Taskmaster in the MC2

 

With the latest Marvel Cinematic Universe movie finally being released, I thought I’d throw together a lazy tangential tie-in post. So, here’s a brief look at the Black Widow film’s mysterious antagonist as they appear (or don’t appear?) in my favourite Marvel Universe: Taskmaster in the MC2.

 

The mercenary with the photographic reflexes known as the Taskmaster has been around since 1980’s Avenger’s #195 and #196 but until relatively recently we knew very little about the character’s past, including his real name. As such it doesn’t relate to the MC2 and so I won’t be covering any of it here! I took a brief look at Taskmaster’s appearances to try and pin down the most likely point at which the Main Marvel Universe Taskmaster’s published history diverged from the MC2 published history.  The best fit I found was 1998’s Hawkeye: Earth’s Mightiest Marksman written by none other than MC2 co-creator Tom Defalco himself. If you disagree, feel free to let me know!

Now, as for the Taskmaster as he appears in the MC2, well, he doesn’t. Not really. But we do know what happened to him. You’d be forgiven for missing this reference in the pages of The Buzz #2: according to Otto Octavius aka Doctor Octopus ‘There’s been a noticeable decrease in quality henchmen ever since the Taskmaster retired.’ This is obviously a direct reference to the fact that Taskmaster is known for training the henchmen of various super villains.

 

Getting closer to an actual physical appearance, a statue of the Taskmaster can be glimpsed at the Avengers Compound as part of an exhibit showing the various threats defeated by Earth’s Mightiest Heroes, the Avengers (American Dream #1).

 

Beyond his retirement, we know nothing about Taskmaster in the MC2. He’s alive and presumably at liberty if he’s retired from his former occupation. Anyway, just a quick post this time to hopefully impart some new information for those interested in the MC2.

 

Until I master every superhero’s move sets at the cost of my own past, I remain

 

frogoat

 

 

 

Lady Octopus in the MC2

With her recent reappearance in Nick Spencer's Amazing Spider-Man run (and since I absolutely missed a similar opportunity last year with the release of Into the Spider-Verse) I figured it would be a good time to take a look at Carolyn Trainer aka Lady Octopus in the MC2.

Carolyn Trainer made her first full appearance in Amazing Spider-Man #406 ( with only her tentacles seen the previous issue) wherein she took on the mantle of Doctor Octopus following the murder of Otto Octavius by Kaine. Carolyn was later instrumental in resurrecting her predecessor and assumed the role of student under Otto's tutelage.

However, due to several big changes behind the scenes on the Spider-Man books in the late 90's, Carolyn simply stopped appearing and wasn't seen for several years. When she did return in the 2000's in small roles throughout various titles, she was dubbed 'Lady Octopus', presumably to differentiate her from the original Doc Ock. While the events of these later stories are almost certainly not canon to the history of the MC2, the moniker 'Lady Octopus' does play a curious part in events.

With that out of the way, the MC2's Carolyn Trainer first appears in Spider-Girl #68, working with Dr Sonja Jade, a former ally of Otto Octavius. With a reference to her predecessor earlier in the issue, the major involvement of Dr Jade and the final page of the story leaving Carolyn shrouded in shadows, it's left unclear which Doc Ock we are seeing. However, the letters page for the issue proclaims 'Doctor Octopus is back!'

The mystery is teased a bit further throughout Spider-Girl #69 as John Jameson is kidnapped by Jade's goons with assistance from a set of mechanical tentacles. It's no until later in the issue Carolyn Trainer makes her big entrance declaring herself 'the new Doctor Octopus'. It's here we learn that Otto Octavius has recently died. Dr Jade and Trainer abducted Jameson and his wife's scientific equipment, planning to turn people into 'monsters for mobsters'. Unfortunately for The Buzz, they first tested this on his father John Jameson, turning him into the Man-Wolf once more.

When her control module for the Man-Wolf is destroyed and she is nearly shot dead, Carolyn abandons the plan, splitting from Dr Jade and leaving the equipment and Jade's men to be captured. After Dr Jade is apprehended by Spider-Girl, Doctor Octopus quickly defeats her but spares her life as repayment for the heroine having saved her from a bullet earlier.

Next, Carolyn becomes embroiled in the ongoing gang war between the Black Tarantula and recently incarcerated current Kingpin of crime, Canis. Offering up her protection and technology to chop shop owner and mobster 'Handsome' Richie Valentine in exchange for a weekly stipend, Trainer encounters Spider-Girl when the latter is given intel by the Black Tarantula's assistant Chesbro that Trainer is working with Valentine's boss, Canis (Spider-Girl #72).

However, when Spider-Girl is knocked into Valentine's workshop and is forced to fight off his goons, Valentine surrenders, believing Spider-Girl is working with 'Lady Octopus'. Afterwards, Carolyn thanks Spider-Girl for 'attending' to Valentine for her. Spider-Girl, feeling used, attacks Lady Ock only to be soundly beaten and on the verge of being killed when Ock suddenly leaves. Spider-Girl then receives a phone call from Chesbro offering the Black Tarantula's assistance (Spider-Girl #72).

When next we see our fair Lady Octopus, she frees Canis from police custody during a transfer and seemingly forms an alliance. With Chesbro informing Spider-Girl of this alliance and offering the Black Tarantula's assistance again, Spider-Girl soon confronts the pair of criminals in the sewers only to find herself buried beneath tons of rubble by Ock covering her escape (Spider-Girl #74).

With Canis losing control of his criminal empire, Lady Ock reminds him that he must still compensate her for efforts in breaking him from prison. Offering to eliminate Spider-Girl if he identifies his various criminal connections. Unwilling to do so, Canis attempts to organize a meeting of his men to bring them into line but this too falls apart thanks to the intervention of Spider-Girl. Left with no other options, Canis agrees to Lady Octopus' terms (Spider-Girl #75-76).

Carolyn meets with and convinces the leaders of the various crime families to attend a special meeting, promising her client can provide protection, worldwide distribution and strength. Later, Canis arrives at his meeting to discover that it is not his lieutenants in attendance just as Lady Octopus leaves, having sealed him in. Encountering Spider-Girl, Ock informs her of Canis' predicament and reveals her betrayal, allowing her to escape as the hero attempts to save the fallen crime lord (Spider-Girl #77).

Elsewhere, the Black Tarantula concludes his meeting with the former lieutenants of Canis. We learn that Carolyn has been secretly working to undermine Canis for the Black Tarantula the whole time, just as the Black Tarantula has been manipulating Spider-Girl to target his rival's organisation. The co-conspirators are interrupted by an angry and hurt Spider-Girl who has organised others to aid Canis so that she can follow Lady Ock (Spider-Girl #77).

Confronting Lady Ock and the Black Tarantula, Spider-Girl is soon joined by Agent Weadon's team, led by Kaine. Outnumbered, Carolyn attempts to flee with Raptor and Spider-Girl in close pursuit. No longer restrained by the Black Tarantula's orders not to kill her, Lady Octopus throws a large boat at Spider-Girl, nearly killing Raptor in the process. However this time Spider-Girl blindfolds herself and trusts solely in her instincts to guide her through Lady Ock's tentacles to rip off her harness and disarm the villain. Soon after, the Black Tarantula (briefly) turns himself over to the authorities (Spider-Girl #78).

Unfortunately, that's the last time we see Carolyn Trainer in the MC2. I think it's very notable that in the lead up to her MC2-debut and in her early appearances ol' Carolyn was originally billed as 'Doctor Octopus' -her rightful title especially following her mentors death-  but this was later dropped as the series drew closer to Spider-Girl #75. For those who do not know, the Spider-Girl series was slated for yet another cancelation attempt around this time, possibly resulting in the character being renamed 'Spider-Woman' to accommodate the new character Anya Corazon aka Araña who was to be given the moniker and series title 'Spider-Girl'. Perhaps these events are unrelated, and Carolyn was simply renamed 'Lady Octopus' to keep in line with her Main Marvel Universe counterpart and avoid confusion....but I can't help drawing connections.

Given how I recently talked about LGBT+ representation in the MC2, I think I might be called out if I didn't at least mention that at least some fans believe Dr Jade and Carolyn were in a romantic relationship. I'm guessing this opinion may have arisen at least partially due to Carolyn's proclivity to refer to Sonja Jade as 'my sweet' and 'my darling' and even 'my dear'. While I don't want to dismiss these claims, I do have to point out that Carolyn also referred to others in a similar fashion on various occasions, including both Spider-Girl and Canis. That said, Carolyn was quite thankful when Jade was apprehended; remarking she had become 'tiresome of late', referred to The Buzz as 'definitely not my type' and insisted on clarifying her relationship with the original Doctor Octopus was that of 'colleagues' when Spider-Girl suggested otherwise. So...draw your own conclusions, fans!

Until I find more time to research, write and post these silly little blogs, I remain

frogoat

The Robertson Family Tree

After a bit of break, the Family Tree's are back! A personal favourite fictional family: The Robertson's! Since the introduction of Joseph 'Robbie' Robertson way back when, the Robertson's have been a consistent and stable feature of the Spidey titles.

Despite the insistence of several reputable sources which tell me Joe Robertson first appeared in Amazing Spider-Man #51, I'm not entirely convinced. But I can definitely agree that Robbie appears in the very next issue Amazing Spider-Man #52, as he's identified by name. While we learn a lot of Robbie's past through flashbacks in Spectacular Spider-Man #139, including his unfortunate relationship with Tombstone, we never do learn how he met his dear wife. Martha Eleanor Robertson makes her first appearance in Amazing Spider-Man #71, though she does make a small appearance in a photo beforehand in Amazing Spider-Man #68. Martha and Joe are the proud parents of Randolph 'Randy' Robertson, who first appeared in Amazing Spider-Man #67.  

While I can't find a primary source for their names, Joe's parents are identified as Alice and Samuel Robertson in The Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe A to Z Vol. 9, both deceased at some point prior to meeting Martha, as Robbie recounts in Amazing Spider-Man #196. It is also in ASM #196 where we learn Robbie and Martha's first child Patrick Henry Robertson tragically died at only six months old. The enormity of this event stills affects them to this day.

After moving away to Pittsburg, Robbie met and married a Jewish woman named Amanda 'Mandy' Batavides, as we learn in Peter Parker, the Spectacular Spider-Man #112. While I can't find a reference for Amanda Robertson's surname pre-marriage in primary sources, it is given in the OHOTMU Vol. 9. Randy neglected to tell his parents of his hasty marriage, leading to some initial misgivings from Robbie. 

And now comes the part of the post where I discuss divergent timelines and bore you all to death. Or I could just show you this scene from the post-reboot Peter Parker: Spider-Man (vol. 2) #17: 

As this occurs in a comic outside of the MC2's established timeline, we can assume Randy and Amanda are either still happily married or worked through there problems and reconciled. Now, why did I bring this plot point up? 

Because in The Buzz #1 we meet Richie Robertson, son of Randy and grandson of Joe Robertson. I reached out to Richie's co-creator, consummate professional and all-round-good-guy Mr Ron Frenz for some behind the scenes information and he confirmed that 'Richie' is short for Richard. Additionally, Ron also revealed that he and Tom Defalco didn't have anyone in particular in mind for Richie's mother. They've kindly given me permission to indulge myself by putting Amanda in this role. Thank you, gentlemen! 

Sadly when we catch up with Richie, we learn that the Robertson's suffered a terrible loss not long after Spider-Man finally hung up his webs. Joe Robertson was murdered by Doctor Octopus during an attack on Bugle. We also learn that Richie's father, Randy works for the New York City Council, while Richie put his considerable intellect to use working on Project: Human Fly along side Dr Marla Jameson and the treacherous Dr Sonja Jade. The project was the brainchild of J Jonah Jameson following Joe's murder, largely to ensure there was a hero who could be controlled and accountable for their actions.

Richie goes on to become The Buzz's closest ally in his fight for justice, despite their sometimes prickly relationship. When confronted with the man who killed his grandfather, Richie insists JJ aka The Buzz brings him in to face justice, but when given the choice between proving Dr Jade's involvement and saving Doc Ock, he was more than happy for The Buzz to leave Ock to die. 

Richie is honestly one of the most interesting supporting characters in the MC2 and I would love to have seen more of him and the Robertson's. The impact the family has on the mythos can't be understated. 

Special thanks to Mr Ron Frenz, Josh Bertone and Alex Evangeli for their help with this one.

Until I start working on theses family tree's more regularly again, I remain

frogoat