Spear (Luke Cage foe)

SPEAR

Real Name: Daniels (first name unrevealed)

Identity/Class: human; weapons expert; technology user

Occupation: seeker of vengeance

Affiliations: brother of Mangler

Enemies: Luke Cage; Dr. Noah Burstein; Quentin Chase

Known Relatives: Mrs. Daniels (mother); Jack (brother, deceased); Mangler (brother)

Aliases: none

Base of Operations: New York City

First Appearance: (in shadow) Power Man#28 (February, 1976); (fully seen) (July, 1976)

Powers: Spear wields a unique spear-gun, apparently of his own design, and is an expert marksman with it. The gun fires a variety of specialized ammuniton, including forked spears, incendiary and explosive shafts, and hollow shafts containing messages or gas. He is also a skilled hand-to-hand combatant, and is quite agile as well. Spear's costume is armored, particularly around his face, and enables him to withstand superhuman blows.

History:
(Power Man I#35, f/b) - Spear's convict brother, Jack Daniels, was dying of an inoperable brain tumor and agreed to submit to Noah Burstein's early "Power Man" experiments. Unfortunately, the process only increased Daniels' agonized death. Daniels' brothers blamed Burstein, and began developing identities that would serve them in that quest.

(Power Man#28) - Spear watched Noah Burstein from the shadows. Burstein noticed him, but said nothing to Cage.

(Power Man#33) - Spear fired on Burstein while the doctor was walking with Luke Cage and Claire Foster, largely so that he could draw Cage into battle and deal with him first. Despite the Hero for Hire's best efforts, Spear still managed to get off a near-fatal shot at Burstein and escape. Shortly thereafter, Spear fired a message-bearing shaft at Burstein, which confirmed Burstein's. suspicions as to his identity. Burstein was to guilt-ridden to tell anyone else, and as such was alone when Spear again threatened him a day later.

(Power Man#34) - Spear was tracking Luke Cage's movements, and was thus on hand to rescue his brother Mangler after an ill-advised attack on Cage. That night, while Mangler distracted Cage, Spear again threatened Burstein and again allowed the doctor to live. This time, Spear left Burstein a message telling him to meet the assassin at an East River pier. Burstein went to the meeting, and Spear, well, speared him before Luke Cage's eyes.

(Power Man#35) - Two young adults saw Spear escaping by the pier.

(Power Man#35) - Spear next attempted to rescue Mangler from police custody, but failed duie to Cage's interference. After Spear's mother, not wanting to lose another son, tipped Cage and Quentin Chase as to his whereabouts, the pair confronted Spear at his tenement apartment. Spear engaged Power Man in a running battle that took them onto the roof of an outbound bus, and finally (when the bus crashed) into the Hudson River. Cage finally managed to deck the villain in the waters, and dragged him into police custody.

Comments: Created by Don McGregor and Frank Robbins, fleshed out a bit more by Marv Wolfman and McGregor

I've seen, at a few McGregor forums, statements from the writer that Marv Wolfman altered his Spear story from his original intentions. I'm not sure as to the nature of those changes, but there's a definite shift in tone and pace in Power Man#35, McGregor's last issue cowritten with Wolfman.

Recipients of Burstein's process to date include Spear's brother Jack Daniels, Warhawk, Luke Cage, Bushmaster, and the "new Power Man" seen in issues of the Cage series.

Clarifications:
Spear is not to be confused with:

Spear, of the Chaste, Daredevil foe @Daredevil I#296
other named actual spears

Mangler is not to be confused with:

Mangler, one of the three criminals whose abilities were combined into the Tri-Man, @ Daredevil I#22
Mangler, a strength augmented assassin/mercenary, @ Captain America I#328

Jack Daniels, brother of Spear and Mangler, is not to be confused with:

U.S. Agent, John Walker, aka Jack Daniels, @ Captain America I#323; West Coast Avengers II #43
Jack Daniels, ubiquitous whiskey U.S. Agent takes his alias from

Mangler

Spear's other brother, Mr. Daniels was a professional wrestler who also blamed Burstein for Jack's fate. He was a moderately-skilled combatant, but was no match for Luke Cage. He initially attacked Cage on his own, hoping to aid his brother's schemes, but had to be rescued by Spear. Later, Spear sent Mangler to distract Cage, but Luke beat him unconscious in the resulting fight. Mangler nearly escaped the police with Spear's help, but was brought down by Cage and returned to jail.

Appearances: Power Man#34 (35(fb); 34, 35

Jack Daniels

Spear's convict brother, Jack Daniels, was dying of an inoperable brain tumor and agreed to submit to Noah Burstein's early "Power Man" experiments. Unfortunately, the process only increased Daniels' agonized death.

Appearances: Power Man#35 (35(fb)

Mrs. Daniels

The mother of Jack, Spear, and the Mangler.

Appearances: Power Man#35 (35(fb)

Last updated: 09/12/02

Any Additions/Corrections? please let me know.

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