister Bannerman was the owner and chief chemist of Bannerman Chemicals. His prized employee, Rex Tyler, discovered Miraclo, a compound that provides superhuman strength and physical attributes. As Hourman, Tyler had several adventures while working for him. While more an employer than an adversary, Bannerman nevertheless caused Rex several stressful moments due to his demanding work ethic and expectations for Tyler to produce revolutionary medicinal compounds to accelerate the profits of his chemical company. Little did he know that his worker bee's greatest creation, that of Miraclo, held the potential for metahuman enhancements, although eventually a side-effect of this drug would caused Bannerman to exert tremendous mental anguist upon Tyler.

Pramble later became a member of the League of Challenger Haters. After a series a defeats alongside these villains, including his frequent robotic ally Multi-Woman, Multi-Man eventually changed his tactics which attracted the attention of Wonder Woman. She likewise defeated him decisively. Time after time, Pramble would mutate into new bodies. However, Prof Davis of the Challengers discovered a chemical antidote to liquid light rendering its potency inert.

On one occasion, due to hallucinations relating to Miraclo addiction, Bannerman appeared to be a Doctor Wizen’s minion. This was a negative manifestation of Miraclo, and dark light which activates it. Like liquid light, it extends life but makes one more susceptible to madness. Eventually, Tyler left Bannerman's company to start one of his own. As for the basis Bannermain's ego Doctor Wizen had in reality, this is indeterminant. Could Wizen have been a manifestation of Tyler's own subconscious anxiety, or as a mental manipulation originating from Bannerman himself upon Rex's alter ego of Hourman?