The 5 Most Shocking Facts About Everyman (Hannibal Bates), DC Comics' Cannibalistic Shapeshifter

Everyman, whose real name is the chillingly familiar Hannibal Bates, is one of DC Comics' most unsettling modern villains, a character designed to embody the dark side of superhero aspiration. His story is deeply rooted in the mid-2000s 52 comic series, where he was introduced as a key component of Lex Luthor’s nefarious "Everyman Project." While his initial appearances were over a decade ago, as of the current date of December 10, 2025, his legacy as a gruesome, cannibalistic shapeshifter who can assume the identity of anyone—from heroes like Skyman and Blue Beetle to villains like Dark Arrow—remains a disturbing, foundational element of DC’s Post-Crisis lore, frequently referenced in discussions of DC's most twisted meta-humans.

The core of Everyman’s villainy lies in his shape-shifting ability, which comes with a horrific, body-horror caveat: he must consume a piece of the person he wishes to mimic. This gruesome requirement, combined with his disturbing namesake—a blend of fictional serial killers Hannibal Lecter and Norman Bates—instantly set him apart as a truly sick and memorable antagonist. His brief but impactful career saw him betraying his teammates in Infinity, Inc. II and playing a pivotal role in major events like the Everyman Project and Blackest Night, solidifying his place as a cautionary tale about power and identity in the DC Universe.

Everyman: The Complete Profile of Hannibal Bates

Everyman is a relatively new creation in the vast tapestry of DC Comics, but his impact was immediate and visceral. Created by a team of legendary writers including Grant Morrison, Geoff Johns, Greg Rucka, and Mark Waid, with art by Joe Bennett, his character was engineered to be a psychological horror show.

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• Real Name: Hannibal Bates
• Current Alias: Everyman
• Aliases Used: Skyman, Blue Beetle, Green Arrow, Lex Luthor, Sarge Steel, Dark Arrow, John Henry Irons (Steel)
• First Appearance: 52 #17 (August 2006) / 52 #21 (September 2006)
• Creators: Grant Morrison, Geoff Johns, Greg Rucka, Mark Waid, Keith Giffen, Joe Bennett
• Species: Metahuman (Homo Metahuman)
• Affiliations: Everyman Project, Infinity, Inc. II, The Society, Cupid (brief partnership)
• Marital Status: Single (Deceased)
• Base of Operations: Mobile (formerly LexCorp Tower)
• Status (Post-Crisis): Deceased (Killed by Green Arrow in Green Arrow and Black Canary #29), later briefly resurrected as a Black Lantern during Blackest Night.

The Everyman Project: Lex Luthor's Twisted Experiment

The genesis of Everyman’s powers is inseparable from the machinations of Lex Luthor and his post-Infinite Crisis scheme, the Everyman Project. Following the loss of his own powers after the events of Infinite Crisis, Luthor sought to create a new generation of metahumans whose abilities he could control and, more importantly, revoke at will.

The Promise of Power

The Everyman Project promised ordinary people the chance to become superheroes, injecting them with a serum that activated a "metagene." Hannibal Bates was one of the first and most successful recipients of this treatment. He gained the power of metamorphosis, a complete and perfect form of shape-shifting.

The Horrific Catch

Unlike other shapeshifters in the DC Universe, Bates's power had a horrifying prerequisite: to perfectly replicate another person, he had to ingest a piece of their DNA, often by consuming a small part of their body. This dark twist immediately established him as a predator rather than a hero, despite his initial role.

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Luthor used Bates as his secret agent within the newly formed Infinity, Inc. II, a team composed of the first Everyman Project subjects. Bates, under the guise of the hero Skyman (formerly the hero Air Wave), was tasked with monitoring the other members and reporting back to Luthor.

Everyman's Reign of Terror and Gruesome Demise

Everyman’s time as a hero was short-lived, as his true, twisted nature inevitably came to the surface. His loyalty was solely to Luthor, and his actions became increasingly depraved, culminating in his most shocking acts of deception and murder.

The Skyman Deception

His most significant act of malice during the 52 series was the murder of the original Skyman, whom he then replaced to infiltrate Infinity, Inc. II. This deception was a masterclass in psychological warfare, as he lived the life of the hero while secretly serving the villainous Lex Luthor.

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When Luthor's control over the Everyman Project subjects was revealed—and he began deactivating the powers of his "heroes"—Hannibal Bates was one of the few who retained his abilities. This was because his shapeshifting power was so fundamental that Luthor's power-nullifying mechanism could not fully suppress it. This moment cemented him as a true threat, a rogue agent with a unique and disturbing power set.

The Partnership with Cupid

Years later, Everyman resurfaced, forming a short-lived but memorable partnership with the deranged villainess Cupid, an arch-foe of Green Arrow and Black Canary. This alliance brought him into direct conflict with the heroic couple, leading to the final, fatal confrontation for his Post-Crisis iteration.

The Shocking Death

Everyman's original storyline came to a brutal end in the pages of Green Arrow and Black Canary #29. After terrorizing the heroes and attempting to impersonate Green Arrow, he was ultimately killed by the Emerald Archer himself. This death was a definitive moment for the character, though his body was later entombed below the Hall of Justice, only to be briefly reanimated as a Black Lantern during the cosmic event Blackest Night, showcasing the depth of his villainy even in death.

The Legacy of Hannibal Bates in the DC Multiverse

While the Post-Crisis version of Everyman met a final end, the concept of Hannibal Bates and his gruesome powers has echoed throughout the DC Multiverse, ensuring his continued relevance in DC lore. His character serves as a potent reminder of the ethical lines crossed by powerful figures like Lex Luthor.

Everyman in Other Earths

The character has appeared in alternate iterations, most notably in the continuity of Young Justice (Earth-16), where he is also a member of Infinity, Inc. and uses his shapeshifting powers for deception and intimidation. These appearances keep the entity of Everyman alive and demonstrate the lasting impact of his origin story on DC’s storytelling.

Topical Authority: Everyman vs. Other Shapeshifters

Everyman stands out among DC's numerous shapeshifters, such as Martian Manhunter or Plastic Man, due to the dark, cannibalistic nature of his power. His need to consume DNA is a unique and repulsive twist that grounds his character in a specific type of horror. This distinction makes him a fascinating subject for psychological analysis—a villain who literally consumes the identity of others to find his own place in the world.

The story of Everyman is a dark mirror to the superhero dream. He represents the danger of seeking power for its own sake, and the horrifying consequences of a man who literally eats away at the identities of others to become what he is not. His short but impactful run in the comics solidified him as one of the most disturbing and memorable villains to emerge from the Everyman Project era.