Thinker (DC)
The Thinker is a male comic supervillain who features in DC Comics.
Contents |
Biography
Origin
Clifford DeVoe
For a decade, Clifford DeVoe worked anonymously, until two of Norvock's underlings threatened to implicate him in major crime to the police. On Norvock's prodding, DeVoe infiltrated the police station in a police uniform, stole the evidence and killed the two lieutenants. However, this made Norvock paranoid that DeVoe planned to replace him. Going to his house to kill DeVoe, Norvock was tricked into shooting a reflection in a steel mirror. The bullets ricocheted, killing him. The police ruled a suicide, and the Keystone City underworld fell into disarray until a coalition of senior bosses chose DeVoe as their leader, citing his previous work. Taking the alias "The Thinker", DeVoe set to work. The Thinker was first confronted by the Flash, which drove the two men to become mortal enemies. (All-Flash v1 #12)
Although he was seemingly killed by the Weasel during this mission, he survived and made his way to Keystone City. He reformed, dedicated his life to good works, even becoming friends with his former nemesis Jay Garrick. However, he developed terminal cancer, apparently connected to the Thinking-Cap. Garrick, attempted to save him with the Thinking Cap, but DeVoe refused, preferring to rest in peace. His last words, to Garrick, were "Learn to lose every once in a while. A little humility prepares you for what lies ahead." (The Flash v2 #134)
Though deceased, the Thinker’s personality were used in the design for an artificial intelligence system that the Justice Society came to use for their headquarters. He was instrumental in helping Wildcat fight off the Injustice Society who struck at the base when the rest of the Justice Society were away. (JSA v1 #9) Though serving the Justice Society, the Thinker A.I. still retained the mind of Cliff DeVoe. He watched the heroes where he recorded much about them whilst he allied with the Injustice Society. The Thinker then passed their JSA’s secrets to the villains and lowered the defences of their headquarters to allow an ambush. He then aided the villains in an attempt to murder the heroes within their own headquarters by closing most of the exists. (JSA v1 #16) As the new Thinker, it joined Johnny Sorrow's modern Injustice Society, provided the group with information about the Justice Society members, and turned the heroes' own headquarters against them. He was defeated by the Star-Spangled Kid and disappeared into cyberspace. (JSA v1 #17)
Afterwards, he expanded his base of operations into Keystone City where he believed it would serve as the perfect home for him. He came to hijack the laptop of Linda Park to add her brain power to his own. The Thinker conducted similar acts across the city who were forced to join his brain trust. (The Flash v2 #184) He confronted the Flash when the speedster was attacked by the new Rogues. However, the Thinker decided to aid the hero as he still had a use for him and aided him in finding a cure for Murmur's Frenzy virus. This was because he wanted access to the Flash's brain and his speed. (The Flash v2 #185)
Post-Flashpoint
Following the Flashpoint, a new version of reality was created with a different history of events.
Overview
Personality and attributes
Upon becoming a digital being, he had forgotten the hobbies he once had when he was a living being. (The Flash v2 #184)
He said that he found no purpose in the telling of jokes. (The Flash v2 #184) It was said that the Thinker was a wild card and it was difficult to predict his actions. (The Flash v2 #185)
Powers and abilities
During its first appearances the cap had a very experimental look, with wires and diodes showing. (All-Flash v1 #32) In later appearances, Thinker improved it and it had a purple hull, covering the wearer's ears and eyes area. (The Atom v1 #29) Despite its incredible power, the cap is fragile: a well aimed arrow can damage it. (Wonder Woman v1 #276)
It was said that his new form offered him unlimited options but to take full advantage of them he required more memory storage. (The Flash v2 #185) Through electronics, he could force people to join his brain trust that increased his processing power. (The Flash v2 #184)
He could project a hologram of himself though ultimately for him it was simply a means of communication with organic beings. (The Flash v2 #185)
Notes
- The Clifford DeVoe Thinker was created by Gardner Fox and E.E. Hibbard where he made his first appearance in All-Flash v1 #12 (Fall, 1943).
In other media
Television
- In The Flash, Clifford DeVoe as the Thinker appeared in the live-action television series fourth season of the Arrowverse where he was primarily portrayed by actor Neil Sandilands. This version is a South African university professor who, with help from his engineer wife Marlize DeVoe, developed the "Thinking Cap" to increase his intelligence, only to become a metahuman with gifted intelligence and an advanced form of ALS. In an attempt to cure himself and remove technology from the world, Clifford became a wheelchair-using cyborg and tricked the Flash into helping him create 12 metahumans so he can steal their powers to give himself a new body and counter the Flash and his allies. While the speedster eventually succeeds in foiling Clifford's plans, the latter's "Enlightenment" satellite would go on to create more new metahumans such as Cicada.
Films
- In The Suicide Squad, the Thinker appeared in the setting of the live-action film where he was portrayed by actor Peter Capaldi.
Appearances
- All-Flash v1: (1943)
- Suicide Squad v1:
- JSA v1:
- The Flash v2:
External Links
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