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JIM OSBORN

Real Name: James "Jim" Osborn

Identity/Class: Normal human

Occupation: Actor

Group Membership: None

Affiliations: Danny Carter, Mark Carter, Joey Jordan, Top Dog, customers at Comic World

Enemies: "Sparks" McGee

Known Relatives: None

Aliases: Spider-Man

Base of Operations: Mobile in the USA

First Appearance: Top Dog#10 (October, 1986)

Powers/Abilities: Jim Osborn is a very fit normal human with athletic agility, strength and acrobatic skills. He is an experienced actor, favoring the portrayal of Spider-Man at the expense of wider fame and fortune.

Height: 6'
Weight: 185 lbs.
Eyes: Dark blue
Hair: Blond

History:

(Top Dog#10 (fb) - BTS) - Jim Osborn and Mark Carter were long-time friends. The athletic Osborn took on small-time acting roles, notably Spider-Man at public appearances, while Mark opened the comic shop Comic World. When Mark encountered financial difficulties, he called on Osborn to perform as Spider-Man to promote the shop.

(Top Dog#10) - Osborn arrived at Mark's shop, where he met Mark's son Danny, his friend Joey Jordan and Joey's secretly super-intelligent canine friend Top Dog. The children were impressed (unlike Top Dog) and had Osborn sign their comic books (yikes!). Mark ushered them all away when criminal loan shark "Sparks" McGee arrived and the shop quickly shut. Danny took Osborn to his home where the actor would be staying and he rested while the suspicious Top Dog discovered that McGee was forcing Mark to close his shop permanently to recoup his money and later told Joey. The next day, Osborn practiced his Spider-Man moves in costume and surprised the boys; he also gave advice to always tell the truth. Joey confronted Mark, but McGee found them and locked them up, intending to kill the witnesses using a bomb to also destroy the shop. Top Dog cleverly communicated the danger to Danny and Osborn. Although initially reluctant, Danny encouraged Osborn to be a true hero. Osborn ripped into his Spider-man costume, swung off a roof on a banner and knocked out McGee, then freed Joey and Mark. Osborn swung McGee over his shoulders (and likely took him to the police). The next day, Osborn (without his costume) was treated a hero outside the shop. His efforts were reported in the Daily Bugle; Peter Parker (secretly the real Spider-Man) and J. Jonah Jameson took extra coverage.

Comments: Created by George Caragonne, Warren Kremer, John Romita, Jon D'Agostino.

Not 100% sure if Top Dog and its immediate related Star titles are Earth-616, but nothing quite ruling them out. Peter Parker/Spider-Man certainly aligns it (at least close).

Profile by Grendel Prime.

CLARIFICATIONS :
Jim Osborn has no known connections to:

Danny Carter

Danny Carter was helped by Joey Jordan (accompanied by Joey's secretly super-intelligent canine friend Top Dog) to put up posters promoting his father's comic shop, Comic World, with the appearance of "Spider-Man," portrayed by amateur actor Jim Osborn. Danny was proud of his father, but was hurt that his father dedicated so much time to his shop and was sometimes away from having dinner together. Danny was introduced to Osborn but Mark ushered them all away when criminal loan shark "Sparks" McGee arrived and the shop quickly shut. Danny took Osborn to his home where the actor would be staying. Meanwhile, Top Dog discovered that McGee was forcing Mark to close his shop permanently to recoup his money. Later, Danny had dinner with Joey's family, where Top Dog quietly informed Joey of his discovery. The next day, the two boys were visited by Osborn in his Spider-Man costume. Joey and Mark were captured by McGee, who intended they die in the fire, but Top Dog smartly communicated the danger to Danny. The boy inspired Osborn to uncover his internal Spider-Man hero. Osborn knocked out McGee and rescued the two prisoners, taking them to the waiting Danny. The adventure and press coverage from the Daily Bugle newspaper improved the shop's popularity, and Danny became a helper in his father's shop.

 

 

 

 

--Top Dog#10

Mark Carter

Mark Carter was the owner-manager of the comic shop Comic World and apparently raised his son Danny by himself. Danny was proud of him but hurt when Mark was sometimes forced to work into the night to keep the business afloat. Loan shark "Sparks" McGee became impatient to recoup his money from Mark, who had already employed his long-time friend and actor Jim Osborn to impersonate Spider-Man and promote the shop. Mark met Danny's friend Joey but when McGee arrived, he quickly ushered everyone out and shut up shop. Joey's secretly super-intelligent canine friend Top Dog overheard McGee threaten Mark to burn down Comic World to claim the insurance money. Top Dog told Joey, who confronted Mark the next day. Frustrated, Mark was about to call the police when McGee walked in and locked them in the back room, intending the witnesses to become victims. But Top Dog, Danny and Osborn managed to thwart McGee and Mark was freed. The adventure and press coverage from the Daily Bugle newspaper improved the shop's popularity and cash flow, and Danny became a helper in his father's shop.

The condition of comics at Comic World were questionable, given some were on full display in the shop window and new stock rested on the floor.

 

 

 

 

--Top Dog#10

"Sparks" McGee

"Sparks" McGee was a fiendish loan shark who sought to recoup money from Mark Carter by burning down his shop Comic World. Secretly super-intelligent canine Top Dog discovered McGee's plan and threats toward Mark, and set a plan in motion to stop the criminal, but it instead resulted in McGee locking Mark and Top Dog's friend Joey in the back room with intention that they die in the fire triggered by a bomb. However, Top Dog, aided by Mark's son Danny and Spider-Man impersonator Jim Osborn, stopped McGee, who was presumably then arrested.

 

 

 

 

 

 

--Top Dog#10

images: (without ads)
Top Dog#10, p20, pan5 (main image)
   p5, pan2 (headshot)
   p13, pan3 (in full Spidey costume)
   p1 (Danny Carter)
   p3, pan6 (Mark Carter)
   p17, pan1 (McGee)
   p22, pan5 (Daily Bugle headline)

Appearances:
Top Dog#10 (October, 1986) - George Caragonne (writer), Warren Kremer & John Romita (pencils), Jon D'Agostino (inks), Sid Jacobson (editor)

First Posted: 08/05/2022
Last updated: 08/05/2022

Any Additions/Corrections? please let me know.

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