MORRIS MAXWELL
Real Name: Morris Maxwell
Identity/Class: Human mutate, powers granted by
mystical forces
Occupation: Pawnbroker
Group Membership: None
Affiliations: Madame Web
(Cassandra Webb), Norman Osborn, Spider-Man (Peter Parker), Spider-Woman
(Jessica Drew), Spider-Woman (Mattie Franklin), Override
(Gregory "Greg" Herd)
Enemies: None
Known Relatives: None
Aliases: "Mo" (nickname used by Mattie Franklin)
Base of Operations: Unrevealed;
formerly a Greenwich
Village pawnshop, New York City
First Appearance: Amazing Spider-Man I#441 (October, 1998)
Powers/Abilities: Empowered after taking part in the mystical "Gathering Of Five" ritual, supposedly empowered by the demon Shadrac, Morris received the gift of ultimate knowledge. However,it came at a price: he quickly discovered the human mind could not accommodate omniscience. To prevent Maxwell from going mad, he could only answer very specific questions. He received the answers as visions during which he usually convulsed violently, often frothing at the mouth while he tried to make sense of the often cryptic messages he was shown. Maxwell's source of power was the Gathering of Five shard which he kept safe inside a bank vault.
Height: 5'9" (by approximation)
Weight: 180 lbs. (by approximation)
Eyes: Blue
Hair: Grey (balding)
History:
(Amazing Spider-Man I#441 (fb) - BTS) - Antiquarian and
pawnshop owner Morris Maxwell came into possession of one of the
mystical shards of the Gathering of Five. Those who would participate in
this could either be granted ultimate power, infinite knowledge, eternal
life, madness or death. Maxwell kept the shard safe for many years,
slowly gaining an understanding with and of the shard, the Gathering
ritual and its many secrets.
(Amazing Spider-Man I#441) - After learning that Maxwell possessed one
of the shards, Norman Osborn visited Morris in his pawnshop and was
fascinated to hear the shard had already "told" the owner that Osborn
was gathering the others. Maxwell took it all in stride, but was curious
to find out why Osborn would even want to risk everything for a
three-in-five chance. Norman assured him he had every intention of being
the first to succeed at the gathering. His curiosity piqued, Maxwell
accompanied Osborn to his offices where he found that Norman had already
secured the central piece and the platform the other shards needed to be
gathered on. He agreed to participate in Osborn's ritual.
(Spectacular Spider-Man II#262) - Maxwell watched and
listened while Norman Osborn was on the phone with Jerry Franklin, owner
of one of the Gathering shards. He grew slightly annoyed with Osborn
when he attemped to strongarm the reluctant Franklin into participating
in the ritual. After the call ended, Maxwell reminded Norman that
intimidation wouldn't work: all five must come of their own free will or
the ritual would end badly. Osborn thanked him for his constant
reminders, but assured him Franklin is a fool and fools do as they're
told. He added that it's merely quibbeling to debate if such obedience
is truly voluntary.
(Spectacular Spider-Man II#262 - BTS) - Jerry's fifteen-year-old daughter
Mattie had listened in on her father's phone conversation with Osborn
and decided to take his place in the Gathering ritual. She retrieved his
shard and flew to New York where Osborn was waiting to pick Franklin up
at LaGuardia airport. Expecting the elder Franklin, he was
understandably stunned when Mattie showed up instead, carrying the
mystical stone in a brief case.
(Amazing Spider-Man I#441) - Morris Maxwell encountered
Mattie for the first time when Osborn took her to meet the other
participants in the Gathering ritual: Madame Web and Override (Gregory
Herd). At first, Maxwell had his doubts about letting a teenage girl
participate, figuring she was too young to understand the risks
involved. Osborn overruled his concerns and allowed the ritual to go
through as planned. They each placed their respective artifact to
complete the mystic object which would divide the gifts of power,
knowledge, immortality, madness and death at random among the
participants. Madame Web was the first to place her shard and seemingly
received the gift of death though it was in fact immortality. Mattie was
next but, while she gained ultimate power, all she felt was slightly
lightheaded. Override inserted his shard in its slot and received
death, but mistook it for immortality. Morris Maxwell figured he would
gain ultimate power but when he dropped to the floor, frothing at the
mouth, everyone believed he'd been gifted with madness (it
was ultimate knowledge). Osborn was the last one left and
completed the ritual. He gained madness but, in his deluded state,
believed he'd acquired power instead. Osborn donned his Green Goblin
gear and swore final vengeance on Spider-Man.
(Spider-Woman III#4 (fb) - BTS) - After the ritual, Maxwell slowly
figured out his gift had actually been knowledge. He also discovered
omniscience had its limitations and, in order to cope with knowing
everything, he retreated back to his Greenwich village pawnshop. To make
sure his shard was safe, he stored it at the vault of the high end
Commerce And Mercantile bank in New York City.
(Spider-Woman III#4) -
Maxwell was visited by Mattie Franklin who had decided to fight crime as
Spider-Woman. Unknowingly, she greeted him with 'wassup?', which was
exactly the kind of question Maxwell tried to avoid. Morris then
confirmed Mattie's suspicion that one of the Gathering shards was stored
there, his own in fact. He then gave her information that led
Spider-Woman to the hideout of the villains Flesh and Bones who had
been trying to steal the shard from the bank in recent days.
(Spider-Woman III#7) - Annoyed because she'd only fought villains recently with unrevealed or incomprehensible motives, Mattie went to see Morris Maxwell. Despite Jessica's warnings, she asked the all-knowing pawnbroker to help her find and fight a bad guy she could understand. Maxwell guided her and Jessica to Death Valley where she would eventually fight off an impending alien invasion.
(Spider-Woman III#9) - Unsure how to deal with the threat of Spider-Woman (Charlotte Witter), a psychic vampire stealing powers from other Spider-Women, Mattie's mentor Madame Webb called Morris Maxwell for a meeting. Web went to his shop, accompanied by Mattie, Jessica Drew and Spider-Man. Cassandra wanted to know if Morris had experienced any power loss in recent days (Webb had seemingly lost her Gathering granted immortality). Maxwell wasn't sure, admitting no one had asked him any questions lately. When Spider-Man bluntly asked him how they could stop Charlotte, Morris had one of his trademark seizures and was caught at the last moment by Jessica Drew. After he'd recovered on an old psychiatrist's couch in his shop, the only answer Morris could offer in their fight against Witter was that they could only do nothing.
Comments: Created by Howard Mackie (writer), John
Byrne (pencils), Scott Hanna (inks).
It's not been revealed if Maxwell still has his powers. The other
participants pretty much lost their gifts along the way, Madame Web
became an old woman again, Norman Osborn's insanity returned to
semi-manageable levels and the supposedly ultimately powerful Mattie was
stabbed to death by Ana Kraven using a common dagger. It's not been
confirmed whether or not Morris Maxwell has his powers. If he still owns
his shard, it's very well possible. Bit of a shame his character hasn't
been seen since 2000, the notion that you can tell anyone anything given
the right question (and not swallowing your own tongue while you get the
answer) is a fascinating one. Definitely one of the high points of the
Byrne/Sears Spider-Woman
series.
Profile by Norvo.
CLARIFICATIONS:
Morris Maxwell should not be confused with
images: (without ads)
Spider-Woman III#6, p4, pan1 (main image with Mattie Franklin on the right)
Amazing Spider-Man I#441, p18, pan1 (receives his powers)
Spider-Woman III#4, p4, pans 2&3 (tells Mattie Franklin things he
already knows)
Appearances:
Amazing Spider-Man I#440 (October, 1998) - John Byrne (writer), Rafael
Kayanan (pencils & inks), Bud LaRosa, Humberto Ramos & Jimmy
Palmiotti (inks), Ralph Macchio (editor)
Spectacular Spider-Man II#262 (October, 1998) - John Byrne (writer), Luke
Ross (pencils), Al Milgrom (inks), Ralph Macchio (editor)
Amazing Spider-Man I#441 (November, 1998) - John Byrne (writer), Rafael
Kayanan (pencils), Bud LaRosa (inks), Ralph Macchio (editor)
Spider-Woman III#4 (October, 1999) - John Byrne (writer), Bart Sears
(pencils), Randy Elliot & Raymond Kryssing (inks), Ralph Macchio
(editor)
Spider-Woman III#6 (December, 1999) - John Byrne (writer), Bart Sears
(pencils), Randy Elliot (inks), Ralph Macchio (editor)
Spider-Woman III#7 (January, 2000) - John Byrne (writer), Bart Sears
(pencils), Randy Elliot (inks), Ralph Macchio (editor)
Spider-Woman III#9 (March, 2000) - John Byrne (writer), Graham Nolan
(pencils), Randy Elliot (inks), Ralph Macchio (editor)
First Posted: 04/17/2015
Last updated: 04/17/2015
Any Additions/Corrections? please let me know.
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