The Enforcers | |
---|---|
Publication information | |
Publisher | Marvel Comics |
First appearance | The Amazing Spider-Man #10 (March 1964) |
Created by | Stan Lee Steve Ditko |
In-story information | |
Base(s) | New York City |
Member(s) | Fancy Dan The Ox Montana Big Man Hammer Harrison Snake Marston |
The Enforcers is a fictional team of villains in the Marvel Comics universe. Created by writer-editor Stan Lee and artist and co-plotter Steve Ditko in The Amazing Spider-Man #10 (March 1964), the group originally consisted of:
- Big Man, the leader, secretly Frederick Foswell, a Daily Bugle journalist
- Fancy Dan, a diminutive martial artist. Daniel Brito was born in Brooklyn, New York. He has great proficiency with judo, karate, and fancy footwork.
- The Ox, Raymond Bloch, a brute strongman
- Montana, an expert lasso-wielder
Publication history
The Enforcers appear often in the early issues of The Amazing Spider-Man, debuting in #10, and returning in #14 and #18-19, in the latter two issues teaming with the supervillain the Sandman. The team would go on to appear in Daredevil vol. 1, #86 and #356-357, and Dazzler #7-8, and fight Spider-Man again in Marvel Team-Up #39-40 and #138, The Spectacular Spider-Man #19-20, Spider-Man (1990s series) #94-95, Spider-Man vol. 2, #28, and elsewhere.
Fictional team biography
Following its formation under leader The Big Man (Frederick Foswell), the team of The Enforcers clash repeatedly with the superhero Spider-Man and occasionally the Human Torch and Daredevil. Foswell is eventually unmasked and killed. After the Ox's, later, appears to be killed[1], Montana and Fancy Dan team with a new Big Man, as well as with the Sandman and a new Crime Master, Nick Lewis, Jr. son of the original.[2] During a battle in which the team is defeated by Spider-Man and the Human Torch, Crime Master shoots the new Big Man, learning belatedly that this "Big Man" was, in fact, a woman — Janice Foswell, daughter of the original, and Lewis Jr.'s romantic interest.
A new Ox, Raymond Bloch's twin brother, Ronald Bloch, joins the team,[3] which later battles the superhero Dazzler. The Enforcers return with new members Snake Marston, a master contortionist and Hammer Harrison, a boxer who used two steel gloves. This lineup appears only twice.[4]
The original Ox (Raymond Bloch) returns, revived by the criminal mastermind the Kingpin.[5] It is unclear whether it is Raymond or Ronald Bloch who appears with Montana and Fancy Dan in subsequent battles with Spider-Man and She-Hulk.[6]
During the events known as the superhero Civil War, either Raymond or Roland Bloch and Snake Marston are recruited into the Thunderbolts, a team of reformed villains.[7]
Later, they came back together to work for Mister Fear. This pitted them directly against Daredevil.
Ultimate Enforcers
In the alternate universe Ultimate Marvel continuity, the Enforcers were reimagined as hitmen for the Kingpin, and pitted against Spider-Man. Following changes took place:
- "Mr. Big", was not associated with the Daily Bugle - but videotapes of his untimely murder by the Kingpin were sent to Ben Urich and used for a Daily Bugle Exclusive
- "Fancy Dan", was reimagined as a young gunslinger and was called Dan Rubinstein
- "The Ox", was reimagined as an African-American called Bruno Sanchez
- "Montana" had the civil name Montana Bale and used a whip instead of a lasso (although he often used it to strangle Spidey and like a lasso). He bore a striking similarity to Indiana Jones, creating an obvious reference via their state-related names.
- Electro was an original Enforcer in Ultimate Spider-Man. But he retires after his defeat with the rest of the team.
After losing twice to Spider-Man, the Enforcers supposedly disbanded. Much later, they came back together to work for Hammerhead. This pitted them directly against their former employer.
In other media
In the 1967 Spider-Man cartoon, Ox and Montana (known as Cowboy) were employed by the Plotter.