| Jack O'Lantern |
|
|
| Characteristics |
| Alter ego |
- Jason Philip Macendale, Jr.
- Steven Mark Levins
- Daniel Berkhart
- Maguire Beck |
Team
affiliations |
(Levins)
Thunderbolts |
| Notable aliases |
(Macendale)
Hobgoblin |
|
Jack O'Lantern is the name of four incarnations of a Marvel Comics supervillain. Later incarnations of the character were also referred to as "Mad Jack".
Jason Macendale
-
Steven Levins
Steven Levins was a mercenary who fought Captain America and Spider-Man as Jack O'Lantern. His identity was never revealed in a comic book, but in New Avengers Most Wanted, a character compendium, his name was revealed to be Steven Mark Levins. Ghost Rider vol. 5 #10 (2007) confirms the Levins identity for the first time in a comic book. This incarnation of Jack O'Lantern was a member of the loosely-knit band of Red Skull minions called the Skeleton Crew. He was also a partner of Blackwing prior to joining the Skull's group. He also worked as an enforcer of the gangster The Golem and in this capacity, fought the villain The Hood when he interfered in Golem's machinations.
Civil War
Levins resurfaced just before the Stamford incident. He was hired by the terrorist organization R.A.I.D., and, along with Jackhammer and Shockwave, was ordered to flood the Thames Tunnel, but their plans were foiled by Union Jack's intervention. All the villains were arrested and Jack O'Lantern was most likely deported back to U.S.A. and then recruited into the Thunderbolts hero-hunting squad. While pursuring Spider-Man through Manhattan sewers alongside the Jester in Civil War #5, Jack O'Lantern was shot through the head and killed by the Punisher. [1] However, he reappeared in Ghost Rider vol. 5, #8, possessed by a fragment of Lucifer's soul, and now exhibits the ability to detach, levitate, and explode his head, among other powers. However, the Ghost Rider is able to exorcise him by ripping his heart from his chest, setting it aflame, and putting it back in his chest causing it to explode inside.
Mad Jack(s)
Daniel Berkhart and Maguire Beck, operating as a team, shared the Jack O'Lantern identity as well as both going by the name of Mad Jack. Berkhart, a friend and student of Mysterio, tended to impersonate Mysterio, and Beck was the original Mysterio's female cousin. Alternating with the costume, the two sometimes also used androids. After the Green Goblin returned, the Berkhart Jack O'Lantern was assigned to make J. Jonah Jameson sell Osborn the Daily Bugle. After Mysterio killed himself, Berkhart became the new Mysterio, and Beck became the only Mad Jack. The two teamed against Spider-Man, who allied himself with Daredevil. Beck was imprisoned at the end of the storyline. In the miniseries Spider-Man/Black Cat: The Evil That Men Do, Francis Klum purchased Mysterio's weapons and gimmick in order to become yet another new Mysterio. The seller, The Kingpin, said he had acquired the arsenal "from Jack O'Lantern".
Bibliography
First appearance
- Captain America #396 (1968)
Trade paperbacks
- Civil War 2006 series #4
- Union Jack 2006 series #2
- The Legend of Sleepy Hollow, Illinois Ghost Rider 2007 series #1-4
In other media
- Appeared in the Spider-Man: The Animated Series video games as a mini-boss in The Ravencroft Prison for the Insane level in the SNES version and as a mini-boss in the Coney Island level in the Sega Genesis version.
- The character has also appeared in the Spider-Man animated series, in his Hobgoblin persona.
Foototes
- ^ Mark Millar (w), Steve McNiven (p), Dexter Vines (i). "War" Civil War, #5 November 2006 Marvel Comics
References
