Real Name:
Gaxton (first name unknown)BLACKIE GAXTON
Real Name:
Gaxton (first name unknown)
Identity/Class: Human
Occupation: Extortionist, racketeer
Group Membership: None
Affiliations: Doctor Octopus (Otto Octavius)
Enemies: Bennett Brant, Betty Brant, Dr. Octopus, Gordon Savinsky, Spider-Man
Known Relatives: None
Aliases: "Blackie"
Base of Operations: currently unknown;
formerly Municipal Prison; formerly Manhattan, New York
First Appearance: Amazing Spider-Man I#11 (April, 1964)
Powers/Abilities: None. Gaxton is a reasonably skilled street fighter and marksman. He carries a handgun.
Height: 6'
Weight: 210 lbs.
Eyes: Brown
Hair: Black
History:
(Untold Tales of Spider-Man#12(fb)-BTS/Amazing Spider-Man I#11(fb)) - Bennett
Brant and Gordon Savinsky accumulated a huge gambling debt to Blackie Gaxton.
However, Bennett's signature was the only one on the IOUs, and Gordon left
Bennett high and dry.
Gaxton forced Bennett--a lawyer--to pay off his debt by coming to work for him. Bennett tried to pay off the debt and get out from underneath Gaxton's thumb, but there was always one last job...
(Amazing Spider-Man I#11) - Gaxton, now in prison, forced
Bennett to have his sister, Betty, assist him in making arrangements to have
Doctor Octopus break him out of jail. Octopus freed Gaxton, and then brought him
back to his ship in the harbor so he could pay him. Spidey traced them back
there, but sprained his ankle swinging out to the dock and was caught. Gaxton
had Spider-Man brought to him, but Dr. Octopus then revealed his plan to take
over Gaxton's ship and steal all of his money. A big fight ensued, a three-way
brouhaha between Spidey, Doc Ock, and Gaxton and his men. As Spidey tried to
subdue Gaxton, the criminal shot at him, and though the bullets missed him, they
hit Bennett, killing him. Dr. Octopus escaped, but Gaxton and his men were taken
away by the cops.
(Down These Mean Streets (fb) - BTS) - Gaxton was active in Philadelphia.
(Down These Mean Streets (fb) - BTS) - Gaxton did not return to crime, but rather became a store manager.
Comments: Created by Stan Lee and Steve Ditko.
Betty was so traumatized by the death of her brother, and Spider-Man's involvement, that she could not bear the sight, thought, or mention of Spider-Man for quite some time. This was the first step to the break-up of the young romance of Peter Parker and Betty Brant.
Amazing Spider-Man I#11 featured the first use of Spidey's Spider Tracers.
Gaxton has an entry in the Spider-Man - Back in Black Handbook.
John McDonagh provided the info from the "Down These Mean Streets" novel.
CLARIFICATIONS:
None
Appearances:
Amazing Spider-Man I#11 (April, 1964) - Stan Lee (writer/editor), Steve Ditko (artist)
Untold Tales of Spider-Man#12 (August, 1996) - Kurt Busiek (writer), Pat Olliffe (pencils), Al Vey & Pam Eklund (inks), Tom Brevoort (editor)
Down These Mean Streets (2005) - Keith R. A. DeCandido (writer)
Last updated: 08/24/13
Any Additions/Corrections? please let me know.
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