MacDonald "Mac" Gargan is a supervillain appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. Created by writer Stan Lee and artist Steve Ditko,[2] the character first appeared in The Amazing Spider-Man #19 (December 1964).[3] Mac Gargan is a recurring antagonist of the superhero Peter Parker / Spider-Man.[4] He debuted as a private investigator hired by J. Jonah Jameson to learn how Peter Parker took pictures of Spider-Man.[5] In the following issue, Jameson decided to turn Gargan into a deadly adversary for Spider-Man through a barely-tested procedure, which left Gargan with an irremovable scorpion-themed armor and the predatory instincts of the arachnid. Driven insane by his mutation, Gargan instead turned to a life of crime as the Scorpion, and went on to menace both Spider-Man and Jameson, whom he held responsible for his transformation. Since then, having finally removed the armor, Gargan has also served as the third host of the Venom symbiote,[6] and a member of the Dark Avengers as Spider-Man,[7] but eventually returned to his Scorpion alias as it kept him alive due to the strain both the neural-armors and symbiote put on his body.
Since his original introduction during the Silver Age of Comic Books, the character has been featured in various other Marvel-licensed products, including feature films, television series, video games, and merchandise. The character made his live-action debut in the Marvel Cinematic Universe film Spider-Man: Homecoming (2017), portrayed by Michael Mando.
Mac Gargan debuted in The Amazing Spider-Man #19 (December 1964), created by writer Stan Lee and artist Steve Ditko.[8] He later appeared under the codename of Scorpion in The Amazing Spider-Man #20 (January 1965).[9] He appeared as an antagonist in the 1977 Ms. Marvel series.[10]
Mac Gargan appeared as the third Venom in Marvel Knights: Spider-Man #10 (January 12, 2005).[11][12] He later appeared as the third Spider-Man in Dark Avengers #1 (January 21, 2009).[13] He appeared as a regular character in the series from issue #1 through issue #16 (May 12, 2010). He appeared in the 2009 Dark Reign: Sinister Spider-Man series, his first solo comic book series, by writer Brian Reed and artist Chris Bachalo.[14] According to Diamond Comic Distributors, Dark Reign: Sinister Spider-Man #1 was the 45th best selling comic book in June 2009.[15][16] Dark Reign: Sinister Spider-Man #2 was the 68th best selling comic book in July 2009.[17][18]
Mac Gargan reappeared under the codename Scorpion in the "Big Time" story arc from the 2010 The Amazing Spider-Man series.[19][20] He appeared in the 2019 Absolute Carnage series.[21][22]
Mac Gargan appeared in the 2020 Ravencroft series.[23] He appeared in the 2022 Miles Morales: Spider-Man series.[24][25]
Mac Gargan was a private investigator initially hired by J. Jonah Jameson to find out how Peter Parker is able to obtain incredible pictures of Spider-Man.[26] Gargan's efforts set off Peter's spider-sense and the teen easily evades the detective. Jameson then decides to hire Gargan as the subject of a barely-tested process that would endow him with the useful characteristics of a particular animal with the help of Dr. Farley Stillwell.[27] Dr. Stillwell also outfits him with a club-like mechanical tail. In this case, a scorpion is the base for the purposes of creating a powerful agent capable of defeating Spider-Man as the scorpion is a natural predator of the spider. The Scorpion proves to be more than a match for Spider-Man, defeating him twice, but the mutagenic treatment seriously affects Gargan's mind, driving him insane as the predatory instincts of the scorpion take over. He promptly turns on his benefactor but Spider-Man intervenes, and finally defeats the Scorpion in their third battle.[28][29] The Scorpion becomes a professional criminal and returns to indulge in a vendetta against Spider-Man and Jameson, only to be defeated again.[30]
He is later hired by a spy ring to follow S.H.I.E.L.D. agent Sharon Carter, but is defeated by Captain America.[31] Scorpion is acquired by Mr. Kline, who creates an android duplicate of him.[32] The real Scorpion and Mr. Hyde launch a campaign of terror against S.H.I.E.L.D. agents, but are defeated by Captain America and the Falcon.[33] After being released from prison for good behavior, the Scorpion hunts down Spider-Man and tries drowning him in a cement vat, hoping to use the boost to his reputation to become an underworld boss. Scorpion learns that Spider-Man survived the encounter, and the Jackal gives him the hero's location. The Scorpion arrives at a hospital room with Peter Parker and his Aunt May. Not recognizing Spider-Man in his civilian identity, he threatens May and demands to know where Spider-Man is. After she faints, Scorpion rampages through the hospital. A furious Spider-Man beats the Scorpion and makes him apologize to May.[34]
The Scorpion fights Ms. Marvel after a botched revenge attempt against Jameson; the Scorpion becomes more psychotic than usual after this, resulting in his being dumped in acid.[35] In the sewers, his sanity deteriorating, Scorpion comes to believe that his costume cannot be taken off. After a quick encounter, Spider-Man proves that his belief of being a monster is only in his mind.[36] Gargan forms an extortion racket to sabotage the Daily Bugle, but is thwarted by Spider-Man and Captain America.[37] He is freed from prison by agents of Egghead, who wants him to join the third Masters of Evil alongside Whirlwind and Moonstone. The team fight the Avengers but are defeated.[38] Scorpion kidnaps Jameson's bride Marla Madison on their wedding day but she is rescued by Spider-Man.[39] Jonah publicly confesses to his role in creating the Scorpion when the Hobgoblin tries to use that secret to blackmail him.[40] Despite his encounters with other foes, Scorpion has always had a special hatred for Spider-Man and Jameson, which extends to when he attempts to become a mercenary for Justin Hammer, who has the Scorpion's battlesuit modified. He ruins his prospects on his first mission, to capture a war hero, when he cannot resist creating a hostage situation simply to bring Jameson to him for revenge. In reaction, while Spider-Man in cooperation with the police are dealing with Gargan, Hammer sends Blacklash and Rhino to subdue Gargan and confiscate the tail enhancement equipment for abrogating his contract.[41]
During the "Acts of Vengeance," he tries to enter Canada to avoid the Super Power Registration Act. The Tinkerer meets him at the airport and provides him with a modified scorpion tail for his costume. He, Asp, Nekra, and Owl (who are under the control of Llan the Sorcerer) are repelled by Alpha Flight and Gamma Flight.[42] He is then hired by the Chameleon to kill a depowered Spider-Man. He is defeated by the Black Cat.[43] The Scorpion's constant defeats at the hands of Spider-Man drive him to depression. He wanders the sewers, his mind becoming clearer than it had been since his transformation, and decides to quit being the Scorpion. He encounters a depressed and crisis-ridden Spider-Man. Ignoring Gargan's plea that he is a changed man, Spider-Man beats him savagely.[44] In his next appearance, Gargan is back to being psychopathic. He battles and is defeated by Spider-Man's clone Ben Reilly.[45]
Scorpion temporarily works for Roxxon and helps them in their phony "rehabilitation therapy". Roxxon updates the Scorpion's powers and costume and promises he will get back at his enemies. Spider-Man convinces Scorpion that he is only being used. Scorpion then turns on Roxxon and is then defeated by Spider-Man.[46] Gargan reappears in the aftermath of the Secret War that was organized by Nick Fury against Latveria. He is among the supervillains who were supplied with enhanced technology by Latverian dictator Lucia von Bardas and sent to attack the heroes involved in Fury's Secret War. The villains' technologies are hijacked by von Bardas, supplying her with power, potentially at the cost of the villains' lives, but the assembled heroes defeat von Bardas and apprehend Scorpion and the others.[47]
Later on, through circumstances yet to be revealed, Norman Osborn reveals Spider-Man's true identity to Gargan and gives him orders to kidnap Peter's Aunt May should Osborn ever be captured and imprisoned.[48] When Spider-Man defeats Osborn, he is imprisoned and Gargan carries out Osborn's orders in kidnapping Aunt May. Gargan eventually summons Peter and tells him the only way he can see his aunt again is to break Norman out of jail. Shortly thereafter, the Venom symbiote approaches Gargan,[49] offering him new abilities, and Gargan becomes bonded with the creature.[50] This would later give him an extra edge as part of Norman Osborn's Sinister Twelve.[51] Even with these additional powers he is still swiftly defeated by Spider-Man, as Captain America, Iron Man, Daredevil, Yellowjacket and the Fantastic Four deal with the rest of the Twelve.[52] Though incarcerated, Gargan is unfazed, as with his new powers come the respect of becoming an "A-list" villain at last.[53]
Alongside Spider-Man and other villains and heroes, Venom is kidnapped by other-dimensional forces. He succeeds in killing Spider-Man, who is really the original Space Phantom in disguise.[54] For his crimes, the Inhumans matriarch Medusa orders his execution and almost carries it out herself. Later, he tries to kill the other participants for the Beyonder's wish fulfillment prize for the winner,[55] but fails and is returned to Earth alongside the rest of the group.[56]
Gargan later becomes a member of a sub-group of the Thunderbolts,[57] which has been drafted by the Avengers to hunt down the members of the fugitive Secret Avengers and is currently run by the Commission for Superhuman Activities.[58][59] It is then revealed that he has been outfitted with electrical implants by the government to keep the Venom symbiote in check.[60] As a Thunderbolt, he is seen as a hero by the general public and has his own action figures.[61] Gargan displays his new raw power as Venom in a battle with Jack Flag, after pummeling Flag for a bit, the hero manages to stab Gargan, who is protected by the symbiote. Gargan becomes enraged and ferociously man-handles Flag, and is about to eat him when his electrical implants kick in and temporarily subdue him, allowing Flag to live.[62] Gargan expresses fear of the control the symbiote possesses over him, yet he has become addicted to the raw unearthly power it brings to him and cannot even begin to imagine life without it, similar to a drug addict.[63] An attack from Steel Spider and Sepulchre makes him lose control again, briefly becoming a huge monster once more, while Moonstone is incapacitated and thus cannot coordinate control of his electrical implants.[64] Afterwards he returns to a normal form with no ill effects. He also bites off and devours Steel Spider's arm during a fight.[65]
Gargan is later ordered by Osborn to hunt down Namor. After shooting him with a Thunderbolts-supplied weapon, Gargan disables Namor by ripping off his feet-wings. The Sub-Mariner manages to render Gargan unconscious and then rips out the symbiote's tongue,[66] although the symbiote easily makes a new one. Gargan begins to hallucinate that the symbiote is speaking to him, telling him to "feed (it)". He later attacks and devours a guard and declares that "the only way out of Thunderbolts Mountain is when I decide to let you die".[67] It is later revealed that the psychic criminal Bluestreak is controlling Gargan's actions, although it is uncertain whether the symbiote was actually speaking to him or not.[68] Venom goes up against the Swordsman, who stabs Gargan through the chest, using his powers to force the symbiote away from his sword. Gargan is wounded, but lives.[69] After healing, he retains his monstrous form, rarely returning to his usual size.[70]
Gargan reappears during the "New Ways to Die" story arc of The Amazing Spider-Man, no longer possessing the knowledge of Spider-Man's secret identity.[71] Gargan and the Thunderbolts are called back to New York to capture Spider-Man. While on a search for the wall-crawler, Gargan's symbiote senses a former host nearby. Gargan suspects that it is Spider-Man but instead finds Eddie Brock at the F.E.A.S.T center (a soup kitchen). The Venom symbiote attempts to leave Gargan to re-bond with Brock, much to Gargan's (and Brock's) dismay. Upon making contact with Brock, his skin is shown to be caustic to his former symbiote, and as a white substance seeps out of his pores covering his body, Brock uses the Anti-Venom symbiote and battles Gargan. With some help from Spider-Man, Anti-Venom subdues Venom and nearly destroys the symbiote.[72] Norman Osborn uses a sample of Anti-Venom's DNA from Mac Gargan and creates a poisonous counter to its healing powers by combining the sample with the immune system of Freak. Mac Gargan is injected with the "cure" and is given a new Scorpion battlesuit, which contains the venom, until the symbiote can recover.[73] Anti-Venom tracks down Gargan at Oscorp. After a grueling battle "Ven-orpion" injects the toxin into Anti-Venom and seemly kills the suit. He then attempts to kill Brock but the symbiote tries holding him back, still feeling love for its former host. The symbiote gains its strength and breaks through the Scorpion suit. Gargan gives up but promises that he will get past this problem and will someday finish Brock.[74]
Gargan was seen being thrown from Thunderbolt Mountain by Captain Marvel.[75] Gargan was later seen with the other Thunderbolts in Washington. The Skrulls attempt to trick him into killing normal humans in order to find out which of them are Skrulls.[76] Osborn attempted to prevent the symbiote from killing anyone by threatening to kill Mac Gargan and promising to help satisfy his "urges" later, only for Gargan to reveal that the threat he appeared to pose to civilians was a ruse in order to draw out a disguised Skrull. Venom played a huge part in fighting the Skrulls. He was seen slashing and eating the Skrulls all at once.[77] He soon joins the Thunderbolts and the remaining heroes for the final battle against the Skrulls. During the battle, he was a force to be reckoned with.[78]
Venom, along with most of the Thunderbolts team, attempts to kill partner Songbird on the orders of Osborn. Facing Venom, Songbird was defeated and almost eaten by Venom, but escaped with help from the Swordsman.[79]
Norman Osborn forms the Dark Avengers, providing new identities to some of his former Thunderbolts. After feeding a Skrull to a hungry Venom that has become more bestial than human, Osborn gives him a medication that resets the symbiote to the size it was when it possessed Spider-Man originally. Gargan can transform into his larger Venom form at will.[7]
Norman introduces Gargan and the symbiote as "Spider-Man" of the Dark Avengers.[80][81] During their first mission against Morgana le Fay, Morgana transforms "Venom-Spidey" into a giant, demonic monster who then tries to eat Ares.[82] Venom later coughs up Ares; however, Morgana's magic continues to affect Venom, causing him to lose and gain control of himself randomly.[83] After Morgana is defeated in the past by Iron Patriot and Doctor Doom, Mac returned to his "Spider-Man" form with only a slight headache. Hawkeye promised to kill Mac one day for trying to eat him while he was under Morgana's control.[84] Once they arrive home, he is seen arguing with Hawkeye.[85]
Later, attempting to find out Norman Osborn's plans for his son Harry, the real Spider-Man, with the aid of the Invisible Woman, manages to capture Gargan by using a sonic generator and takes his place to infiltrate the Dark Avengers. Gargan is thrown into the Negative Zone,[86] but is later seen back with the Dark Avengers.
Against Osborn's wishes, Gargan is seen heading out into the city to "fight crime" solo. At one point, he is seen defeating a bank robber called General Wolfram. After making out with two girls at once and getting cheered by a large crowd, he takes the robber to an abandoned rooftop and consumes his arm. He then takes the money Wolfram stole and swings away. Gargan is then seen at a strip club with the money and discovers his new favorite stripper. After getting reprimanded by Norman Osborn for eating Wolfram's arm, Gargan kills the stripper and places her dead body in J. Jonah Jameson's bed while he is gone in an attempt to frame him for her murder. At the same time, Redeemer visits the injured General Wolfram and recruits him alongside other villains who have had limbs bitten off by Gargan (namely Dementoid, Doctor Everything, Eleven, and Hippo) in a plan to take down "Spider-Man" (who is believed to be the root of their problem).[87] In another attempt to antagonize Jameson, Gargan instigates a turf war between two rival street gangs, hoping to wear Jameson down through stress and exhaustion from continuously putting out stories to cover the crime wave. At the same time, the Redeemer arms his group with cybernetic limbs to defeat Spider-Man. J. Jonah Jameson goes to Osborn for help and is given Spider-Man to help solve the city's gang problem.[88]
Gargan continues to instigate the gang war and aggravate Jameson in person. A bomb threat is placed by Redeemer to lure Spider-Man into an intervention, though Gargan instead devours Hippo and Eleven, badly injures Dementoid, and beats Doctor Everything into submission before turning him over to the police. He then eats Redeemer's limbs. With Redeemer, Wolfram, and Dementoid the only ones still remaining of the group (albeit hospitalized), Redeemer sends photos of Gargan's actions to Jameson in an attempt to expose him as a cannibalistic psychopath to the world.[89] Jameson first goes to Osborn, who decides to cut Gargan loose by sending Bullseye and Daken (in their old costumes) to kill him. At the Big Apple Festival, the two attack him, with Dementoid, General Wolfram, and both gangs involved in the turf war entering the fray to try to kill Spider-Man. Gargan ends up defeating all of them, and J. Jonah Jameson shoots a gun in the air to stop the fight. As a result, everyone credits Jameson and Spider-Man with successfully working together to stop criminals and save the festival. Gargan later returns to Avengers Tower, where he is visited by Norman Osborn. Osborn informs him that Bullseye and Daken will get over being hurt, but warns Gargan that if he goes out of control again, he will suit up as the Iron Patriot and take care of him personally.[90]
During the opening chapter of "Utopia," the Dark Avengers are sent into San Francisco to quell the mutant riots and battle any X-Men they can find. Tension is shown to exist between the Avengers and Osborn's own Dark X-Men. When Namor and Emma Frost are revealed to be double agents on Cyclops' side and defect with Cloak and Dagger, an irate Osborn gathers the Dark Avengers and the remaining Dark X-Men, Gargan included, ordering them to bring him Namor's head and Emma Frost's heart and to make sure that Cyclops sees them do it.[91] The Dark Avengers and Dark X-Men attack Utopia and battle the X-Men, with Venom facing off against Colossus. Due to the sheer number of X-Men, Osborn is forced to retreat when informed that the only way to win would be to kill all the mutants on the island, an option which is not politically viable.[92]
Gargan later begins to show signs that his medications are making him emotionally unstable. On a mission with the Dark Avengers, Osborn takes Gargan off the case when he notices Gargan's outbursts.[93] Molecule Man turns Gargan and his symbiote into an inert pile of goo.[94] He is later restored by the Sentry.[95]
During the "Siege" storyline, Mac Gargan is with the Dark Avengers when Norman Osborn makes plans to invade Asgard. Mac Gargan and the rest of the Avengers protest. For fighting alongside the Initiative, Osborn promises to give the team their freedom from servitude. As a result, Gargan is among the