Psi-Ber Helmet
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Real Identity: Not Applicable
Appearances (BTAC Comics): Crack-Up! Part Two and Crack-Up! Part Three
Powers/Skills: Brainwashing
The final step in the U.S. Army's Project Samson super-soldier program was the Psi-Ber Helmet, a brainwashing device developed by Professor Hugo Strange and considered the ultimate achievement in biocybernetics. The program candidates were lied to and told the helmet would increase their brain power, just as the drugs augmented their strength. In reality, the helmet projected images and voices of a select group of generals into the soldiers' premotor cortices, making the generals their controllers, whatever commands they gave, the soldiers would be programmed to obey. The thought of Captain Carl Finley becoming a puppet weighed heavily on Gretchen Gallway. She could not stand it and intervened on the Psi-Ber Helmet process only to discover Joker had somehow broken in and taken over the entire session, making Finely his loyal sidekick Straightman. Gallway believed she could use the helmet to purge the Joker's control from Straightman's brain but he was already disassociating from reality and becoming psychotic like the rest of the failed super soldier candidates.
Joker returned to Camp Finger intending to re-use the helmet to reset Straightman after he began to space out on memories of his past life. Strange refused. Confused and unable to think, Straightman fled the base on foot. Professor Strange heeded Batman's warning about Joker and had the Psi-Ber Helmet moved to a safer location. A sergeant assigned to the transport checked in with Strange to confirm they were ahead of schedule. The Joker somehow infiltrated the transport and drove off with the helmet and infected guards. Task Force X searched all of Joker's known hideouts. They were knocked out after King Shark triggered a booby-trap and set off an explosion. Joker used the Psi-Ber Helmet on all but Harley Quinn and King Shark and renamed them his J-Team then they stormed Camp Finger. Joker attempted to reprogram Straightman with the helmet. Once Batman, Batgirl, and Robin stormed into the room, Joker took Gallway hostage. Straightman was set off by it, tore out his restraints, removed the helmet, and slammed Joker unconscious. The helmet was used to remove most of Joker's brainwashing. Task Force X was subjected next and the brainwashing was completely removed since they were under Joker's control for only a short time. Muscle was the last to be deprogrammed.