Jack O'Lantern (Marvel)
Jack O'Lantern is the name of several characters from the Marvel Universe.
Jack O'Lantern (Jason Macendale)
- Main Article: Jason Macendale
Jason Macendale was a mercenary who was recruited out of college and trained by the CIA and various para-military organizations. Considered a liability due to his violent nature and amoral personality, this rejection turned Macendale to a career mercenary and ultimately a costumed terrorist. He adopted the Jack O'Lantern alter ego, engaging in combat with Machine Man as his first opponent. (Machine Man v1 #19)
He later salvaged the Hobgoblin's Battle Van after being hired through intermediaries by that villain. (Amazing Spider-Man v1 #254)
Jack O'Lantern (Steven Mark Levins)
- Main Article: Steven Mark Levins
Jack O'Lantern (Daniel Berkhart)
- Main Article: Mad Jack
Jack O'Lantern (Maguire Beck)
- Main Article: Mad Jack
Jack O'Lantern (unidentified)
- Main Article: Unidentified
A fourth version of Jack O'Lantern was introduced during the Dark Reign who claimed to be Steve Levins' brother. He has since been caught by the police after killing the 15 year old daughter of his neighbor and drinking his victim's blood as part of his plot to avenge Steve. This man was shown to be able to transform into a Jack O'Lantern-headed villain using the powers of a mystical demon. Detective Tom and Detective Steve interrogated the man. When asked about the pact with the demon, the man transformed into his Jack O'Lantern form where he is now surrounded by bats. When Detective Tom states that he is getting the electric chair, Jack O'Lantern states that he's just biding his time until his "dark lord" arrives to set him free. He was later released by a lawyer sent by Norman Osborn who claimed that Jack O'Lantern is a material witness to a national security case. The lawyer drives away with Jack O'Lantern as Norman plans to gain his services. (Dark Reign: Made Men v1 #1)
Jack O'Lantern (Crime Master)
- Main Article: Jack
'Jack' was a bad child who disobeyed his parents and hurt animals. One Halloween, he came to the house of the Crime-Master, who knocked him out with gas and kidnapped him. Initially, he was afraid of him, but he soon grew to consider him his true father. Over time, he was trained to be a master assassin, and to prove his allegiance to him, Jack returned to his parents and murdered them with no remorse nor mercy. After the fact, he developed his signature, in which he scooped out the brains of his victims and placed a candle inside them, giving them the appearance of a jack-o-lantern. Jack took the name Jack O'Lantern and killed those who had used the name in the past. (Venom v2 #11) In the Eastern European country of Nrosvekistan, Crime-Master sent Jack to find Doctor Ekmecic, a specialist in making weapons from Antarctic Vibranium. The new government agent Venom, war hero Flash Thompson, was also trying to bring in Ekmecic, and though neither succeeded, they became arch-enemies. (Venom v2 #1) Later on, while Venom was on a mission in the Savage Land to confiscate Crime-Master's Antarctic Vibranium shipment, he learned Venom's identity and sent Jack to kidnap Betty Brant, his girlfriend, forcing Venom to hand over the Vibranium to Crime-Master to ensure her safety. (Venom v2 #4)
Jack O'Lantern (Owen Ward)
- Main Article: Owen Ward
Owen Ward was originally a medical student who had failed school. (Gold Goblin v1 #3) Desperate for money, Ward became a petty criminal after stumbling across a cache of Jack O'Lantern's equipment, opting to assume the identity to pursue a career as a supervillain and arms-dealer. While supplying a group of criminals with weapons he claimed were from Norman Osborn's armory, Owen was busted by a police sting. Shooting a cop while fleeing, he was attacked by Venom - whose symbiote went berserk and succumbed to the influence of a dark god, gouging out one of his eyes. (Venom v4 #1) Owen managed to escape, regaling a group of supervillains in the Bar with No Name with his encounter. As the group swapped stories of their own run-ins with Venom, Venom himself attacked and caused them all to flee. (Venom Annual v1 #1) Months later, Owen was approached by one of Malekith's War Witches, who had also been maimed by Venom, and offered him the power to seek revenge in exchange for serving her. (Venom v4 #13) Granted magical Jack O'Lantern equipment by the Dreamstone, Owen attacked Venom and began to destroy the city, reveling in the power the Dreamstone gave him, but was ultimately defeated when he was struck by mystical lightning conjured by Venom using his own Dreamstone to emulate Thor. Stripped of the Dreamstone, Owen begged for mercy from Eddie, saying he was just a nobody who found the suit and equipment. (Venom v4 #15)
Overview
In appearance, Jack O'Lantern was a masked supervillain who operated as a mercenary who wore a green costume with a pumpkin jack o'lantern for a head. (Machine Man v1 #19)
The hideous flaming helmet he wore contained its own air-supply allowing to be unharmed from gas attacks. He also wore body armor that was capable of withstanding anything short of a bazooka strike. It was also said that his suit was well-insulated allowing him to survive any electrical barrage. (Machine Man v1 #19)
The gloves were noted to be wrist blasters allowing him to fire at his targets with his fingers. (Machine Man v1 #19)
Among his arsenal of weapons also included spherical grenades that could discharge different effects such as gas or smoke or concussion blasts. (Machine Man v1 #19)
A common means of transportation was the disc-shaped pogo-platform that floated through the air with Jack O'Lantern riding on top of it. Magnetic clamps fixed him to the platform allowing him to hover silently over the field or manuever expertly via walls and floors. (Machine Man v1 #19)
Notes
- The concept of Jack O'Lantern was created by Tom DeFalco and Steve Ditko where he made his first appearance in Machine Man v1 #19 (February, 1981).
Alternate Versions
- In Spider-Man Family v2 #1 (2007), an alternate version of the Jack O'Lantern appeared in the Marvel Comics 2 reality designated as Earth-982 in the Multiverse.
In other media
Television
- In Spider-Man, Jack O'Lantern made an appearance in the animated television series in the episode "Bring On the Bad Guys Pt. 3" where he was voiced by actor Booboo Stewart. His identity was unknown but it was shown that he was a supervillain that responded to the bounty placed on Spider-Man where he attempted to claim it for the prize money. This version was obsessed over Halloween and had patterned himself after that theme.
Video games
Appearances
- Machine Man v1: (1981)
- Amazing Spider-Man v1:
- Venom:
External Links
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