Comics Explained: Sinister Six

The Sinister Six by Alex Ross

Very few comic heroes have a large and varied enough Rogue's Gallery to warrant an entire team made of their villains. For DC Batman and the Flash have such a varied and vibrant collection of villains, and today we'll be looking at Marvel's major villain team-up: the Sinister Six. Being one of Marvel's major heroes Spider-Man's villains largely stayed with Spider-Man and didn't become a major villain for other heroes or the wider Marvel universe. For example, many of Iron Man's villains would become opponents for the Avengers instead of just Iron Man. The Sinister Six was a way for Marvel to combine Spider-Man's greatest villains in one story and has remained a recurring feature in his comics and wider media. Sony was planning a Sinister Six movie, which is currently dependent on the new Venom movie's success, and the recent Spider-Man game for the PS4 sort of features the Sinister Six. Today we'll look at this part of the Spider-Man mythos.

Origins

Amazing Spider-Man Annual #1

The Sinister Six first originated in Amazing Spider-Man Annual #1 in October 1964 in a story by two Marvel heavyweights: Stan Lee and Steve Ditko. I would imagine though that Ditko did more of the writing as Lee was editor-in-chief at the time so his attention was quite divided. In this story Spider-Man's powers had been fading just as his main opponent, Dr Octopus, led a prison escape. In the early-1960s it was Dr Octopus who was Spider-Man's greatest foes and wouldn't be replaced by the Green Goblin until the early-1970s or Venom in the late-1980s. Octopus got Spider-Man's main villains together with the idea that together they would take down Spider-Man bringing together: Electro, Sandman, Kraven the Hunter, Vulture and Mysterio. However, he knew that their alliance would soon fall apart so formed a plan; each would face Spider-Man alone wearing him down until one finally killed him. Aunt May went to the Daily Bugle to talk to editor-in-chief J Jonah Jameson and Peter Parker's love interest and fellow journalist, Betty Brant. Octopus knew that she had some connection to Spider-Man so had her and May kidnapped to act as bait. Despite lacking any powers Spider-Man went off to fight the new Sinister Six.

First, he faced Electro at a Stark Industries electrical plant and finds that his powers have returned with it being implied that it was a mental block preventing him from using his powers, so he easily defeated Electro. He then faces Kraven in Central Park who uses three tigers to fight Spider-Man but is defeated. His next opponent was Mysterio who used robots designed after the original X-Men to fight Spider-Man but he managed to defeat them and Mysterio; he then went on to fight Sandman in a sealed, air-tight room where his 'superior lung capacity' allowed him to beat Sandman because this was 1960s Marvel and these crazy things helped heroes fight villains. Finally, he fought Vulture high above New York so he could find the location of Dr Octopus who is holding May and Betty. As this was 1960s Marvel Octopus had Spider-Man fight him in his 'natural home' of a giant fishbowl, but Spider-Man used his web shooters to fill the bowl with his web tangling up Dr Octopus defeating the Sinister Six.

Return

Amazing Spider-Man #334

Despite the Sinister Six being a good and interesting idea both in and out of the comics it took until 1990 for Marvel to bring back the Sinister Six with The Amazing Spider-Man #334, and it lasted longer than the first team with it lasting until #339. As Kraven had commit suicide after finally beating Spider-Man by himself, (including burying him alive!), the second Hobgoblin joined the Sinister Six instead. However, at this stage Sandman had been trying to reform himself and had been blackmailed into joining so he secretly worked with Spider-Man to bring down the second Sinister Six. In Spider-Man #18 as Dr Octopus basically planned to betray his team once they had won Vulture, Electro, Hobgoblin, and Mysterio hoped to get revenge so reformed their team and secretly sent a bomb to Sandman's family in order to get him to blame Octopus. Dr Octopus had by now replaced his octo-arms with new ones made of adamantium (the same metal which Wolverine's claws are made of) so this allowed him to easily defeat the other team members - including turning Sandman into glass. We also find out that not only did Doctor Octopus know about the plan to betray him but also had partially encouraged it by paying Electro to reform the Sinister Six. Using his reformed team Dr Octopus led them on a violent and murderous spree breaking into secure facilities to steal advanced technology. This even included defeating several heroes such as Spider-Man and the Hulk who was defeated by Doc Ock with his adamantium arms - albeit at this stage Hulk was in his weaker Professor Hulk form. As they attacked a HYDRA base the final team member was revealed: the giant Gog. In Spider-Man #23 a team of heroes including Spider-Man, the Hulk, and Ghost Rider went against the Sinister Six defeating them when Sandman's glass body shattered over Doc Ock shredding his body and almost killing him. 

Other versions of the Sinister Six 

Spider-Man and Black Cat versus the Sinister Twelve

Since the early-1990s there have been many versions of the Sinister Six so we'll only go through a few of them today. During the very confusing Clone Saga of the 1990s a murderous clone of Spider-Man called Kaine emerged who sought violent justice against villains, including Dr Octopus. As a result, Hobgoblin formed the Sinister Seven alongside Shocker, Scorpia, Beetle, Electro, Vulture and Mysterio to fight Kaine. Spider-Man was forced to fight both Kaine and the Sinister Seven to prevent them from killing each other. As part of The Sensational Spider-Man an unmasked Norman Osborn (the Green Goblin) organised all of Spider-Man's active villains who weren't dead, retired, or incarcerated to come together and fight Spider-Man. The Scorpion had kidnapped Aunt May, again!, in order to bribe Spider-Man into breaking Osborn from prison - which happened regardless. Osborn revealed that the Sinister Twelve was planning to kill both Spider-Man and Black Cat who came to help. It was only because Mary-Jane had rang SHIELD were they saved: the Fantastic Four, Captain America, Iron Man, Daredevil, and Hank Pym arrived to help them. In the end May was rescued and the Sinister Twelve were disbanded. 

The Ultimate Sinister Six

There have been alternate reality versions of the Sinister Six as well. One included the Ultimate Universe - the Ultimate comics were an attempt to create a new reality for a new bunch of readers in the early-2000s. The Ultimate comics played heavily into genetic engineering and the original Six, (Norman Osborn, Dr Octopus, Sandman, Kraven the Hunter, and Electro), had been incarcerated by SHIELD for playing with genetics. Working together they blackmailed Spider-Man into believing that Aunt May had been kidnapped (notice a theme with his comics) in order to get him to fight the Ultimates, this reality's version of the Avengers. However, Captain America showed him that was not true so Spider-Man turned on the others. The Six would disband until the Death of Spider-Man story. Joined by Vulture the Six once again broke from SHIELD custody in order for revenge. However, Doc Ock wanted to just continue his research so Osborn killed him. When Spider-Man accidentally got shot by the Punisher the Six attacked his home so a mortally wounded Parker fought the Six. Electro was shot by May; Kraven, Vulture and Sandman were defeated; and Green Goblin had a truck thrown on top of him killing him and ending the Ultimate Six. Unfortunately, the strain was too much for Peter who died in Mary-Jane's arms.

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Comics Explained: Vulture (Adrian Toomes)

The Vulture

Recently the trailer for Spider-Man: Homecoming was released revealing the villain of the movie: the Vulture. The Vulture is the second oldest Spider-Man villain first appearing in The Amazing Spider-Man #2 all the back in May 1963. Although he is not the most well known of Spider-Man's villains, or the most powerful, he has a key place in the history of Spider-Man. Over the years there have been four people to take on the mantle of the Vulture, however, today we will only look at the first one, Adrian Toomes, as he was the one which will be featured in the movie, as played by former Batman Michael Keaton.

Origin

Vulture's initial appearance

Like many characters from the Spider-Man comics Adrian Toomes came from New York, more specifically Staten Island. With his parents dying when he was young Adrian was raised by his older brother Marcus until Marcus became paraplegic following a motocycle accident. Thereafter he spent his time caring for his brother. Toomes was incredibly smart, and after leaving school he helped found a firm called Bestman and Toomes Electronics where Toomes could use his engineering skills to make projects. His favorite project was an electromagnetic harness which improved muscle mass, and the ability to fly like a bird when in use. However, his continuous obsession with his pet projects distracted him from the fact that his partner had been slowly embezzling funds from the business, and buying Tomes's stocks in the company. By the time that Toomes had realized he was an old man and Bestman was the sole proprietor. He retired to work on his revenge. Soon he had perfected his harness and developed a costumed identity called Vulture. He immediately flew to Bestman's office and began to ransack it to find evidence to incriminate his former partner. When he could not he robbed the premises and then began a series of robbings across New York City. The thrill of thieving under the guise of a costume went to his head and he started to announce where he would rob. The big one was the Park Avenue Diamond Exchange. Everyone had believed he would attack from the air so the police had set guards to prepare for the Vulture's arrival from the skies. However, it turned out he had flew through the sewers, emerged from a manhole, and robbed the place. It was this which made him run in with Spider-Man. Like Vulture, Spider-Man was also a skilled engineer and to combat the electromagnetic harness which powered Vulture's flight he created an inverter which would stop the electromagnets in the harness. It worked and Vulture was captured becoming the second villain in Spider-Man's Rogue Gallery.

Sinister Six

Sinister Six

After being beaten by Spider-Man the Vulture ended up joining forces with five other members of his Rogues Gallery in Amazing Spider-Man Annual #1. Here Doctor Octopus realized that by working with other people who hated Spider-Man he could defeat the Web-Slinger. Other than Vulture he also hired: Electro (a man who can shoot electricity, farthest left on the above photo), Mysterio, (someone who can make lifelike images appear, second on the left), Kraven the Hunter, (an extremely strong man who hunts with his bare hands, farthest right), and Sandman, (someone who can turn into sand and use sand who was the villain in Spider-Man 3, second to the right). To try and take down Spider-Man their plan was to kidnap someone from the Daily Bugle, leave behind clues at locations, and hopefully wear down Spider-Man. They kidnap Betty Brant and Aunt May who happened to be visiting Brant as she was worried about her nephew and hoped that his colleague could help. Spider-Man managed to defeat Electro, Kraven, Mysterio and Sandman before taking on, (and defeating), Vulture. Eventually he also defeated Doctor Octopus. 

After the Six

Two Vultures

Following his defeat as part of the Sinister Six Toomes was sent to prison again. It was in prison that he made friends with his cellmate Raniero 'Blackie' Drago (the one on the left in the above picture), in Amazing Spider-Man #48. Drago staged an accident which left Toomes hospitalized and close to death. Fearing he might die Toomes told Drago where his secret Vulture suit was. Drago's plan was complete and he managed to escape from prison as the new Vulture. However, Toomes found out that Drago had been defeated by Spider-Man quite easily he vowed to show the world who the real Vulture was. He managed to escape prison and create a new Vulture suit. To finally show the world who the better Vulture was he fought Drago and with his superior suit managed to defeat his former friend. Not until 1990 would anything major happen with the Toomes version of the Vulture. Introduced in Peter Parker, the Spectacular Spider-Man #47 a wheelchair bound retired vaudeville Nathan Lubensky had started a relationship with Aunt May. Lubensky had met Toomes and was unaware of his identity as the Vulture saying that life should never get him down. In Amazing Spider-Man #336 he had arrived at a casino yacht, (which May and Nathan had been attending), and during a fight with Spider-Man he tried to use May as a human shield. However, Nathan managed to get onto Vulture's back to try and stop him from taking May resulting in Lubensky having a fatal heart attack. Toomes became distraught and was soon caught. 

Throughout the 1990s the Vulture remained a secondary villain for Spider-Man with writers focusing more on Doctor Octopus, Green Goblin and Venom instead of his flying adversary. However, there was a brief time when he became a hero, but as always in comics he went back into his ways of being a villain. During the Civil War event he was beaten by Captain America in the early days of the Superhero Civil War. When incarcerated he was offered a chance by S.H.I.E.L.D to hunt down Spider-Man who had gone rogue and joined Captain America. However, when he went to fight Spider-Man he had a stroke and Spider-Man had to rush him to hospital. In 2014 in Superior Spider-Man Team-Up #5 Vulture was forced to join Spider-Man's Superior Six, (this was a weird time in Marvel).

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