DR. BOTAN
Real Name: Dr. Botan (first name unrevealed)
Identity/Class: Normal human (WWII era)
(German Nazi)
Occupation: Research scientist
Group Membership: None (possibly Nazi Party)
Affiliations: Number 12, Number 19, various other plant-human hybrid pawns
Enemies: Bucky (James Buchanan Barnes),
Captain America (Steve Rogers), US soldiers (Dave, Jim), other humans forced into his experiments
Known Relatives: None
Aliases: None
Base of Operations: Unrevealed location in the USA, likely not far from Camp Lehigh, Virginia
First Appearance: All-Winners Comics#13/2
(Fall, 1944)
Powers/Abilities: Dr. Botan is a brilliant
botanist and geneticist, having devised a formula that facilitates
the fusion of plant and human tissue. Despite his wiry and aged
appearance, he is strong enough to drag the inert form of Captain
America in costume.
Height: 5'10"
Weight: 155 lbs.
Eyes: Dark Grey
Hair: None (bald)
History:
(All-Winners Comics#13/2 (fb) - BTS) - Brilliant but
psychopathic Nazi botanical scientist Dr. Botan created a special
formula that facilitated the grafting of plants to humans to create
hybrids that responded to his commands. He set up his lab in a secluded
American house with his experiments surrounding it in a "Garden of
Doom"; this served also as a protective measure. The humans involved in
the experiments lost their names and were identified only by a number;
notable specimens were the subservient humanoid Number 12 and
carnivorous large-leafed plant Number 19.
(All-Winners Comics#13/2) - On local military
maneuvers, US soldiers Dave, Jim, Steve Rogers (secretly the valiant
Captain America) and Bucky (also secretly a costumed hero) chanced upon
Botan's innocuous compound. Dave and Jim went separately to Botan's
house, but
Jim was strangled to death by a sentient vine that bled blood when Dave
slashed at it. A tree stretched and crushed Dave unconscious. Botan and
Number 12 soon arrived and the scientist selected Dave as the best
subject for his next experiment. Hearing a commotion, Rogers and Bucky
changed into their superhero costumes and confronted the villains after
they found Jim's corpse. Botan ordered nearby Number 19 attack
Captain America, its jaws crushing and choking the hero until Botan
ordered his release as he wanted another test subject. Meanwhile,
Number
12 overpowered Bucky and they returned to Botan's lab. Jim's corpse and
Dave's unconscious body were also taken there. Botan had Number 12 tie
up Bucky and revealed his plan to make the boy his next test subject as
he began the process to graft plant material to Bucky's bloodstream.
However, Captain America regained consciousness and knocked back Botan,
only to have Number 12 defend his master. But the fray knocked over
chemicals that rapidly spread fire and the heroes fled.
The fire engulfed the lab and garden compound, destroying the
plant-human hybrids and presumably also killed Dr. Botan.
Comments: Created by uncredited writer, Al Fagaly, Al Avison.
How Jim's and Dave's bodies got to the lab is unrevealed. It's possible that Bucky went unconscious off-panel upon arrival at the lab and Number 12 went back and retrieved them (or plants dragged them in).
The name "Botan" is of course derived from the term botany, a branch of biology focused on the study of plant life, including its structure, function, growth, etc.
Scientifically, it is biologically impossible for a
plant and a human to fuse tissues (in the same way that two plants merge via grafting) due
to different immune systems and vascular connection. Botan's "secret
formula" evidently compensated for this so the two lifeforms could
indeed merge.
Profile by Grendel Prime.
CLARIFICATIONS
:
Dr. Botan has no known connections to:
Number 12 was once a blacksmith but the maniacal Nazi
scientist Dr. Botan grafted a small plant from the Amazon forest and he
was left only 75% human, leaving him a silent, simple-minded and loyal
subject. Botan used his enhanced strength to carry prospective test
subjects and knock out foes who wandered into Botan's "Garden of Doom"
compound of human-plant hybrids. When Captain America knocked back
Botan to free Bucky, Number 12 instinctively attacked the hero, but the
fray knocked over chemicals that rapidly spread fire, and engulfed the
lab and garden compound, destroying the plant-human hybrids.
--All-Winners Comics#13/2
Number 19 was one of many large sentient plant. It had
tropical-styled large leaves with one set crafted into a giant set of
powerful toothed jaws. It resided in Dr. Botan's "Garden of Doom"
surrounding his lab hidden in a secluded American house. When the
heroic Captain America and Bucky traced vanished US soldiers and
confronted Dr. Botan, the mad scientist had Number 19 capture and crush
Captain America, asphyxiating him unconscious. Dr. Botan's house and
garden compound were completely destroyed in a fire soon after.
--All-Winners Comics#13/2
images:
(without ads)
All-Winners Comics#13/2, p1, pan1 (main image)
p9, pan6 (headshot)
p1, pan1 (Number 12)
p7, pan5 (Number 19)
Appearances:
All-Winners Comics#13/2 (Fall, 1944) - uncredited writer, Al Fagaly
(pencils), Al Avison (inks),
Vince Fago (editor)
First posted: 04/24/2026
Last updated:
04/24/2026
Any Additions/Corrections? please let me know.
Non-Marvel Copyright info
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and © 1941-2099 Marvel Characters, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
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