I.Q. (comics)
Encyclopedia
I.Q. is a fictional
supervillain
published by DC Comics
. He first appeared in Mystery in Space
#87 (November, 1963), and was created by Gardner Fox
and Carmine Infantino
. I.Q. has most often appeared an enemy of Hawkman
, and was most recently seen in 52
.
's Zeta Beams. Quimby discovers that due to the activation of his metagene
he has gained a genius level intelligence. Dubbing himself I.Q., he uses his new intellect to plan a series of jewelry heists. I.Q.'s heightened intelligence turns out to short-lived, but re-exposure to the rock restores it. Hawkman is able to track down I.Q. by analyzing traces of the rock, and arrests I.Q. and his gang.
, Superman
and the Metal Men
, Batman
, the Teen Titans, the Atom
(Ray Palmer), and the Elongated Man
.
During the Infinite Crisis
storyline, I.Q. popped up as a member of Alexander Luthor, Jr.
's Secret Society of Super Villains
.
, and taken to Oolong Island to become a member of the Science Squad. When Black Adam
attacks Oolong Island, he remained collected and rallies his fellow mad scientists to successfully defeat Adam. He subsequently becomes the head of projects on the island.
, who repaid him by causing his brain to revert to an infantile state.
He has since been seen in Doom Patrol
, working for Veronica Cale
on Oolong Island. Quimby's appearances in this title have yet to explain the recovery of his faculties, but they chronologically follow the events of Cry for Justice (as seen in the Justice League of America title which has the team dealing with the aftermath of CfJ leading into Blackest Night).
. His intelligence allows him to create advanced weapons and tools out of common objects. The power and duration of his intelligence are determined by how much sunlight he has been exposed to.
Fictional character
A character is the representation of a person in a narrative work of art . Derived from the ancient Greek word kharaktêr , the earliest use in English, in this sense, dates from the Restoration, although it became widely used after its appearance in Tom Jones in 1749. From this, the sense of...
supervillain
Supervillain
A supervillain or supervillainess is a variant of the villain character type, commonly found in comic books, action movies and science fiction in various media.They are sometimes used as foils to superheroes and other fictional heroes...
published by DC Comics
DC Comics
DC Comics, Inc. is one of the largest and most successful companies operating in the market for American comic books and related media. It is the publishing unit of DC Entertainment a company of Warner Bros. Entertainment, which itself is owned by Time Warner...
. He first appeared in Mystery in Space
Mystery in Space
Mystery in Space is the name of two science fiction comic book series published in the United States by DC Comics, then known as National Comics. The first series ran for 110 issues from 1951 - 1966, with a further 7 issues continuing the numbering during a 1980s revival of the title...
#87 (November, 1963), and was created by Gardner Fox
Gardner Fox
Gardner Francis Cooper Fox was an American writer best known for creating numerous comic book characters for DC Comics. Comic-book historians estimate that he wrote over 4,000 comics stories....
and Carmine Infantino
Carmine Infantino
Carmine Infantino Carmine Infantino Carmine Infantino (born May 24, 1925, in Brooklyn, New York is an American comic book artist and editor who was a major force in the Silver Age of Comic Books...
. I.Q. has most often appeared an enemy of Hawkman
Hawkman
Hawkman is a fictional superhero who appears in comic books published by DC Comics. Created by writer Gardner Fox and artist Dennis Neville, the original Hawkman first appeared in Flash Comics #1, published by All-American Publications in 1940....
, and was most recently seen in 52
52 (comics)
52 was a weekly American comic book limited series published by DC Comics that debuted on May 10, 2006, one week after the conclusion of the seven-issue Infinite Crisis. The series was written by Geoff Johns, Grant Morrison, Greg Rucka, and Mark Waid with layouts by Keith Giffen...
.
Fictional character biography
Ira Quimby is a small time crook who is accidentally exposed to the radiation from a rock that had been irradiated by one of Adam StrangeAdam Strange
Adam Strange is a fictional superhero published by DC Comics. Created by writer Gardner Fox and artist Mike Sekowsky, he first appeared in Showcase #17 .In May 2011, Adam Strange placed 97th on IGN's Top 100 Comic Book Heroes of All Time....
's Zeta Beams. Quimby discovers that due to the activation of his metagene
Metahuman
Metahuman is a term to describe superhumans in DC Comics' shared universe, the DC Universe. It is roughly synonymous with both mutant and mutate and posthuman in the Wildstorm and Ultimate Marvel Universes. Use of the term in reference to superheroes was coined in 1986 by author George R. R...
he has gained a genius level intelligence. Dubbing himself I.Q., he uses his new intellect to plan a series of jewelry heists. I.Q.'s heightened intelligence turns out to short-lived, but re-exposure to the rock restores it. Hawkman is able to track down I.Q. by analyzing traces of the rock, and arrests I.Q. and his gang.
Hawkman
In Hawkman #7 (April 1965), the imprisoned I.Q. discovers that his heightened intelligence returns whenever he is exposed to sunlight. He is able to create an invisibility device out of common items and escape from jail, and resume his life of crime. In subsequent stories I.Q. faces the Justice League of AmericaJustice League
The Justice League, also called the Justice League of America or JLA, is a fictional superhero team that appears in comic books published by DC Comics....
, Superman
Superman
Superman is a fictional comic book superhero appearing in publications by DC Comics, widely considered to be an American cultural icon. Created by American writer Jerry Siegel and Canadian-born American artist Joe Shuster in 1932 while both were living in Cleveland, Ohio, and sold to Detective...
and the Metal Men
Metal Men
The Metal Men are fictional characters that appear in comic books published by DC Comics. The characters first appeared in Showcase #37 and were created by writer Robert Kanigher and penciller Ross Andru...
, Batman
Batman
Batman is a fictional character created by the artist Bob Kane and writer Bill Finger. A comic book superhero, Batman first appeared in Detective Comics #27 , and since then has appeared primarily in publications by DC Comics...
, the Teen Titans, the Atom
Atom (comics)
The Atom is a name shared by several fictional comic book superheroes from the DC Comics universe.There have been five characters who have shared the Atom codename. The original Golden Age Atom, Al Pratt, was created by Ben Flinton and Bill O'Connor and first appeared in All-American Publications'...
(Ray Palmer), and the Elongated Man
Elongated Man
The Elongated Man is a fictional comic book superhero in the DC universe. He is a reserve member of the Justice League. His first appearance was in The Flash vol. 1, #112...
.
During the Infinite Crisis
Infinite Crisis
Infinite Crisis is a 2005 - 2006 comic book storyline published by DC Comics, consisting of an eponymous, seven-issue comic book limited series written by Geoff Johns and illustrated by Phil Jimenez, George Pérez, Ivan Reis, and Jerry Ordway, and a number of tie-in books...
storyline, I.Q. popped up as a member of Alexander Luthor, Jr.
Alexander Luthor, Jr.
Alexander Luthor Jr. is a DC Comics character who turned from a hero to a villain. Created by Marv Wolfman and George Pérez, Alexander has a prominent role in the DC Universe storylines Crisis on Infinite Earths and Infinite Crisis....
's Secret Society of Super Villains
Secret Society of Super Villains
The Secret Society of Super Villains is a group of comic book supervillains that exist in the DC Universe...
.
52
In 52 Week 23, I.Q. is revealed as one of the "mad scientists" kidnapped by Chang Tzu and IntergangIntergang
Intergang is a fictional organized crime group in Superman and other DC comics. Armed with technology supplied by the villainous New Gods of the planet Apokolips, it is a potent foe who can seriously challenge the most powerful superheroes...
, and taken to Oolong Island to become a member of the Science Squad. When Black Adam
Black Adam
Black Adam is a fictional comic book character, created in 1945 by Otto Binder & C. C. Beck for Fawcett Comics. Originally created as a one-shot villain for Fawcett Comics' Marvel Family team of superheroes, Black Adam was revived as a recurring supervillain after DC Comics began publishing Captain...
attacks Oolong Island, he remained collected and rallies his fellow mad scientists to successfully defeat Adam. He subsequently becomes the head of projects on the island.
Justice League: Cry for Justice
In the 2009 Justice League: Cry for Justice series, it was revealed that Quimby was working with the supervillain PrometheusPrometheus (comics)
Prometheus is the name of three fictional characters appearing in comic books published by DC Comics.The first Prometheus debuted in New Teen Titans vol. 2, #24 and was created by Marv Wolfman and Eduardo Barreto . The second version debuted in New Year's Evil: Prometheus Prometheus is the name...
, who repaid him by causing his brain to revert to an infantile state.
He has since been seen in Doom Patrol
Doom Patrol
The Doom Patrol is a superhero team appearing in publications from DC Comics. The original Doom Patrol first appeared in My Greatest Adventure #80...
, working for Veronica Cale
Veronica Cale
Veronica Cale is a fictional comic book villain appearing in books published by DC Comics, primarily as an enemy of Wonder Woman. She was created by Greg Rucka in Wonder Woman v2, #196...
on Oolong Island. Quimby's appearances in this title have yet to explain the recovery of his faculties, but they chronologically follow the events of Cry for Justice (as seen in the Justice League of America title which has the team dealing with the aftermath of CfJ leading into Blackest Night).
Powers and abilities
Thanks to exposure to modified Zeta Beam radiation which triggered his metagene, I.Q. is a superintelligent metahumanMetahuman
Metahuman is a term to describe superhumans in DC Comics' shared universe, the DC Universe. It is roughly synonymous with both mutant and mutate and posthuman in the Wildstorm and Ultimate Marvel Universes. Use of the term in reference to superheroes was coined in 1986 by author George R. R...
. His intelligence allows him to create advanced weapons and tools out of common objects. The power and duration of his intelligence are determined by how much sunlight he has been exposed to.