Richard Parker (Marvel)
Richard Parker is a male comic character who features in Marvel Comics.
Contents |
Biography
Richard Parker
Famed spies Richard Parker and Mary Parker managed to stop a fascist horde that was seeking to recover Nazi gold in Cairo that was being guarded by a Sleeper. Mr. Parker managed to successfully seal the Sleeper to prevent it from harming anyone whereby a DNA lock was placed on it so that only those with his DNA could open the 'tomb' otherwise any attempt would awaken the robot slumbering at the site. (Amazing Spider-Man: Family Business v1 #1)
Richard and Mary later came to find the parts for an advanced Life Model Decoy known as the Master Matrix in a Hydra weapons depot on an uncharted island. They came to learn that he was an advanced model machine capable of controlling other LMDs and rebuilt him. Mary came to believe that the Master Matrix was a living being and that S.H.I.E.L.D. should be set free. (Spider-Man/Deadpool v1 #33)
Richard and Mary Parker had to on a trip overseas where they asked his brother Ben and his wife May to care for Peter whilst they were away. Travelling to Algeria, he came to infiltrate a spy ring that worked for the Red Skull. Despite his efforts, he was uncovered as a double agent with the Skull sending his operative the Finisher to kill Richard Parker. Unaware of this, the Parkers boarded a jet to take them home when the Finisher acted where he caused the plane to crash thus seemingly killing them. The Red Skull's agents then planted information to make it seem that Richard and Mary Parker had betrayed the United States leading to them being declared traitors. (Amazing Spider-Man Annual v1 #5)
A month later, the newspapers reported the death of Richard and Mary Parker where they were declared traitors to the country. In shock, Ben Parker and May Parker decided to raise their nephew Peter themselves where they kept the circumstances around his parents death a secret from him. (Amazing Spider-Man Annual v1 #5)
At the request of his Aunt May, Peter Parker helped move a trunk containing letters and other precious family items. Among these was a newspaper clipping that showed Parker his parents that claimed that they were traitors to their country. (Amazing Spider-Man Annual v1 #5)
Overview
Personality and attributes
It was noted that he had a brother by the name of Ben Parker. (Amazing Spider-Man Annual v1 #5)
He and his wife were noted to had loved each other as well as their child. (Amazing Spider-Man Annual v1 #5)
Powers and abilities
It was said that he was a war hero who had earned many medals and decorations. He came to be trained as a United States Secret Agent. (Amazing Spider-Man Annual v1 #5)
Notes
- Richard Parker was created by Stan Lee and Larry Lieber where he made his first appearance in Amazing Spider-Man Annual v1 #5 (November, 1968)
Alternate Versions
In other media
Television
- In The Spectacular Spider-Man, Richard Parker was referenced in the animated television series where he was said to had been a scientist and friend to Eddie Brock's father with both having died in a plane crash.
Film
- In The Amazing Spider-Man, Richard Parker made an appearance in the live-action film where he was played by actor Campbell Scott. He was shown as a scientist working at Oscorp Industries and a colleague of Dr. Curt Connors in Cross-Species genetics. Richard Parker maintained his own secret laboratory in a underground train carriage situated in an abandoned part of the underground that contained numerous video recordings. After an unknown incident, he would abandon his family life and leave his 4 year old son Peter Parker with his Uncle Ben along with Aunt May that he considered a necessary action. Richard would disappear with his wife Mary with both being killed in a plane crash. He would leave behind his briefcase continuing numerous notes that Peter would consult time to time. Some of his journals would indicate that he considered Dr. Connor possibly insane for his fixation on Cross-Species genetics. When Connors mutated into the Lizard, he would be defeated by Peter Parker after he gained superpowers and operated as the superhero Spider-Man. With Dr. Curt Connors in prion, he was visited by a shadowy figure asking him whether Peter knew the truth about his father but Connors told to leave Parker alone.
- In The Amazing Spider-Man-2, Richard Parker made an appearance in the live-action film sequel where he was once again played by actor Campbell Scott. It was shown that whilst working for Oscorp he learned that the company's heads sought to weaponise his research for their own ends and to use it as bio-weapons. Thus, he left the company and established a secret laboratory in an abandoned section of the subway named the Roosevelt Train Station where he had a computer and notes on his work. To save his son from his enemies, both Richard and his wife sought to leave the company with them leaving Peter with Aunt May and Uncle Ben. During their flight, Richard attempted to transfer crucial information to his computer at Roosevelt so that it could be used to expose Oscorp. However, an assassin who had infiltrated the flight attacked and caused the plane to crash seemingly killing both Richard and Mary Parker. The grown up Peter Parker when he became Spider-Man later discovered the Roosevelt station and accessed the recordings of his father on its computers.
- A deleted scene showed that sometime after Gwen Stacy's death that a visibly aged Richard Parker was still alive with him approaching his son and revealing that he had been hiding to save him from Oscorp. He had been aware that Peter was Spider-Man and told him that he had great responsibilities with his power and that he loved his son with the two embracing.
Video games
- In Ultimate Spider-Man, Richard Parker appeared in the backstory of the game where he was voiced by actor Loren Lester. He along with Eddie Edward Brock, Senior were scientists that worked at Trask Enterprises. Their research for CEO Bolivar Trask led to the creation of the Venom suit designed to cure cancer but their employer wanted to use it as a weapon. In a flashback, it was shown that Richard Parker was killed when Eddie Brock Senior put on the Venom suit during a flight.
Appearances
- Amazing Spider-Man Annual v1: (1968)
- Untold Tales of Spider-Man v1:
- Amazing Spider-Man: Family Business v1:
- Spider-Man/Deadpool v1:
- Amazing Spider-Man v5:
