Anton Miklos was a successful deep-sea sponge-diver, who won enough money to live comfortably in an apartment in Florida. One day swimming on the ocean bottom, he found a species of green sponge rock. When analyzing the sponge, Miklos accidentally cut himself, but he didn't think the injury was that serious, so he took the sponge home. Soon he felt intense pain throughout his body causing him to pass out. Upon waking the next day, Miklos had mutated into a spongy monster with powers of absorption. Knowing that the famous Challengers of the Unknown in the city were testing their equipment, Miklos went to meet them for help. Arriving at his apartment, the Challengers examined him and found that the sponge was actually a meteor, which caused Miklos to mutate due to the meteor's radiation.