CARL BARKER
CARL BARKER
Real Name: Carl Barker
Identity/Class: Human (see comments)
Occupation: Owner of Barker's Body Shop, car mechanic
Group Membership: None
Affiliations: J.B. Winthrop;
formerly Stranger
Enemies: Stranger, his customers
Known Relatives: None
Aliases: None
Base of Operations: Barker's Body Shop
First Appearance: Journey into Mystery I#89/2 (February, 1963)
Powers/Abilities: Carl Barker was a knowledgeable car mechanic, but preferred to do shoddy work in order to save himself money. He was adept at conning and bullying people out of money.
History: (Journey into Mystery I#89/2) - Carl Barker was hated in his community because he ripped off every single person who came to Barker's Body Shop, and overworked his staff. One day the Stranger arrived at his body shop and offered to do work in exchange for enough money to go back home. Barker had him customize a car for the very wealthy J.B. Winthrop. Once the Stranger was finished Barker fired him, and advised him to ask for a paycheck in advance next time he worked for someone. The furious Stranger hopped in Winthrop's newly modified car and flew off into outer space. Barker bemoaned the fact that Winthrop would probably put him out of business once he found out what happened to his car.
Comments: Created by Stan Lee, Larry Lieber and Sol Brodsky.
As with many 1950's and 1960's Marvel monster stories, this
story is not confirmed as part of Earth-616 continuity, but there's nothing
to exclude it either.
--Leave it in unless something rules it out!--Snood.
This story was reprinted in Where Monsters Dwell#10.
PROFILE BY FUTURE
CLARIFICATIONS:
Carl Barker has known connection to:
Stranger has no known connection to:
Stranger
Alien who was stranded on Earth. He disguised himself as a human and got a job at Barker's Body Shop in hopes of raising enough money to return home. When Barker asked him to "jazz up" a car, the Stranger turned it into a spaceship. Barker fired him without payment, so the Stranger hopped in the modified car and flew back to his home planet.
--Journey into Mystery I#89/2
J.B. Winthrop
Wealthy man who gave Carl Barker his Continental, asking Barker to customize the car as a present for his teenage child.
--Journey into Mystery I#89/2
images:
Journey into Mystery I#89/2, splash page;
(Stranger) Journey into Mystery I#89/2, p5, pan5;
(J.B. Winthrop) Journey into Mystery I#89/2, p3, pan4
Where Monsters Dwell#10 (July, 1971)