The Jury is a fictional group of armored vigilantes 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 ...
. The team was first introduced in ''Venom: Lethal Protector'' #2 (March 1993), and were created by
David Michelinie
David Michelinie (; born May 6, 1948) is an American comic book writer best known for scripting Marvel Comics' ''The Amazing Spider-Man'' and '' Iron Man'' and the DC Comics feature Superman in ''Action Comics''. Among the characters he created o ...
and
Mark Bagley
Mark Bagley (; born August 7, 1957) is an American comics artist. He has worked for Marvel Comics on such titles as ''The Amazing Spider-Man'', '' Thunderbolts'', ''New Warriors'', ''Venom'' and ''Ultimate Spider-Man'' and for DC Comics on ''Justic ...
.
Fictional team history
The Jury was originally conceived and financed by
General Orwell Taylor
T-Ray
Tag
Tai
Hiro Takachiho
Glenn Talbot
Talisman
Talon
Talon is depicted as a feline Inhuman in the Earth-691 timeline of the fictional Marvel Universe, sorcerer apprentice to Krugarr. Talon debuted in ''Guardians of the Galaxy'' ...
, with
Sentry
Sentry or The Sentry may refer to:
Comics
*Sentry (Kree)
*Sentry (Curtis Elkins)
*Sentry (Robert Reynolds)
*Senator Ward (comics) or Sentry
Vehicles
*Sentry (AUV), an autonomous underwater vehicle used to measure deep-ocean data
* E-3 Sentry AWAC ...
(Curtis Elkins),
Ramshot (Samuel Caulkin),
Screech (Maxwell Taylor),
Firearm
A firearm is any type of gun designed to be readily carried and used by an individual. The term is legally defined further in different countries (see Legal definitions).
The first firearms originated in 10th-century China, when bamboo tubes ...
and
Bomblast as the armored vigilantes. After his oldest son Hugh Taylor, a prison guard at the prison for super powered criminals known as
The Vault, is killed by
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 ...
in an attempt to escape, Orwell gathers together Hugh's friends: Elkins, a fellow co-worker and friend; Caulkin,s an army buddy of Hugh's; Maxwell, Hugh's younger brother; and Firearm and Bomblast, Hugh's co-workers. Orwell provides his five employees with costumes based on the
Guardsman armors which were outfitted with sonics and fire, both of which are anathema to
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 ...
and the other
symbiotes.
The team's first mission is an attempt to destroy Venom that ends in failure. Later, they legally rent spots on multiple New York City rooftops and use sensory equipment to scan for
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 does not meet with the expected success, as there are multiple superheroes that operate high above the city streets. Spider-Man figures out their plan and manages to ambush one of the Jury's maintenance men. The man stands up to Spider-Man, encouraging the superhero to take him to the police, as the equipment is all legal.
Unsure what to do about the entire situation, Spider-Man intentionally baits one of the sensors, drawing the entire team out into a fight. Ramshot is unsure about kidnapping Spider-Man and is ordered back to base. Spider-Man is defeated by the remaining members, and is drugged and tried for his part in originally bringing the Venom symbiote to Earth.
Witnesses are present to testify about Venom's crimes. One is a woman whose child has been traumatized after witnessing Venom's monstrous form (Venom had been trying to protect the girl from what he thought was a dangerous stranger). This trial is part of a plan designed to guilt Spider-Man into helping the team steal a government designed weapon capable of slaying Venom.
Paranoia
After some time, Orwell seems to lose sight of his original goals and begins making shady deals with the
Life Foundation
The Life Foundation is a fictional survivalist group appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. Primarily an enemy of Spider-Man and Venom, the organization exists within Marvel's main shared universe, known as the Marvel Univ ...
(of which he is a shareholder), thus relegating the Jury to act as bodyguards for the Foundation's clientele in their bunkers. Orwell begins to become paranoid that his team is against him, and ultimately abandons them to die at the hands of
Carlton Drake
Dagger
Dagoth
Dagoth is a demon who has clashed with Doctor Strange.
Daken
Dakimh the Enchanter
Damballah
Daniel Whitehall
Daniel Whitehall is a British intelligence agent also known as the Kraken.
An elite assassin and member of the t ...
as a Man-Spider. Taylor and
Roland Treece
T-Ray
Tag
Tai
Hiro Takachiho
Glenn Talbot
Talisman
Talon
Talon is depicted as a feline Inhuman in the Earth-691 timeline of the fictional Marvel Universe, sorcerer apprentice to Krugarr. Talon debuted in ''Guardians of the Galaxy'' ...
are later arrested by federal agents after trying to flee the Life Foundation.
Eventually, the Jury breaks from Orwell and reinvent themselves. Maxwell gives up his Screech identity and chooses to redesign the Jury and set himself up as the defense lawyer in the Jury's trials of criminals. A mysterious hooded man named
Gavel
A gavel is a small ceremonial mallet commonly made of hardwood, typically fashioned with a handle. It can be used to call for attention or to punctuate rulings and proclamations and is a symbol of the authority and right to act officially in the ...
is assigned to be the judge for all their trials, while . Gavel is not an actual member of the Jury, and he only serves to deliver the verdict, always via a transmission from a secret location. A lawyer named Olivia Lentz is recruited to serve as the prosecutor for their trials. Finally, the Jury recruits Jennifer Stewart, a former Guardsman whose husband Ryan was killed during a riot at the Vault. Stewart takes the codename
Wysper
The Jury is a fictional group of armored vigilantes appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. The team was first introduced in ''Venom: Lethal Protector'' #2 (March 1993), and were created by David Michelinie and Mark Bagley.
...
and Screech's place in the team. At this time, the Jury operates out of a secret location outside of the United States. They also have a base in southern California located in the office of a
shell company
A shell corporation is a company or corporation that exists only on paper and has no office and no employees, but may have a bank account or may hold passive investments or be the registered owner of assets, such as intellectual property, or s ...
named Equity Inc., which supposedly makes office furniture. For transport, the Jury uses a flying ship called the Justifier. Their briefing room is called "The Box".
Shortly after recruiting Wysper, the Jury invades the small country of Boca Del Dios and freeds
Tarantula
Tarantulas comprise a group of large and often hairy spiders of the family Theraphosidae. , 1,040 species have been identified, with 156 genera. The term "tarantula" is usually used to describe members of the family Theraphosidae, although ...
(Luis Alvarez) from a prison guarded by robotic dreadnaughts. The Jury tries Tarantula and after presenting testimony he is convicted. Tarantula tries to escape and is told by Gavel that if he kills Wysper, he would be free to go. Tarantula and Wysper battle, and the latter is unsure she could kill Tarantula until she is informed by Gavel that Tarantula was the one who murdered her husband Ryan during the riot at The Vault. Wysper snaps Tarantula's neck and is officially made a member of the Jury.
Hybrid
The Jury later tracks down Scott Washington, aka
Hybrid
Hybrid may refer to:
Science
* Hybrid (biology), an offspring resulting from cross-breeding
** Hybrid grape, grape varieties produced by cross-breeding two ''Vitis'' species
** Hybridity, the property of a hybrid plant which is a union of two dif ...
, a former Guardsman who was bonded to a symbiote that is in fact a gestalt of four symbiotes. The Jury fails to kill Hybrid due to the intervention of Hybrid's friends the
New Warriors
The New Warriors is a fictional superhero team appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. They traditionally consisted of teenage and young adult heroes, and were often seen to serve as a junior counterpart to Avengers (comics), ...
. After a fight that both sides confess got out of hand, all present are convinced that Scott can control the symbiote; he had used pleasant memories of his times with his old Vault colleagues to calm the entity.
Some time after these events, the Jury lose their funding and hit hard times. They are forced to be hired goons yet again, this time working for
Edwin Cord
Edwin Cord is a fictional character appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics.
Publication history
Edwin Cord was created by David Michelinie and Frank Miller and first appeared in ''Daredevil'' #167 (November 1980).
Fiction ...
.
U.S. Agent
U.S. Agent (John Walker) is a fictional character appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics, usually those starring Captain America and the Avengers (comics), Avengers. He first appeared in ''Captain America (comic book), Capta ...
is made their leader. The Jury is sent after the
Thunderbolts, who have recently been revealed to be the
Masters of Evil
The Masters of Evil is a supervillain team appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. The first version of the team appeared in '' The Avengers'' #6 (July 1964), with the lineup continually changing over the years.
Publication ...
. The Jury is defeated by the Thunderbolts and their new leader
Hawkeye. Weeks later, The Jury is ordered not to go into battle with
Graviton
In theories of quantum gravity, the graviton is the hypothetical quantum of gravity, an elementary particle that mediates the force of gravitational interaction. There is no complete quantum field theory of gravitons due to an outstanding mathem ...
and the Thunderbolts by Cord, who has no desire to waste resources in battles in which he has nothing to gain personally. The U.S. Agent and the Jury would sometime later go against Cord's mandate and help the Thunderbolts fight the new
Secret Empire.
Later, the Jury fights the New Thunderbolts, and are defeated easily by
Songbird
A songbird is a bird belonging to the suborder Passeri of the perching birds (Passeriformes). Another name that is sometimes seen as the scientific or vernacular name is Oscines, from Latin ''oscen'', "songbird". The Passeriformes contains 5000 ...
.
Members
*
Bomblast (Parmenter, first name unknown)
*
Firearm
A firearm is any type of gun designed to be readily carried and used by an individual. The term is legally defined further in different countries (see Legal definitions).
The first firearms originated in 10th-century China, when bamboo tubes ...
(real name unknown)
*
Ramshot (Samuel Caulkin)
*
Screech (Maxwell "Max" Taylor)
*
Sentry
Sentry or The Sentry may refer to:
Comics
*Sentry (Kree)
*Sentry (Curtis Elkins)
*Sentry (Robert Reynolds)
*Senator Ward (comics) or Sentry
Vehicles
*Sentry (AUV), an autonomous underwater vehicle used to measure deep-ocean data
* E-3 Sentry AWAC ...
(Curtis Elkins)
*
U.S. Agent
U.S. Agent (John Walker) is a fictional character appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics, usually those starring Captain America and the Avengers (comics), Avengers. He first appeared in ''Captain America (comic book), Capta ...
(assigned to lead the group)
*
Wysper
The Jury is a fictional group of armored vigilantes appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. The team was first introduced in ''Venom: Lethal Protector'' #2 (March 1993), and were created by David Michelinie and Mark Bagley.
...
(Jennifer Stewart)
Support staff
*
Edwin Cord
Edwin Cord is a fictional character appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics.
Publication history
Edwin Cord was created by David Michelinie and Frank Miller and first appeared in ''Daredevil'' #167 (November 1980).
Fiction ...
(financier)
*
Gavel
A gavel is a small ceremonial mallet commonly made of hardwood, typically fashioned with a handle. It can be used to call for attention or to punctuate rulings and proclamations and is a symbol of the authority and right to act officially in the ...
(judge for their trials, real name unknown)
* Olivia Lentz (prosecutor for their trials)
*
General Orwell Taylor
T-Ray
Tag
Tai
Hiro Takachiho
Glenn Talbot
Talisman
Talon
Talon is depicted as a feline Inhuman in the Earth-691 timeline of the fictional Marvel Universe, sorcerer apprentice to Krugarr. Talon debuted in ''Guardians of the Galaxy'' ...
(founder and original financier)
* Ms. Santiago (monitored motion detectors for Orwell)
* Ms. Bronson (monitored motion detectors for Orwell)
Appearances
* ''
Venom: Lethal Protector'' #2-3
* ''Amazing Spider-Man'' #383-385
* ''
Venom: Sinner Takes All'' (1995) #1-4
* ''
Venom: The Hunted'' (1996) #1-3
* ''Thunderbolts'' #23, 28 & 32
* ''Thunderbolts: Breaking Point'' (2007)
In other media
* ''
Venom/Spider-Man: Separation Anxiety'': They appear as enemies hired by the Life Foundation to target Spider-Man and Venom.
External links
Jury Profile at samruby.comJury profile at marveldatabase.com
{{DEFAULTSORT:Jury
Marvel Comics teams
Marvel Comics superhero teams
Characters created by David Michelinie