Origin
Born and raised in Australia, Baran Flinders and his sister Selinda were ruthlessly bullied by fellow students for their emerging metahuman abilities. They were aided in developing and controlling their powers by Dr Helga Jace, following which they decided to turn to crime, with Baran adopting the villain alias Mammoth, and Selinda becoming Shimmer. Shortly thereafter he and his sister joined Dr Light, Gizmo, and Psimon in forming the super villain group the Fearsome Five.
Creation
Mammoth was created by Marv Wolfman and George Pérez. He made his first appearance in The New Teen Titans #3.
Character Evolution
In early appearances of the character, he was pathologically incapable of being separated from his sister; even brief separations caused extreme violent outbursts. This tendency has waned, and in more recent appearances he is able to be separate from Shimmer for long stretches of time. His level of intelligence has fluctuated wildly between appearances.
Major Story Arcs
Fearsome Five
For some time, Mammoth works alongside his sister as a member of the villainous team, committing various crimes and clashing mainly with the Teen Titans and the Outsiders, and once with Superman. He and his sister eventually decide to retire from villainy, travelling to a Tibetan monastery.
Gizmo
At the monastery, Mammoth and Shimmer encounter Psimon, who mentally subdues Mammoth and turns Shimmer to glass, shattering her. Unable to grasp that his sister is dead, Mammoth joins former ally Gizmo in his return to villainy. Throughout their partnership he believes that they are searching for his sister. Eventually Doctor Sivana helps him resurrect his sister, and they rejoin the Fearsome Five.
Five by Five
Mammoth and the other Fearsome Five members are drawn into a plot by Doctor Sivana to short sell LexCorp stock. When he and the other members demand Sivana allow them to assault a LexCorp nuclear facility, Sivana refuses, killing Gizmo and severing ties with the remaining group. They attempt to take the facility anyways, and are stopped by the Outsiders. Mammoth is sent to Alcatraz, while the rest of the team escapes.
Villains United
Mammoth and the remaining members of the Fearsome Five join up with the Secret Society of Super Villains. They are sent after and manage to capture Pariah.
Salvation Run
Mammoth is amongst the villains captured and sent to the planet Salvation. He joins Team Joker, and is seen clashing with several other villains. Upon his return to Earth he is presumably returned to Alcatraz.
Unhinged
Mammoth, a prisoner in Alcatraz, attacks the Secret Six when they assault the prison in their attempt to recover Tarantula. He is eventually subdued when Scandal Savage rams him with Black Manta’s ship. He is among the villains who attempt to collect the bounty on the Six’s heads while they are in possession of the Get Out of Hell Free Card.
Forever Evil
Mammoth is invited to join the Crime Syndicate’s Secret Society of Super Villains. He does so, and he and other members of the Fearsome Five are sent after the Rogues. He is trapped in a mirror alongside several other villains and shattered.
Alternate Versions
JLA/Avengers
Mammoth appears during this crossover event as one of the villains who attacks Vision and Aquaman in Metropolis. He is ultimately subdued by Thor.
Teen Titans Go!
The Teen Titans animated version of Mammoth appears in several issues of this comic book adaptation.
Powers and Abilities
Mammoth possesses incredible physical strength, particularly when he is enraged. His strength translates into a resistance to physical harm. He also has increased stamina. He is not a particularly skilled combatant, largely relying on physically overwhelming his opponents rather than tactics or skill. He is intellectually disabled and has an emotional disorder.
Other Media
Television
Teen Titans
Mammoth appears as a minor antagonist in seven episodes of the Teen Titans animated series, always in association with members of the HIVE Five. He makes his first appearance in the episode “Final Exam.” He is frozen along with many other villains in “Titans Together.” This version of the character does not appear to have a sister, and seems to be of about average intelligence. He is voiced by Kevin Michael Richardson
Young Justice
Mammoth appears as a minor antagonist in seven episodes of this series, making his first appearance in “Drop-Zone.” He and his sister are portrayed initially as members of the Cult of the Kobra. This iteration of the character is unique in that his strength and invulnerability are not an inborn trait; instead, he gets his powers when he is injected with Kobra-Venom, an enhanced Venom formula. He is later seen acting as muscle for various other villains. He does not speak.
Teen Titans Go!
Mammoth appears as a recurring minor antagonist in several episodes in this series, usually as a member of the HIVE Five. Again no mention is made of his sister. He makes his first appearance in “Gorilla.” Kevin Michael Richardson reprises the role.
Video Games
Teen Titans
Mammoth appears as a boss in both the console and Game Boy Advance games of this name. Kevin Michael Richardson reprises the role.
DC Universe Online
Mammoth appears as part of the “Sons of Trigon” downloadable content. He does not speak.