Jack O'Lantern (Marvel Comics)
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Jack O'Lantern is the name of four supervillains in the Marvel Comics universe. Later incarnations of the character were also referred to as Mad Jack.
Contents |
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.
Fictional character biography
This incarnation of Jack O'Lantern was a professional criminal, and a partner of Blackwing. Alongside Blackwing, he searched Skullhouse and first battled Captain America.*Captain America #396-397* With Blackwing, he was then admitted as a provisional member of the loosely-knit band of Red Skull operatives called the Skeleton Crew.*Captain America #398*
Soon after that, Jack O'Lantern fought Crossbones and Diamondback, and captured Diamondback.*Captain America #405-408* Diamondback tried to escape, and Jack O'Lantern fought her in mid-air.*Captain America #409* He was ultimately defeated in combat by the Falcon, and taken to the Vault.*Captain America #410*
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.
Levins plays a small role in the "Secret War" crossover event. He was later hired by R.A.I.D and helped into London by Fasaud. He was teamed up with Shockwave and Jackhammer, and attack on the Thames Tunnel, threatening many civilians inside, but they were defeated by Union Jack.*Union Jack #2*
Civil War
Levins resurfaced just before the Stamford incident. He was hired by the terrorist organization RAID, 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 pursuing 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. However, he reappeared in Ghost Rider vol. 5, #8, 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.
Powers and abilities
Levins modeled his costume and equipment after those created by Jason Philip Macendale, Jr.—the previous Jack O'Lantern. Levins wore a complete body armor made of metal-mesh covered in multi-segmented Kevlar panels, incorporating a rigid, articulated shell which can resist a 7-pound bazooka anti-tank warhead. He wore a bulletproof helmet with an internal three hour, compressed air supply. The helmet is equipped with a telescopic infrared image-intensifier for seeing in the dark and 360 degree scanning device for seeing all around himself. The base of the helmet is equipped with a fine network of pinholes which maintain a low temperature, low density flame ("stage-fire") that rings the helmet at all times. The air supply cools the helmet's interior. The helmet is padded to protect his head from injury.
Levins is armed with wrist-blasters which can deliver an electrical shock within a range of 35 feet. He also used various types of grenades, including anaesthetic, lachrymatory (tear gas), hallucinogenic, and regurgitant gas grenades, smoke grenades, and concussion grenades. The grenades are shaped like spheres or pumpkins. He can fire small grenades from wrist devices. He can also release "ghost-grabbers," which are thick, semi-transparent films which adhere to a victim.
Levins rides atop a one-man hovercraft with an electric motor powered by a high density lithium rechargeable battery.
Levins has been trained in most forms of unarmed combat and the martial arts.
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, Kingpin, said he had acquired the arsenal "from Jack O'Lantern".
Powers and abilities
Maguire is an expert designer of special effects devices and stage illusions, a master hypnotist, and skilled in chemistry and robotics. She has used her advanced knowledge of computer imaging and virtual reality to improve upon Mysterio's techniques. Mad Jack uses a small one-man hovercraft for transportation, and is often accompanied by a robotic black cat of her own design.
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/Sega Genesis version.
- The character has also appeared in the Spider-Man animated series, in his Hobgoblin persona.