I.Q.
Real Name: Ishmael Questor
Identity/Class: Human mutant;
citizen of Germany of
Counter-Earth (Earth-Franklin)
Occupation: Adventurer
Group Membership: Young Allies (Bucky/Rikki "Bucky"
Barnes, Kid Colt/Eric Whitemane, the Rip, Toro/Benito Serrano)
Affiliations: Captain America (Steve Rogers),
Redeemers (Beetle/Leila
Davis,
Charcoal/Charlie Burlingame, Fixer/Paul Norbert Ebersol, Meteorite/Valerie
Barnhardt, Scream/David
Alan Anger, Smuggler/Conrad
Josten), Thunderbolts (Atlas/Eric Josten/Dallas Riordan, Baron
Zemo/Helmut Zemo, Fixer/Paul Norbert Ebersol, Jolt/Hallie Takahama,
Mach-II/Abe Jenkins, Moonstone/Karla Sofen)
Enemies: Doctor Doom (Victor von Doom),
the Rip, World Party
Known Relatives: Mr. & Mrs. Questor (parents)
Aliases: "Ish" (nickname used by Bucky)
Base of Operations: A World Party storage facility
in Berlin, Germany, Counter-Earth (Earth-Franklin)
First Appearance: Heroes Reborn: Young Allies#1
(January 2000)
Powers/Abilities:
Ishmael Questor was an immensely powerful telepath, capable of
communicating his thoughts and mental presence across the globe, and
even across space. Questor was still able to keep in touch with the
Young Allies via "brain mail", when the team was on Earth while he
himself remained on Counter-Earth. He can easily process and analyze
gigabytes worth of data, offering strategies within moments that
(according to him) only have a 0.00032 margin of error. He was also
able to telepathically help people access the full potential of their
(super)powers. Despite his immense telepathic gifts, he was born a
quadriplegic with an abnormally large head. Due to his withered form,
Questor was unable to leave the sensory deprivation tank he had been in
since infancy. In order to remain in contact with the outside world, he
used a "Think Tank" of six people he controlled and used as his eyes
and ears. Via the technologies in his life support tank, he could also
access the internet. His abilities were potent enough to reach every
single active mind on the planet, channeling and focusing their
thoughts and emotions at a moment's notice. With sufficient effort,
Questor could take over minds as well.
Height: 5'6" (by approximation)
Weight: 110 lbs. (by approximation)
Eyes: Unrevealed, I.Q. wears goggles
Hair: Unrevealed, possibly bald
History:
(Heroes Reborn: Young Allies#1 (fb) ) - German citizen Ishmael Questor was born quadriplegic, suffering from hydrocephalus and his immense telepathic abilities already active. Given only hours to live, Questor instinctively locked into the love his parents felt for him and managed to survive. However, because he was so untrained in his abilities, all of the telepathic impressions he picked up caused him incredible pain. For his and their best interest, Questor's parents allowed Ishmael to be taken by a German bio-research company, where he spent most of his childhood floating in suspended animation in a Berlin lab complex while his unique physiology was being studied. However, in his teens Ishmael learned how to use his powers to control others. He took over the facility and established his "Think Tank," six of the scientists who used to work on him. These scientists were then forced to serve as his eyes and ears.
(Heroes Reborn: Young Allies#1 (fb) - BTS) - Through unrevealed ways, Questor became aware of the adventures of Rikki "Bucky" Barnes, Captain America's former sidekick, and her friend Toro. Using his powers, Ishmael reached out to Bucky and offered his services. Picking the codename of I.Q., Ishmael supplied the duo with information as they tried to right as many wrongs as they could on the world following the loss of its heroes. At one point, I.Q. learned of the existence of Eric Whitemane, a human/Kymmelian hybrid who was being chased by S.H.I.E.L.D. Feeling Whitemane would prove instrumental in their upcoming mission against the World Party (who were studying the world threatening Rip energy in a lab on Muir Island), I.Q. directed the Young Allies to save him.
(Heroes Reborn: Young Allies#1) - After the Young Allies had rescued Whitemane, I.Q. was pleased that the second phase of Operation: Purgatory (as he called the campaign against the World party) was now completed. When Bucky and the others had reached her grandparents' house, Bucky went online to check in with I.Q. Requesting they switch from instant telepathic messaging to "brain mail", Bucky learned the latest from Questor, who not only revealed that the World Party was about to fuse someone with the Rip energy but that they could also reach Muir Island via their new ally Whitemane, who had no idea he was actually a teleporter. After some initial misgivings, Whitemane allowed I.Q. to "jump start" the full range of his abilities, which Questor successfully did, allowing the Kymellian hybrid to deliver the Young Allies to Muir Island.
(Heroes Reborn: Young Allies#1 - BTS) - Shepherded by I.Q.,
the Young Allies infiltrated Muir Island just in time to see powerful
businessman Leland Walker fuse himself with the Rip energy.
(Heroes Reborn: Young Allies#1) - I.Q used his telepathy to confirm that the Rip energy was actually a lifeform, which was about to die because Walker had merged and overtaken it. Quickly deducing a strategy, I.Q. directed the Young Allies to confront Walker, eventually separating the Rip entity from Walker. Walker was sucked to the Rip's point of origin, the wellspring of infinity, courtesy of an interspatial anomaly opened by Whitemane. After the fight, the Rip entity formed itself into two separate, mysterious creatures who claimed to have come to study humanity for its eventual judgment. Figuring they'd best keep them close, I.Q. and the others invited the duo to join the Young Allies.
(Thunderbolts I#51 - BTS) - I.Q. agreed with the Young Allies' plan to blackmail Counter-Earth's ruler (more like dictator) Doctor Doom into improving living conditions on his world by threatening to unleash a deadly gas in Doom's home country of Latveria.
(Thunderbolts I#52) - While the Young Allies were in Latveria facing off against Doom, Rebel, Captain America and the Redeemers, I.Q. telepathically checked in on his teammates to see how they were doing.
(Thunderbolts I#72 - BTS) - Over time, the Young Allies discovered what the Rip entity had come to investigate. There was a connection between Counter-Earth and Earth symbolized by a giant alien space ship that was present on the bottom of the Mir diamond mine in Russia on both planets. The Rip had decided one of the Earths had to be destroyed. The Young Allies traveled to the site of the ship to figure out a way to save both planets.
(Thunderbolts I#72) - When the Thunderbolts (led by Baron Zemo) reached the Counter-Earth site and discovered the vessel, they were confronted by the Young Allies. The already tense situation escalated when Bucky mentioned that one of the planets had to die, leading to a fight that was only halted when I.Q mindblasted everyone into submission. He was then shocked to learn Zemo had offered the Rip entity his help in making sure Earth did not survive.
(Thunderbolts I#74) - I.Q., not too happy with Zemo's plan
to sacrifice an entire planet, telepathically contacted the Baron and
told him of a way to save both Earths by using the powers of Jolt and
Atlas to cover the alien vessel in a bioelectro-ionic field to sever its
connection with its counterpart, thereby eliminating the need to destroy
a world. Initially unconvinced and unwilling, I.Q. managed to persuade
Zemo by exposing the Baron to the thoughts and feelings of all the
people he had helped save during his time on Counter-Earth with the
Thunderbolts. Humbled, Zemo decided to cooperate and try I.Q.'s plan,
which ultimately resulted in both planets surviving.
Comments: Created by Fabian Nicieza (writer), Mark Bagley (pencils) and Al Vey (inks).
Like all of the other inhabitants of Counter-Earth, Questor
was created by Franklin Richards at a moment's notice to help save the
Fantastic Four, the Avengers and their allies from certain death during
the final confrontation with Onslaught. Given Marvel's sliding
timescale, that means I.Q. isn't even close to 16, more like 6 months.
I.Q. was apparently so powerful, he could contact, read and manipulate every single mind on the planet. That should probably classify him as an "omnipath" like the Gamesmaster, instead of your garden variety telepath. Of course, Charles Xavier was capable of uniting all of mankind to fight off the Z'Nox with, erm, well...the power of love...but he needed special technology to achieve that particular feat.
While it was never explained how I.Q. became aware of Rikki Barnes' adventures, it was probably through the Think Tank or the internet.
Profile by Norvo.
CLARIFICATIONS:
I.Q. should not be confused with
images: (without ads)
Heroes Reborn Young Allies I#1, p8, pan4 (main image)
Heroes Reborn Young Allies I#1, p14, pans1&2) (tells his origin)
Heroes Reborn Young Allies I#1, p11, pan7 (chatting with Bucky via brain
mail)
Thunderbolts I#72, p22, pan2 (checks in with Bucky)
Appearances:
Heroes Reborn: Young Allies (January, 2000) - Fabian Nicieza (writer), Mark Bagley (pencils), Al Vey
(inks), Tom Brevoort (editor)
Thunderbolts I#52 (July, 2001) - Fabian Nicieza (writer), Patrick
Zircher (pencils), Al Vey (inks), Marc Sumerak (editor)
Thunderbolts I#72 (November, 2002) - Fabian Nicieza (writer), Chris
Batista (pencils), Rich Perrotta (inks), Andrew Lis (editor)
Thunderbolts I#74 (January, 2003) -
Fabian Nicieza (writer), Chris Batista (pencils), Rich Perrotta
(inks), Andrew Lis (editor)
First Posted: 08/05/2014
Last updated: 08/04/2014
Any Additions/Corrections? please let me know.
Non-Marvel
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