I.Q.

I.Q.

Real Name: Ira Quimby

Class: Human technology-user

Occupation: Criminal

Group Affiliation: Science Squad

Known Relatives: None

Aliases: None

Base of Operations: Oolong Island, formerly Midway City

First Appearance: Mystery In Space I #87 (November, 1963)

Powers: I.Q. was a scientific genius capable of imagining and engineering great inventions. His creations included the lift rod that levitated objects and aero-shoes that used rocket propulsion to allow I.Q. to walk on air.

History: I.Q. was a slow-witted, though imaginative crook until he happened upon an alien stone in the Midway City Museum that enhanced his intelligence whenever it was exposed to sunlight and released its unique radiation. I.Q. crafted a number of inventions that let his gang commit robberies, but he was repeatedly foiled by Hawkman. Hawkman learned of I.Q.'s alien stone, took it away, and put the criminal behind bars. I.Q.'s prolonged exposure to the stone permanently boosted his intellect, and he no longer needed contact with it.

(DC Comics Presents #4) - I.Q. soaked in sunlight from his jail-cell window, giving him bigger and better thoughts. He built an energy-rod, broke out of prison, and stationed himself in an abandoned observatory. He built a magnetic cannon to increase solar activity to further improve his mental powers, but his calculations were off, and the sun flared out of control. Fearing the sun going nova I.Q. transmitted an electropathic homing signal, drawing Chemo to his observatory. He calculated that Chemo’s unique chemical composition could stabilize the sun, so he shot him into space. Superman and the Metal Men, whose powers had been diminished because of I.Q.’s magnetic cannon and the solar flares, tracked I.Q. to his h.q. I.Q. explained what happened, but Superman double-checked his calculations and realized he was off by a decimal point, and that the sun would return to normal on its own, but Chemo would definitely make it go nova. Superman flew into space, intercepting Chemo, and bouncing him back to Earth, but the impact rendered him unconscious. Chemo, who resented being controlled, took the opportunity to turn I.Q. to stone.

(Doom Patrol V #5) - The Black Lantern Corps attacked Oolong Island, focusing on the Doom Patrol, who’d recently set up shop on Oolong. The Chief knew they needed the Lanterns off the island, so he commanded the DP to lure the Lanterns to I.Q.’s Boom Tube based gateway, and he teleported them away. I.Q. told Chief he was cold-blooded for sacrificing his team to save Oolong, and said that he was being complimentary.

(Doom Patrol V #11) - The DP captured super villain Porcelain Doll, and the Science Squad constructed a special cell for her. They were all eager to examine her, her organic porcelain body being most unique. Chief balked, but IQ reminded him that according to Oolong President Veronica Cale he now answered to the Science Squad.

(Doom Patrol V #15) - Veronica Cale called in IQ to consult when Chief gained Kryptonian powers and went mad, disarming all of the world’s nations and threatening the U.N. IQ theorized that the Kryptonian he used as a template for his powers also transferred some of his alien mind into the Chief. His assertions proved correct, and the DP captured Chief, who was locked away on Oolong by the Science Squad.

(Doom Patrol V #16) - IQ curried favor with President Veronica Cale by informing her that the newly leaderless Doom patrol left Oolong Island without her permission, and were creating a PR nightmare by battling evil alternate timeline versions of themselves in Delta City. When the DP returned to Oolong Cale had words with them about their level of freedom on Oolong.

(Doom Patrol V #19) - Cale discussed a recent attack on Oolong by the criminal organization C.R.U.S.H. with I.Q. , and blamed the DP for letting the villains detonate a volcano on Oolong. After her talk with I.Q. she decided the DP were done, and decided to replace them with the villainous corporate super team the Front Men.

Comments: Created by Gardner Fox & Murphy Anderson

I.Q. received a profile in Who's Who: The Definitive Directory of the DC Universe #11.

In the pre-Crisis DCU I.Q. was an enemy of Hawkman Katar Hol, post-Crisis the Hawkman he fought was Carter Hall.