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The Smart Guy / Comic Books

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The resident Smart Guy or Girl in Comic Books.


  • 4 Kids Walk Into a Bank: Walter is a chemistry whiz and able to whip up chemicals the kids use in their plot, like truth serum.
  • Betty Cooper from Archie Comics. Contrary to the Dumb Blonde stereotype and despite her beauty, Betty actually has an above-average intelligence and is one of the smartest students at Riverdale High School. In one story she won an award and was sent to compete in New York and has won numerous academic awards. While Dilton who is much more of a stereotypical nerd than any of the other main characters is a science whiz who aces all his academic work and at times is a borderline mad scientist who constantly creates several genius inventions.
  • Iron Man and Hank Pym usually share this role in The Avengers, with slightly different fields. (one being the Gadgeteer Genius in the Powered Armor, the other being a more comic booky scientist with his Pym Particles).
  • Aside from being the leader, Billy Butcher tends to fit the trope when handling tactics in The Boys.
  • Ken Brassai from Circles is more of a clever and mischievous type where he sneaks his friends into clubs by "knowing people" and gave Marty a gym pass to psych him out.
  • Snow White and Reynard the Fox in FABLES.
  • Reed Richards, aka Mr Fantastic, is a rare example combining this and The Hero as part of the Fantastic Four. He's also one for the larger Marvel Universe in general, being regarded as the smartest man in the world. (which is no mean feat).
  • John Constantine the Hellblazer is this in Justice League Dark.
  • Incandescence: Enigma, resident Fembot of Complex B. She creates their communication devices, can instantly look up city and floor plans, and even cook up magic spells while multitasking memes and miniskirt shopping.
  • Justice League of America:
  • Robin/Nightwing (Dick Grayson) becomes when he started leading the Teen Titans.
  • Tim Drake fills this role in Young Justice, and within the Bat Family itself when Bruce isn't there to do so.
  • Justice Society of America has Mr. Terrific, the third smartest guy in the DCU.
  • Il Grande Blek: Professor Occultis is the brain of the group and often contrives plans for Blek's feats.
  • Knights of the Dinner Table has Brian, who has memorized all the Hackmaster books (their version of Dungeons & Dragons) and is a master of tactics. In the "real life" of the strip makes his living building and repairing computers, trading on Ebay, and painting miniatures. In game, he tends to play wizards whenever he can and has gone to great pains to make sure each character inherits the meticulously kept journals of the previous one (amongst other Crazy-Prepared preparations.)
  • The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen has Mina Murray as a sassy tactician.
  • Brainiac 5 fills this role in every version of the Legion of Super-Heroes.
  • Frank Einstein Jr. of Mini Monsters is one of these, although his inventions usually fail. He's also The Leader of his own gang of good guys, Frank's gang.
  • In Sonic the Comic The Smart Guy role in the Freedom Fighters is taken by Porker Lewis and after Porker leaves the Freedom Fighters the role is taken by Tekno, in the Chaotix Crew the role is taken by Vector the Crocodile.
  • Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Donatello, he who does machines, pretty much defines this trope.
  • Taranee Cook in W.I.T.C.H. is archetypical of this trope.
  • Wonder Woman Vol 1: During the Golden Age Omnidisciplinary Scientist Paula von Gunther acts as the smartest member of Diana's crime fighting group, whom the others turn to with questions and for advice. The group in this era consists of Diana, Steve Trevor, Etta Candy and her Holliday Girls, and Paula.
  • Though the Smart Guy in X-Men can vary depending on the current roster, generally speaking it's Hank McCoy/Beast.
    • On the original team, Iceman filled the role of The Smartass Guy to Beast's Genius Bruiser. It bears pointing out that he had the poorest grades of the class.


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