Hi everyone. Welcome back for another edition of the Handbook.
Hey Daron how are you this week?
Hey Jim, everyone. My week is going pretty well, but nothing particularly special.
I’m doing fine myself and have had a good week. Even got new glasses.
Thanks for the info”¦
Let’s start up.
Sure, I’ve got nothing better to do.
A Faceless Name posted
I am tempted to ask something assinine like “Can you tell me everyone who wears a cape in the MU”, but you’d kill me.
I could do that but it would take a lot of time to compile the list even though there’s less in Marvel then DC. I’m sort of glad you’re not asking.
How about some history of Wilson Fisk and family. He is a nemesis for pretty much every street level hero based in NYC, he has spread himself all over the MU. His son was a baddy as well. So tell us ole hand bookers about the Fisk family tree.
Ok this could be interesting. I hope I give you everything you want to know.
Wilson Fisk:
Now Wilson himself is married to Vanessa Fisk. They only have one son. We don’t know anything really about his family before him going into crime.
Here’s what we do know about his past and family:
Little is known about Fisk’s past until he became the head of organized crime in the East Coast. Apparently, he was born in a very poor family. His father was a violent man who often hit both him and his mother. He was raised in fear and disgust for his own weakness until one day he decided he could overcome all that. He killed his first person at twelve. He started an intensive program of body building, turning his fat into powerful muscles. He also tried several martial arts until he decided to go into sumo. He educated himself as well stealing books and reading all he could. He was especially interested in political science and he decided that he could use the same principles to become a kingpin of crime. His greatest pleasure was to let everybody know he was the Kingpin but also to be untouchable to law. Fisk never worked for anybody, he built his own gang right from the start. He also invested his illegal gains into legal businesses to build an empire. After a decade in crime, Fisk decided to go into the NY society and met Vanessa, whom he married. Fisk has always loved her and considered her to be her source of peace. Whether she knew about Fisk’s crimes before they married remains unknown. They had a son one year later.
He does have an unofficial mob family of course. This group is called Maggia.
The Maggia have had many members. Here’s what members I know:
Current Leaders: Silvermane, Hammerhead, Madame Masque, Caesar “Big C” Cicero, T.B Smithson, Shigeru Ichihara, Count Nefaria, Mind-Master, Blackwing I (Joe Manfredi/Joe Silvermane), Kingpin (Wilson Fisk)
Former Leaders: Top Man, Masked Marauder, Guido Carboni
They have had many agents over the years so I’m not going to even try to cover them.
Vanessa Fisk (wife)
Vanessa has no memory of her family or past before meeting Fisk and his men. When she was brought to lost, afraid, and amnesiac, Fisk saw her natural grace, her depth in spirit. He saw in her the object of every lonely dream he’d ever had. (DD: Love and War). Vanessa was less than twenty years old when she married Fisk, who though quite young had been a criminal leader for over a decade at this point. Their son Richard was born within one year of their marriage.
She has very little to do with his crime organization. Although more recently she actually has taken more control over his mob at times to help her husband. She even killed her own son.
Richard Fisk (son)
Now many people know this figure by a few other names: The Schemer and the Rose. He is the son of Wilson and Vanessa Fisk. He may or may not be married to Rebecca Fisk.
Family History:
Richard Fisk is the son of Wilson Fisk. Raised without knowledge of his father’s criminal activities, Richard was shocked to discover how his family’s fortune was made. Vowing to bring his father to justice, Richard became the crime-lord known as the Schemer. The Schemer targeted and directly attacked the Kingpin’s minions, leading to a confrontation with the Kingpin himself. Faced with his father, Richard unmasked. His son’s betrayal briefly unhinged the Kingpin’s mind.
Richard stayed out of sight. He never got over his initial revulsion at the Kingpin’s career, and eventually returned as the Rose, a crime-lord under the Kingpin’s control.
Rebecca Fisk (possible daughter in Law)
Actually this one is unclear. She really hasn’t appeared much but it is believed she’s married to the Richard Fisk. She has no ties to organized crime known to us other then her husband.
Although she may have helped Alfredo Morelli while he was impersonating Richard and may not actually be Richard’s wife. This little fact still has to be cleared up.
Alfredo Morelli
The man known as Gauntlet. Even though he is not part of the Fisk family he did one time pose as Richard Fisk the Rose and had his face altered to look like him
Mortimer Fisk
This crime lord in the future of 2099 is a descendent of Wilson Fisk. Unknown is who his father is.
Elaine Fisk
Wife of Samuel Fisk (Daredevil 2099), mother of Sebastian
Sebastian Fisk
Son of Samuel (Daredevil 2099) and Elaine Fisk. Member of Mutant Registration Act
Samuel Fisk
Another future relative of Wilson Fisk and the future Daredevil of the year 2099
Ok, I have another one for you I will be making horid typos in.
Have Stan lee, Steve Ditko and jack Kirby ever created a super hero that failed miserably? I would imagine so, but who would they be? I would think they have some villians about that went no where fast, as a more likely scenario.
More common with villains. I can probably go through quite a few of them. But remember some didn’t get popular right away either (case in point X-Men became popular more thanks to the Giant-Size team).
Plus remember some characters never got their own series BUT gained popularity (Cases include Falcon, Black Knight, Scarlet Witch and more).
Now cases that might have just FAILED
Stan: I’ll give him Solarman lol Sorry I might be pushing it but hell it was a two issue series for a reason.
Jack: in the 40s he made a few like Mr. Liberty, Rockman and others that only lasted one book.
Steve: hmmmmmmmm Ditko is the hardest to find someone on.
Wt emails
Dear Jim, When listing the worst writers of all time, one has to turn their gaze to Stan Lee for at least a moment. I respect his contributions to the world of comics, but the man’s writing makes less sense than anything I’ve ever read. I mean, have you ever taken a look at “What if Stan Lee created the DC Universe?” *shudder*
Actually Stan as he’s gotten older has started losing his touch BUT he’s not one of the worst. He is one of the BEST of all time. He helped create and write the origins of Hulk, the Fantastic Four, Spider-Man and many others. So without him there would be no Marvel comics. So I can’t put him as worst.
I concur. I wouldn’t list Stan as “worst” writer. I kind of see him like Claremont. In “their” days, both of these guys were the best of the best, but instead of going out at the top of their games both of these guys (plus a few others that I won’t name now) have decided to stay in the industry. And while none of these guys are writing worth a damn anymore it’s really not fair to call them the “worst.”
Anyway, my question is about a backup story in my copy of Todd MacFarlane’s Spiderman story Torment. Where did The Prowler come from? Where is he now? Thanks and keep up the great work.
Prowler actually came right out of Spider-Man actually Amazing Spider-Man (Vol. 1) #78. Hobie Brown is his real name.
Hobie Brown was a young inventor, working as a window cleaner. In order to make window cleaning easier, he invented some special equipment, specifically…
Wrist and ankle bracelets which hold cartridges of cleaning fluid.
Steel Claws for climbing walls.
Special boots for climbing.
When he loses his cleaning job he decides to give crime a go. He doesn’t want to hurt people, but he feels trapped by life. In the end Spidey made him see the error of his ways and he went straight
Hobie actually retired from being the Prowler for a time. Might still be. The last time I think we saw him was when he helped Pete by creating the Hornet outfit.
There was a second Prowler for a time and he was a villain. Pretty lame one at that.
MacBrain emails
Ok, I’ve got a ‘superhero showdown’ upset that just happens to be one of my favorite stand-alone issues ever: Uncanny X-Men 341 (Feb. ’97)…Cannonball (back when someone gave two @$#&#s about him and it looked like he was being groomed for a ‘next great X-Men leader’ role) goes X-mas shopping
(heh…hehe…hahahahahahaha…..oh goddammit) and gets jumped by Gladiator while in a toy store. Gladdy beats the living hell out of him as Sam recalls all the ways he can have the living hell beaten out of him by this guy. Just when Gladiator punches him to send him straight into orbit and into the heart of the sun (that’s his plan, really) Sam redirects all the kinetic energy of the blow through his blast field, then smacks Gladiator down as he stares like a yokel at them there movin’ pictures. The BEST Cannonball moment ever, at least for this fan of what that character was at the time and what he could have been. Great issue.
Oh yeah, and Marrow jamming one of those creepy bone things through Wolverine’s neck wasn’t bad either.
Ohhhhhhhhhhhhhhh I should’ve mentioned that Gladiator one. I always loved that one. How the hell can Sam beat Gladiator? That’s insane.
That’s actually one of my favorite Cannonball moments as well (that and when he stands up to Xavier in Xecutione’s Song). And personally, I think it’s very possible for Sam to take out Gladiator. As many people have pointed out in many different “versus” battles it’s all about the situation, and even battles that you think might be “in the bag” can still have upsets.
Luke emails
I recall an issue of X-Men where Mr. Sinister reveals the existence of a third Summers brother. I remember it being hinted that it could be Gambit or X-Treme (ugh). I haven’t read any of the X comics in a few years, and I was wondering if this plot thread was ever tied up?
Ok I can try to tie this up a few ways:
1. Adam X could be the third Summers brother from D’ken and Scott’s mother idea that’s been around for years.
2. X-Men The End explanation: Sinister cloned himself and added Summers DNA to create Gambit.
3. The storyline is dead in the water.
This all started in X-Men (2nd series) #23 with Sinister saying “but I care enough to wish you and your brothers to be protected from”¦”
So it’s even possible he could’ve meant both of them in his own sick ways. They may clear this up in due time or not at all.
Thanks,
Welcome
House of M update
That’s right two weeks of books in one column. This should be interesting. In fact I’ll throw in week 8 books:
We’ll start with the 8 books
Cable/Deadpool #17:
Deadpool in his search for Cable alongside Cannonball and Siryn land in the HOM universe.
In this book we find Cable a baby and in the care of Sinister, Mister Sinister. (sorry I just enjoy doing that) Sinister used the dna of an unknown girl (Jean) and a student from Harvard (Scott) to create the baby to save the HOM world but of course Deadpool shows up and takes the baby.
Incredible Hulk #84:
Hulk and AIM now have teamed up to take down the House of M
Exodus and his team (which includes Vanisher, Unus and Pyro)
AIM of course has the female Scorpion and her mother Monica Rappaccini as members.
As we all know of course the mutants where foolish to attack Australia because now Hulk is just going to Smash them
Spider-Man: House of M #2:
Pete of course in this reality is still Spider-Man. But the world knows that. He’s married and has a son as we’ve covered before as well.
Peter in this issue is pushing his newest movie Spider-Man: The Final Chapter. In a scene we see in the film Venom throws MJ (famous actress) off a bridge. (no idea if it’s the REAL Venom so please don’t ask me)
Rhino is Pete’s bodyguard and friend. He’s sent to find J Jonah Jameson who has gone MIA.
Green Goblin (likely Norman Osborn) has teamed up with Jonah to ruin Spidey by stealing Pete’s diary and outing him as a non-mutant. Bad news for Pete is everyone thinks he’s mutant so now he’s in trouble
Week 9 books
New X-Men #16
This one revolves around a school for mutants of course like in Marvel universe. Let’s cover where everyone is here first
New Mutant Leadership Institute run by Karma with Cypher and Dr. Sean Garrison helping her
New Mutants: Dust, Jubilee, Mercury, Prodigy, Quentin Quire, The Stepford Cuckoos (Celeste, Esme, Mindee, Phoebe and Sophie), Tag, and Wallflower
SHIELD Hellions: Magik, Quill, Scion (Julian Keller), Surge, Synch, Wind Dance lead by Moonstar
Among the other SHIELD Agents present: Northstar, Aurora, Mystique, Anole (Victor Borkowski), Wolfsbane
Rockslide and Strongarm also appear in the issue as wrestlers
Human terrorist attack the institute but are stopped by SHIELD’s Hellions and the New Mutants.
The next mission for the Hellions is to stop Human Terrorist in Japan lead by Seiji Ashida
Pulse #10:
The Daily Bugle staff appear in this book. Most of them being ones from the main universe. (they also write articles in the Pulse special edition out that same week in your local comic shop)
Kat Farrell is the main reporter covered in this issue who finds Hawkeye who now has memories of how he died and he wants to kill Magneto and the House of M especially Wanda
Now Week 10
Fantastic Four: House of M # 2:
In this issue we see how the Fearsome Four came to be
Doom used magic to empower Valeria Von Doom (Invincible Woman), and his son Kristoff Von Doom (The Inhuman Torch).
The It he found at the crash of the Richards shuttle.
Those who died in the crash: Reed, Sue and John Jameson
Doom finds another dimension (could be the Negative Zone) that the laws of science and sorcery give him an advantage over Magneto
Magneto is invited to see this dimension and takes Quicksilver and Polaris with him
Iron Man: House of M # 2:
The public finds out about the Iron Man (but don’t know who it is) during his fight with the Sentinels
The Vision Project tech that Forge and Henry McCoy made is sought after by the HOM.
Johnny Storm joins Stark to go find Henry Pym.
Henry Pym is found with a bomb that kills mutants which he uses during a fight involving the Sentinels and Iron Man
Uncanny X-Men #463:
Marvel Girl and Psylocke are now in the HOM universe and have found themselves at Braddock Manor
Brian also remembers the real world unknown to him
He’s still married to Meggan and has a council of followers which include Courtney Ross and Pete Wisdom
A team known as the Maruaders:
Is hunting Nocturne and Juggernaut for some reason
That’s it for this busy week. Anyone that has anything to add about answers and the like is free to email me them. Hell more questions coming out of anything that has been in the article are welcome as well.
Might as well be open to everything. So keep the emails coming. If you don’t want to email you can post questions on our boards here.
Now care to sign off Daron old chum?
Sure”¦I’ve got nothing better to do.
Now I’ll go
1. Superherohype poll of the week: Which one of the following films would you most like to see a sequel for? (among the movies listed are Hulk, DD and Punisher).
2. Didn’t go to WW Chicago but I liked the news of Loeb and Madureira joining Marvel again. That was the best news I thought.
Either way that’s it for me. Reporting from the Marvel Universe I’m Jim Trabold. Have a great week and see you at the comic shop.
