The Negative Man wiki last edited by Jphu8414 on 08/03/14 03:58PM View full history


Lawrence "Larry" Trainor

Lawrence Trainor was a test pilot with the United States Air Force. Whilst experimenting with a space plane called K-2F, he was exposed to cosmic radiation after the plane went higher than it was supposed too. The radiation left Larry with transparent skin as well as leaving him radioactive. During his stay in a hospital, he met Dr. Niles Caulder. Caulder gave Larry specially treated bandages that blocked the radiation. Caulder also told Larry that he now had an energy being in him called the Negative Man - and that he could let the being loose any time he wanted. Following the shuttle's crash, Larry had let it go, making him a special interest case for the government.


Negative Man was created by writers Arnold Drake, Bob Haney and artist Bruno Premiani. His first appearance was in My Greatest Adventure #80 published June 1963. This cover is centered around Negative Man.

Character Evolution

Silver Age: Earth-One

Negative Man (Earth-One)

Following two weeks of experimentation, Larry was released. Finding fitting back into the world difficult due to his disfigurement, Larry withdrew and began experimenting with the Negative Man. This is when he found that if he did not return to his body in sixty seconds, he would die. During this time period, bandages kept being delivered to him, regardless of where he was staying. During this time, Caulder approaches him to join the Doom Patrol.

Modern Age: New Earth


Negative Man (New Earth)

After the Crisis on Infinite Earths, much of Larry history was not change. Larry ultimately came back from the dead. While the Chief originally told Larry that he had cloned a body from Larry's original body, it turned out that Larry Trainor had died for good. The body Negative Man now inhabited was a comatose man named Thomas Munroe, who had no family, few friends and no brain activity. The Chief had added enough of Larry's DNA to Munroe's similar DNA to make it seem like a clone.


Negative Man (New Earth)

Larry's history is rebooted and in this new reality Larry returns in yet another body. This time a man named Phillip Sloan once again doctored by the Chief. After about two months, Robotman contacts Larry to join a new incarnation of the Doom Patrol. Larry declined until Robotman revealed that Rita had been resurrected as well. Both Larry and Cliff played along with Rita's idea that she had survived the Codsville incident.


Negative Man (New Earth)

During the Infinite Crisis, Larry regain all his old memories. Negative Man is currently a member of the Doom Patrol, based on Oolong Island. He has since learned to partially unleash the Negative Entity, granting him its powers without the time limit. During the Blackest Night, he found himself up against the Black Lantern Valentina Vostok. When their Negative entities met, it temporarily created an entity similar to Rebis, which destroyed the Black Lantern ring. Larry maintains an antagonistic friendship with Robotman, a close friendship with Rita, and a bizarre belief that pelicans are stalking him that may yet pay off.

The New 52

Negative-Man makes his first appearance in The New 52 reboot in the pages of Justice League. He is shown alongside The Chief's newly reformed Doom Patrol with members such as Elasti-Girl, Robotman, and Element Woman. His appearance is slightly altered although still very reminiscent of previous versions, with his lead-lined white bandages as well as a coat that he wears.

Major Story Arcs

Silver Age: Earth-One

The Death of Negative Man

General Zahl ultimately defeats the Doom Patrol when he gives them an ultimatum: either allow the fourteen residents of Codsville, Maine to die, or sacrifice themselves. Larry, along with the other two Patrollers, Robotman and Elasti-Girl, make the unanimous decision to sacrifice themselves. While Larry's mortal body dies, the Negative entity bonds with a woman named Valentina Vostok.

Modern Age: New Earth



The Negative Man entity bonded with Larry and his physician, Dr. Eleanor Poole, during this time period as well. It bonded the two together, creating a hermaphroditic being called Rebis. The entity temporarily leaves the Doom Patrol to give birth to itself on the moon in a complex alchemical ritual called the Aenigma Regis. Rebis' old body is ultimately killed by the Candlemaker.

Larry meets Negative Man II

While he had no powers similar to Larry, Ted Bruder was nicknamed Negative Man by his teammates due to his pessimism. Larry only met Ted recently, when Ted began uncontrollably traveling through the Multiverse.

The New 52

Larry is introduced by The Chief to Element Woman alongside Robotman and Elast-Girl. Larry's plane had crashed and sunk into the bottom of the ocean where he was exposed to an unknown and highly radioactive toxin. The doctors who saved Larry's life died of a cancerous disease due to being exposed to Larry, and he was saved by The Chief. Larry states that he owes The Chief his life.

The Chief leads the team on a mission to capture the Power Ring, who has latched itself onto a woman named Jessica Cruz. Larry is shown to be reluctant to release the Negative-Man stating that it hurts when he does it.

Powers & Abilities

Negative Man's radioactive "soul-self" is capable of flight, intangibility and can generate minor explosions upon contact with positive energy, temporally astral projection.

Other Versions


On Earth-21, an Air Force pilot referred to as "Trainor" is mentioned once. He participates in the attack on the Center.


Nazi version of Larry was brought to New Earth by Ted Bruder. This version is presumably from Earth-10. The Negative entity exhibited by this being was considerably more monstrous than normal. He was defeated by both Robotman and Negative Man, only to then return to his home Earth automatically.


Negative Man makes several cameos in the Justice books.

Justice League of America: The Nail

Negative Man appeared in Justice League of America: The Nail books.

Teen Titans Go!

Negative Man appeared in several issues of Teen Titans Go! as a member of the Doom Patrol.

Batman: The Brave And The Bold

Negative Man and his teammates team up with Batman.

Other Media


Teen Titans

Negative Man appears as a member of the Doom Patrol in this show.

Batman: The Brave and the Bold

Negative Man: animated on Batman: Brave and the Bold

In the episode "The Last Patrol!", Negative Man appears as a former member of the Doom Patrol.

Doom Patrol

Cartoon Network are recently adding a Doom Patrol short for their DC Nation block. Negative Man is be part of these series of shorts along with other original Doom Patrol Robotman, Elasti-Girl, and their leader, The Chief.

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