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BILLY TAYLOR

Real Name: Billy Taylor

Identity/Class: Human mutant

Occupation: Student

Group Membership: None

Affiliations: Neverland camp internees (Siena Blaze, Bulwark/Oswald Boeglin, Diamond Lil/Lilian Crawley, Maggott/Japheth, Random, Reaper/Pantu Hurageb, Dr. Cecelia Reyes, Mr. Taylor, Mrs. Taylor, Wendy Taylor, Wildside/Richard Gill, other unnamed mutants), Brian Smitty (classmate)

Enemies: Mr. Sinister (Nathaniel Essex), Scalphunter (John Greycrow), Weapon X (Director/Malcolm Colcord, Garrison Kane, Marrow/Sarah, Mesmero, Sabretooth/Victor Creed, Sauron/Karl Lykos, Washout, Wild Child/Kyle Gibney)

Known Relatives: Mr. Taylor, Mrs. Taylor (parents, first names unrevealed), Wendy Taylor (sister)

Aliases:

Base of Operations: Unrevealed;
                                  formerly Mr. Sinister's laboratories;
                                  formerly Weapon X's interment camp Neverland;
                                  formerly the Taylor family home, Warwick, New York

First Appearance: Weapon X II#5 (March, 2003)

Powers/Abilities: Billy Taylor was a mutant who despite his relatively young age had already developed certain mutant abilities. He could generate energy of unknown composition from his eyes into a mist-like form of unknown composition. When he used his powers, a bright, pink energy would surge from his eyes. After being captured by the Weapon X program, Mr. Sinister conducted several, undisclosed experiments on him designed to increase his powers. Whether or not these trials led to any systematic changes or improvements in his mutant abilities remains to be seen.

Height: 4'9" (by approximation)
Weight: 88 lbs. (by approximation)
Eyes: Blue
Hair: Blonde

History:

(Weapon X II#5 (fb) - BTS) - Billy and his younger sister Wendy were born to two X-gene positive parents who, when the children manifested their own powers at a young age, swore the siblings to keep their abilities a secret. Nevertheless, both Billy and Wendy were acutely aware of the dangers of being a mutant.

(Weapon X II#5 (fb) ) - Billy, Wendy and the other Taylors somehow were discovered by the Weapon X project. Late one night, their elite team of super-powered operatives was sent in to collect the family from their Warwick home. Mr. Taylor tried to hold off the first wave while Wendy and Billy were guided away by their mom. The trio encountered more Weapon X members and were ready to use their mutant powers against them, with Billy joining his mom and Wendy, his eyes burning bright. However, the timely arrival of Weapon X member Mesmero caused all the Taylors to collapse into a coma. When they woke up, they found themselves on board a transport with other captured mutants like Maggott, Bulwark and Ape headed to Neverland, the Weapon X internment camp.

(Weapon X II#5) - Billy and his family was processed during admission, with a telepath reading their minds if they refused to answer the administrator's questions. After careful analysis, Billy and the others were deemed genetically viable and branded with a green M. Those who received red M's, like Maggott, were destined to be executed. Before he headed for an early death, Maggott handed Wendy and Billy one of his slugs for safekeeping. Billy couldn't believe Maggott and the Red M's were going to be killed and decided to follow them. Climbing on to the roof of the facility the M's were being herded into, he witnessed first hand how they were killed. Billy told his father who some time later confronted the Weapon X Director about the genocide. Billy and his sister watched as the Director dragged their father away to "continue their discussion in private" only to never be seen again. In the weeks that followed, Billy and all the other green M's were subjected to brutal medical testing to further determine their genetic potential, a project spearheaded by one Dr. Windsor (Mr. Sinister in disguise). Taking an interest in Wendy and her brother, Windsor arranged to have the children transferred out of Neverland, allegedly to safety. Their mother, still recovering from the gruesome cycles of tests and believing she was doing them a favor, said goodbye to her children. Dr. Windsor accompanied Billy and Wendy out of Neverland, with Maggott's cybernetic slug resting comfortably on Wendy's shoulder.

(Weapon X II#14 (fb) - BTS) - Billy and Wendy were taken to one of Mr. Sinister's laboratories. There, they learned the villain's true identity, as well as encountering his assistant Scalphunter (John Greycrow). Wendy was powerless when Sinister started to experiment on Billy, injecting him with several formulas designed to increase his mutagenic potential.

(Weapon X II#14) - Mr. Sinister decided to try out a new and improved sample of the N2 concoction he devised back in World War II, based on Namor the Sub-Mariner's DNA. He had exposed 183 previous test subjects to the virulent concoction, only to watch them die horrible deaths. Billy, still recovering from his own experiments, could do nothing but yell in protest when Sinister injected Wendy with the latest N2 batch. They all observed how she suffered tremendously before apparently dying. Figuring he had failed once again, Sinister ordered Scalphunter to get rid of the body that had spawned crimson red, razor sharp growths. However, Wendy suddenly woke up and appeared none the worse for wear, sparking Sinister's continued interest in the girl.

Comments: Created by Frank Tieri (writer), Georges Jeanty (pencils), Dexter Vines (inks).

It would be interesting to see if Billy retained any of his powers, Sinister granted or otherwise, following M-Day.

Profile by Norvo.

CLARIFICATIONS:
Billy Taylor should not be confused with

images: (without ads)
Weapon X II#5 p7, pan5 (main image)
Weapon X II#5, p17, pans 3-7 (witness to Weapon X genocide)

Appearances:
Weapon X II#5 (March, 2003) - Frank Tieri (writer), Georges Jeanty (pencils), Dexter Vines (inks), Mike Marts (editor)
Weapon X II#14 (December, 2003) - Frank Tieri (writer), John Paul Leon (pencils), Tommy Lee Edwards (inks), Marc Sumerak, Andy Schmidt (editors)

First Posted: 07/22/2015
Last updated: 07/14/2015

Any Additions/Corrections? please let me know.

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