# Mento (character)

Mento (Steve Dayton) is a superhero appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics.
Mento appeared in the first season of the Doom Patrol television series for DC Universe played by Will Kemp and Dave Bielawski.

## Publication history

Mento first appeared in Doom Patrol #91 (November 1964) and was created by Arnold Drake and Bruno Premiani.

## Fictional character biography

Steve Dayton, the world's fifth richest man, owns Dayton Industries, builds a helmet to enhance his mental abilities and calls himself Mento. This is an attempt on Dayton's part to impress Elasti-Girl (a.k.a. Rita Farr) of the Doom Patrol. Although his arrogant manner annoys the male field members of the team, he is successful, and in Doom Patrol #104 (June 1966), Mento and Elasti-Girl are married. They soon adopt Beast Boy (Garfield Logan). After Elasti-Girl's death, Mento becomes involved in the hunt for her killers, General Zahl and Madame Rouge. During this time, he invents a form of uranium called Promethium which is used by Deathstroke and Vic Stone/Cyborg.
In Swamp Thing (vol. 2) #49-50 (June–July 1986), John Constantine recruits Mento to assist him in a battle in Hell. During the battle, Mento is driven insane before Raven cures him.
Much later, Dayton hires Deathstroke to find the Titans during the Titan Hunt. Afterwards, he becomes the "Crimelord" and tries to frame Deathstroke for murder, but Dayton's dual identity and plans are revealed and Deathstroke is cleared of all charges. The Crimelord's plans also involved nuclear bombs placed across the country, but this is neutralized by a large gathering of superheroes, mainly current and former Teen Titans.

### One Year Later

Steve Dayton is revealed to have returned with the rest of the Doom Patrol. Though a member of the Patrol, he furiously writes novels (remarking that he intends to entitle the series My Greatest Adventure), supposedly spurred on by a creative streak created by the helmet. He also seems to have developed an addiction again to his helmet, as he claims that Rita is only in love with Mento and not Steve Dayton. He claims to remember his days as the Crimelord, calling them "a glitch in the helmet".
Seeing the truth about Niles Caulder (a.k.a. the Chief), who is trying to convince Kid Devil to join the Doom Patrol by telling him that his own teammates, the Titans, will always despise him as a freak, Dayton shakes off his addiction and finally removes the helmet. Thinking clearly again for the first time in years, he takes the control of the Doom Patrol from the Chief, claiming respect for the other members of the squad, and threatening the Chief if he ever reclaimed his leading role from him.
Mento is later shown, fully in possession of his mental faculties, as an occasional helper of the Justice League, filling with his cybernetically augmented mental abilities the role once held by Martian Manhunter. In such a role, he diagnoses Jericho's dissociative identity disorder, spurring the League to seek professional help for him.
In Final Crisis #6, Mento is among a group of psychics who attempt to purge the world of the Anti-Life Equation.
In the 2010 run of Doom Patrol, Mento is revealed to have left the Patrol, despite still being in contact with Caulder. Estranged from his wife, as his marriage failed when Rita found out how Dayton routinely used his mind-reading powers on her, he is called back by Caulder to stop an alien hive mind by using Rita's enlarged form as a proxy. Upon becoming aware of this new violation, Rita cuts ties with Mento, blaming Caulder too for her mistreatment.

## Powers and abilities

Steve Dayton wears a helmet of his own invention that amplifies his own latent psychic powers. While wearing the helmet, he possesses telepathy, psychokinesis, intangibility, and limited mind control. While the helmet also increased Dayton's paranoia and dementia, Raven is eventually able to cure him of these side effects.

## Other versions

An alternate universe variant of Steve Dayton appears in Teen Titans: Earth One. This version is a S.T.A.R. Labs scientist.

## In other media
### Television

* Mento appears in the Teen Titans episode "Homecoming", voiced by Xander Berkeley. This version is the leader of the Doom Patrol.
* Mento appears in Young Justice, voiced by Scott Menville. This version is Beast Boy's legal guardian who exploits his abilities for profit despite displaying a mutual disliking towards him. After forming the Outsiders, Beast Boy is legally emancipated from Mento.
* Mento appears in the Doom Patrol episode "Doom Patrol Patrol", portrayed by Will Kemp as a young man and by Dave Bielawski as an old man. This version dated Rita Farr in 1955 and was a member of a 1950s incarnation of the Doom Patrol before they were defeated by Mr. Nobody and disbanded. As a result of the battle, Mento loses control of his powers, which Joshua Clay works to keep in check while caring for him.

### Video games

Mento appears as a character summon in Scribblenauts Unmasked: A DC Comics Adventure.

### Miscellaneous

* Mento appears in Teen Titans Go!.
* Mento appears in Batman: The Brave and the Bold #9.