History:
"MASKED KILLER"
Real Name: Unrevealed
Identity/Class: Human
Occupation: Janitor, former actor, waiter
Group Membership: None
Affiliations: None
Enemies: Dave, Madeline Naylor, Solly, Speedball (Robbie Baldwin)
Known Relatives: None
Aliases: None
Base of Operations: Broadway, Manhattan, New York, USA
First Appearance: Amazing Spider-Man Annual I#22/2 (1988)
Powers/Abilities: The Masked Killer was very athletic and a decent hand-to-hand fighter. He carried a knife and also proved adpet with a spear. He considered himself a fine actor and had a good memory for quotes from William Shakespeare's plays.
Height: Unrevealed (approximately 5'11")
Weight: Unrevealed (approximately 175 lbs.)
Eyes: Brown
Hair: Brown
History:
(Amazing Spider-Man Annual I#22/2 (fb)) - An unidentified actor who had been working as a waiter once auditioned for a role in a Broadway play. He considered himself "brilliant" and was flabbergasted when Madeline Naylor - whom he considered "competent" was cast in the play. The actor convinced himself Madeline had somehow turned the director against him and prevented him from being hired. Rejected, the actor went back to waiting on tables; later on, he became a janitor at a small off-Broadway theatre. He grew bitter seeing Madeline become a famous star.
Years later, while the former actor was working as a janitor, he overheard the theatre's manager in a telephone conversation with Madeline Naylor, who was coming from her new home in Springdale, Connecticut with her teenage son Robbie. The former actor resolved he'd finally have his "revenge" on Madeline.
(Amazing Spider-Man Annual I#22/2) - Donning a green mask, the former actor set a number of traps in the theatre and dreamed of killing Madeline while forcing her son Robbie to watch. When Robbie arrived in the theatre, the "Masked Killer" threw a sack over him, tied a rope to his feet and hung Robbie upside-down from the rafters. As the Masked Killer lurked behind a curtain with his knife, waiting for Madeline to appear, Robbie escaped his confines by activating his powers as Speedball. The Masked Killer fled through a stage trapdoor before anyone other than Speedball spotted him and eavesdropped on Madeline talking to Robbie. He wondered how Robbie had become free from his trap.
Having heard Madeline was going to Solly's Broadway Supply Theatrical Properties and Costumes shop to collect props for her company in Springdale, the Masked Killer snuck into the shop. While Madeline and Robbie were browsing the shelves, the Masked Killer used a blunt object to knock out Solly then gagged and tied him up in his office. When he found Robbie wandering near him, the Masked Killer shoved Robbie down an old laundry chute.
The Masked Killer stalked up behind Madeline to kill her but Robbie, again in his Speedball identity, returned in time to knock the knife from his hand. The Masked Killer tried to ignore Speedball and took a sack, intending to place it over Madeline's head, but Speedball took the sack away. Annoyed by Speedball's presence, the Masked Killer went in pursuit of him, taking a prop spear as a weapon to replace his lost knife. The Masked Killer grappled with Speedball, claiming he'd killed Robbie Baldwin and would soon kill Speedball, whom he called a "demon."
However, Solly's absence had been noted by one of his clients, who summoned the police officer Dave to the shop. Dave entered as the Masked Killer was brandishing his spear at Speedball and ordered the Masked Killer to drop his weapon. The Masked Killer refused to take "further direction" and lunged at Dave; having no choice, Dave shot him and killed him. After Dave removed his mask, Solly identified him as an old actor "but he had no talent whatsoever... always blaming others for his failings!" Madeline didn't recognize the Masked Killer at all.
Comments: Created by Steve Ditko, Roger Stern and Butch Guice.
Profile by Prime Eternal.
CLARIFICATIONS:
The Masked Killer should not be confused with:
Dave was a police officer who was apparently walking a beat nearby Solly's Broadway Supply Theatrical Properties and Costumes. When Solly failed to make a delivery because he'd been tied up by the "Masked Killer," one of his clients asked Dave to come with him to Solly's shop to see what was wrong with Solly. Dave entered the scene as the Masked Killer was threatening Speedball with a spear. Dave told the Masked Killer to put the spear down but, ranting insanely, he refused and prepared to lunge at him. Dave drew his sidearm and killed the Masked Killer with a single bullet.
--Amazing Spider-Man Annual I#22/2
Solly was the Jewish proprieter of Broadway Supply Theatrical Properties and Costumes, which was nearby the off-Broadway theatre where the "Masked Killer" worked. Solly had run his shop for at least two decades and knew Madeline Naylor from her time on Broadway. When the Masked Killer plotted to ambush Madeline in Solly's shop he assaulted Solly, knocking him unconscious with a blunt object, then tied and gagged up him in his office. Fortunately, one of Solly's clients grew concerned when he missed a delivery and came to the shop with the police officer Dave to investigate. Solly witnessed Dave shoot and kill the Masked Killer. When Dave unmasked the corpse, Solly recognized him as an old actor but opined that "he had no talent whatsoever... always blaming others for his failings!" Solly believed the Masked Killer lived in a make-believe world.
--Amazing Spider-Man Annual I#22/2
images: (without ads)
Amazing Spider-Man Annual I#22/2, page 8, panel 1 (main)
Amazing Spider-Man Annual I#22/2, page 3, panel 12 (unmasked)
Amazing Spider-Man Annual I#22/2, page 10, panel 4 (Dave)
Amazing Spider-Man Annual I#22/2, page 10, panel 5 (Solly)
Appearances:
Amazing Spider-Man Annual I#22/2 (1988) - Steve Ditko (plot, penciler), Roger Stern (script), Butch Guice (inker), Jim Salicrup (editor)
First posted: 11/02/2026
Last updated:
11/02/2026
Any Additions/Corrections? please let me know.
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