Creation
The character called Quagmire was created by Mark Gruenwald and Paul Ryan, and first appeared in Squadron Supreme #4, Change of Heart, in 1985. Along with many characters from Earth-712 in the Squadron Supreme home universe, he was part of a ground breaking story in the analogues of Marvel Comics.
History
Earth-712
The young punk and former street urchin calling himself Quagmire past is a mystery before he joined the Institute of Evil; a group of criminals first organized by the time traveling conqueror form the future the Scarlet Centurion. As a major member of the group, he acted as their field leader during most of the teams exploits as they undertook numerous acts of crime against humanity for some time. He often battled the Squadron Supreme members, having to out maneuver them on several occasions with little success.
During the Squadron Supreme redeveloping of the world economy and political boundaries they came up with the Utopia Program. With several inventions created by the member Tom Thumb, which included a behavior modification machine able to command a human being’s personality. Soon after the entire Institute of Evil got caught while trying to avoid being modified by kidnapping different family members of several Squadron members. All the Instituters were captured, including Quagmire, and were ‘reprogrammed’, or basically brainwashed, to become productive citizens instead. After the programing he and the other converted members instantly became humane and ethically charged new members of the Squadron.
Mayor Story Arcs
Going on a promo shot at one of the plant facilities which produced the pacifier gas created by Tom Thumb. He and Ape-X were assigned to accompany one of the original members of the Squadron, the Blue Eagle, who disapproved of the newly rehabilitated Quagmire. After flirting with an attractive plant worker Quagmire and the Blue Eagle got into an argument, who ended up punching Quagmire at the chemical facility. The Blue Eagle flew off to cool down and give Quagmire some space. During that time there was an accidental explosion at the plant and Quagmire accidentally inhaled a poisonous gas, saving thirty factory workers from certain death in the process. Blue Eagle was shocked at Quagmires heroics and ashamed at his own actions.
He went into a coma and was placed in a life support machine in the hospital of Squadron City, under the supervision of former teammate Dr. Decibel. The dimensional portal that is contained within his brain suddenly got activated and he began creating extreme amounts of black gunk from his ears. The entire hospital got filled with the gunk and Dr. Decibel drowned in it. The Squadron member and leader Hyperion entered the hospital through the gunk and realized that the only way of stopping Quagmire from producing more gunk was by pulling his connection to the life support machine and thereby killing him. He did so and the black gunk completely disappeared, but together with Quagmire himself.
Quagmire had, however, survived and not only appeared on Earth-616, coming through a through a portal into Earth-616. This portal had formed near the Nexus of All Realities in the belly of the creature known as the Man-Thing. Quagmire’s ability to enter the Darkforce allowed his body to pass through the body of the Man-Thing. This passage apparently reversed the effects of the behavior modification and restored his real nature as a ruthless thug.
He than came into conflict with the superhero Quasar and the sorceress Jennifer Kale. Quagmire was eventually contacted by the Chief Examiner while in The Vault, and was freed. Quagmire approached Quasar’s associate Kayla Ballantine and forced her through the Chief Examiner’s black portal. He battled a tiny antibody which secretly sought refuge inside his body. He is as of present still at large on the Earth-616 dimension however his whereabouts and activities have not been recorded.
Appearance
Height: 6’2″
Weight: 210 lbs
Hair: Blond
Eyes: Blue
Quagmire is a young, muscular man with punk-rock look. He has his blond hair either as a Mohawk with a ponytail, and also sports a goatee at the right side of his chin. He wears grey leather trousers, black leather boots, an open red leather vest at the opening. He also wears black leather wrist bands. He has metal spikes on the boots and the arm bands as well as on the shoulders of his vest. The belt is studded metal on leather and connected to a chain that extends to the leather collar around his neck. In the face he wears a chain from the nose to his left ear.
Complications
Having been Behavior Modified by the Squadron, the ex-Institute of Evil members are unable to break the law for any reason, betray any Squadron member for any reason. Their minds are no longer truly their own. Quagmire himself changed from a bullying and intimidating real thug, to a renegade personality, valiant and self-sacrificing hero. Once he awoke on Earth-616 his mind lost the behavior modification programming he was under.
Powers and Abilities
Quagmire somehow has the ability to tap into the Darkforce Dimension and utilize it’s Darkforce matter to come forth into the Earth-712 dimension. He can draw practically unlimited amounts of a dark, glue-like matter from an other dimensional source. It is surmised that this via a dimensional portal in his brain. As this was apparent when he was comatose and still opened a portal to the Darkforce dimension.
He can project it from any part of his body has complete mental control over this matter and can use this matter, which resembles tar, like a glue entrapping. Once snared in this substance an object or opponent becomes “stuck”. The more they struggle with it, the worse it gets. Anyone touching a victim who is stuck by the Darkforce matter will also get stuck. He can spread it across his path thereby obscuring people’s sight, it can also suffocates people, leaving them Incapacitated at the end. He can also shoot it at a short distance creating a buildup of the Darkforce matter. Quagmire can himself breath completely unhindered in the black matter.