Steven Dayton

**Steven Dayton**, also known as **Mento**, is a fictional character and hero in comic books published by the American company DC Comics. He first appeared in *Doom Patrol* #91 (November 1964), but his first appearance in *Swamp Thing* comics was in *Swamp Thing* Vol. 2, #44 (January 1986). He was created by Arnold Drake and Bruno Premiani.

## History

### Origin

Steve Dayton, one of the world's richest men, built a helmet to enhance his mental abilities and calls himself Mento. This iwa an attempt on Dayton's part to impress Elasti-Girl of the Doom Patrol. Although his arrogant manner annoys the male field members of the team, he is successful, Mento and Elasti-Girl are married. They soon adopt Beast Boy.

### Teen Titans

After Elasti-Girl's death, Mento goes mad and creates the Hybrid and blames Beast Boy for the deaths of the original Doom Patrol. The Hybrid is defeated and Raven cures him of his brain problem.

Steve Dayton later helps in the battle against the Wildebeest Society. Later on, he becomes Crimelord and tries to frame Deathstroke the Terminator (a.k.a. Slade Wilson) for murder, but it is later revealed that Crimelord did it and Deathstroke is cleared of all charges. 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 members.

### 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, 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".

Retaining his age though clean shaven again, Dayton's Mento helmet is now red, and wears a black costume with a yellow lightning bolt across it; this coloration of helmet and costume resembles his original look from the original incarnation of the Patrol.

Seeing the truth about Dr. Niles Caulder (a.k.a The Chief), who is trying to convince Kid Devil to join the Doom Patrol by telling him his own teammates, the Teen 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 later leaves the Patrol, despite still being in contact with Caulder. Currently estranged from his wife, as his marriage fails when Rita finds out how Dayton routinely uses his mind-reading powers on her, he's called back by Caulder to stop an alien hive mind by using Rita's enlarged form as a proxy. Upon becoming aware of the newest violation, Rita decides to break every remaining tie with him, blaming Caulder, too, for her mistreatment.

## Powers and Abilities

### Abilities

* **Business Management**
* **Genius-Level Intellect**
* **Pedagogy:** Steve taught classes in "abnormal-psych" as a hobby.

### Weaknesses

* **Mental Illness:** The helmet has the negative side effect of increasing Dayton's paranoia and dementia. Raven is eventually able to cure him of these side effects.

### Equipment

* **Mento Helmet:** Steve Dayton wears a helmet of his own invention that amplifies his own latent psychic powers. While wearing the helmet, he has the powers of:
	+ **Flight**
	+ **Intangibility**
	+ **Mind Control**
	+ **Telekinesis**
	+ **Telepathy**