What's the Deal with Deacon's Den?

 

Every now and then I like to shine a light on some of the more obscure MC2 characters. In that tradition, today’s post we will be taking a look at the mysterious and magical mentor of Doc Magus, the man known only as Deacon.

 

First appearing alongside the young Sorcerer Supreme, Doc Magus in A-Next #3, Deacon is the one to suggest Doc Magus aka Dormagus recruits the recently reassembled new team of Avengers to counter Doctor Strange and his Defenders team comprised of the Incredible Hulk aka Bruce Banner and Namor the Sub-Mariner. While it’s not identified in this issue, we can presume this location is Dormagus’ ‘Sanctum Sanctorum’.

 

The following month over in the pages of J2’s own title, we learn that Deacon too possesses magical ability when he aids Doc Magus by casting Zane Yama aka J2’s astral form into a strange nightmare dimension. He is relieved when the pair of heroes return unscathed, having seen their unconscious bodies spasm while they were in peril (J2 #4).

 

It’s not until J2 #12 we learn that the Doc Magus operates out of his ‘Sanctum Sanctorum’ which is really just the back room of Deacon’s Den, a comic book store owned and operated by Deacon. When J2 and Doc Magus ignore Doctor Stange’s warning and journey into a pocket dimension via the Crossroads of Infinity to rescue Cain Marko aka The Juggernaut they discover it’s a trap too late and become trapped when their gateway back to Earth is destroyed by Nemesus. Notably, the energy backlash from this is shown to surround Deacon and his eyes glow red as he senses what has happened.

 

Found and assisted by Zane’s curious school associates, Deacon reveals he instinctively raised a protective shield around the gateway. With the help of the highschooler’s they manage to create a trail for the heroes to follow home…using Dormagus’ comic book collection. The bizarre events are explained away by Cain Marko as a temporal anomaly, and we learn via Zane’s closing monologue that Deacon’s Den closed down within a week and was replaced by a dry cleaner business (J2 #12).

 

While Zane believes Deacon’s Den to have closed down, it’s possible it makes an off-panel appearance as a target of Mr. Abnormal’s crime-spree. The super stretchy criminal notably steals a complete collection of Police Comics from a comic shop, so perhaps it was Deacon’s Den? Either way, Mr. Abnormal is defeated by the combined efforts of Speedball and Spider-Girl (Spider-Girl #15).

 

Deacon’s Den is definitely open and running again by the time the events of Spider-Girl #71 take place, with a ‘New’ sign and different appearance. Deacon is seen working the counter when J2 and Spider-Girl come seeking Doc Magus, who is once again using the store’s back room as his Sanctum Sanctorum. The three heroes thwart an invasion of invisible Darklings sent by Nemesus, though Deacon, sadly, isn’t an active participant in events this time around.

 

A little while later, during the events of Last Hero Standing, we get a confirmation that Deacon’s Den is located in Manhattan when Doctor Strange unsuccessfully attempts to recruit his son Doc Magus to his Defenders team so they can find the growing number of missing heroes. Deacon tells Dormagus he shouldn’t have turned down the assistance but gives up when the young Sorcerer Supreme brushes him off too. Shortly afterwards, Doc Magus is captured by the mastermind behind the plot, the Asgardian god of mischief Loki, leaving behind nothing but a smoking crater in the ground for the intestinally distressed Deacon to discover (Last Hero Standing #2).

 

When up and coming comic creators Jimmy Yama and Reynard ‘Wes’ Westin approach Deacon in the hope he’ll stock their Spider-Girl comic in his store, he initially declines but is convinced when Jimmy promises an appearance from the super heroine (Amazing Spider-Girl #4).

 

Of course, Jimmy asks his girlfriend Heather Noble to dress up as the fictional version of Spider-Girl from the comic he and Wes developed together. The promotional event at Deacon’s Den is advertised in the newspaper which draws the attention of the villainous Hobgoblin (Amazing Spider-Girl #5).

 

Sure enough, with Heather in costume as Spider-Girl, the Hobgoblin descends on Deacon’s Den (which also stocks MC2 comics, dontcha know) and kidnaps her. The Hobgoblin uses Heather as bait to draw out the one, true Spider-Girl. While the promotion had a good turn out, Deacon picks the perfect moment to ask if Jimmy and Wes obtained Spider-Girl’s permission to use her in their comic which, of course, they did not. Spider-Girl manages to save Heather and fight off the Hobgoblin with some unexpected assistance (Amazing Spider-Girl #6).

 

This next one isn’t an appearance of either Deacon or his Den but I’ve included it for the sake of completeness. Wes is seen with a newly bought comic (complete with carry bag) heading for a bus stop before a surprise encounter with April Parker. Does Wes frequent Deacon’s Den and why does he fold his precious comics? (Spectacular Spider-Girl vol. 1 #4/Amazing Spider-Man Family #8).

 

We get our last glimpse of Deacon in a fleeting cameo many overlooked in the MC2 story published as a back-up feature in the Secret Wars: Spider-Island mini-series. Yes, that’s Deacon carrying a sign decrying this Battleworld of Doctor Doom’s as a lie. So, once again, Deacon can see things beyond those of normal men. Thanks to Ron Frenz for confirming this appearance! (Secret Wars: Spider-Island #1)

 

Deacon is something of an enigma, he appears to live a mundane existence as a lowly comic book store owner, while displaying mystic abilities and being involved with events that are far more bizarre. Perhaps we’ll learn more about him someday? Thank you to arias-98105 for help with this post!

 

Until I buy a comic book store rather than buy from them, I remain

 

frogoat

Norman Osborn in the MC2

With Spider-Man: No Way Home on everyone’s mind, I figured now is a great time to cover some of the MC2 counterparts of the villains confirmed to appear in the film. For what I believe is the last entry in this series, we are taking a look at Norman Osborn aka The Green Goblin in the MC2. This is gonna be a big one.

 

Norman Osborn first appeared in Amazing Spider-Man #14 and made his MC2 debut in the pages of Spider-Girl’s own first appearance in What If #105 via a flashback to his final battle with Spider-Man. Despite being dead, Norman’s legacy of evil looms large over much of the MC2, extending from his family, his Goblin Cult through to his posthumous machinations.

 

Let’s start with some of the stuff I’ve covered before. Alison Mongrain is hired by Norman Osborn to carry out part of his plan to kidnap the newborn child of Peter and Mary Jane. Disguised as a member of the hospital staff, Alison swapped out baby May with a recent stillborn baby, leaving Mary Jane to believe her baby had died at birth. Shortly afterwards, Alison met with Norman Osborn who paid Alison a ‘sizeable bonus’ to take an ‘expensive vacation’ through Europe with the newborn May (Spider-Girl #48, Amazing Spider-Girl #25).

 

Immediately afterwards chronologically is a flashback to the conclusion of the Clone Saga, specifically Peter Parker: Spider-Man #75 where we see Ben Reilly impaled by Norman’s Goblin Glider (Spider-Girl #44).

 

The Brotherhood of Scriers arrive to collect the infant May for Norman Osborn. Alison asks if she can accompany them as she has grown attached to the child, but the Scriers remind her not to question Mr. Osborn. The Scriers leave Mongrain with Norman’s compliments and her ‘final payment’ which turns out to be counterfeit bills and knockout gas. Kaine, being familiar with Osborn and the Scriers methods, rescued Mongrain just as the yacht exploded, hoping to learn what role she had played for Norman Osborn. Upon learning that Alison had kidnapped May and helped convince Peter and Mary Jane she was dead, Kaine leaves Mongrain floundering in the bay with no care whether she lived or died (Spider-Girl #49).

 

Meanwhile, terrible months have passed by for Peter and Mary Jane until Mary Jane receives a phone call from the man called Kaine. Having located Mongrain’s yacht, Kaine begins by telling Mary Jane ‘Your baby’s alive!’ and then goes on to provide a longer explanation, but insists that Mary Jane not tell Peter until the child is safe in her arms. Mary Jane hated keeping secrets from Peter but did not wish for Peter to endanger their baby’s life by confronting Norman Osborn (Spider-Girl #48).

 

Next up we have a flashback to the events of ‘Goblin at the Gate’ story published in Spectacular Spider-Man #259-#261, wherein Norman came into conflict with Roderick Kingsley aka The Hobgoblin. This actually provides some nice context clues regarding what parts of the late-90’s Spider-Man comics we can confirm as having occurred in the History of the MC2, but my placement of this event is by no means definitive.

 

Shortly after this, we get a glimpse of a Scrier handing over baby May to Norman Osborn. Norman cloned the baby and ‘genetically tinkered’ with both to ensure they would eventually manifest spider-powers. Later, Norman placed one of the babies (May) into the care of his good friend Philippe DeJunae. Retaining the other baby (later known as April) himself, Norman ‘added a few more enhancements’ including using cells from Venom aka Eddie Brock’s alien symbiote which transformed the other infant into a unique hybrid. Also around this time, Norman also distilled all his thoughts, dreams and desires, his entire essence into his ‘brain-enhancer’ as part of his unfinished plan to make Peter his successor (Amazing Spider-Girl #29).

 

 Kaine’s months-long mission across the globe brings him into conflict with the Brotherhood of Scriers. After defeating the group of Scriers, Kaine makes short work of their leader before taking possession of baby May from Monsieur Philippe DeJunae. Unbeknownst to Kaine, Norman had orchestrated the encounter to ensure Kaine would return May to her parents and allow him to continue his Project: Changeling experiments with the second baby, which Osborn intended to put into effect within a year or two if his scheme proceeded as planned (Amazing Spider-Girl #25).

 

Kaine returns May to Mary Jane and assures her there are tests she can perform to confirm she’s not being tricked. Kaine states he is doing this as part of the debt he owes to Ben Reilly, indicating his intention to punish the man responsible: Norman Osborn. Kaine’s revenge ultimately does not come to pass (Spider-Girl #48-#49).

 

Norman seemingly splits his time between New York and Europe throughout all this, at least initially, as evidenced by his work on Project: Changeling in the Swiss Alps and his conflict with the Hobgoblin in New York, to name a few examples. Additionally, after their baby daughter May is returned, Peter and Mary Jane make no mention of Norman and his machinations in the Mr. and Mrs. Spider-Man stories (Amazing Spider-Man #1-#4). This may indicate that Osborn had left New York by this point, giving the Parkers a time of relative peace while he put his plans into action. This in turn perhaps better explains Norman’s movements: He was in New York until he had arranged for Kaine to retrieve May and moved to Europe while focused on Project: Changeling.

It’s unclear exactly how much time passes but at some point, Osborn returns to New York and recruits Mattie Franklin, Greg Herd, Cassandra Webb (aka Madame Web) and Morris Maxwell as willingly participants in the Gathering of Five ritual. As Spider-Man, Peter interrupts Norman Osborn’s Gathering of Five ritual and the pair have their final battle in which Peter loses his leg and Norman loses his life when the latter detonates a webbed pumpkin bomb in his hand. Deciding he has more important responsibilities as a father, Peter retires as Spider-Man (What If #105, Spider-Girl #7, Spider-Girl #49).

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While this would usually be the end for anyone else, Norman’s brain-waves survived within his ‘brain-enhancer’ device until Rene DeSantos dispatched Fury, the Goblin Queen to capture Peter Parker. Norman Osborn’s brain-waves were transferred into Peter’s body and the original Green Goblin was reborn once more. Norman revealed his ultimate goal when he used the hybrid symbiote-clone of May to combine with himself, becoming the ‘Goblin God’. Unfortunately for him, Spider-Girl also joined in this merging and in a combined effort, managed to defeat and drive Osborn from Peter’s body, seemingly ending his legacy for good (Amazing Spider-Girl #27-#30).

 

While this post only details the direct appearances of Norman Osborn in the MC2, there is still much left to discuss regarding his influence upon others. But that can wait for another day and another post. For now, let us leave Norman to his fate. If you feel I’ve forgotten anything or perhaps disagree with my placement of events, please reach out and let me know!

Until I find time to get to the cinema to see the Green Goblin’s theatrical return, I remain

frogoat