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DEFALCO GANG

Membership: Louie "Lou" DeFalco, "Tommy" DeFalco, Sid DeFalco (see comments)

Purpose: Jewel thieves

Aliases: None

Affiliations: Their grandmother

Enemies: LAPD police (Captain Alexander Walsh, unnamed others), Scotty McDowell, Spider-Woman (Jessica Drew)

Base of Operations: Los Angeles, California

First Appearance: Spider-Woman I#21 (December, 1979)

History:
(Spider-Woman I#21 (fb) - BTS) - The DeFalco gang was notorious in the Los Angeles area for robbing jewelry stores. The authorities had put a 10.000 dollar bounty on their heads, which piqued the interest of bounty hunters Scotty McDowell and Spider-Woman. Using his sources, McDowell learned the gang would soon be hitting the Majestic Jewelry Emporium in downtown LA. Spider-Woman decided to stake out the place disguised as an elderly flower saleswoman.

(Spider-Woman I#21) - Lou and his brother "Tommy" entered the Majestic Jewelry Emporium around closing time, pretending they were customers. They soon drew their weapons and demanded they handed them trays of diamonds, rubies and emeralds. With their loot in the bag, the DeFalcos headed out, with "Tommy" stopping to buy some flowers for his grandmother from the old lady outside. He even paid with a 50 dollar bill before jumping in the getaway car driven by their brother Sid DeFalco.

(Spider-Woman I#21 - BTS) - Spider-Woman saw them leave and quickly changed into her superhero gear. Gliding on the air, she followed the DeFalco's car until they were outside LA.

(Spider-Woman I#21) - The DeFalco gang was surprised when something landed on the roof of their car, unaware they'd been followed for miles. Spider-Woman used her strength to get the car to crash, but the three brothers got out unharmed and attacked. Spider-Woman took out Lou with her venom blast and then used her enhanced strength and speed to take out the remaining DeFalco brothers with one well placed kick.

(Spider-Woman I#21 - BTS) - Word of the DeFalco's hit on the Majestic Jewelry Emporium had caused authorities to raise the outstanding bounty on them to 20.000 dollars.

(Spider-Woman I#21) - Spider-Woman left the gang tied up in Captain Alexander Walsh's office. The head of the LAPD detectives was stunned to find both the criminals and their loot waiting for him. He was less pleased when he realized he had Spider-Woman to thank for this, but all she cared for was making sure he paid her the 20.000 dollars.

(Spider-Woman I#21 - BTS) - Spider-Woman met up with Scotty McDowell to brief him on the success of her most recent mission. Scotty was pleased to hear about the 20.000 dollar bounty, as it would help them pay for their new crime fighting equipment including a mini-computer.

Comments: Created by Michael Fleisher, Frank Springer and Mike Esposito.

The DeFalco Gang were the first targets Jessica Drew had in her all too brief career as a bounty hunter. It would only last for a few issues, but the notion of Jessica partnering with criminologist Scotty McDowell was pretty original for 1979 and was abandoned as soon as Chris Claremont took over the book and moved Jessica from LA to San Francisco. But hey, at least they got to pay off Scotty's new mini computer.

The DeFalco boys most likely thank their name to Tom DeFalco, who was already working as a Marvel staff writer in 1979. As a tip of the fedora, we've named the unnamed DeFalco after "Tom".

Profile by Norvo.

CLARIFICATIONS:
The DeFalco gang has no known connections to:

Louie DeFalco

Louie DeFalco

Leader of the DeFalco gang, a band of sibling jewel thieves who made a name for themselves with a series of heists in the Los Angeles area. Gruff and tough talking, he was good with a gun and did most of the talking when he and his brother "Tommy" robbed the Majestic Jewelry Emporium in Los Angeles. When Spider-Woman caused their getaway car to crash, Lou immediately was ready to shoot the heroine, only to get taken out by her venom blast. Lou was tied up and delivered along with his brothers and the loot to Captain Alexander Walsh of the LAPD.

--Spider-Woman I#21








Tommy DeFalco

"Tommy" DeFalco

Member of a trio of sibling jewel thieves who made a name for themselves with a series of heists in the Los Angeles area. Silent but sentimental, he let his brother Lou do most of the talking when he went and robbed the Majestic Jewelry Emporium in Los Angeles. Before getting into the getaway car driven by their brother Sid, "Tommy" made a point to buy some flowers from a nearby stall for their grandmother. He paid the old woman 50 bucks for the flowers, telling her to keep the change. When Spider-Woman caused their getaway car to crash, she took out both "Tommy" and Sid with her enhanced strength and agility. "Tommy" was tied up and delivered along with his brothers and the loot to Captain Alexander Walsh of the LAPD.

--Spider-Woman I#21







Sid DeFalco

Sid DeFalco

Member of a trio of sibling jewel thieves who made a name for themselves with a series of heists in the Los Angeles area. Sid drove the getaway car that took Lou and his brother "Tommy" away from the scene of the crime after they robbed the Majestic Jewelry Emporium in Los Angeles. When Spider-Woman landed on the roof of the car, Sid lost control of the wheel which caused the vehicle to crash. He was swiftly knocked out by Spider-Woman along with "Tommy". Sid was tied up and delivered along with his brothers and the loot to Captain Alexander Walsh of the LAPD.

--Spider-Woman I#21









images: (without ads)
Spider-Woman I#21, p2, pan5 (main image)
Spider-Woman I#21, p5, pan5 (taken out by Spider-Woman)
Spider-Woman I#21, p9, pan6 (left at the police station)
Spider-Woman I#21, p5, pan3 (Louie)
Spider-Woman I#21, p3, pan3 ("Tommy")
Spider-Woman I#21, p4, pan6 (Sid)

Appearances:
Spider-Woman I#21 (December, 1979) - Michael Fleisher (writer), Frank Springer (pencils), Mike Esposito (inks), Jim Shooter (editor)

First Posted: 07/16/2020
Last updated: 07/16/2020

Any Additions/Corrections? please let me know.

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