Jack O'Lantern (Marvel Comics)
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Jack O'Lantern is an alias used by several
supervillain A supervillain or supercriminal is a variant of the villainous stock character that is commonly found in American comic books, usually possessing superhuman abilities. A supervillain is the antithesis of a superhero. Supervillains are oft ...
s appearing in
American comic book An American comic book is a thin periodical originating in the United States, on average 32 pages, containing comics. While the form originated in 1933, American comic books first gained popularity after the 1938 publication of ''Action Comics'' ...
s published by
Marvel Comics Marvel Comics is an American comic book publishing, publisher and the flagship property of Marvel Entertainment, a divsion of The Walt Disney Company since September 1, 2009. Evolving from Timely Comics in 1939, ''Magazine Management/Atlas Co ...
.


Publication history

Jason Macendale first appeared as Jack O'Lantern in '' Machine Man'' #19 (February 1981). The Steven Mark Levins version of Jack O'Lantern first appeared in ''
Captain America Captain America is a superhero appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. Created by cartoonists Joe Simon and Jack Kirby, the character First appearance, first appeared in ''#Golden Age, Captain America Comics'' #1 (cover ...
'' #396 (January 1992). The third version of Jack O'Lantern first appeared in ''The Spectacular Spider-Man'' #241 (December 1996). The fourth version of Jack O'Lantern first appeared in '' Dark Reign: Made Men'' #1 (November 2009). The fifth version of Jack O'Lantern first appeared in ''
Venom Venom or zootoxin is a type of toxin produced by an animal that is actively delivered through a wound by means of a bite, sting, or similar action. The toxin is delivered through a specially evolved ''venom apparatus'', such as fangs or a sti ...
'' vol. 2 #1 (2011).


Fictional character biography


Jason Macendale

Jason Macendale was a
mercenary A mercenary, sometimes also known as a soldier of fortune or hired gun, is a private individual, particularly a soldier, that joins a military conflict for personal profit, is otherwise an outsider to the conflict, and is not a member of any o ...
who was recruited out of college and trained by the
CIA The Central Intelligence Agency (CIA ), known informally as the Agency and historically as the Company, is a civilian intelligence agency, foreign intelligence service of the federal government of the United States, officially tasked with gat ...
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 followed by
Spider-Man Spider-Man is a superhero appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. Created by writer-editor Stan Lee and artist Steve Ditko, he first appeared in the anthology comic book '' Amazing Fantasy'' #15 (August 1962) in the ...
for the first time. Macendale was later hired to retrieve the
Hobgoblin A hobgoblin is a household spirit, typically appearing in folklore, once considered helpful, but which since the spread of Christianity has often been considered mischievous. Shakespeare identifies the character of Puck in his ''A Midsummer Nigh ...
's lost battle van, pulling off the mission successfully despite Spider-Man's untimely appearance. When
Flash Thompson Eugene "Flash" Thompson is a fictional character appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. Created by writer Stan Lee and artist Steve Ditko, the character First appearance, first appeared in ''Amazing Fantasy'' #15 (August 196 ...
insulted the Hobgoblin on national television which had incurred the Hobgoblin's wrath to frame Thompson so that criminal enemies might target Flash instead, Macendale subsequently broke Thompson out of jail, thinking he was doing the Hobgoblin a favor. But Macendale ruined the Hobgoblin's plans to operate "under the radar" while Thompson was in custody. When the Kingpin temporarily abdicated being the organized crime's head on the eastern seaboard and a resulting gang war tore
New York City New York, often called New York City or NYC, is the List of United States cities by population, most populous city in the United States. With a 2020 population of 8,804,190 distributed over , New York City is also the L ...
apart, Macendale wished to increase his underworld status and formed an alliance with the Hobgoblin. The Hobgoblin ultimately double-crossed Macendale when the two were fleeing a horde of police officers. Macendale vowed revenge, ultimately hiring the Foreigner to have the Hobgoblin killed. After his co-conspirator's supposed death, all known copies of Goblin weapons and costumes were handed over to Macendale who took over the Hobgoblin identity in order to steal notoriety within the supervillain community. However, Macendale was exposed by the Kingpin's organization and fought a battle against Spider-Man which was meant to prove his abilities but was foiled. To add to the embarrassment, Spider-Man was obviously drunk when they fought and still won. Deciding he needed abilities like the original Green Goblin and Hobgoblin if he was to have a similar reputation, Macendale attempted to steal the Goblin secret formula for superhuman strength. After failing to do so, he intimated
Harry Osborn Harold Theopolis "Harry" Osborn is a Character (arts), fictional character appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics, commonly in association with the superhero Spider-Man. Created by Stan Lee and Steve Ditko, the character first ...
by threatening Osborn's loved ones for wanting the Goblin formula, resulting in a confrontation between himself and the second Green Goblin where Macendale was overcame. During a demonic invasion of Manhattan, Macendale felt dejected and humiliated. Offering to sell his
soul In many religious and philosophical traditions, there is a belief that a soul is "the immaterial aspect or essence of a human being". Etymology The Modern English noun ''soul'' is derived from Old English ''sāwol, sāwel''. The earliest attes ...
in exchange for a demon's power, the demon
N'astirh N'astirh is a fictional character appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. The character was created as a demonic inhabitant of Otherplace. Publication history N'astirh first appeared in ''X-Factor'' #32 and was created by ...
fused a demon to Macendale. Enhanced by the demon's power but horrified as his handsome face transformed into a demonic one, Macendale blamed his suffering on Spider-Man and Osborn. He hunted Spider-Man down for revenge. With his demonic powers, Macendale defeated Spider-Man easily but
Mary Jane Watson Mary Jane "MJ" Watson is a Character (arts), fictional character appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. The character was created by Stan Lee and John Romita Sr., and made her first appearance in ''The Amazing Spider-Man' ...
intervened before he could deliver the killing blow. Having finally been made into the notorious supervillain he hoped to be at the cost of his humanity, Macendale put his personal enmity for Spider-Man aside and used his demonic powers to be a top contract killer. He offered his mercenary services to Hammerhead and Tombstone to eliminate
Robbie Robertson Jaime Royal "Robbie" Robertson, OC (born July 5, 1943), is a Canadian musician. He is best known for his work as lead guitarist and songwriter for the Band, and for his career as a solo recording artist. With the deaths of Richard Manuel in ...
but is stopped by Spider-Man and Puma. Macendale next conspired with Carrion to eliminate Spider-Man before his co-conspirator ultimately nearly took both villains out instead. Macendale goes after
Doctor Strange Doctor Stephen Strange is a fictional character appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. Created by Steve Ditko, the character first appeared in ''Strange Tales'' #110 (cover-dated July 1963). Doctor Strange serves as Sorce ...
but an illusion spell is cast to try to calm the monstrous man/demon and Macendale sees his true face in reflections of himself. Macendale was later stiff-armed by
Doctor Octopus Doctor Octopus (Dr. Otto Gunther Octavius), also known as Doc Ock for short, is a fictional character appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. The character was created by Stan Lee and Steve Ditko and first appeared in ''Th ...
into joining the
Sinister Six Sinister commonly refers to: * Evil * Ominous Sinister may also refer to: Left side * Sinister, Latin for the direction "left" * Sinister, in heraldry, is the bearer's true left side (viewers' right side) of an escutcheon or coat of arms; see dex ...
's second incarnation which twice tried to take over the world, failing due to counter measures by Spider-Man,
Hulk The Hulk is a superhero appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. Created by writer Stan Lee and artist Jack Kirby, the character first appeared in the debut issue of ''The Incredible Hulk (comic book), The Incredible Hulk' ...
, Ghost Rider, the
Fantastic Four The Fantastic Four is a superhero team appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. The team debuted in ''The Fantastic Four'' #1 ( cover dated Nov. 1961), helping usher in a new level of realism in the medium. It was the first ...
and many more heroes. As an independent mercenary and criminal, Macendale would clash with many other heroes, including
Darkhawk Darkhawk (Christopher Powell) is a fictional superhero appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. The character first appeared in ''Darkhawk'' #1 (March 1991), and was created by writer Tom DeFalco and artist Mike Manley. The c ...
, and Sleepwalker. However, the insane demon who shared his body acts dominate but gets destabilized long enough for Macendale to briefly regain his sanity during conflicts with Spider-Man and other heroes; once involving
Moon Knight Moon Knight is a fictional character appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. Created by writer Doug Moench and artist Don Perlin, the character first appeared in ''Werewolf by Night'' #32 (August 1975). The son of a rabb ...
, and twice involving the two Ghost Riders ( Danny Ketch and Johnny Blaze). Macendale ultimately expelled the demon referred to as the
Demogoblin Demogoblin is a fictional character appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. Publication history Demogoblin first appeared as Demogoblin in ''Web of Spider-Man'' #86 (March 1992), and had previously appeared as an unnamed ...
out of his body. Despite
Richard Fisk Richard Fisk is a fictional character, a criminal appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. The character first appears in ''The Amazing Spider-Man'' #83 (April 1970) and was created by Stan Lee and John Romita Sr. He is the so ...
want vengeance for
Ned Leeds Edward "Ned" Leeds is a fictional character appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. A supporting character in stories featuring the superhero Spider-Man, he has been a reporter for the ''Daily Bugle'', and the abusive husban ...
, he has a reluctant partnership with Fisk but later tried to eliminate the Blood Rose and the new Kingpin but is foiled by Spider-Man. In a rare event, Macendale teamed up with Spider-Man to defeat the duo of Demogoblin and Doppelganger. Macendale was hired by the Foreigner to assassinate Moon Knight and Nick Katzenberg only to be stopped by Moon Knight and Spider-Man, and turned over to the authorities. Macendale obtained
Kraven the Hunter Kraven the Hunter (Sergei Kravinoff; Russian: Сергей Кравинов) is a fictional character appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. Debuting in ''The Amazing Spider-Man'' issue #15 (August 1964) as an adversary to ...
's strength formula, which enabled him to easily defeat his demonic doppelganger Demogoblin who then died saving a young child in battle. Macendale was defeated once more by Spider-Man along with Coldheart during an attempt to kidnap Macendale's long-lost son. However, Macendale's reunion would be an unhappy one as Macendale attempted (unsuccessfully) to use his son as a hostage to avoid going back to jail. He would remain in jail for some time before being freed by Gaunt, combating against the second
Spider-Man Spider-Man is a superhero appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. Created by writer-editor Stan Lee and artist Steve Ditko, he first appeared in the anthology comic book '' Amazing Fantasy'' #15 (August 1962) in the ...
. In exchange for doing Gaunt's bidding, the scientist turned Macendale into a cyborg such as the removal of Macendale's left eye with a new high-tech cybernetic eye. He failed and was once again arrested. Considered "just a criminal" by Spider-Man, Macendale was viewed as a typical (sociopathic) thug who is not much of a threat as his predecessor and
Norman Osborn Norman Osborn is a fictional character appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. The character, created by writer Stan Lee and artist Steve Ditko, first appeared in ''The Amazing Spider-Man'' #14 (July 1964) as the first ...
in comparison. Macendale went on trial for his many crimes and found guilty on several counts (including convictions for the original Hobgoblin's acts), disgustingly responding by revealing that Leeds was his predecessor. His continued testimony leads Spider-Man recounting encounters with the original Hobgoblin, and thus realized that Ned cannot possibly be the supervillain due to lack of powers (despite being killed when Macendale paid the Foreigner). Despite Macendale being in prison,
Roderick Kingsley Roderick Kingsley is a fictional character appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. Originally created by Roger Stern and Mike Zeck for '' Peter Parker, the Spectacular Spider-Man'' #43 (June 1980), the character was later b ...
broke into prison, taunting him as an unworthy successor and murdered Macendale. A later version of Jack O'Lantern is captured by
S.H.I.E.L.D. S.H.I.E.L.D. is a fictional espionage, special law enforcement, and counter-terrorism agency appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. Created by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby in ''Strange Tales'' #135 (August 1965), it often dea ...
; this individual used several false aliases including Jason Macendale, Maguire Beck (
Mysterio Mysterio (Quentin Beck) is a supervillain appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. Created by Stan Lee and Steve Ditko, the character first appeared in ''The Amazing Spider-Man'' #13 (June 1964). He is primarily depicted ...
's cousin), and Mad Jack (Daniel Berkhart). Jack O'Lantern's true identity was never revealed but it was not any of the aliases he was using.


Steven Mark Levins

The second version of Jack O'Lantern was introduced as an enemy of
Captain America Captain America is a superhero appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. Created by cartoonists Joe Simon and Jack Kirby, the character First appearance, first appeared in ''#Golden Age, Captain America Comics'' #1 (cover ...
and
Spider-Man Spider-Man is a superhero appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. Created by writer-editor Stan Lee and artist Steve Ditko, he first appeared in the anthology comic book '' Amazing Fantasy'' #15 (August 1962) in the ...
. This version of the character was subjected to much controversy, due to the fact that several years after his introduction he was rebranded "Mad Jack" and was heavily featured in the pages of ''The Spectacular Spider-Man'' during the late 1990s. Mad Jack was ultimately revealed to be the duo of Daniel Berkhart (ex-Mysterio) and Maguire Beck (Mysterio's cousin). It was not until the one-shot ''New Avengers Most Wanted'' (a character compendium) that the second iteration was confirmed as a separate entity: Steven Mark Levins. However, the character's name would not be used in-story until ''Ghost Rider'' vol. 5 #10 (2007). This incarnation was a professional criminal, and a partner of Blackwing. Alongside Blackwing, he searched Skullhouse and first battled Captain America. With Blackwing, he was then admitted as a provisional member of the loosely knit band of the
Red Skull The Red Skull is an alias used by several supervillains appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics and its predecessor Timely Comics. The first version, George Maxon, appeared in ''Captain America Comics'' #1 and #4. The main ...
's operatives called the
Skeleton Crew A skeleton crew is the minimum number of personnel needed to operate and maintain an item such as a business, organization, or ship at its most simple operating requirements. Skeleton crews are often utilized during an emergency and are meant to ...
. Soon after that, Jack O'Lantern fought Crossbones and
Diamondback Diamondback may refer to: Animals * ''Crotalus adamanteus'', the eastern diamondback rattlesnake * ''Crotalus atrox'', the western diamondback rattlesnake * Diamondback moth, a European moth that has spread to North America * Diamondback terrapin ...
, and captured Diamondback. Diamondback tried to escape, and Jack O'Lantern fought Diamondback in mid-air. He was ultimately defeated in combat by the
Falcon Falcons () are birds of prey in the genus ''Falco'', which includes about 40 species. Falcons are widely distributed on all continents of the world except Antarctica, though closely related raptors did occur there in the Eocene. Adult falcons ...
, and taken to the
Vault Vault may refer to: * Jumping, the act of propelling oneself upwards Architecture * Vault (architecture), an arched form above an enclosed space * Bank vault, a reinforced room or compartment where valuables are stored * Burial vault (enclosure ...
. He also worked as an enforcer of the
Golem A golem ( ; he, , gōlem) is an animated, anthropomorphic being in Jewish folklore, which is entirely created from inanimate matter (usually clay or mud). The most famous golem narrative involves Judah Loew ben Bezalel, the late 16th-century ...
and in this capacity, fought the
Hood Hood may refer to: Covering Apparel * Hood (headgear), type of head covering ** Article of academic dress ** Bondage hood, sex toy * Hoodie, hooded sweatshirt Anatomy * Clitoral hood, a hood of skin surrounding the clitoris * Hood, a flap of ...
when he interfered in Golem's machinations. Jack O'Lantern later fought
Union Jack The Union Jack, or Union Flag, is the ''de facto'' national flag of the United Kingdom. Although no law has been passed making the Union Flag the official national flag of the United Kingdom, it has effectively become such through precedent. ...
alongside Shockwave and
Jackhammer A jackhammer (pneumatic drill or demolition hammer in British English) is a pneumatic or electro-mechanical tool that combines a hammer directly with a chisel. It was invented by William Mcreavy, who then sold the patent to Charles Brady Kin ...
to attack the Thames Tunnel. Following his defeat, Levins was recruited to serve as part of the Thunderbolts hero-hunting squad during the "Civil War" storyline. While pursuing Spider-Man through the Manhattan sewers alongside the
Jester A jester, court jester, fool or joker was a member of the household of a nobleman or a monarch employed to entertain guests during the medieval and Renaissance eras. Jesters were also itinerant performers who entertained common folk at fairs and ...
, Levins was killed when the
Punisher The Punisher (Francis "Frank" Castle, born Castiglione) is an antihero appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. The character was created by writer Gerry Conway and artists John Romita Sr. and Ross Andru. The Punisher made ...
shot Levins in the head, killing him instantly. However, death would not be the end of Levins's story. His headless corpse was reanimated and possessed by a fragment of Lucifer's soul. He now exhibits the ability to detach, levitate and explode his head (now replaced with a real life pumpkin) among other powers. However, the Ghost Rider was 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. During the " Dark Reign" storyline, Levins was among the dead characters seen in Erebus by
Hercules Hercules (, ) is the Roman equivalent of the Greek divine hero Heracles, son of Jupiter and the mortal Alcmena. In classical mythology, Hercules is famous for his strength and for his numerous far-ranging adventures. The Romans adapted the Gr ...
. He was later seen on
Pluto Pluto (minor-planet designation: 134340 Pluto) is a dwarf planet in the Kuiper belt, a ring of trans-Neptunian object, bodies beyond the orbit of Neptune. It is the ninth-largest and tenth-most-massive known object to directly orbit the S ...
's jury (alongside
Abomination Abomination may refer to: * Abomination (Bible), covering Biblical references **Abomination (Judaism) *Abomination (character) The Abomination is a fictional character appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. The original ...
,
Armless Tiger Man Abomination Absorbing Man Abraxas Abraxas, sometimes called the Dark Man, is a cosmic entity who embodies the destruction of the Marvel multiverse. The existence of Galactus prevents him from emerging. The character, created by Carlos Pach ...
, Artume,
Heinrich Zemo Heinrich Zemo is a supervillain appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. The character was created by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby, and first made a cameo appearance in '' The Avengers'' #4 (March 1964), before officially being ...
,
Commander Kraken Commander Kraken is a fictional character appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. Publication history Commander Kraken first appeared in '' Sub-Mariner #27'' (July 1970), and was created by Roy Thomas and Sal Buscema. The ...
,
Iron Monger Iron Monger is an alias used by multiple fictional characters appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. The first character to use the alias is Obadiah Stane, who first appeared in ''Iron Man'' #163 (Oct. 1982). The Iron Mong ...
, Kyknos, Nessus, Orka, Scourge of the Underworld, and
Veranke Veranke is a fictional character appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. She serves as the queen of the Skrull Empire. Introduced as Jessica Drew, Veranke is the main antagonist of ''Secret Invasion'', in which she leads he ...
) for
Zeus Zeus or , , ; grc, Δῐός, ''Diós'', label=Genitive case, genitive Aeolic Greek, Boeotian Aeolic and Doric Greek#Laconian, Laconian grc-dor, Δεύς, Deús ; grc, Δέος, ''Déos'', label=Genitive case, genitive el, Δίας, ''D ...
' trial. During the " Dead No More: The Clone Conspiracy" storyline, Levins's Jack O'Lantern form was among the characters that were cloned by the
Jackal Jackals are medium-sized canids native to Africa and Eurasia. While the word "jackal" has historically been used for many canines of the subtribe canina, in modern use it most commonly refers to three species: the closely related black-backed ...
. He got involved in a fight with the other cloned villains, causing the
Prowler Prowler may refer to: * "Prowler", a song by Iron Maiden from ''Iron Maiden'', 1980 * Prowler (Marvel Comics), a Marvel Comics superhero * ''The Prowler'' (1951 film), a film starring Van Heflin * "The Prowler" (''Australian Playhouse''), an e ...
's clone to break it up. Jack O'Lantern later battled
Deadpool Deadpool is an antihero appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. Created by writer Fabian Nicieza and artist/writer Rob Liefeld, the character first appeared in ''New Mutants'' #98 (cover-dated Feb. 1991). Initially, Deadp ...
after stealing 20 million dollars from the ''Queen Kathleen'' gambling ship owned by Tombstone. Jack O'Lantern later led a similar gang called the Jack O'Lanterns.''Amazing Spider-Man'' Vol. 5 #32. Marvel Comics. When four of the Jack O'Lanterns turned out to be sleeper agents working for Finisher and
Chameleon Chameleons or chamaeleons (family Chamaeleonidae) are a distinctive and highly specialized clade of Old World lizards with 202 species described as of June 2015. The members of this family are best known for their distinct range of colors, bein ...
, Levins helped to contain the rampage by fighting the Jack O'Lanterns.''Giant-Size Amazing Spider-Man: The Chameleon Conspiracy'' #1. Marvel Comics. During the "
Sinister War "Sinister War" is a 2021 comic book storyline published by Marvel Comics, starring the character Spider-Man and written by Nick Spencer. The story deals with Spider-Man being in the middle of a conflict between multiple teams of villains, includ ...
" storyline, Jack O'Lantern was with Foreigner, Taskmaster, Black Ant,
Chance Chance may refer to: Mathematics and Science * In mathematics, likelihood of something (by way of the Likelihood function and/or Probability density function). * ''Chance'' (statistics magazine) Places * Chance, Kentucky, US * Chance, Mary ...
, and
Slyde Slyde (Jalome Beacher), is a fictional character who is a supervillain appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. Publication history Slyde first appeared in ''The Amazing Spider-Man'' #272 and was created by Tom DeFalco and Sa ...
when they are sent by Kindred to attack Spider-Man after Kindred had disrupted their armored car robbery.


Mad Jack

There were two people who assumed the Mad Jack alias while wearing the Jack O'Lantern costume: * Former Mysterio Daniel Berkhart was approached by
Norman Osborn Norman Osborn is a fictional character appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. The character, created by writer Stan Lee and artist Steve Ditko, first appeared in ''The Amazing Spider-Man'' #14 (July 1964) as the first ...
providing a version of the Jack O'Lantern costume, under the "Mad Jack" alias. Under Osborn's orders, Berkhart kidnapped John Jameson and exposed to mind-altering chemicals to be turned into a mind controlled pawn: the super-powered wolf alter-ego persona Man-Wolf. Jameson was then sent to attack J. Jonah Jameson, to terrorize and cow into being subservient towards Osborn's scheme to buy the
Daily Bugle The ''Daily Bugle'' (at one time ''The DB'') is a fictional New York City tabloid newspaper appearing as a plot element in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. The ''Daily Bugle'' is a regular fixture in the Marvel Universe, most ...
. During this time, he also stalked Jameson's wife, Marla, implying that the two had a past relationship that Berkhart sought to rekindle. * 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. In the miniseries ''Spider-Man/Black Cat: The Evil That Men Do'', Francis Klum purchased Mysterio's weapons and gimmick in order to be yet another new
Mysterio Mysterio (Quentin Beck) is a supervillain appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. Created by Stan Lee and Steve Ditko, the character first appeared in ''The Amazing Spider-Man'' #13 (June 1964). He is primarily depicted ...
. The seller, Kingpin, said he had acquired the arsenal "from Jack-O-Lantern".


Brother of Steven Levins

A fourth version of Jack O'Lantern is introduced during the "Dark Reign" storyline, is an unnamed man 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 An electric chair is a device used to execute an individual by electrocution. When used, the condemned person is strapped to a specially built wooden chair and electrocuted through electrodes fastened on the head and leg. This execution method, ...
, 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. During the " Heroic Age", Steve Rogers knew about Jack O'Lantern, noting that Osborn didn't use Jack O'Lantern and suspects that Jack O'Lantern will continue his crusade to avenge his brother.


Crime Master's Jack O'Lantern

A new version of Jack O'Lantern appears working for the third
Crime Master The Crime Master is a fictional character, a supervillain appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. The character is depicted as an example of the professional-criminal type, and an enemy of Spider-Man. Created and designed by a ...
. As a child, the kid that would become Jack O'Lantern had disobeyed his parents and mistreated animals. While going as Jack O'Lantern for Halloween, he came across a house that Crime Master was in. The boy was taken under Crime Master's wing and trained him to be an assassin. It was with this training that the boy had killed his parents. One of his jobs brings him into conflict with the government operative
Venom Venom or zootoxin is a type of toxin produced by an animal that is actively delivered through a wound by means of a bite, sting, or similar action. The toxin is delivered through a specially evolved ''venom apparatus'', such as fangs or a sti ...
. During this conflict, Venom threw a live grenade into his mouthpiece and it dislocated his jaw. Even after the explosion, he was still able to run and retreat. Later, Crime Master is able to use contacts to discover Venom's true identity
Flash Thompson Eugene "Flash" Thompson is a fictional character appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. Created by writer Stan Lee and artist Steve Ditko, the character First appearance, first appeared in ''Amazing Fantasy'' #15 (August 196 ...
, and has Jack O'Lantern kidnap Betty Brant (Flash's girlfriend) in exchange for Venom letting Crime Master get a shipment of Antarctic Vibranium. When Venom leaves to rescue Betty, he is distracted by Spider-Man's appearance, which drives the
Venom Venom or zootoxin is a type of toxin produced by an animal that is actively delivered through a wound by means of a bite, sting, or similar action. The toxin is delivered through a specially evolved ''venom apparatus'', such as fangs or a sti ...
symbiote into an uncontrollable rage. Eventually Betty is rescued at the last second by Spider-Man, with Venom then trying to recapture Crime Master. However, Venom is attacked by Jack O'Lantern who proclaims Flash as his first real nemesis, and desiring revenge for the disfiguring grenade explosion, also mockingly calling out Venom's first name. While it hasn't been confirmed, this depiction claims to have killed every other person to go by the Jack O'Lantern name in an effort to "clean up the brand". Jack O'Lantern is a member of the Crime Master's
Savage Six The Savage Six is the name of two different supervillain groups appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. Publication history The Earth-982 version of the Savage Six first appeared in '' Spider-Girl'' #25 and was created by Tom ...
. Jack O'Lantern in his human guise goes first and targets Betty only to end up fighting Venom. During the fight, Megatak assists Jack O'Lantern and punches Venom's phone before he can make a call to the Avengers for help. Jack O'Lantern targets Jessie Thompson and ends up fighting Venom. Venom grabs Jack O'Lantern's gun and fires on him before Jack O'Lantern spews acid on him, causing Venom to cool down in the fountain. Jack O'Lantern later goes on a killing spree which escalated on Father's Day. Venom tracked him to a sewer thanks to the hidden trail Jack O'Lantern had left behind for him. There, he discovered that Jack had dug up the corpse of Flash's father and blew up the room. In the fight that ensued, it looked like Jack O'Lantern was going to win until Venom took his father's gun from the holster and shot him. Venom chose not to kill Jack O'Lantern. Jack O'Lantern was incarcerated at the Raft. He managed to continue his operations using an employee of a storage facility as a replacement who Jack O'Lantern's robots brainwashed.''Venom'' vol. 2 #37. Marvel Comics. During the "
AXIS An axis (plural ''axes'') is an imaginary line around which an object rotates or is symmetrical. Axis may also refer to: Mathematics * Axis of rotation: see rotation around a fixed axis * Axis (mathematics), a designator for a Cartesian-coordinat ...
" storyline, Jack O'Lantern appears as a member of Magneto's unnamed supervillain group during the fight against the Red Skull's Red Onslaught form. His moral compass was inverted with all of those in Genosha when a spell meant to affect only the Red Skull affected everyone on the island. He later rejoined the (now-inverted) villains to prevent the inverted X-Men from detonating a gene bomb which would've killed everyone on Earth who was not a mutant. When a reinversion spell was cast, Jack O'Lantern was evil once again. During the " Avengers: Standoff!" storyline, Jack O'Lantern was an inmate of Pleasant Hill, a gated community established by S.H.I.E.L.D. During the " Secret Empire" storyline, Jack O'Lantern appears as a member of the Army of Evil where they attack Manhattan in retaliation for what happened at Pleasant Hill. Jack O'Lantern is eventually hunted down for his many crimes by
Eddie Brock Edward Charles Allan "Eddie" Brock is a fictional character appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. The character was created by David Michelinie and Todd McFarlane, making a cameo appearance in ''Web of Spider-Man'' #18 (Se ...
, and is beaten within an inch of his life. Brock lets him live, although it is implied Brock breaks Jack's spine and leaves him in a critical condition before being teleported away to a parallel universe. Jack O'Lantern was hospitalized following this, and underwent plastic surgery to restore his face and intensive therapy. Jack O'Lantern was released to civilian life, but grew bored almost immediately and returned to supervillainy. Following
Deadpool Deadpool is an antihero appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. Created by writer Fabian Nicieza and artist/writer Rob Liefeld, the character first appeared in ''New Mutants'' #98 (cover-dated Feb. 1991). Initially, Deadp ...
to
Wakanda Wakanda () is a fictional country appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. Wakanda has been depicted as being in East Africa. It is located in sub-Saharan Africa, and is home to the superhero Black Panther (comics), Black Pa ...
, Jack O'Lantern battles both Deadpool and
Black Panther A black panther is the melanistic colour variant of the leopard (''Panthera pardus'') and the jaguar (''Panthera onca''). Black panthers of both species have excess black pigments, but their typical rosettes are also present. They have been d ...
until Deadpool shot him in the head, killing him.


Imposters

There have been different unnamed imposters of Jack O'Lantern: * As mentioned above, Crime-Master's Jack O'Lantern brainwashed a factory worker into posing as him. He was among the villains gathered by Lord Ogre to attack Venom. Jack O'Lantern later attacked Flash's neighbor Andrea Benton which ended in her father's death as Flash protected Andrea. When Andrea attacked Jack O'Lantern for what happened to her father, the mask came off and Venom saw that this wasn't Crime-Master's Jack O'Lantern. The factory worker explained that he worked at a storage facility and was hypnotized into being Jack O'Lantern by one of Jack O'Lantern's robots. After Venom prevented Andrea from killing him, the imposter Jack O'Lantern was taken into police custody and slipped into a coma moments later. * An unnamed petty criminal stumbled upon the Jack O'Lantern equipment and became Jack O'Lantern in order to become a supervillain and an arms dealer. He was supplying weapon to criminals from Norman Osborn's armory which attracted the attention of Venom and the police. The Venom symbiote went berserk and ripped out his left eye. After escaping from Venom, the second Jack O'Lantern imposter was seen at the Bar With No Name where he told his tale to the patrons. The Bar With No Name was later attacked by Venom causing the patrons to flee. During the "
War of the Realms "The War of the Realms" is a 2019 comic book storyline published by Marvel Comics. The storyline has been met with positive reviews, with critics praising the storyline and the art. Premise The story details the heroes banding together when Male ...
" storyline, the second Jack O'Lantern imposter found one of
Malekith the Accursed Malekith the Accursed () is a fictional character appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. He is the ruler of the Dark Elves of Svartalfheim, and has come into conflict with Thor. He once wielded the Casket of Ancient Wint ...
's War Witches having teleported into his apartment following a fight with a Dreamstone-enhanced Eddie Brock. Seeing as they have a mutual enemy in Venom, the War Witch conjures another Dreamstone and gives it to Jack O'Lantern. Jack O'Lantern accepts the offer from the War Witch as he reaches out to touch the Dreamstone.


Jack O'Lanterns

The Jack O'Lanterns are a group of mercenaries led by Levins who wear the same costumes and wield the same equipment of Jack O'Lantern. They fought Spider-Man and Teresa Parker when they tried to capture Chameleon at the time when he was going to sell the Infinity Formula to Foreigner. Foreigner later deployed the Jack O'Lanterns when he persuaded Chance into partaking in a bet to obtain Spider-Man's web-shooters. They were successful in their mission. When four of the Jack O'Lanterns turned out to be sleeper agents working for Finisher and Chameleon after the Catalyst was obtained from Empire State University, they tried to steal the Catalyst and the Clairvoyant for Finisher. Levins helped to contain the rampage by fighting the Jack O'Lanterns.


Powers and abilities

Jason Macendale originally possessed no superhuman powers, but used similar paraphernalia to the Hobgoblin and the Green Goblin; both his Jack O'Lantern and Hobgoblin personas used a rocket-powered glider, pumpkin bombs, and gauntlet blasters. During the time in which a demon was grafted to him, he had superhuman strength, speed, and agility, as well as hellfire powers enabling him to create weapons and gliders at will. It is implied that his demonic abilities allowed him to create organic fibers strong enough to bind a normal person. After acquiring Kraven the Hunter's formula, Macendale had enhanced his strength, speed, stamina, durability, reflexes, and agility to superhuman levels, thanks to anomalies in his blood left over when he and Demogoblin were one, but this formula's effects seemed to have later wore off. His later cybernetically enhanced body thanks to
Mendel Stromm Professor Mendel Stromm is a supervillain appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. The character has also been known as the Robot Master and Gaunt. Publication history Stromm first appeared in ''The Amazing Spider-Man'' ...
further increased his strength, speed, reflexes, durability, and stamina. Macendale had extensive military training in hand-to-hand combat, martial arts, espionage, and knowledge of conventional weaponry. He often used conventional military weapons. When he adopted the Hobgoblin persona, he was able to make improvements to the Goblin glider's maneuverability by utilizing skills he gained from his master's degrees in both mechanical engineering and physics. Macendale was also a
sociopath Psychopathy, sometimes considered synonymous with sociopathy, is characterized by persistent antisocial behavior, impaired empathy and remorse, and bold, disinhibited, and egotistical traits. Different conceptions of psychopathy have been u ...
and a sadist, which led to his dishonorable discharge from the military. Steven Levins modeled his Jack O'Lantern costume and equipment after those created by his predecessor. 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 . He also used various types of grenades, including anesthetic, 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. Daniel Berkhart used the same weapons as the previous incarnations of Jack O'Lantern, along with chemical weapons that cause psychedelic and mind-bending hallucinations. His accomplice Maguire Beck was an expert designer of special effects devices and stage illusions, a master hypnotist, and skilled in chemistry and robotics, including a lifelike robotic black cat. Beck has used her advanced knowledge of computer imaging and virtual reality to improve upon Mysterio's techniques, allowing for Beck to pretend to be Mad Jack via proxies while safely hidden in her secret lair. The brother of Levins can transform into a demon with the head of a jack-o'-lantern using the powers of an unknown mystical demon. The fifth incarnation, along with the same general weapons the previous ones used, has a fleet of tiny flying cartoon-styled devil robots. Instead of a hovercraft, he rides a jet-powered "broomstick".


Reception

* In 2021, ''
Screen Rant ''Screen Rant'' is an entertainment website that offers news in the fields of television, films, video games, and film theories. ''Screen Rant'' was launched by Vic Holtreman in 2003, and originally had its primary office in Ogden, Utah. ''Scr ...
'' included the Unknown Jack O'Lantern in their "10 Best Marvel Legacy Villains Who Lived Up To Their Predecessor" list.


Other versions


MC2

In the MC2 timeline, Maguire Beck is that
Spider-Ham Spider-Ham (Peter Porker) is a fictional superhero appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. The character is an anthropomorphic pig and is a cartoon animal parody version of Spider-Man. He was created by editor Larry Hama, T ...
character to lure Spider-Man to the Heartland Entertainment building. Once there, Spider-Man met up with Araña, and together they battled robots created by Jack O'Lantern. Years later, Maguire lured Spider-Girl to the same location. After fighting several Jack O'Lanterns, Spider-Girl finished them off and discovered that Maguire was really a robot.


Earth-Chaos

On the day before Halloween 13 years after the Chaos! event, Jack O'Lantern launched a scheme to bring about a hell on Earth and take over the world with the proper alignment of cosmos. Raising dead persons and animating dinosaurs, he looked to gather the remaining heroes of the world for the purpose of eliminating them. However, Brother Voodoo (Jericho Drumm) and the Supernaturals were able to overcome his machinations, sending Jack into another dimension. With Jack gone, his minions disappeared and the world was saved. Jack O'Lantern may still be holding the heroes captured from the first Chaos! event in his wand and plotting another takeover of the Earth.


JLA/Avengers ''JLA/Avengers'' (issues #2 and 4 are titled ''Avengers/JLA'') is a comic book limited series and crossover published in prestige format by DC Comics and Marvel Comics from September 2003 to March 2004. The series was written by Kurt Busiek, w ...

Jack O'Lantern is among the enthralled villains defending Krona's stronghold when the heroes assault it.
Tasmanian Devil The Tasmanian devil (''Sarcophilus harrisii'') (palawa kani: purinina) is a carnivorous marsupial of the family Dasyuridae. Until recently, it was only found on the island state of Tasmania, but it has been reintroduced to New South Wales in ...
is shown pushing some rocks onto him.


Spider-Geddon

In the ''
Spider-Geddon ''Spider-Geddon'' is a 2018 comic book limited series and crossover storyline published by Marvel Comics featuring multiple alternative versions of Spider-Man that had appeared in various media, and his supporting cast. In this sequel to ''Spi ...
'' event on Earth-11580, a version of Jack O'Lantern is seen alongside the
Green Goblin The Green Goblin is the alias of several supervillains appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. The first and best-known incarnation Norman Osborn, created by Stan Lee and Steve Ditko, is generally regarded as one of the a ...
,
Hobgoblin A hobgoblin is a household spirit, typically appearing in folklore, once considered helpful, but which since the spread of Christianity has often been considered mischievous. Shakespeare identifies the character of Puck in his ''A Midsummer Nigh ...
and
Demogoblin Demogoblin is a fictional character appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. Publication history Demogoblin first appeared as Demogoblin in ''Web of Spider-Man'' #86 (March 1992), and had previously appeared as an unnamed ...
during the Goblin Night. Under the orders of the
Goblin Queen Madelyne Jennifer Pryor is a fictional character appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. Created by writer Chris Claremont and artist Paul Smith, the character first appeared in ''Uncanny X-Men'' #168 (April 1983). Madelyn ...
, they try to kill
Gwen Stacy Gwendolyne Maxine Stacy is a fictional character appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics, usually as a supporting character in those featuring Spider-Man. A college student and the daughter of George Stacy and Helen Stacy, ...
, but Spiders-Man arrives and defeats the Goblins.


In other media


Television

* An unidentified incarnation of Jack O'Lantern appears in the ''
Ultimate Spider-Man ''Ultimate Spider-Man'' is a superhero comic book series that was published by Marvel Comics from 2000 to 2011. The series is a modernized re-imagining of Marvel's long-running Spider-Man comic book franchise as part of the company's Ultimate ...
'' episode "Halloween Night at the Museum". This version is the result of
Morgan le Fay Morgan le Fay (, meaning 'Morgan the Fairy'), alternatively known as Morgan , Morgain /e Morg e, Morgant Morge , and Morgue namong other names and spellings ( cy, Morgên y Dylwythen Deg, kw, Morgen an Spyrys), is a powerful ...
magically placing a jack-o'-lantern on the head of an unnamed security guard (voiced by
Drake Bell Jared Drake Bell (born June 27, 1986) is an American actor, singer, songwriter, and musician. Born in Newport Beach, California, he began his career as an actor in the early 1990s at the age of five with his first televised appearance on ''Hom ...
) to bring about the end of the world. Jack O'Lantern attacks Spider-Man, but once Morgan le Fay is defeated, the security guard is turned back to normal. * The unidentified fifth incarnation of Jack O'Lantern appears in the ''
Spider-Man Spider-Man is a superhero appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. Created by writer-editor Stan Lee and artist Steve Ditko, he first appeared in the anthology comic book '' Amazing Fantasy'' #15 (August 1962) in the ...
'' episode "Bring On the Bad Guys" Pt. 3, voiced by
Booboo Stewart Nils Allen "Booboo" Stewart Jr. (born January 21, 1994) is an American actor. He is known for playing Seth Clearwater in '' The Twilight Saga'', Warpath in '' X-Men: Days of Future Past'', Jay in the Disney television film franchise '' Descend ...
. This version is obsessed with Halloween, to the point where he claims every day is Halloween.


Video games

* The Jason Macendale incarnation of Jack O'Lantern appeared as a mini-boss in ''
Spider-Man Spider-Man is a superhero appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. Created by writer-editor Stan Lee and artist Steve Ditko, he first appeared in the anthology comic book '' Amazing Fantasy'' #15 (August 1962) in the ...
''. * The Steven Levins incarnation of Jack O'Lantern makes a cameo appearance in '' Marvel: Ultimate Alliance 2''. * The fourth incarnation of Jack O'Lantern appears as a boss in '' Marvel: Avengers Alliance''. * The Jason Macendale incarnation of Jack O'Lantern appears as a boss in ''
Spider-Man Unlimited ''Spider-Man Unlimited'' is an American animated series by Saban Entertainment which features the Marvel comic book superhero Spider-Man, intended as a loose sequel series to the previous '' Spider-Man: The Animated Series'', which ran from 199 ...
'', voiced by
Travis Willingham Travis Willingham is an American voice actor. His most notable roles include Roy Mustang in the '' Fullmetal Alchemist'' franchise, Portgas D. Ace in ''One Piece'', Ginko in '' Mushishi'', Knuckles the Echidna in the ''Sonic the Hedgehog'' franc ...
. * The fourth incarnation of Jack O'Lantern appears in ''
Marvel Avengers Academy ''Marvel Avengers Academy'' was a freemium mobile game for iOS and Android, based on the characters featured in Marvel Comics. It was released on February 4, 2016. The game was shut down three years later. Despite the name, the game was not rel ...
'', voiced by Matthew Curtis. * The Jason Macendale incarnation of Jack O'Lantern appears as an enhanced costume for the
Green Goblin The Green Goblin is the alias of several supervillains appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. The first and best-known incarnation Norman Osborn, created by Stan Lee and Steve Ditko, is generally regarded as one of the a ...
in '' Marvel Heroes''.


Toys

The demonic version of Jason Macendale appears in the Spider-Man Classics line, which was later reworked for the Sinister Six
Marvel Legends Marvel Legends is an action figure line based on the characters of Marvel Comics, initially produced by Toy Biz, then by Hasbro. This line is in the scale, with spin-off lines in the , , and scale. The line initially began as a spin-off of ...
set and repainted as a
Demogoblin Demogoblin is a fictional character appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. Publication history Demogoblin first appeared as Demogoblin in ''Web of Spider-Man'' #86 (March 1992), and had previously appeared as an unnamed ...
figure.


References


External links


Jason Macendale Jr. (Earth-616)
at Marvel Wiki * *
Hobgoblin (Jason Macendale)
at Marvel.com
Jack O'Lantern (Steven Levins)
at Marvel.com
Jack O'Lantern (Maguire Beck)
at Marvel.com
Grand Comics Database




at SpiderFan.org





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