I.Q. (comics)

I.Q.
I.Q and Hawkman from Mystery In Space #87, artist Murphy Anderson
Publication information
Publisher	DC Comics
First appearance	Mystery in Space vol. 1 #87 (November 1963)
Created by	Gardner Fox (writer) Carmine Infantino (artist)
In-story information
Alter ego	Ira Quimby
Team affiliations	Science Squad I.Q. Gang Society
Notable aliases	I.Q. Quimby,
Abilities	Superintelligence

I.Q. (real name: Ira Quimby) 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.

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 Strange'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.

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 America,^[1] Superman and the Metal Men,^[2] Batman,^[3] the Teen Titans,^[4] the Atom (Ray Palmer),^[5] and the Elongated Man.^[6]

During the Infinite Crisis storyline, I.Q. popped up as a member of Alexander Luthor, Jr.'s Secret Society of Super Villains.

52

In 52 Week 23, I.Q. is revealed as one of the "mad scientists" kidnapped by Chang Tzu and Intergang, 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.^[7] He subsequently becomes the head of projects on the island.^[8]

Justice League: Cry for Justice

In the 2009 Justice League: Cry for Justice series, it was revealed that Quimby was working with the supervillain Prometheus, who repaid him by causing his brain to revert to an infantile state. ^[9]

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).

Powers and abilities

Thanks to exposure to modified Zeta Beam radiation which triggered his metagene, I.Q. is a superintelligent metahuman. 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.

References

1. Justice League of America #61 (March 1968)
2. DC Comics Presents #4 (December 1978)
3. Brave and the Bold #192 (November 1982)
4. New Teen Titans Vol. 2 #40 (February 1988)
5. Power of the Atom #4 (November 1988)
6. Starman Vol. 2 #75 (March 2001)
7. 52 Week Forty-Six
8. 52 Aftermath: Four Horsemen #2 (November 2007)
9. Justice League: Cry for Justice #3

External links

• DCU Guide: I.Q.