Harry Sikes

Origin

Harry Sikes was a criminal who was on the run from the police. On one such chase, he escaped into a house where he presumed nobody was home. He noticed the lights on the floor above him were on and so he went to investigate. He found a laboratory and a scientist, who had suffered from a stroke, lying on the floor. The scientist asked him to bring him a serum he had made that could rejuvenate any wound. Instead, Sikes shot the scientist and took the serum himself. Hearing the gunshots, the police tracked him down and as he escaped, he was shot twice but his wounds rejuvenated instantaneously. While running from the police he wound up getting hit by a truck, but Sikes survived that as well.

Creation

Harry Sikes was created by Stan Lee and Joe Maneely. He first appeared in 1953's Menace #3, and his story was later reprinted in 1975's Weird Wonder Tales #8. More recently, he reappeared in 2011's Wolverine: The Best There Is.

Major Story Arcs

You're Going to Live Forever!

After escaping the police, Sikes took a train out to Louisiana, where he planned to hide out in the bayou until he was no longer wanted. A guide had took him to a swamp where he assured him that nobody would ever find him except the guide himself, so naturally Sikes shot him. As he walked through the swamp, Sikes realized he was walking on quicksand and started sinking. No matter how hard he tried though, he simply sunk deeper and deeper until he realized he would spend eternity buried in the quicksand as worms devoured his flesh.

Wolverine: The Best There Is-Contagion

For more information see: Contagion

Years later, Sikes resurfaced as a member of the Unkillables, a team of super-villains with incredible rejuvenating powers. He was tracked down by Marjorie Brink solely for studying his self-healing capabilities. He hasn't said a word however since he was dug out of the quicksand pit where he sank, apparently having gone quite mad over the years.

When Wolverine comes back to the club where he has almost went berserk after meeting Winsor the night before, Harry attacks Wolverine. Wolverine realizes something is controlling Harry so he tries to reason with him. Harry doesn't listen and attacks. Wolverine cuts off Harry's limbs leaving him a torso and a ranting head. After dealing with Madcap Wolverine throws Harry's ranting head in the sewer. After Winsor and the rest of the Unkillables put Wolverine to sleep, Suicide fishes Harry's head out of the sewer. Then when Wolverine wakes up Harry, much like the rest of the Unkillables, is back in one piece.

Later, while Winsor and the Unkillables are doing their parts to tax Wolverine's healing factor to the limit, Winsor comes up with a virus that is so horrible he doesn't want it to go to waste, so after clearing out the room he tests it on Harry.

Later when Wolverine finally escapes and comes after Winsor, who has now taken the name Contagion, Harry is with him and Marjorie Brink in Winsor's office. After Wolverine convinces Marjorie that she was being mind controlled and takes Winsor away, Marjorie realizes she can help Harry. She gives him some of the Corruptor sweat and orders him to "be better." To which he obeys and become sane again.

Powers and Abilities

After taking a miraculous rejuvenation serum, Harry Sikes gained the ability to recover from any mortal wound instantaneously, allowing him to live forever. He can even survive without any food or air. It's believed that Sikes may very well be one of the most potent self-healers in the world, perhaps even more so than Wolverine.

Before becoming trapped in quicksand, Sikes carried a standard handgun and was a pretty decent shot.