Jack O'Lantern is an alias used by several supervillains appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics.
Jason Macendale first appeared as Jack O'Lantern in Machine Man #19 (February 1981).[1]
The Steve Levins incarnation of Jack O'Lantern first appeared in Captain America #396 (January 1992).
The Daniel Berkhart incarnation of Jack O'Lantern (a.k.a. Mad Jack) first appeared in The Spectacular Spider-Man #241 (December 1996).
The Maguire Beck incarnation of Jack O'Lantern (a.k.a. Mad Jack) first appeared in Spider-Man and Mysterio #1 (January 2001).
The Secret War incarnation of Jack O'Lantern first appeared in Secret War #1 (April 2004).
The Levins brother incarnation of Jack O'Lantern first appeared in Dark Reign: Made Men #1 (November 2009).
The Crime-Master's protégé incarnation of Jack O'Lantern first appeared in Venom #1 (May 2011).
The Jack O'Lantern imposter who encountered Venom first appeared in Venom #37 (September 2013).
The Owen Ward incarnation of Jack O'Lantern first appeared in Venom #1 (#166) (July 2018).
The Daniel Drumm incarnation of Jack O'Lantern, set on Earth-98091, first appeared in Supernaturals #1 (December 1998).
Jason Macendale was a mercenary who was recruited out of college and trained by the CIA and various para-military organizations. Considered a liability due to his violent nature and amoral personality, this rejection turned Macendale to a career mercenary and ultimately a costumed terrorist. He adopted the Jack O'Lantern alter ego, engaging in combat with Machine Man as his first opponent[3] followed by Spider-Man for the first time.[4][5][6]
Macendale was later hired to retrieve the Hobgoblin's lost battle van, pulling off the mission successfully despite Spider-Man's untimely appearance.[7] When Flash Thompson insulted the Hobgoblin on national television which had incurred the Hobgoblin's wrath to frame Thompson so that criminal enemies might target Flash instead,[8] Macendale subsequently broke Thompson out of jail, thinking he was doing the Hobgoblin a favor. But Macendale ruined the Hobgoblin's plans to operate "under the radar" while Thompson was in custody.[9] When the Kingpin temporarily abdicated being the organized crime's head on the eastern seaboard and a resulting gang war tore New York City apart, Macendale wished to increase his underworld status and formed an alliance with the Hobgoblin.[10][11] The Hobgoblin ultimately double-crossed Macendale when the two were fleeing a horde of police officers.[12] Macendale vowed revenge, ultimately hiring the Foreigner to have the Hobgoblin killed. After his co-conspirator's supposed death, all known copies of Goblin weapons and costumes were handed over to Macendale who took over the Hobgoblin identity to steal notoriety within the supervillain community.[13] However, Macendale was exposed by the Kingpin's organization and fought a battle against Spider-Man which was meant to prove his abilities but was foiled. To add to the embarrassment, Spider-Man was obviously drunk when they fought and still won.[14]
Deciding he needed abilities like the original Green Goblin and Hobgoblin if he was to have a similar reputation, Macendale attempted to steal the Goblin secret formula for superhuman strength. After failing to do so, he intimated Harry Osborn by threatening Osborn's loved ones for wanting the Goblin formula,[15] resulting in a confrontation between himself and the second Green Goblin where Macendale was overcame.[16] During a demonic invasion of Manhattan, Macendale felt dejected and humiliated. Offering to sell his soul in exchange for a demon's power, the demon N'astirh fused a demon to Macendale.[17] Enhanced by the demon's power but horrified as his handsome face transformed into a demonic one, Macendale blamed his suffering on Spider-Man and Osborn. He hunted Spider-Man down for revenge. With his demonic powers, Macendale defeated Spider-Man easily but Mary Jane Watson intervened before he could deliver the killing blow.[4][18]
Having finally been made into the notorious supervillain he hoped to be at the cost of his humanity, Macendale put his personal enmity for Spider-Man aside and used his demonic powers to be a top contract killer. He offered his mercenary services to Hammerhead and Tombstone to eliminate Robbie Robertson but is stopped by Spider-Man and Puma.[19] Macendale next conspired with Carrion to eliminate Spider-Man before his co-conspirator ultimately nearly took both villains out instead.[20] Macendale goes after Doctor Strange but an illusion spell is cast to try to calm the monstrous man/demon and Macendale sees his true face in reflections of himself.[21] Macendale was later stiff-armed by Doctor Octopus into joining the Sinister Six's second incarnation which twice tried to take over the world, failing due to counter measures by Spider-Man, Hulk, Ghost Rider, the Fantastic Four and many more heroes.[22][23]
As an independent mercenary and criminal, Macendale would clash with many other heroes, including Darkhawk,[24] and Sleepwalker.[25] However, the insane demon who shared his body acts dominate but gets destabilized long enough for Macendale to briefly regain his sanity during conflicts with Spider-Man and other heroes; once involving Moon Knight,[26] and twice involving the two Ghost Riders (Danny Ketch and Johnny Blaze).[27][28] Macendale ultimately expelled the demon referred to as the Demogoblin out of his body. Despite Richard Fisk want vengeance for Ned Leeds, he has a reluctant partnership with Fisk but later tried to eliminate the Blood Rose and the new Kingpin but is foiled by Spider-Man.[29] In a rare event, Macendale teamed up with Spider-Man to defeat the duo of Demogoblin and Doppelganger.[30] Macendale was hired by the Foreigner to assassinate Moon Knight and Nick Katzenberg only to be stopped by Moon Knight and Spider-Man, and turned over to the authorities.[31] Macendale obtained Kraven the Hunter's strength formula, which enabled him to easily defeat his demonic doppelganger Demogoblin who then died saving a young child in battle.[32]
Macendale was defeated once more by Spider-Man along with Coldheart during an attempt to kidnap Macendale's long-lost son. However, Macendale's reunion would be an unhappy one as Macendale attempted (unsuccessfully) to use his son as a hostage to avoid going back to jail. He would remain in jail for some time before being freed by Gaunt, combating against the second Spider-Man. In exchange for doing Gaunt's bidding, the scientist turned Macendale into a cyborg such as the removal of Macendale's left eye with a new high-tech cybernetic eye. He failed and was once again arrested.[33]
Considered "just a criminal" by Spider-Man, Macendale was viewed as a typical (sociopathic) thug who is not much of a threat as his predecessor and Norman Osborn in comparison.[34]
Macendale went on trial for his many crimes and found guilty on several counts (including convictions for the original Hobgoblin's acts), disgustingly responding by revealing that Leeds was his predecessor. His continued testimony leads Spider-Man recounting encounters with the original Hobgoblin, and thus realized that Ned cannot possibly be the supervillain due to lack of powers (despite being killed when Macendale paid the Foreigner).[35] Despite Macendale being in prison, Roderick Kingsley broke into prison, taunting him as an unworthy successor and murdered Macendale.[36]
A later version of Jack O'Lantern is captured by S.H.I.E.L.D.; this individual used several false aliases including Jason Macendale, Maguire Beck (Mysterio's cousin), and Mad Jack (Daniel Berkhart). Jack O'Lantern's true identity was never revealed but it was not any of the aliases he was using.[37]
The second version of Jack O'Lantern was introduced as an enemy of Captain America and Spider-Man.
This version of the character was subjected to much controversy, due to the fact that several years after his introduction he was rebranded "Mad Jack" and was heavily featured in the pages of The Spectacular Spider-Man during the late 1990s. Mad Jack was ultimately revealed to be the duo of Daniel Berkhart (ex-Mysterio) and Maguire Beck (Mysterio's cousin). It was not until the one-shot New Avengers Most Wanted (a character compendium) that the second iteration was confirmed as a separate entity: Steven Mark Levins. However, the character's name would not be used in-story until Ghost Rider vol. 5 #10 (2007).
This incarnation was a professional criminal, and a partner of Blackwing. Alongside Blackwing, he searched Skullhouse and first battled Captain America.[38] With Blackwing, he was then admitted as a provisional member of the loosely knit band of the Red Skull's operatives called the Skeleton Crew.[39]
Soon after that, Jack O'Lantern fought Crossbones and Diamondback, and captured Diamondback.[40] Diamondback tried to escape, and Jack O'Lantern fought Diamondback in mid-air.[41] He was ultimately defeated in combat by the Falcon, and taken to the Vault.[42]
He also worked as an enforcer of the Golem and in this capacity, fought the Hood when he interfered in Golem's machinations.
Jack O'Lantern later fought Union Jack alongside Shockwave and Jackhammer to attack the Thames Tunnel.[43]
Following his defeat, Levins was recruited to serve as part of the Thunderbolts hero-hunting squad during the "Civil War" storyline. While pursuing Spider-Man through the Manhattan sewers alongside the Jester, Levins was killed when the Punisher shot Levins in the head, killing him instantly.[44] However, Levins is later reanimated and possessed by a fragment of Lucifer's soul. He now exhibits the ability to detach, levitate and explode his head (now replaced with a real life pumpkin) among other powers. However, the Ghost Rider was able to exorcise him by ripping his heart from his chest, setting it aflame and putting it back in his chest, causing it to explode inside.[4][45]
During the "Dark Reign" storyline, Levins was among the dead characters seen in Erebus by Hercules. He was later seen on Pluto's jury (alongside Abomination, Armless Tiger Man, Artume, Heinrich Zemo, Commander Kraken, Iron Monger, Kyknos, Nessus, Orka, Scourge of the Underworld, and Veranke) for Zeus' trial.[46]
During the "Dead No More: The Clone Conspiracy" storyline, Levins's Jack O'Lantern form was among the characters that were cloned by the Jackal. He got involved in a fight with the other cloned villains, causing the Prowler's clone to break it up.[47]
Jack O'Lantern later battled Deadpool after stealing 20 million dollars from the Queen Kathleen gambling ship owned by Tombstone.[48]
Jack O'Lantern later led a similar gang called the Jack O'Lanterns.[49] When four of the Jack O'Lanterns turned out to be sleeper agents working for Finisher and Chameleon, Levins helped to contain the rampage by fighting the Jack O'Lanterns.[50]
During the "Sinister War" storyline, Jack O'Lantern was with Foreigner, Taskmaster, Black Ant, Chance, and Slyde when they are sent by Kindred to attack Spider-Man after Kindred had disrupted their armored car robbery.[51]
Former Mysterio, Daniel Berkhart, was approached by Norman Osborn providing a version of the Jack O'Lantern costume, under the "Mad Jack" alias. Under Osborn's orders, Berkhart kidnapped John Jameson and exposed to mind-altering chemicals to be turned into a mind controlled pawn: the super-powered wolf alter-ego persona Man-Wolf. Jameson was then sent to attack J. Jonah Jameson, to terrorize and cow into being subservient towards Osborn's scheme to buy the Daily Bugle. During this time, he also stalked Jameson's wife, Marla, implying that the two had a past relationship that Berkhart sought to rekindle.[4][52]
In the miniseries Spider-Man/Black Cat: The Evil That Men Do, Francis Klum purchased Mysterio's weapons and gimmick to become yet another new Mysterio. The seller, Kingpin, said he had acquired the arsenal "from Jack-O-Lantern".[53]
After Berkhart's working relationship with Osborn ended when the Green Goblin participated in a magical ritual that rendered him completely insane, Berkhart was then approached by Maguire Beck, the female cousin of Quentin Beck (the original Mysterio). Maguire convinced Berkhart to re-assume the Mysterio identity following her cousin's suicide and the "Mad Jack" costumed identity was retired. But when the two sought to eliminate Spider-Man, Daredevil, J. Jonah Jameson and several other mutual enemies, the two revived the "Mad Jack" persona, with Maguire using holograms and lifelike robotic versions of Mad Jack and Berkhart himself to serve as proxies for herself while she laid in secret. In the end, Maguire was caught and exposed though due to her usage of Berkhart androids but Daredevil and Spider-Man were left unsure as to whether or not Berkhart was truly involved. However Berkhart did ultimately escape with a Mysterio costume, in the confusion at the end.[54]
Another version of Jack O'Lantern is introduced during the "Dark Reign" storyline, is an unnamed man who claimed to be Steve Levins' brother. He has since been caught by the police after killing the 15-year-old daughter of his neighbor and drinking his victim's blood as part of his plot to avenge Steve. This man was shown to be able to transform into a Jack O'Lantern-headed villain using the powers of a mystical demon.[4] He was later released by a lawyer sent by Norman Osborn who claimed that Jack O'Lantern is a material witness to a national security case. The lawyer drives away with Jack O'Lantern as Norman plans to gain his services.[55]
During the "Heroic Age", Steve Rogers knew about Jack O'Lantern, noting that Osborn didn't use Jack O'Lantern and suspects that Jack O'Lantern will continue his crusade to avenge his brother.[56]