Howard the Duck

Real Name
Howard (full name unrevealed)

Occupation
Adventurer, cab driver, reluctant warrior; former nursing home attendant, poster child for Ducktitis, baby sitter, video store clerk, burlesque show director, computer salesman, actor, dish washer, amateur wrestler, repossession man, presidential candidate, construction worker, poet, and folk singer.

Citizenship
Formerly Duckworld

Place of Birth
New Stork City, Duckworld

Known Relatives
Dave (father), Dottie (mother), Theresa (sister, deceased), Orville (brother, deceased)

Group Affiliation
Formerly the Defenders, Daydreamers, To Hack and Back Cab Company, Circus of Crime, All-Night Party, ally to Dakimh the Enchanter, Jennifer Kale, Man-Thing, Korrek the Barbarian, She-Hulk, Spider-Man, and many others.

Education
Four-year college degree and limited training in various martial and mystic arts

Height
2’7”

Weight
40 lbs.

Eyes
Brown

Hair
Yellow/White

Powers
Howard the Duck has no superhuman powers, although it is suggested that Howard possesses a high degree of as yet undefined magical powers.

Abilities
Howard is a self-styled master of Quack Fu, an obscure martial art usable only by waterfowl.

Other Info
Howard was born on Duckworld, and was the eldest son of Dave and Dottie. Unfortunately, Howard disappointed them in every other way. He couldn’t hold down any job and couldn’t fit in to any group. Instead, Howard figured he had no use for society and became a malcontent. (To learn about Duckworld, click on the highlighted word above.)

One day, the power-hungry demon Thog used his magic to shift the inter-dimensional Cosmic Axis in hopes that all realities would collapse into one under his control. Through this, Howard was plucked from Duckworld and dropped into the middle of the Florida Everglades on Earth (the site of this world's Nexus of All Realities). Soon after, Howard reluctantly joined Korrek the Barbarian, Jennifer Kale, Dakimh the Enchanter, and the Man-Thing in stopping the forces of Thog. When the battle was over, Howard was accidentally transported to Cleveland, Ohio. (To learn about the above characters and/or item. Click on their highlighted names. Note: Beware of the revealing outfit on Jennifer Kale's bio page.)

In Cleveland, Howard was almost immediately arrested for believing to be disrupting the peace. However, the police soon released him, not wanting to face the public ridicule for having booked a duck. Howard then hoped to find a job, perhaps by solving a series of murders, and instead found himself in an encounter with the vampiric Hellcow. (To learn about Hellcow, just click on the highlighted name above.)

Despondent that he might never get home or even a job, Howard happened upon the castle of the costumed criminal accountant Pro-Rata. There, Howard rescued young life model Beverly Switzler, escaping with the timely arrival of Spider-Man. Bev invited Howard to stay with her, and the two eventually fell in love. (Click on the highlighted names to learn more about the characters.)

Howard came publicly known when he became a candidate for the United States presidency on a very minor party ticket known as the All-Night Party. However, the general public refused to believe that Howard was a real talking duck. Instead, they though it was a small person in a duck suit. Therefore, the public dismissed his candidacy as a joke. (To learn more about the party, click on the highlighted name above.)

When Howard’s nemesis, Doctor Angst, attempted to “squish” all realities into a universal state of inertness, Howard was chosen by the cosmic entity called the Critic to join She-Hulk, Louise Mason, Brent Wilcox, and the Terror (Laslo Pevely) to confront Doctor Angst and the Band of the Bland. Together, they were able to defeat the Band of Bland, and the universes were restored to their rightful order. (Click on the highlighted names above to learn more about the characters/team. Note: Beware of the EXTREMELY skin-tight outfit on the She-Hulk bio page.)

Later on, Howard encountered the young mutants Chamber and Skin, who were on the run of the mutant-hunting X-Cutioner. Howard helped them escape and make their way back to their team, Generation X, at the Massachusetts Academy. Howard stayed at the Academy for a brief time, forming a friendship with the children Artie, Leech, and Franklin Richards. About the same time, the Academy was targeted by Black Tom. However, Man-Thing rescued the children, Howard, and an alien refugee Tana Nile. This unlikely band of heroes helped Man-Thing restore balance to the Nexus of All Realities before being returned to the Academy. Howard soon after departed from their company. (To learn about the characters/team above, just click on their highlighted names. Note: Beware of the body-fitting outfits on the Generation X bio page, and of a revealing outfit on one of the pictures on Tana Nile's bio page.)

More recently, during the superhero Civil War, Howard attempted to register under the Superhero Registration Act. But, he learned his socially disrupted life has created so many bureaucratic headaches that the government's policy shows that Howard does not exist. However, after Howard defeated a villain who was trying to control the public through mass media, his attorney (Jennifer Walters--aka She-Hulk) successfully restored his citizenship. (To learn about the Civil War, click on the highlighted name above.)

Howard the Duck has had many different alias and "faces" during his lifetime. Just to name a few...at one point, Howard was thrown into a vat of chemicals that transformed him into a humanoid rat. (Howard as a rat is shown as the forth picture posted.) Also, at a different point in time, he possessed a special "Iron Duck" suit of powered armor which possessed a flame-thrower, a lamp, and springs enabling him to leap as high as one story. (The "Iron Duck" outfit is shown in the fifth picture posted.) Also, during a time, he went by the alias "Duck-Man," and he had a Duck-Mobile and a utility belt. (Howard as Duck-Man is shown in the sixth picture posted.)

To learn more about Howard the Duck, include his many different aliases, click on the following link, http://marvel.com/universe/Howard_the_Duck.

John Jameson

Real Name
John Jameson

Occupation
Employed by the Queens Dept. of Social Services; former security chief of the Ravencroft Institute, monster hunter, astronaut, test pilot

Citizenship
U.S.A.

Place of Birth
New York, New York

Known Relatives
J. Jonah Jameson (father), Joan Jameson (mother, deceased), Marla Madison (stepmother), Jennifer "Jen" Walters Jameson (She-Hulk, ex-wife)

Group Affiliation
Ravencroft Institute, Avengers Support Crew, NASA, USAF

Education
College educated, NASA astronaut program graduate, Master of Science degree in Aeronautical Engineering

Height
6'2" (6'6" as Man-Wolf)

Weight
200 lbs. (350 lbs. as Man-Wolf)

Eyes
Brown (red as Man-Wolf)

Hair
Red-brown (white as Man-Wolf)

Powers
As the Man-Wolf, Jameson possessed superhuman strength, agility, speed, healing, and stamina as well as heightened senses. He was able to lift 4 tons under peak moonlight conditions. As Stargod, he had some degree of energy manipulation, but the full extent of his powers remains unknown. As Man-Wolf, he was not a traditional werewolf vulnerable to silver.

Abilities
Jameson is a skilled pilot, astronaut, and is experienced in hand-to-hand combat and a variety of weapons.

Other Info
As a career test pilot and astronaut, Col. John Jameson was, according to his father J. Jonah, "made of the stuff of heroes." During his first mission orbiting Earth, Spider-Man replaced a guidance module in Col. Jameson's plummeting space capsule. In a later mission in space, Jameson contacted spores from Jupiter that endowed him with superhuman strength, increased his size, and made him act more aggressively. Afterward, NASA gave him a special suit from Tony Stark's lab to keep his strength in check. When it appeared that Spider-Man was responsible for a bank robbery, John was persuaded by his father to become a public hero by apprehending him. Spider-Man had the upper hand, but John sought a rematch. This time, Spider-Man neutralized the spores with a dose of high-voltage electricity, returning John to normal. (To learn about the characters above, just click on their highlighted names.)

Later, John was sent to the moon to collect rock samples on a top-secret mission and stumbled upon a glittering red gemstone. Once his mission was complete, he had a strange urge to obtain the gemstone from quarantine and have it made into a pendant, which he wore around his neck. The stone reacted to the moonlight on the first night of the next full moon, transforming Jameson into a savage creature. (The gem was actually the Godstone, the crystallized power and essence of Stargod, an ancient ruler from a dimension called Other Realm.) The energies of the Godstone transformed Jameson into the form of the Stargod, but the radiation that leaked through the portal to Other Realm was so weak that the change was only partial. Whenever the moon shone upon the Godstone, Jameson gained the form, strength, and primal fury of Stargod, but lacked his wisdom and power. He went by the name, Man-Wolf. (To learn about the Other Realm, click on the highlighted name above. The third picture posted is of John Jameson as Man-Wolf.)

Jameson fought the transformations for months. As the Man-Wolf, he instinctively sought out and seemingly attacked his father, who was quick to suspect the creature was partnered with Spider-Man. When his father recognized the pendant around the Man-Wolf's neck, he knew the creature was his son. However, he could not cure him by removing the pendant, since it had grafted itself onto his skin. Fortunately, in a later battle with Spider-Man, the stone was torn from his neck and thrown it into the Hudson River. This next wound took months to heal, but Jameson was cured of his transformations.

Unfortunately, the artificial vampire Michael Morbius recovered the stone and reverted Jameson into the Man-Wolf again, hoping to use the beast in a scheme to cure himself of his affliction. Spider-Man thwarted the effort, but both Morbius and Jameson escaped. Once again, the Man-Wolf ran rampant monthly. (To learn about Morbius, click on his name above.)

With the Man-Wolf on the loose, the police assigned special investigator Simon Stroud took the case of the Man-Wolf. John fled New York to Georgia where he became entangled in a fight between S.H.I.E.L.D. and the Hate-Monger (a clone of Adolph Hitler). After, Nick Fury escorted Jameson back to NASA, where he had been absent without leave. NASA offered to drop the charges if John agreed to perform a secret mission to investigate the communication breakdown with an orbiting space station. Then later, at the station, Jameson began his journey to discover the other-dimensional origin of his powers. He journeyed with three humanoids from the Other Realm through the portal on the moon into their dimension. In the Other Realm, John was fully transformed into the essence of Stargod, this time maintaining his personality and intelligence. Fulfilling the prophecies, Stargod was reborn through Jameson and John wore the costume and wielded the weapons of Stargod. (As Stargod, Jameson possessed both his human intellect and the Man-Wolf's body. He had cosmic powers, and he wears scale mail armor and uses a broadsword, dagger, short bow and arrows.) (To learn about the characters or team above, just click on their highlighted names. John as Stargod is shown in the forth picture posted.)

Later, as Stargod, he (with She-Hulk and Hellcat) saved the Other Realm from gravitational collapse. Although he enjoyed being the Stargod, Jameson decided to return to Earth, losing his memory of the Other Realm. Reunited with his father, he and Spider-Man sought Dr. Curt Connors to administer a biomagnetic treatment that caused John's body to reject the Godstone. The stone crumbled into powder, and John stopped transforming into the Man-Wolf. Soon after, John broke up with his fiancée, Kristine Saunders, and spent some time at the Sherwood Nursing Home sanitarium to mentally recover from all his life's ordeals. (To learn about all the characters above, click on their highlighted names. Note: Beware of the EXTREMELY skin-tight and revealing outfit worn by the She-Hulk on her bio page. Also, beware of the form-fitting outfit worn by Hellcat on her bio page too.)

For a time, Captain America hired John to serve as pilot of his personal Quinjet, Freedom's Flight, as well as his van. While aboard the Freedom's Flight, Jameson's alias was "Skywolf." When he was aboard the van, his alias was "Vanwolf." Jameson, sometimes, even assisted in some combat. However, after some time, John was attracted to Captain America's girlfriend, Diamondback, and left his employment in shame after he tried to steal a kiss. (Click on the highlighted names to learn about the characters and/or jet. Note: Beware of Diamondback's form-fitting outfit on her bio page.)

After a time as a freelance monster-hunter, he served as security chief at the Ravencroft Institute, where he began a romantic relationship with the director, Dr. Ashley Kafka. After several problems with superpowered criminally insane inmates, such as Carnage, the Institute was temporarily shut down. (For a short time John served as host to the Carnage symbiote, and had the same powers as Carnage; but, the alien left him in soon after to bond with someone else.) (To learn about the above highlighted characters and place, click on their names. The fifth picture posted is of Jameson as Carnage.)

John hopes to someday return to a more adventurous life. For now he is living simply as a social worker. He also expressed some romantic interest in She-Hulk, and gave her his Jupiter suit (after a few modifications by Reed Richards) to help her manage her out-of-control strength. Then later on, he and the She-Hulk dated. Later, they two were actually married in Las Vegas. However, there, he suddenly turned into Man-Wolf and after going into a rampage he turned back into Stargod. When She-Hulk discovered that her feelings for John was influenced by Starfox (Starfox can stimulate the pleasure centers in the brains of others). Because of this, She-Hulk filed for an annulment, but John admitted that his love for her was genuine and had nothing to do with Starfox's powers. However, She-Hulk rejected this and John finally signed the annulment papers, dissolving their marriage. (To learn about the above characters, click on their highlighted names. Note: Beware of the Starfox's bio page--a picture with She-Hulk in a skin-tight outfit is shown.)

Currently, to end a crusade to discover Spider-Man's identity, John's father, J. Jonah Jameson, has been tricked by Peter Parker into believing his son, John, is secretly Spider-Man.

To learn more about John Jameson/Man-Wolf/Stargod/Vanwolf/Skywolf, click on the following link, http://marvel.com/universe/Jameson,_John.

Gwen Stacy

Real Name

Gwendolyne "Gwen" Stacy

Occupation
College student

Citizenship
U.S.A.

Place of Birth
Unrevealed, presumably New York City

Known Relatives
George Stacy (father, deceased), Helen Stacy (mother, deceased), Gabriel Stacy (son), Sarah Stacy (daughter), Arthur Stacy (uncle), Nancy Stacy (aunt), Paul Stacy (cousin), Jill Stacy (cousin), Gwen Miles and other Gwen Stacy clones (genetic identicals, some deceased)

Group Affiliation
None

Education
College educated (science major, incomplete)

Height
5'7"

Weight
130 lbs.

Eyes
Blue

Hair
Blonde

Powers
None

Abilities
Gwen Stacy was a gifted scholar in the field of biochemistry

Other Info
Gwen Stacy was Peter Parker's first true love. Gwen came to Empire State University from Standard High School, where she had been the resident "beauty queen." Arriving at ESU, she and fellow science major Harry Osborn befriended Flash Thompson. Flash attempted to introduce Harry and Gwen to Peter (his high school classmate) during their first chemistry lab. When a preoccupied Peter unintentionally ignored Flash and his new friends, Gwen and Harry did not take kindly to the perceived snub. However, over time, Peter reconciled with Gwen, Harry, and Flash. Despite her friends' misgivings about the bookish Peter, Gwen knew there was more to Peter than met the eye. And over time, Gwen found in her heart a true romantic attraction to Peter and they started a relationship. (To learn about Gwen's friends, click on their highlighted names above.)

Their relationship was immediately tested by the arrival of Mary Jane Watson (the spunky glamorous niece of Aunt May's friend, Anna Watson). An aspiring model, Mary Jane quickly fell in with Peter's crowd and showed an interest in Peter which caused tension between Gwen and MJ for some time. However, Mary Jane was far too wild and free to settle her heart on any one man, and Gwen knew right away Peter was the one for her. The pair soon surrendered to their love for one another. (To learn about Mary Jane or Aunt May, click on their highlighted names above. Note: Beware of the low-cut outfit worn by MJ on a picture on her bio page.)

Unfortunately, because of Peter's hidden life as Spider-Man, it was clear that Gwen and Peter's love affair would never run smoothly: missed dates, unexplained absences, secrets he could never tell. But, Gwen's father, retired police captain George Stacy, warmly approved of Peter and did what he could to keep the two young lovers together. (To learn about Gwen's father, click on his name

Later, the Kingpin brainwashed Capt. Stacy into stealing police records. After Peter published pictures exposing George Stacy, the Kingpin kidnapped George and Gwen. Spider-Man and Norman Osborn (he was in amnesiac state of not remembering he was the Green Goblin) rescued the two, though the Kingpin escaped. Afterward, Gwen visited Norman to thank him for saving her and her father's lives. There, she found Norman powerfully alluring and charismatic. Feeling both sympathetic and attracted to Osborn, a spontaneous affair between the two ensued, leaving Gwen pregnant with twins. (Click on the highlighted names above to learn more about the Kingpin or the Green Goblin.)

Tragically, Gwen's father was later killed protecting an innocent child during a battle between Spider-Man and Doctor Octopus. A saddened Gwen held Spider-Man responsible for her father's death. Peter withdrew while Gwen raged against his alter-ego. With her relationship with Peter in turbulence, and lacking parents at home, Gwen accepted the invitation of her Uncle Arthur and Aunt Nancy to live with them in London. Unable to reconcile how to convince Gwen to stay knowing she would ultimately find out he was secretly the person she hated, Peter let Gwen leave, even though she silently hoped Peter would propose marriage to her. (To learn about the villain above, just click on his highlighted name.)

Later, heroic deeds convinced Arthur that Spider-Man couldn't be responsible for his brother's death, and listening to her uncle, Gwen realized she may have expected too much of Peter and returned home again, certain she could salvage her relationship. Gwen was met by Peter's welcoming arms. However, During her absence, Norman became the Green Goblin again, Harry turned to drugs, while Mary Jane (Harry's supposed girlfriend) blatantly flirted with Peter.

Now that Gwen was back, Peter began hinting towards marriage. Peter took Gwen with him on an expedition and photo shoot of the Savage Land in Antarctica, where she acted as his model. However, during their time there, Gwen was captured by the colossal beast, Gog (which took Gwen back to its master, Kraven the Hunter, to be his queen). Fortunately, Gwen was saved when Spider-Man and Ka-Zar showed up and defeated Kraven and Gog. (To learn about the different villains above, just click on their highlighted names.)

Sometime later, Gwen became aware of her pregnancy and fled to Europe where she secretly carried the twins to full term, giving birth to Gabriel and Sarah. Norman Osborn arranged to provide for the twins in Paris while Gwen returned home and reunited with Peter. But, Gwen argued with Norman that she should raise the children, assuming that Peter's love would enable him to overlook her infidelity and they would marry. Gwen confided only in Mary Jane, who had overheard the argument and she promised to keep Gwen's secret. (To learn about Gwen's children, click on their names above. Note: Beware of the tight-fitting outfit worn by Sarah Stacy on her bio page.)

Later, the Green Goblin kidnapped Gwen and carried her to the top of the Brooklyn Bridge. Spider-Man arrived and was horrified to find the woman he loved in the hands of his nemesis. Spider-Man blazed into battle, but his ferocity was not enough to prevent the Goblin from pushing Gwen off the bridge. In his last desperate act to save his beloved, Spider-Man fired a slender web-line that caught Gwen by her ankle, stopping her fall before she hit the water. However, her neck snapped. Raising her up, Spider-Man discovered she was already dead. The Goblin taunted him, saying that Gwen had been killed by the shock of the fall before he caught her. Either way, Gwen had died.

Peter recently used money he was paid to protect a corrupt mob boss to establish a memorial library in Gwen Stacy's name. When the Scarlet Witch's powers transformed the entire world into an alternate reality set under the rule of Magneto (the House of M), Peter and Gwen were married and had a child named Richard. Unfortunately, that reality was terminated, and life was returned back to the current time-line (aka Earth 616) with Gwen Stacy dead. (Click on the highlighted names above to learn about the character, event, and time-line above. Note: Beware of a revealing outfit worn by a character on the House of M bio page. Also, on one of the pictures of the House of M - Magneto bio page.)

There have some clones of Gwen Stacy, engineered by her college professor, Dr. Miles Warren (aka Jackal). However, the most stable, which went by the the name Gwen Miles, was married to a clone of Dr. Warren. There was a time when the clone saw photos of Spider-Man and Peter Parker and it triggered memories from the real Gwen Stacy. However, nothing became of this, and the true Gwen Stacy is still dead. (To learn about the Jackal, click on his name above.)

To learn more about Gwen Stacy, click on the following link, http://marvel.com/universe/Stacy,_Gwen.

Betty Brant

Real Name
Betty Brant

Occupation
Investigative journalist; former secretary/assistant, cultist

Citizenship
U.S.A.

Place of Birth
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Known Relatives
Eleonore Brant (mother, deceased), Bennett (brother, deceased), Ned Leeds (Hobgoblin, husband, deceased)

Group Affiliation
Daily Bugle staff, Jameson News Digest staff, Students of Love

Education
High school dropout

Height
5'7"

Weight
125 lbs.

Eyes
Brown

Hair
Brown

Powers
None

Abilities
Betty is a highly capable investigative reporter. She has become proficient in martial arts and marksmanship, and is well versed in a variety of firearms.

Other Info
Betty Brant was raised by a single mother and had an older brother named Bennett. While still in high school, Betty dated university student Gordon Savinski, a fast-living friend of her brother's. Gordon and the Brant siblings were a friendly trio for some time; however, when Gordon and Bennett incurred a huge gambling debt to mobster Blackie Gaxton, Gordon abandoned Bennett, leaving the Brants to face the consequences. Eventually, Gaxton's thugs came to the Brant home, and Betty's mother suffered permanent brain damage in the resultant scuffle. (To learn about Betty's brother, click on the highlighted name above.)

Forced to grow up fast, Betty dropped out of high school so she could work to pay off her mother's medical bills and her brother's gambling debts. Betty's mother had been the personal secretary to J. Jonah Jameson (publisher of the Daily Bugle newspaper). Perhaps out of sympathy for Betty or out of loyalty to her mother, Jameson offered Betty her mother's job at the Bugle. Soon, Betty proved to be one of the very few secretaries who ever managed to meet Jameson's demanding standards while tolerating the publisher's prickly personality. (To learn about the Daily Bugle or Jameson, click on their highlighted names above.)

Over time, a mutual attraction developed between Betty and a young Bugle photographer named Peter Parker. Peter bore a striking resemblance to Gordon Savinski; but unlike Gordon, Parker was quiet, serious, moral, responsible-in short, he seemed safe. Peter first noticed Betty when she stuck up for Spider-man during one of Jameson's anti-Spider-Man tirades. Later, Peter and Betty grew closer when they shared an intimate chat in the wrecked Bugle offices after an attack by the Vulture. Before long, they were a couple, and Betty became Peter's first real girlfriend. (Click on the highlighted names above to learn more about those characters.)

Intensely danger-shy after Gordon, Betty worried incessantly about the hazards of Peter's job, which often required him to photograph criminals and super-villains in action. When the criminal Enforcers came after Betty to collect on the Brant family's remaining debts, Betty tried to protect Peter by leaving town. She then tried to wipe out the last of her brother's debts by recruiting Doctor Octopus to break Blackie Gaxton out of prison. However, when Spider-Man intervened, Gaxton was recaptured, but not before Bennett sacrificed himself to shield Betty from a stray bullet. A devastated Betty blamed Spider-Man for her brother's death, and Peter decided he could never share the secret of his double identity with her. (To learn about the highlighted different villains above, just click on their names.)

Deeply insecure, Betty was often jealous of Peter's female friends, and she sometimes assumed that the oft-absent Peter was two-timing her, or had simply grown tired of her. Betty responded by dating Ned Leeds (a new reporter at the Bugle). For a time, Betty was romantically linked to both Peter and Ned while she tried to sort out her feelings; however, a smitten Ned eventually proposed to Betty. Unfortunately, Betty was still in love with Peter. But, she did crave the stability she thought Ned represented. After stalling for some time, Betty finally saw Peter get injured after an encounter with Doctor Octopus and Betty realized she couldn't bear to love another man who lived dangerously--Betty accepted Ned's proposal. (To learn more about Ned, click on the highlighted name above.)

Engaged for years, Ned and Betty finally got married despite the interference of the costumed criminal Mirage, who tried to rob the wedding guests until he was subdued by Spider-Man. Jameson sent the new couple to Paris on a "working honeymoon" to establish Ned as a European foreign correspondent; however, with Ned constantly off on assignment, Betty grew lonely and bitter. Separating from Ned and returning to New York, she sought comfort with Peter, who was tempted to rekindle their old romance; but, when an angry Ned arrived to fight for Betty, Peter pretended he wasn't really interested in her and declared he never wanted to see either of them again, hoping this might bring the couple back together. Stung, Betty and Ned went away together to rebuild their marriage. (To learn about Mirage, click on his name above.)

Ned continued to throw himself into his work as a Bugle reporter, a situation made much worse when the criminal Hobgoblin (Roderick Kingsley) secretly brainwashed Ned into acting as his accomplice and occasional stand-in. Ned became increasingly angry, violent and unstable. This led Betty to begin cheating on him with an old friend, Flash Thompson. Later, Ned (as Hobgoblin) attacked Flash, and Betty saw Ned unmasked during the struggle. By this time thought, Kingsley had regarded Ned as a liability, and leaked word of Ned's double identity to the underworld. This made the Hobgoblin's criminal rival, Jack O' Lantern (Jason Macendale), hired someone to kill Ned. Betty, already reeling from the revelation of Ned's double life, had a complete breakdown after Ned's death. She became delusional and prone to hallucinations. (Click on the highlighted names above to learn more about those characters.)

The broken Betty was easy prey for the Students of Love (a cult of brainwashed pawns led by the charismatic Teacher--a charlatan and supposed faith healer who stripped his followers of all their possessions). Spider-Man, Flash, and Reverend Tolliver joined forces to free Betty, and the cult was destroyed in a fire. Deprogrammed and restored to relative mental health by Tolliver, but having lost all her belongings to the cult, Betty moved in with Flash.

Betty reached a turning point during the demonic invasion of New York known as Inferno (when demons posing as Spider-Man and the late Ned attacked Flash's home). Betty found new inner strength and used it to save herself and Thompson from the demons, though Thompson's home was destroyed in the process. Later, when the emotion-controlling villain Mister Fear (Alan Fagan) tried to manipulate Betty into killing Spider-Man, she resisted and helped defeat Mister Fear; in the process, she began to understand and overcome the fear of loneliness at the root of her desperate attachments to the men in her life. (Click on the highlighted names above to learn about the invasion and character.)

Soon, Betty and Flash drifted apart. During this time, Betty began gradually reinventing herself. Easing out of secretarial work and into reporting, Brant became an investigative journalist for the Bugle, eventually tracking the killers of her husband. She also studied martial arts and marksmanship, a heavily-armed Betty even managed to hold her own against the Foreigner's forces alongside Spider-Man (this uncovered more details regarding the circumstances of Ned's death in the process--the Foreigner had been the one hired to kill her husband). She even at times worked along side Spider-Man to defeat villains. Betty had a brief romantic interest in Ben Reilly, who was later murdered by the Green Goblin. (To learn more about the above characters, just click on their highlighted names.)

Betty continues to work at the Bugle under the direction of her longtime bosses, Jameson and editor-in-chief Joe "Robbie" Robertson. Her notable friends and colleagues there have included secretary Glory Grant (who took over Betty's old job), city editor Kathyrn "Kate" Cushing and fellow reporters such as Ben Urich, Joy Mercado, Jessica Jones and young Kat Farrell, whom Betty has mentored to some extent. Brant's investigative reporting has helped crack a number of important criminal cases over the years. Her greatest and most personal triumph was exposing businessman Roderick Kingsley as the true Hobgoblin, finally clearing Ned's name in the process. (Click on the highlighted names above to learn more about some of Betty's friends and colleagues. Note: Beware of Grant's and Jones' bio pages; they both are wearing either tight-fitting or revealing outfits.)

After some time, Betty and Flash have renewed their romantic interest in each other.

In the aftermath of Peter Parker publicly revealing his secret identity as Spider-Man, Betty proved herself to be a faithful, understanding, and supportive friend to Peter.

To learn more about Betty Brant, click on the following link, http://marvel.com/universe/Betty_Brant.

Mary Jane

Real Name
Mary Jane Watson

Occupation
Actress; former model

Citizenship
U.S.A.

Place of Birth
Montoursville, PA

Known Relatives
Anna May Watson (aunt), Philip (father), Madeline (mother, deceased), Gayle Watson-Byrnes (sister), Timothy Byrnes (ex-brother-in-law), Kevin and Tommy Byrnes (nephews), Judge Spenser Watson (uncle), Frank Brown (mother's cousin), Kristy Watson (cousin), Lou and Lorraine Watson (uncle and aunt, parents of Kristy)

Group Affiliation
None

Education
College educated

Height
5'8"

Weight
120 lbs.

Eyes
Green

Hair
Red

Powers
None

Abilities
Mary Jane is a successful supermodel who is focusing her career on improving as an actress

Other Info
Mary Jane (MJ) was born to Madeline and Philip Watson. She has an sister named Gayle who is four years older than Mary Jane. Due to many failures by her father, their family was forced to move around multiple times. At every new school, Mary Jane was the class clown and party animal. However, one day after Mary Jane's father hit her older sister, her mother took the two daughters and left her husband; while Madeline was prepared to endure her husband's bitterness, she would not stay to see her children suffer his violence. The three went from relative to relative staying at their homes. Unfortunately, they were resented by those who took them in, with one exception - her father's elderly sister: Aunt Anna Watson--who lived in Forest Hills.

Mary Jane loved her visits with Aunt Anna, though one downside was that Anna and her neighbor May Parker were always trying to get Mary Jane together with May's nephew: Peter. Mary Jane was thirteen when she first laid eyes on Peter who was fourteen. Peter had just started high school, and through her window Mary Jane saw a serious-looking bookworm who she thought he was kind of cute, in a nerdy sort of way. But, they did not pursue one another. (To learn more about Spider-Man, click on the highlighted name above.)

As a high-school freshman, MJ was already getting boys' attention. And soon after, Mary Jane buried herself in acting, parties, and the nation's new celebrity sensation: Spider-Man. Mary Jane realized that she and Spider-Man shared two things in common: a determination to enjoy life, and a mask which hid their true faces.

One night, when staying with her Aunt Anna, MJ noticed Peter Parker rushing home to his Aunt's house. Then, a minute later, she could hardly believe her eyes as she saw Spider-Man crawl out of an upstairs window. She knew the secret of who Spider-Man was. However, she kept it that way: a secret.

Later, back home, Mary Jane's sister became pregnant again and her young husband abandoned her. Mary Jane also saw her own mother become sick and die. Desperate, Gayle assumed that Mary Jane would stay and help raise the two young children, but Mary Jane saw nothing but a cage. Therefore, she ran from Gayle's life, all the way to New York.

Later on, Mary Jane found work waiting tables and dancing on stage in discos. And soon after her and Peter Parker actually went on a date (even though she was trying to avoid the setup by their two aunts for some time). Peter, expecting a dowdy girl, was stunned by Mary Jane's beauty and exuberant charm. MJ realized that Peter was a confident young college student. She also didn't expect Peter to suggest they ride into town on his motorcycle when a television bulletin announced that the Rhino was at large in the city. Of course, Peter immediately disappeared to "take photos."Spider-Man then would turn up moments later. Mary Jane bit her tongue and kept this, and many such future "coincidences" a secret. (To learn about the Rhino, click on his name above.)

Mary Jane dated Peter a couple more times, and became part of his circle of friends, joining Harry Osborn, Gwen Stacy, and Flash Thompson. But, Peter and Gwen fell deeply in love, and Mary Jane could offer no such commitment. Instead, Mary Jane began casually dating Harry, though she flirted shamelessly with Peter, and others. But when Harry developed a drug addiction, his relationship with Mary Jane suffered greatly, and it never truly recovered. (Click on the highlighted names above to learn more about some of Mary Jane's friends.)

With the death of Gwen Stacy and Norman Osborn, MJ's friendship with Peter remained true, and she comforted him through his loss. Harry meanwhile had become increasingly unstable, and Mary Jane abandoned him completely. Over time, Peter began to realize that there was more to Mary Jane than the "party girl" persona she put off. Later, when Peter left on a trip to Europe, he left Mary Jane with a kiss which showed how much he cared for her. Mary Jane liked it and over the following months, they became lovers (although Peter's commitments as Spider-Man caused no less grief with Mary Jane than they had when he dated Gwen Stacy or Betty Brant). Eventually, Peter proposed to Mary Jane, but she declined. Feeling uncomfortable, Mary Jane left New York for some time, and furthered her modeling career in Florida. (To learn about the characters above, just click on their highlighted names.)

When Mary Jane returned, both she and Peter were having some problems with their lives, and relied on one another as good friends. MJ finally revealed to Peter that she knew that he was Spider-Man. Since his mask was now gone, she removed hers, and told Peter about the other side of Mary Jane, and her own difficult past. In their shared honesty, the two realized how close they had become. A few months later, Peter proposed once more, and Mary Jane accepted.

They were a happy married couple for some time. But, the reality of being wedded to a super-hero was far more demanding than Mary Jane ever imagined. The stress of villains invading their personal lives, Peter's extended absences, the fear of Peter dying, and even her own problems with crazy fans, made life difficult. However, things started looking up for the young couple when Mary Jane became pregnant. Even more significant was the return of Peter's long-lost clone, Ben Reilly, who assumed the role of Spider-Man (this left Peter free to be with MJ). (To learn about Peter Parker's clone, just click on his highlighted name above.)

Due to Norman Osborn, Mary Jane lost her unborn child. However, Peter and MJ undertook marriage guidance, and she took up psychology at ESU, befriending Jill Stacy. Mary Jane was given an opportunity to resume her beloved modeling, for which she was very well paid. They moved into an expensive apartment, along with Aunt May. (To learn about Jill Stacy, click on her name above.)

While MJ's busy modeling schedule was straining her and Peter's relationship, the truth came out that Peter was still going out as Spider-Man. As their marriage hung in the balance, Mary Jane was held captive by "the Stalker" (a man who supernaturally began to become like Peter after absorbing his memories). Spider-Man rescued MJ, but after the mental trauma of her captivity, she was unable to return to the lifestyle which had torn them apart. The two separated, with Mary Jane moving to the West Coast. However, later, they were able to work things out a stick toegther.

After Peter joined the New Avengers, Mary Jane, Aunt May, and Peter resided in Tony Stark's Stark Tower. She supported Peter's decision to unmask before the world in response to the Superhuman Registration Act, despite the increased risk to her own safety. After Peter withdrew his support for the Act, she and Aunt May went into hiding. (Learn about the above highlighted characters/place/act by clicking on them above.)

Learning of Spider-Man's unmasking, the Kingpin, sent a sniper to locate and shoot the Parkers. While Peter saved Mary Jane from the gunfire, Aunt May was shot and sent into a coma. Peter desperately searched for a means to save Aunt May's life, blaming his unmasking for endangering his family. With the Parkers at a dead-end, Mephisto took advantage of the situation, offering to restore Aunt May to health if MJ and Peter agreed to have their holy bond of matrimony removed from time. Mephisto also agreed to erase all memories and records of Spider-Man's unmasking to ensure Aunt May would not be simply shot by another sniper. Mary Jane selflessly agreed to the deal, believing that the love between her and Peter would be strong enough to bring them back together again. Following Mary Jane's lead, Peter also consented. (To learn more about Mephisto, just click on his highlighted name above.)

Now, time has been altered such that Mary Jane, though she shared a relationship with Peter, never married him, and is currently no longer romantically involved with him.

To learn more about Mary Jane, just click on the following link, http://marvel.com/universe/Watson,_Mary_Jane.