CHIEF EXAMINER

Real Name: Chief Examiner

Identity/Class: Extraterrestrial (Scadamite) robot

Occupation: Analyzer, examiner and duplicator of the powers of various superhuman beings of Earth, special agent of the Scadamites;
    former special agent of Durgan

Group Membership: None

Affiliations: Angler (Kevin Brackett), Durgan, Quagmire (Jerome Meyers of Earth-712), the Scadamites,Tuskar, the X-Men (Colossus/Piotr Rasputin, Magneto/Max Eisenhardt, Rogue/Anna Marie, Shadowcat/Kitty Pryde, Storm/Ororo Munroe, Wolverine/James Howlett)

Enemies: Kayla Ballantine, the Black Fleet, Ed, Lee Forrester, Gerry, the Hulk (Bruce Banner), Human Torch (Johnny Storm), "Alicia Masters" (Lyja), Namor the Sub-Mariner (Namor McKenzie), Nikki, She-Hulk (Jennifer Walters), Spider-Man (Peter Parker), Thing (Ben Grimm)

Known Relatives: Durgan (creator)

Aliases: "Bubby," "Chiefy," "Faceless Man," "Globey," "Houdini," "Mysty" (when mistaken for Mysterio), "Pal," "Tall, Dark and Buoyant" (names called by others)

Base of Operations: His office lair within a possible pocket dimension, mobile on Earth and in space;
    formerly the planet Scadam, Gogol system

First Appearance: Questprobe Featuring the Hulk computer game (May 1, 1984);
    (in Marvel Comics) Questprobe I#1 (August, 1984)

Powers/Abilities: The Chief Examiner existed as a computerized facsimile equipped with a genius-level intellect and limited independent thought. His robotic form provided superhuman durability, sufficient to withstand having an entire cliff side fall on him without permanent injury.

    He could levitate himself and possessed limited intangibility, allowing portions of his form to become intangible at will. He also possessed a form of invisibility, allowing himself to vanish and reappear from seemingly nowhere.

    He was capable of reprogramming other computer systems via touch-based electron transfer, assuming control of the computer's actions, and he was equipped with limited self-repair functions sufficient to repair low levels anomalies within his digitized brain, which also housed a portion of the consciousness of his creator, Durgan.

    It was reported that the Chief Examiner himself could apparently create duplicates of superhuman beings, including their powers and equipment, though he was never seen using this ability (see comments).

    The Chief Examiner was often followed by a mobile black portal, which could access the pocket dimension housing the Chief Examiner's office lair and testing grounds in which individuals that passed through the portal were analyzed. The portal could also act as a teleportational portal to the planet Scadam. Any being who passed through the portal was briefly weakened as its powers and abilities were analyzed and duplicated. During the analysis process, the portal also had accessed to the individual's deepest memories and while weakened, the individual's full power would gradually return after exiting the portal. Time also seemingly passed differently within the portal's pocket dimension as individuals inside the portal had been known to complete entire quests within the pocket dimension then exit the portal only moments after they had entered it. The portal could also be configured for defensive maneuvers, draining the momentum and kinetic energy from anything that passed through it.

    The Chief Examiner carried a small, handheld device called the Analyzer that was capable of analyzing the biological structure of living beings to some extent, possibly allowing him to monitor the more complete analyses conducted within his analyzing black portal. The Analyzer housed the energy drained from individuals within his black portal and it also acted as a teleportational device.

Height: 7'6"
Weight: 100 lbs.
Eyes: Unrevealed
Hair: Unrevealed (possibly yellow - see comments)

History:
(Questprobe I#3 (fb)/Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe: Deluxe Edition I#2 - Chief Examiner entry - BTS/Marvel Fanfare I#33 (fb) - BTS/Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe: Master Edition I#29 - Chief Examiner entry - BTS) - The alien Scadamite Durgan created the artificial Chief Examiner construct the planet Scadam with limited capacity for independent activity and creativity. The Chief Examiner was programmed to analyze and replicate the power of Earth's heroes in an effort to use the combined powers against the destructive Black Fleet, who neared his pacifist home planet.

(Marvel Fanfare I#33 (fb) - BTS/Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe: Master Edition I#29 - Chief Examiner entry - BTS) - Durgan digitized his consciousness and projected a portion of it within the Chief Examiner construct.

(Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe: Master Edition I#29 - Chief Examiner entry - BTS) - The Chief Examiner was given a costume composed of alien materials

(Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe: Deluxe Edition I#2 - Chief Examiner entry - BTS) - The Chief Examiner was sent to Earth by Durgan and he began to occasionally appear on Earth, observing superhumanly powerful beings in action and attempting to lure them into his analyzing and power-sapping black portal.

(Questprobe Featuring the Hulk computer game (fb) - BTS) - The Chief Examiner established an office lair within the pocket dimension existing inside his portal.

(Questprobe I#1) - The Chief Examiner observed the Hulk battling the Colorado National Guard from high above on a rock. Analyzing the English language, which was unknown to him, the Chief Examiner recorded the scenario and was soon surprised at the sheer strength of the Hulk when the angry behemoth pounded the ground, causing the rocky mountains nearby to crumble. When one of the surviving soldiers mentioned that the Hulk was strong enough to shatter the stars, the Chief Examiner appeared behind him and announced the Hulk as the one he had come for. The soldier demanded to know who the Chief Examiner was and the Examiner remarked only that he was a stranger, come to take the Hulk's power as his own. Unfazed by the Chief Examiner's claims and appearance, the soldier demanded to know how the Chief Examiner planned to capture the Hulk when his whole battalion couldn't stop the behemoth, at which point the Chief Examiner pulled out a small, handheld device and proclaimed that he would use that device. Before the soldier could respond further, the Chief Examiner turned, rose into the air and vanished, soon reappearing near the Hulk as the creature entered a cave. Appearing inside the cave and summoning a dark portal just in time to see the Hulk doze off to sleep and transform into his human form of Dr. Robert Bruce Banner, the intrigued Chief Examiner remarked on how he had come seeking a monster, only to find a man as frail as any wrapped in mortal flesh. While the Chief Examiner examined Banner, Dr. Banner awoke and asked who the Examiner was. After introducing himself, the Chief Examiner was denounced by Banner, who refused to be examined. Banner then hurled a rock at the Examiner, distracting him long enough for him to flee towards the cave exit. The Chief Examiner quickly beckoned Banner to wait, as he "must" pass through the Examiner's portal, but Banner fled from the cave, soon falling over the side of the cliff.

    Emerging from his fall as the Hulk, Banner demanded to know who hunted the Hulk and the Chief Examiner announced himself as needing the Hulk's power. He then lowered his black portal down towards the Hulk, who hurled a boulder at the doorway. Noticing the portal absorbed the stone's momentum, the Hulk deduced that the Chief Examiner sought to sap the Hulk's strength and he leaped away, the Chief Examiner promising to follow the Hulk wherever he went, insisting that the Hulk's strength must be his. Appearing before the Hulk once more, the Chief Examiner tried to explain that he could not leave the Hulk alone until he had the Hulk's power but the Hulk pounded the rushing river water, creating a geyser that hit the Examiner. The Examiner moved his portal into the path of the geyser to stop the rush of water. Tired of being chased, the Hulk then leaped to attack the Chief Examiner, who maneuvered his portal into the Hulk's path, causing the Hulk to twist out of the portal's way and into the water below. When the Hulk did not emerge, the Chief Examiner began questioning whether he had been wrong about the Hulk's mighty nature and if the Hulk had drowned. The Examiner was soon surprised when the underwater Hulk tore a chunk of the cliff side and sent it toppling towards the Examiner, pinning him to the ground. The Hulk immediately rushed in to deal a final blow to the Examiner but he was distracted away from the attack when the cliff side caused a group of rapid rafters to abandon their raft. While the Hulk rescued the rafters, the Chief Examiner quietly freed himself from the beneath the toppled cliff side. Taking advantage of the Hulk's desire to save the innocent rafter Nikki, the Chief Examiner maneuvered his power-sapping portal above Nikki, forcing the Hulk to pass through his portal if he hoped to save Nikki. Acting on instinct, the Hulk dove through the Chief Examiner's portal.

(Questprobe Featuring the Hulk computer game (fb) - BTS) - Transported by the portal in the pocket dimension housing the Chief Examiner's lair, the weakened Hulk reverted to Bruce Banner and the Examiner had him bound to a chair within a room housing a large computer. In an effort to analyze the Hulk's abilities, the Examiner tasked Banner with acquiring gems but arranged for gas to permeate the room to prevent him from transforming into the Hulk.

(Questprobe Featuring the Hulk computer game) - Purposely injuring himself to become angry enough to transform back into the Hulk, Dr. Banner escaped the gassed room and searched for the gems and as the Hulk searched, the Chief Examiner sat at the desk in his lair, seemingly unaware of the Hulk's approach. While the Examiner worked at his desk, the Hulk stole a gem from the desk and attempted to escape via the Chief Examiner's office door. Taking notice of the Hulk in his office, the Chief Examiner proclaimed that he was not yet ready for the Hulk and banished him back to the fuzzy area of the pocket dimension where a dome housing a large computer laid. After the Hulk gathered several more gems and a larger, red Bio-Gem fragment, he escaped the dome, proving himself worthy of the Chief Examiner's analysis. Acquiring the Bio-Gem fragment the Hulk had found as his analysis completed, the Chief Examiner allowed the Hulk to escape back through his portal to Earth.

(Questprobe I#1) - As the Hulk emerged from the Chief Examiner's portal in the exact place and time in which he had left, the Chief Examiner reappeared as well, floating in the air while the now-weakened Hulk risked his life to save Nikki. After Nikki was seen to by her rafting friends, the Hulk kneeled before the Chief Examiner and asked if the Examiner planned to kill him. Having duplicated the Hulk's power via his analysis, the Chief Examiner informed the Hulk that he would not be killed, noting that he now had what he came for. Explaining that the Hulk's power was now shared and the Examiner could do what he wished with it, the Chief Examiner remarked that the Hulk's heroism was perhaps something only the Hulk could possess and could never be stolen. He then bid the Hulk farewell and disappeared into one of his portals.

(Questprobe I#2/Marvel Fanfare I#33 (fb)) - The Chief Examiner appeared in New York's Daily Bugle building during a battle between the heroic Spider-Man and his foe, Mysterio. Having avoided Mysterio's new "black hole" weapon, Spider-Man came rolling out of one of the offices, landing face-to-face with the Chief Examiner, whom he assumed to be a disguised Mysterio due to their similar looks. Introducing himself, the Chief Examiner revealed his desire for the secrets of Spider-Man's spider-powers and asked Spider-Man to enter his newly-created portal so that the Examiner could learn Spider-Man's secrets. Still thinking the Chief Examiner was Mysterio, Spider-Man refused to enter the portal and attempted to web the portal, only to watch his webbing lose momentum upon entering the portal. Leaping away from the Chief Examiner's portal, Spider-Man entered another room and was confronted by the real Mysterio once more, ultimately evading Mysterio into a room where a Scadam Bio-Gem made contact with his mind and forced him to see its imprisoning Natter Energy Egg destroy the Bio-Gem. Wondering if what he had witnessed was yet another illusion from Mysterio, Spider-Man was soon met by the Chief Examiner again, who asked if perhaps Spider-Man would enter his portal now. Still refusing, Spider-Man attempted to web up the Chief Examiner's legs but the Examiner moved aside his cloak, revealing nothing there to web. When Spidey proclaimed he had nothing to fear from an empty cape, the Chief Examiner maneuvered his portal in front of the wall-crawler and suggested that perhaps now Spider-Man would not be adverse to stepping through his portal. Opting instead of escape, Spider-Man entered another room and was again met by the real Mysterio. When the Chief Examiner and was in the same place as Mysterio, Spider-Man finally realized the Examiner was not Mysterio and he dodged an attack from Mysterio's black hole weapon, diving into the Chief Examiner's portal.

(Questprobe Featuring Spider-Man computer game (fb) - BTS) - Transported to the pocket dimensional testing grounds of the Chief Examiner, Spider-Man was placed within a facsimile of the Daily Bugle and the Chief Examiner explained to the hero that he must prove himself worthy of his superhuman powers by using not just his powers, but his brain, to track down and store several gems.

(Questprobe Featuring Spider-Man computer game - BTS) - After Spider-Man gathered together the gems and located a computer console, typing into it to successfully complete the Chief Examiner's quest, the Chief Examiner appeared to congratulate the wall-crawler on proving himself and he later congratulated Spider-Man a second time when the hero located a Bio-Gem fragment (see comments).

(Questprobe I#2) - Adding Spider-Man's powers to those of the analyzed Hulk, the Chief Examiner reappeared in the Daily Bugle and reveled in his triumph with Spider-Man. He was present when the weakened Spider-Man emerged from the portal back on Earth. Manipulated from afar when the sentient Bio-Gem on Scadam briefly took over its world's computers, the Chief Examiner suddenly found himself needing to add Mysterio's power to those he had already collected. The Examiner then began maneuvering his portal towards Mysterio until Scadam's computers reasserted control from the Bio-Gem, prompting the Chief Examiner and his portal to vanish. Taking advantage of the Chief Examiner's disappearance, the weakened Spider-Man savagely attacked Mysterio, shredding his costume of every last bit of special effects equipment. After webbing Mysterio up for the police, Spider-Man was thanked for saving the Daily Bugle employees and as he swung away, Spider-Man wondered if he would ever figure what the Chief Examiner's deal was. Back on Scadam, the sentient Bio-Gem fragment there thought back on its attempt to take control of the Chief Examiner by influencing Scadam's computers and how each attempt at accessing the computers would increase its mental manipulations, unaware that the Scadamite Durgan's consciousness was present within the computer data banks.

(Questprobe I#3 (fb) - BTS) - The Chief Examiner was told of the mighty power of the Human Torch (Johnny Storm) and sought to acquire the Torch's power.

(Questprobe I#3) - The Chief Examiner appeared in New York's Baxter Building and confronted the Human Torch and Alicia Masters (actually the disguised Skrull Lyja), announcing his need for the Human Torch's power. Shocked, the Human Torch embraced "Alicia" for her own protection and wondered aloud how the Examiner had gotten inside the building, prompting the Examiner to announce that he went where he pleased. Exclaiming his knowledge of the Torch's dual identity of Johnny Storm, the Chief Examiner admitted that Johnny did not look as mighty as he was led to believe and announced his intention to test the Human Torch, as he had other heroes, before adding the Torch's power to his collection. The Chief Examiner then touched a computer panel on the wall, activating the Baxter Building's automated cleaning and repair robots and reprogramming them to suit his goals. After the robots downed the Human Torch, the Chief Examiner again appeared before the Torch, ordering him to enter his portal so he could power could be absorbed. Refusing, the Human Torch grabbed up "Alicia" and the two ran towards the Fantasticar, only to have the elevator close on them per the Chief Examiner's programmed orders. The two managed to escape in the emergency elevator but the Chief Examiner quickly followed, stopping the emergency elevator in between floors and asking if the Torch would now enter his portal.

    Before any moves could be made, the She-Hulk busted her way through the elevator shaft and when the Human Torch revealed the Chief Examiner's name and motives to his teammate, the Chief Examiner admitted he had no interest in She-Hulk. When She-Hulk mentioned being a part of the Fantastic Four, the Examiner opted to deter her by reprogramming a miniature Fantasticar. While reaching for the controls, however, the Examiner briefly hesitated then randomly changed his motives from deterring She-Hulk to killing her. He then launched the vehicle straight at She-Hulk, who easily punched it aside. The confused and conflicted Chief Examiner, realizing his purpose was not to destroy, reprogrammed the Baxter Building's defenses to protect "Alicia Masters" from the runaway Fantasticar. When the Human Torch rushed to rescue "Alicia," the Chief Examiner maneuvered his portal in front of the flying hero, who couldn't stop in time to prevent himself from entering the portal.

(Questprobe Featuring the Human Torch & Thing computer game) - Transported into the Chief Examiner's pocket dimensional office, the Human Torch was told that he would be tested by having to free "Alicia Masters" from Doctor Doom with the help of another hero.

(Questprobe I#3 (fb)) - The Chief Examiner next appeared before the Thing on the patchwork Battleworld planet and demanded his power.The Thing claimed he was busy and suggested the Examiner catch him up, prompting the Chief Examiner to observe and await a better opportunity. Content to observe, the Chief Examiner followed and witnessed the Thing fighting inside a twisted version of the Baxter Building. When the Thing began to charge what appeared to be a giant spider, the Chief Examiner maneuvered his power-absorbing portal into the Thing's path and the hero had no choice but to charge his way into the portal.

(Questprobe Featuring the Human Torch & Thing computer game) - After the Thing was transported to the Chief Examiner pocket dimension as well, the Human Torch teamed up with the Thing to traverse across the dimension to a recreation of Latveria, collecting gems along the way, where they rescued an automated facsimile of "Alicia Masters," proving themselves to the Chief Examiner, who congratulated both heroes from his office.

(Questprobe I#3) - The Chief Examiner first released the Human Torch back to the Baxter Building, reappearing there himself as the weakened Torch fell to the ground and rushed over to hug the real "Alicia." Satisfied in the success of his mission to duplicate the Human Torch's into his collection, the Chief Examiner vanished. As the Torch continued to embrace "Alicia," She-Hulk wondered who the Chief Examiner was and why he had tried to kill her, only to immediately change his mind. Back on Scadam, the sentient Bio-Gem reveled in its increasing ability to exert control over the Chief Examiner via Scadam's computers. Unaware of the Bio-Gem's influence, the Chief Examiner subsequently released the Thing as well, briefly reappearing back on Battleworld to ensure the Thing was deposited from his portal before disappearing much as he had from the Baxter Building.

(Marvel Fanfare I#33 (fb) - BTS) - The electronic consciousness of Durgan sent the Chief Examiner to seek out two members of the Fantastic Four but the Scadamite Bio-Gem again influenced the Chief Examiner's systems, forcing it to seek out Magneto at a Bermuda Triangle island the mutant had recently raised. Unaware of the Bio-Gem's influence of the Examiner's computer systems, Durgan assumed the Chief Examiner disobeying his orders to be a malfunction.

(Marvel Fanfare I#33) - The Chief Examiner appeared on the Bermuda Triangle island and reprogrammed the robotic statues there to attack Magneto and the X-Men, who were there to relax and help Magneto gather his belongings there. After the X-Men were all placed in suspended animation by touching the statues, the Chief Examiner revealed his presence to Magneto, explaining that the suspended animation would last only an hour and announcing that Magneto and the X-Men had completed his evaluation of them. Proclaiming Magneto to be the most powerful mutant present, the Examiner informed Magneto of his requirement that Magneto pass through his scanning portal and that refusal was not an option. Magneto responded by unleashing his full power against the Chief Examiner. Shortly thereafter, a large auroral display emanated from the area, drawing the attention of the returning X-Man Rogue, who returned to the island to find Magneto donning the robes of the Chief Examiner. Magneto, now under the control of the Scadamite Bio-Gem, began acting as the Chief Examiner and spoke of being "freed." Attacking the confused Rogue, Magneto/Chief Examiner used his powers to create a metallic cage around Rogue. Rogue spun around in mid-air at a fast rate, quickly melting the metal and knocking Magneto/Examiner back, and when Rogue dizzily spun free of the cage, Magneto/Examiner's analyzing portal was maneuvered into Rogue's path. After Rogue toppled through the portal, she emerged from it with green skin and Magneto/Chief Examiner, still under the control of the Bio-Gem, attacked Rogue anew and announced that he became more proficient with Magneto's shell by the moment. As Magneto/Examiner attacked with lightning bolts, Rogue found herself possessing the powers of the Hulk, Spider-Man and the Human Torch. While Rogue battled Magneto/Examiner, Magneto's digitized consciousness found itself within the Chief Examiner's computer systems, where he met the digitized consciousness of Durgan and learned of the Chief Examiner's true mission to replicate superhuman powers to save his planet. Suspecting that his magnetic powers had disrupted the Chief Examiner's circuitry, creating a feedback loop that trapped both Durgan's and his own consciousness within the Examiner construct.

    Deducing that some other influence had taken over his physical body, Magneto detected a disruption in the Chief Examiner's computer pathways and suggested he and Durgan bridge the disruptive chasm to create a link that would enact the Chief Examiner's self-repair programs. Magneto quickly realized that he would need both his full power and Durgan's knowledge of the Examiner's programming to initiate the Chief Examiner's self-repair functions and suggested they combine their energies. Durgan reluctantly agreed and the two ultimately created the link that allowed the Chief Examiner's systems to repair themselves, restoring Durgan's control of the Chief Examiner and Magneto to his physical body. Once the Chief Examiner was restored, Magneto had Rogue enter the Examiner's portal to restore herself and the replicated powers to the Examiner's collection. After Rogue was restored, the Chief Examiner then revealed that Magneto's powers were still needed and Magneto willingly entered the Examiner's portal to assist Durgan's mission to save his planet, warning the Examiner not to misuse his collected power. Magneto then warned that the Chief Examiner's computer systems were not as failsafe as Durgan predicted and noted that the entire situation could have been prevented if the Chief Examiner had simply asked in peace for the heroes to be analyzed. Admitting he had been concerned about the heroes' potential refusal, the Examiner agreed to take note of Magneto's subsequent point that taking powers by force made him no different than the Black Fleet that threatened to destroy Scadam. The Chief Examiner assured Magneto that any future hostile routines in his programming would be purged and he would remain ever-vigilant of any reappearances. The X-Men soon after were restored to normal and when Wolverine returned expecting a fight, the Examiner considered himself a misguided soul that had learned a lesson that day. Thanking Magneto and the X-Men for their assistance, the Chief Examiner then bid then heroes farewell and vanished, leaving the X-Men to clean up the rubble from the battle. During the cleanup, Rogue asked Magneto why he had not offered the X-Men's powers to aid the Examiner and Magneto admitted that he had and the Examiner had refused.

(Quasar I#37 (fb) - BTS) - At some point, the Chief Examiner encountered, analyzed and duplicated the powers of both Namor the Sub-Mariner and Wolverine.

(Secret Wars: Official Guide to the Marvel Multiverse - Chief Examiner entry - BTS) - Afterward, the Chief Examiner also analyzed and duplicated the powers of several other unrevealed superhumans on Earth.


(Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe: Master Edition I#29 - Chief Examiner entry - BTS) - The Chief Examiner became a special agent of the entire Scadamite race, becoming allies with Durgan's protege, Tuskar. Following this change in status, the Chief Examiner became active throughout space.


(Secret Wars: Official Guide to the Marvel Multiverse - Chief Examiner entry - BTS) - The Chief Examiner became desperate to save Scadam from the Black Fleet.


(Quasar I#35 (fb) - BTS) - The Chief Examiner freed the Angler from the Vault prison and sent him after Kayla Ballantine, who unknowingly manifested Earth-148611's Star Brand.


(Quasar I#35) - As the captured Angler was being reimprisoned within the Vault, the Chief Examiner approached Earth-712's Quagmire, who was also imprisoned in the Vault, and offered to liberate Quagmire from the prison if he would perform a simple task for the Examiner. The surprised but intrigued Quagmire asked the Chief Examiner to explain what he had in mind.


(Quasar I#36 - BTS) - The Chief Examiner sent Quagmire to get Kayla Ballantine to enter his analyzing portal and after Quagmire forced Kayla and her ally H.D. Steckley off the road with a muck slick, the Chief Examiner's portal appeared behind Quagmire and he attempted to force Kayla to enter the portal on behalf on the Examiner. When Kayla was forced through the portal, Steckley was pulled in alongside Kayla and despite Steckley being forced into the portal too, Quagmire considered his debt paid to the Chief Examiner for freeing him from the Vault.

(Quasar I#37) - The Chief Examiner's portal deposited Kayla and H.D. Steckley onto the planet Scadam in front of the Chief Examiner. When Kayla questioned where they were, the Examiner informed Kayla of her location and introduced himself. Apologizing for the manner in which Kayla was transported to Scadam, the Chief Examiner explained his mission to duplicate superhuman powers for use against the Black Fleet. Kayla questioned why the Examiner needed her and the Examiner revealed that Kayla was the most powerful being he had encountered.

(Quasar I#38) - Kayla questioned the Chief Examiner's claims, assuring him she was nothing more than an ordinary human. The curious Examiner suspected Kayla was not cognizant of the power she possessed and he offered to transport her back home if she would be willing to surrender her power to him. Figuring she had no actual power and her cooperation could return both she and H.D. Steckley to Earth, Kayla reluctantly agreed and the Examiner began using his hand-held Analyzer device on the back of Kayla's skull, which he believed was the source of her power. As the analysis continued, the Chief Examiner experienced intense feedback through his Analyzer that ultimately destroyed him, shattering his dome-like helmet and frying his circuits. The inert Chief Examiner then fell to the ground as the Black Fleet finally arrived on Scadam to attack. Kayla and H.D. quickly took cover and when H.D. suggested Kayla use her power, a confused Kayla insisted she didn't have any power but Steckley assured Kayla of her power, explaining that her inherent power had overloaded and destroyed the Chief Examiner.

(Quasar I#40 - BTS) - After Kayla seemingly obliterated herself attempting to use her inherent power, only to resurrect from her own ashes, H.D. Steckley convinced Kayla that she did indeed possess the power the Chief Examiner claimed. Once Kayla became accustomed to her newfound power, she and Steckley traveled across Scadam and found the gigantic, humanoid Chief Exterminator battling the Black Fleet and they deduced that it must be the synthetic being created to utilize the duplicated powers the Chief Examiner had acquired.

Comments: Original concept created by Scott Adams and John Byrne. Adapted into comics by Bill Mantlo, Mark Gruenwald and John Romita, Sr.

    The Chief Examiner was created as part of the Questprobe computer game series that debuted in 1984. For a bit of background, in 1983, Marvel opted to license their characters out for use in computer games, which were becoming popular at the time during the video game boom of the early 1980s. Seeking a licensee, Marvel approached the computer software company Adventure International and struck a 10-year deal with Adventure and its founder/CEO Scott Adams, who himself was an avid Marvel Comics fan. Given unlimited freedom in creating a computer game featuring the Marvel characters, Scott Adams worked with comic artist John Byrne to create many of the concepts that became the Questprobe video games, including the idea of the Chief Examiner. As a promotion for the computer games, Marvel would publish comic book tie-ins that would flesh out the backstory of each of the computer games. The first issue of the comic series featured the Hulk, much like the first computer game, and it was written by Bill Mantlo with art by Mark Gruenwald and John Romita, Sr. Interestingly enough, in the first Questprobe video game credits, it credits the story by Scott Adams with art by John Romita, Sr., Mark Gruenwald and Kem McNair. In an interview (mentioned & linked below in another comment), Scott Adams mentions that the art scenes for the video game were indeed done by actual comic artists then digitized/pixelated (using the technology they had to work with at the time) by Adventure International.

    As the story goes, Adventure International planned for the Questprobe computer games to be a 10-to-12 video game series with the Questprobe comic book being a 12-issue mini-series. By 1986, however, Adventure International went bankrupt during the development of the fourth Questprobe game, which was set to feature the X-Men. The Questprobe comic mini-series was canceled after three issues and the fourth issue, which had already begun production, was completed and published in Marvel Fanfare I#33. While the Questprobe games that were made featured 1) the Hulk, 2) Spider-Man and 3) Human Torch & Thing (with the aforementioned fourth game featuring the X-Men), according to interviews with Scott Adams, later Questprobe computer games might have featured characters such as Iron Man. Additionally, in Quasar I#37, the Chief Examiner explains his mission to Kayla Ballantine and as he's talking about the superhumans whose powers he'd already duplicated, we see an image of Namor the Sub-Mariner, which makes me wonder if one of the planned Questprobe computer games was to feature Namor...

    According to an interview with Adventure International's Scott Adams in Commodore Power Play magazine issue 13, Adams had come up with concepts and ideas for Questprobe that Marvel shot down due to similar concepts planned for their comics around the same time the computer games would be coming out. For example, Adams claims he had a similar idea to Secret Wars with no prior knowledge that Jim Shooter had also come up with a similar concept and the well-known mini-series being set to be published the same year as the Questprobe games. Adams also says he came up with the concept of an insane Watcher, which Marvel also shot down. That's interesting because in a way, I can see the idea of the Chief Examiner originating from the concept of an insane Watcher. Adams also mentions in that interview that the Chief Examiner's design was loosely based on himself, which makes sense, given that we do see the Chief Examiner's hair in shadow on the cover of Questprobe I#1 and in the Questprobe Featuring the Hulk computer game and it resembles the afro-style hairdo Scott Adams was wearing at the time (see image to the right). For the full interview with Scott Adams regarding the Questprobe games, you can read the article online here.

    While we never fully seen the Chief Examiner outside of his armor, we do get a glimpse of him unmasked in shadow on the cover of Questprobe I#1 and in the first Questprobe computer game. Since we know the Chief Examiner had yellow skin judging from his exposed hands and given the shape of his hairstyle in the shadowed image, one could assume the Chief Examiner resembles other Scadamites and his hair was yellow, much like that of his creator, Durgan. Speaking of Chief Examiner's true appearance, it's possible that he is missing a large part of his bodily mass from at least the shoulders down, as evident by Spider-Man's attempt to web his legs in Questprobe I#2, only to find no legs present for the webbing to adhere to. Of course, his height is also listed as 7'6" so either that height is incorrectly including his cloak which is not a part of his body or the appearance of having no actual legs was some sort of illusion or ability possessed by the Examiner...his 1980s and 1990s Marvel Handbook entries confirm that the Chief Examiner did possess the power of intangibility so it's unclear whether the Chief Examiner was truly missing a large portion of his body or if he simply turned his legs intangible while battling Spider-Man.

    Despite being created for the Questprobe video game series, the Chief Examiner is fully owned by Marvel Comics. Proof of this is shown in the opening of the first Questprobe video game, which states specifically that "Ant-Man, Hulk, Chief Examiner, Ultron, Dr. Strange, Nightmare and the distinctive likenesses thereof are trademarks of the Marvel Comics Group and are used with permission." While the Chief Examiner is fully owned by Marvel Comics, the first issue of the Questprobe comic book mini-series establishes that the word "Questprobe" is a trademark co-owned by the Marvel Comics Group and Scott Adams, Inc. So while Marvel may be able to use the Chief Examiner character in comics, they don't fully own the Questprobe name...which is kind of interesting, considering that Questprobe#3 is currently on the Marvel Unlimited digital comic book service, digitally recolored and everything, as of today's date (5/22/2024). Perhaps they worked out a deal of some kind...

    There's a bit of confusion as to where the Questprobe computer games fit within Earth-616 continuity, as it was never fully explained. It was, however, hinted at throughout the Chief Examiner's appearances and in the Questprobe comic book. An editor's note in one of the Questprobe comic books (#1, I believe) mentions that the Questprobe computer games show what happens to the hero while they are inside the Chief Examiner's portal. So that pretty much confirms the Questprobe games as occurring during the events seen in the comic issues while the heroes are in the portal. At first, while working on this profile, that bit confused me a bit. Questprobe#1 & the Hulk computer game seemed to match up okay but #2 & the Spider-Man game was odd because Spider-Man enters the portal while in the Daily Bugle and the computer game has him in the Daily Bugle, causing me to wonder how that worked since, if he was already in the Daily Bugle, how did he enter a portal that transported him to the same place he was already at? Questprobe#3 & the Human Torch/Thing game seemed even more confusing as the comic clearly shows the Examiner encountering the Human Torch then the Thing yet the computer game begins with both characters together and the Examiner saying they must work together to save "Alicia Masters" from Dr. Doom. The Chief Examiner's 1980s Marvel Handbook kept things fairly vague since, of course, there were plans for future computer games and comics, only suggesting the possibility that the Chief Examiner's portal accessed a pocket dimension. The Examiner's 1993 Marvel Handbook entry, however, outright confirms that the portal does indeed access a pocket dimension and further supports the computer games by mentioning that the Examiner has a lair within that dimension. A source close to Scott Adams reported from Mr. Adams that the portals were a testing ground area for the heroes and it all would've been fully explained had the comic and computer game series continued. That response clears up some of the confusion to me, at least for some things. We know that the portal transported the heroes to a testing ground of sorts and we know that it existed within a pocket dimension, where the Examiner had a lair. This explains the Chief Examiner appearing to be in an office in the computer games (that was his lair) and it somewhat (to me, anyway) explains some of the confusion I had. For example, that suggests to me that the Daily Bugle Spider-Man found himself within in the computer game was nothing more than a pocket dimensional recreation and the characters the heroes encounter within their respective computer games are pocket dimensional facsimiles, likely generated by computers much in the same way the Chief Examiner himself was a computerized facsimile of a humanoid. Mr. Adams' response also reveals that the confusing aspects between the video games and the comic stories were intended to be all wrapped up by the Chief Examiner in later issues of the Questprobe comic book, had the series continued. For the purposes of this profile, I am treating things as if the events of Questprobe video games occurred as testing simulations for the heroes who entered the portal, similar to a Danger Room training sequence of sorts, and the beings encountered in the games aside from the heroes themselves and the Chief Examiner (Ultron, Ant-Man, Dr. Strange, Nightmare, Dr. Octopus, Electro, Madame Web, Blob, etc.) were nothing more than facsimiles of actual Earth-616 characters that the Chief Examiner created from the heroes' memories during the analysis process. If anything further ever surfaces to explain things differently, I will update the profile accordingly to fit the information.

    It's a bit unclear as to the timing of the events of the third Questprobe comic and game. They clearly take place after the second comic issue and game but the third Questprobe video game shows the analyzed Human Torch teaming up with the Thing on a quest to rescue "Alicia Masters" (Lyja). However, the third Questprobe comic shows the Chief Examiner first capturing the Human Torch, absorbing his power then releasing him, then following suit with the Thing. The Questprobecomputer games typically take place while the heroes are being analyzed (though it's equally unclear if the events of the games are occurring in a physical sense or if they are some sort virtual simulation) and then the heroes are deposited back out of the Chief Examiner's portal. However, the computer game shows both heroes existing within the pocket dimensional training grounds simultaneously. In order for that to happen, they would have both been inside the Chief Examiner's portal at the same time rather the one entering and exiting then subsequently the other doing the same. I tried to summarize that the best way possible in the History section above, with the Examiner analyzing the Torch then moving onto the Thing, placing them both in the training grounds together, then the depositing the Torch first back on Earth, then the Thing. One just has to read the comic slightly out of order for it to work (Examiner captures Torch, Examiner captures Thing, Questprobe computer game events, Examiner frees Torch, Examiner frees Thing).

    The Chief Examiner's entry in the TSR-published (but Marvel licensed & owned) Gamers Handbook of the Marvel Universe mentions that the Examiner never spoke, which is incorrect, as he clearly speaks in pretty much all of his appearances and even in the Questprobe computer games. It also claimed that the Chief Examiner had the ability to create duplicates of superhuman beings (even down to their powers and equipment), though the Examiner was never seen using such an ability in the comics or computer games. This seems likely to be an error as why would the Chief Examiner need to analyze and duplicate the powers of superhuman beings if he could simply create the superhuman beings himself?

    Special thanks to Loki for the clean, digitally-colored classic OHotMU images!!

    This profile was completed on 05/01/2026 but its publication was delayed, as it was intended for the Appendix's 25th anniversary celebratory event.

Profile by Proto-Man.

CLARIFICATIONS:
Chief Examiner should be distinguished from:

images: (without ads)
Secret Wars: Official Guide to the Marvel Multiverse, Chief Examiner entry, main image (Chief Examiner, main image)
Questprobe I#1, front cover (Chief Examiner, unmasked headshot in shadow)
Questprobe Featuring the Hulk (Chief Examiner at his desk & unmasked with Bio-Gem images)
Questprobe I#3, p3, pan3 (Chief Examiner with portal)
Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe: Deluxe Edition I#2, p59, Chief Examiner entry main image (Chief Examiner holding portal generator)
Marvel Fanfare I#33, p23, pan2 (Chief Examiner levitating & waving)
Quasar I#37, p13, pan1 (Chief Examiner appearing before Kayla Ballantine)
Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe: Master Edition I#29, Chief Examiner main image (Chief Examiner, levitating at attention)
Quasar I#38, p8, pan3 (Chief Examiner's destruction)

Appearances:
Questprobe Featuring the Hulk computer game (May 1, 1984) - Scott Adams (writer, series outline), John Romita, Sr., Mark Gruenwald, Kem McNair (art), John Byrne, Bob Budiansky (series outline)
Questprobe I#1 (August, 1984) - Bill Mantlo (writer), Mark Gruenwald (breakdowns), John Romita, Sr. (inks), Bob Budiansky (editor)
Questprobe Featuring Spider-Man computer game (December, 1984) - Scott Adams (writer), uncredited artists
Questprobe I#2 (January, 1985) - Al Milgrom (writer, pencils), Jim Mooney (inks), Bob Budiansky (editor)
Questprobe I#3 (November, 1985) - David Michelinie (plot, script), Ron Wilson (pencils), Joe Sinnott (finishes), Bob Budiansky (editor)
Questprobe Featuring the Human Torch & Thing computer game (1985) - Scott Adams (writer), Kem McNair (computer graphics)
Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe: Deluxe Edition I#2 (January, 1986) - Mark Gruenwald (writer, producer), Peter Sanderson (writer, researcher), John Byrne (Chief Examiner entry pencils), Josef Rubinstein (inker, embellishes), Eliot Brown (technical illustrator)
Marvel Fanfare I#33 (July, 1987) - Chris Claremont (writer), June Brigman (pencils), Terry Austin (inks), Al Milgrom (editor)
Quasar I#35 (June, 1992) - Mark Gruenwald (writer), Greg Capullo (pencils), Harry Candelario (inks), Kelly Corvese (editor)
Quasar I#36 (July, 1992) - Mark Gruenwald (writer), Greg Capullo (pencils), Harry Candelario (inks), Kelly Corvese (editor)
Quasar I#37 (August, 1992) - Mark Gruenwald (writer), Greg Capullo (pencils), Harry Candelario (inks), Kelly Corvese (editor)
Quasar I#38 (September, 1992) - Mark Gruenwald (writer), Greg Capullo (pencils), Harry Candelario (inks), Kelly Corvese (editor)
Quasar I#40 (November, 1992) - Mark Gruenwald (writer), Steve Lightle, Andy Smith (pencils), Mark McKenna, Ralph Cabrera (inks), Kelly Corvese (editor)
Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe: Master Edition I#29 (1993) - Glenn Herdling, Peter Sanderson, Murray Ward (text, research), Keith Pollard (pencils), Josef Rubinstein (inks), Tom Brevoort (editor)
Secret Wars: Official Guide to the Marvel Multiverse (2015) - Mike O'Sullivan (head writer, coordinator, production, image refurbishment, production assistance), Jeff Christiansen (writer, overseer), Mike Fichera (writer, coordination assistance, image refurbishment, production assistance), Anthony Cotilletta, Roger Ott (writers, image refurbishment, production assistance), Madison Carter, Patrick Duke, Kevin Garcia, Daron Jensen, Rob London, Chris McCarver, Sean McQuaid, Markus Raymond, Marc Riemer, Jacob Rougemont, Stuart Vandal (writers), Mark Gruenwald, Andy Smith (Chief Examiner entry art), Gally Articola, Emily Schmidt (image refurbishment, production assistance), Mark D. Beazley, Jennifer Grunwald (editors, special projects)

First posted: 09/27/2026
Last updated: 05/01/2026

Any Additions/Corrections? please let me know.

Non-Marvel Copyright info
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