Jack O'Lantern (Marvel)

Latest revision as of 09:51, 29 July 2024

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

Maguire Beck

After Berkhart's working relationship with Osborn ended when the Green Goblin participated in a magical ritual that rendered him completely insane, Berkhart was then approached by Maguire Beck, the female cousin of Quentin Beck the original Mysterio. Maguire convinced Berkhart to re-assume the Mysterio identity following her cousin's suicide and the "Mad Jack" costumed identity was retired. But when the two sought to eliminate Spider-Man, Daredevil, J. Jonah Jameson and several other mutual enemies, the two revived the "Mad Jack" persona, with Maguire using holograms and lifelike robotic versions of Mad Jack and Berkhart himself to serve as proxies for herself while she laid in secret. In the end, Maguire was caught and exposed though due to her usage of Berkhart androids but Daredevil and Spider-Man were left unsure as to whether or not Berkhart was truly involved. However Berkhart did ultimately escape with a Mysterio costume, in the confusion at the end. (Spider-Man: Mysterio Manifesto v1 #3)

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. Jack O'Lantern was a robot used by Araña to impersonate Maguire Beck. She rereleased the cartoons of Spider-Ham to draw out Spider-Girl. Within a week, Maguire was confronted by Spider-Girl. She claimed to want revenge for what happened to Mysterio, but in reality, she was testing the abilities and knowledge of the Wall-Crawler. Maguire created an illusion of Jack O'Lantern doppelgangers, but Spider-Girl used her Spider-Sense to find the true Beck and destroy her.
• In Secret Wars Journal v1 #2 (2015), an alternate version of Jack O'Lantern appeared in the Battleworld domain Killville that was designated as Earth-11131 in the Multiverse. Jack O'Lantern was one the residents of Killville who was in Jungle World Casino when Misty Knight and Paladin arrived with Kraven's Coin. He was among the first villains to attack the pair before they headed to the penthouse. He was amongst the Assassins Guild members sent in to kill M.O.D.O.K. He was one of the first assassin's to reach M.O.D.O.K and attempted to take him out with a multiple Pumpkin Bombs's but failed and was knocked out. He attacked again later but was stabbed through by M.O.D.O.K.
• In Vault of Spiders v1 #2 (2018), an alternate version of Jack O'Lantern appeared in the reality that was designated as Earth-11580 in the Multiverse. Along with Demogoblin, Green Goblin and Hobgoblin, Jack O'Lantern attacked the citizens of New York City on Goblin Night on behalf of the Goblin Queen.

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

• In Marvel: Avengers Alliance, the fourth incarnation of Jack O'Lantern appeared as a boss antagonist in the setting of the Facebook video game.
• In Marvel Heroes, the Jason Macendale Jack O'Lantern appeared as an enhanced costume for the Green Goblin in the setting of the MMORPG video game.

Appearances

• Machine Man v1: (1981)
• Amazing Spider-Man v1:
• Venom:

External Links

• Marvel Database Entry
• Wikipedia Entry

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