THE INSTITUTE OF EVIL
Membership: Ape X, Doctor Decibel, Foxfire, Lamprey, the Mink, Quagmire (Jerome Myers), Shape (Raleigh Lund)
Purpose: To use their collective powers against those of the Squadron Supreme
Affiliations: Grandmaster, Master Menace, the Scarlet Centurion
Enemies: Adrienne Dore, Andrew Jones, Drusilla Jones, Katrina Jones, Philip Jones, Howard Shelton, Squadron Supreme (Amphibian, Blue Eagle, Dr. Spectrum/Joseph Ledger, Golden Archer, Hyperion/Mark Milton, Arcanna Jones, Power Princess/Zarda Shelton, Tom Thumb, Whizzer/Stanley Stewart), Madeleine Stewart, Tina Stewart
Base of Operations: A hideout in an unidentified city on Earth-712
First Appearance: Squadron Supreme I#5 (January, 1986)
History:
(Squadron Supreme I#9 (fb)) - The Institute of Evil were originally organized by the time traveler the Scarlet Centurion, who was playing a cosmic game against the Grandmaster. The Institute of Evil served as the Scarlet Centurion's champions, while the Squadron Supreme fought on behalf of the Grandmaster. The line-up recruited by the Scarlet Centurion consisted of the Mink, Lamprey, Ape X, Shape, Quagmire, Dr. Decibel and Foxfire. Ape X became the team's leader. During the fight, Nighthawk defeated Foxfire.
(Squadron Supreme I#9 (fb) - BTS) - Although the Institute of Evil remained together as a team after their first fight with the Squadron Supreme, at some point the Mink left the team. At certain times, they were allied with Master Menace, a fellow enemy of the Squadron.
(Squadron Supreme I#5 (fb) - BTS) - When the Squadron Supreme set themselves up as the de facto rulers of the USA in an attempt to combat the immense social problems caused by their enslavement at the hands of the Over-Mind, they quickly began dismantling weapons and sought to elminate all crime using their Behavior Modification Machine, making the Institute of Evil's position even more precarious than before.
(Squadron Supreme I#5 (fb)) - The Shape caught the Squadron Supreme's Golden Archer out alone and captured him, bringing him to the rest of the Institute.
(Squadron Supreme I#5) - The Institute tortured the Golden Archer and learned the location of the Squadron Supreme's secret base, how to overcome its security system, the team's daily work timetables, the real names of the Squadron's members and the whereabouts of their next of kin. As the team considered what to do with this information, Ape X determined they should capture the Squadron Supreme's loved ones to use as hostages. Lamprey went to New Troy to kidnap Arcanna Jones' husband and children; Foxfire went to Capitol City to kidnap Power Princess' husband Howard Shelton; Quagmire was sent to kidnap the Whizzer's wife and daughter; Shape and Dr. Decibel went to Freedonia to kidnap the Blue Eagle's mother.
The Squadron Supreme's loved ones were held with the Golden Archer in the Institute's hideout, with Ape X remaining with them to threaten their lives. The rest of the Institute then entered the Squadron Supreme's base. Although they set off an intruder alert, the only team member present was Tom Thumb, whom the Institute defeated. While they ordered him to show them the Behavior Modification Machine, Tom's computer A.I.D.A. warned the rest of the Squadron to return to the base. Locating the Behavior Modification Machine, Dr. Decibel and Quagmire used it on Tom Thumb, attempting to make him loyal to the Institute; however, Tom had already ensured the machine couldn't be used on anyone in the Squadron and he simply feigned compliance to the Institute's orders.
When Dr. Spectrum, Blue Eagle, Arcanna Jones and Lady Lark arrived at the Squadron's base they quickly fought and nearly defeated the Institute, until Foxfire had Tom Thumb show them the Golden Archer and their loved ones were already in their power. When the Whizzer and Hyperion followed, Lamprey stole energy from Hyperion to knock him out and the Whizzer fled. The Institute set to work using the Behavior Modification Machine on all of the Squadron members they'd just caught, unaware it had no effect.
When the Whizzer returned brandishing a gun he opened fire on the supposedly-enthralled Squadron and Institute members but bullets were deflected (principally by Arcanna, Hyperion and Power Princess) and they knocked out the Whizzer, then used the Behavior Modification Machine on him. The Squadron and Institute members went back to the Institute's hideout, whereupon the Squadron ceased pretending to be under their control and swiftly defeated the entire Institute of Evil.
(Squadron Supreme I#6) - To eliminate the threat of the Institute of Evil, the Squadron Supreme used the Behavior Modification Machine on their entire membership, forcing them to become loyal members of the Squadron Supreme. Master Menace learned of the fates of his former allies; the Institute being brainwashed upset former member the Mink, who fled Earth-712 with her allies Remnant and Pinball in fear of what the Squadron would do to them.
Comments: Created by Mark Gruenwald, Bob Hall and Sam de la Rosa.
Profile by Prime Eternal.
CLARIFICATIONS:
The Institute of Evil should not be confused with:
images: (without ads)
Squadron Supreme I#5, page 3, panel 4 (main)
Squadron Supreme I#9, page 4, panel 1 (original line-up)
Appearances:
Squadron Supreme I#5 (January, 1986) - Mark Gruenwald (writer), Bob Hall (penciler), Sam de la Rosa (inker), Ralph Macchio (editor)
Squadron Supreme I#6 (February, 1986) - Mark Gruenwald (writer), Paul Ryan (penciler), Sam de la Rosa (inker), Keith Williams (inker), Ralph Macchio (editor)
Squadron Supreme I#9 (May, 1986) - Mark Gruenwald (writer), Paul Ryan (penciler), Sam de la Rosa (inker), Ralph Macchio (editor)
First posted: 06/18/2026
Last updated:
06/18/2026
Any Additions/Corrections? please let me know.
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