Religion: not determined yet
Name: Hugo de Vries
Other Names: Hugo Marie de Vries
Classification:
scientist
real/historical person
Publisher(s): 
Earliest Appearance Listed in This Database: Batman (vol. 1) #165 (Aug. 1964): "The Man Who Quit the Human Race!"
Creators: Gardner F. Fox, Bob Kane, Joe Giella
Number of Appearances: 2
Comic Book Appearances: 1
TV, Film Appearances: 1
Occupation: botanist, geneticist
Birth Place: Haarlem, The Netherlands
Gender: male
Note: discovered genes; rediscovered genetics
In panel 4 on page 3 of this story, a scientist who has examined Governor Andrew Warner explains the governor's predicament: "Hugo de Vries, originator of the theory of mutation, contended that the present-day human race took 16 million years to develop from the lowest forms of life -- in mutation steps that occurred once every 4000 years. You, Governor, are on the verge of becoming a . . . future man!"
However warped or inaccurate this scientist's explanation of the research of de Vries is, the fact remains that Hugo is a real person of immense importance in the study of genetics. The way de Vries' discoveries are applied in this Batman story make it abundantly clear that author Gardner Fox had little interest in actual science but enjoyed utilizing scientific ideas in crafting entertaining escapism. This story, about a modern man being discovered as a latent mutant future human, is a particularly extreme example of Fox's lack of genuine scientific understanding or interest. One should certainly not read this story and make conclusions about the actual research of the real Hugo de Vries.
Batman (vol. 1) #165 (Aug. 1964): "The Man Who Quit the Human Race!" (mentioned)
Suggested links for further research about this character:
- http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hugo_de_Vries
- http://www.imdb.com/character/ch0026502/