The Beetle is the name used by multiple comic book characters owned by Marvel Comics. It is also the name of the three versions of high tech armor used by five separate characters.
Publication history
The first version of the Beetle armor debuted in the "Human Torch" segment of Strange Tales #123 (August 1964) as Abner Jenkins's creation. This version was beaten by the Thing and Human Torch. This version would only be used for a few years before the character switched to the second version, which is the armor most associated with the name. This version would be in use until Thunderbolts #1 (April 1997) when Abe Jenkins's alter ego was changed to MACH-1.
A new version of the Beetle armor debuted in Thunderbolts #35 (February 2000). This version resembled a walking tank and would be used by Jenkins and Leila Davis, the second person to use the Beetle identity. This version was crushed by Graviton, killing Davis who was still inside at the time.
After Davis's death, the Beetle armor would go unused until Thunderbolts #103 (August 2006) when all three versions were stolen and used by three college students. How, why and exactly when the third version of the armor was rebuilt was not made clear. The individual names of these characters were not revealed.
Fictional character biography
Abner Jenkins
An ex-master mechanic, Abner Jenkins left his career to pursue life as an adventurer seeking wealth and fame under the Beetle name. A defeat at the Fantastic Four's hands sent him into the direction of a life of crime. Years later, he joined the Thunderbolts, a choice that eventually took him on a more heroic pathway in life.
Leila Davis
The widow of the minor supervillain Ringer, Leila Davis began her criminal career as a driver for the super villain team the Sinister Syndicate. After the Ringer's death, Leila would go on to have her own costumed career, first as Hardshell, and finally as the Beetle. She was killed when Graviton crushed the Beetle armor with her still inside.
The three Beetles
Three college students stole the previous incarnations of the Beetle armor during Marvel's Civil War event. The individual piloting the first version was called Joaquim and the person in the second version was revealed to be female. No other information was revealed about them in their subsequent appearances in Thunderbolts.
In those issues which made up a storyline named the "Guardian Protocols", they defend the city of Dallas against a plot by the Grandmaster as members of an enlarged Thunderbolts team recruited by Baron Zemo and consisting of numerous supervillains. When the Overmind lets the full power of the Wellspring (the source of power the Grandmaster is using) loose when he attempts to revive Baron Zemo, the defenders of Sydney and Dallas are overrun, with the three Beetles presumably among them.
In 2007, the three Beetles were identified among the 142 registered superheroes who appear on the cover of the comic book Avengers: The Initiative #1.
"The Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe A-Z Update" #5 revealed that the three college students that wear the three Beetle armors are named Joaquim Robichaux, Elizabeth Vaughn, and Gary Quinn.
Janice Lincoln
A new female Beetle attacks Captain America (Bucky Barnes) and Black Widow. The two managed to defeat her and remand her to The Raft.
As part of the Marvel NOW! event, Beetle returns as a member of the latest incarnation of the Sinister Six. In this appearance, her first name is revealed to be Janice. She is later revealed to be the daughter of Tombstone.
Beetle features as one of the main characters in Superior Foes of Spider-Man. Janice's origin is later recounted, where it is shown that as a child, she idolized her father and his criminal activities, but was forbidden to take part in them. After building a successful career as a defense attorney, she was appointed to defend Baron Zemo, at which point she volunteered to work for him as the new Beetle. Janice's armor is also revealed to have been built by the Fixer.
Hobgoblin's Beetle
Roderick Kingsley had sold one of Abner Jenkins' old Beetle armors and gear to an unnamed criminal. He was seen at the Bar With No Name attending the wake of Electro's servant Francine. Beetle was later seen at the Bar With No Name where he is among its patrons who want Black Cat to be the Queen of the Criminal Underworld.
Other versions
Marvel UK
The name Beetle was used by an armored S.T.R.I.K.E. superhuman restraint squad in the Jaspers' Warp story arc published by the Marvel UK imprint.
Ultimate Beetle
The Ultimate Marvel version of Beetle debuts in Ultimate Spider-Man #124. Spider-Man first finds him robbing a sample of the Venom symbiote from the Roxxon company. Beetle breaks into the building that Venom is held in and Venom chases after him. Upon cornering Beetle, Venom is attacked by Spider-Man. When Venom seizes Beetle with his tentacles, Spider-Man saves Beetle who escapes. After Eddie Brock becomes Venom again, Beetle captures him and ships him to Latveria. Beetle's suit was later seen being repaired by the Tinkerer (Elijah Stern) when the Sinister Six arrives looking for weapons to kill Spider-Man.
In other media
Television
- The Abner Jenkins version of Beetle appeared in the 1980s Saturday morning animated series Spider-Man and His Amazing Friends, voiced by Christopher Collins.
- The Abner Jenkins version of Beetle made a brief appearance in the Iron Man animated series, voiced by John Reilly with a Liverpudlian accent that evokes the similarly named band.
- Beetle appears in the Ultimate Spider-Man cartoon series, voiced by Steven Blum. In addition to the character's identity being unknown, this version's notable trademark is the unusually large amount of fold-out rocket launchers hidden all over the surface of his armor and depicted as a highly capable criminal mercenary. In the episode "Beetle Mania", he targets J. Jonah Jameson for a campaign that exposes the mercenary's criminal dealings with various supervillains (springing MODOK from prison and dealings with Doctor Doom) to which Spider-Man and his team (Nova, White Tiger, Power Man and Iron Fist) enter the Daily Bugle to stop Beetle's assassination attempts and is eventually defeated by Spider-Man's team (although Jameson wasn't in his office but on monitor renderings the whole time). In the episode "The Attack of the Beetle", Beetle is shown having a penchant for holding grudges against Spider-Man for their pervious encounter as well as S.H.I.E.L.D. agent Phil Coulson as they're 'sparring partners'. During his first fight with the two, Beetle decides to use May Parker as a hostage. While May manages to escape, Beetle is eventually beaten by Spider-Man and Coulson. In the episode "Hawkeye", Beetle went to destroy the new S.H.I.E.L.D. Helicarrier but is defeated and captured by Spider-Man and Hawkeye. In the episode "The Sinister Six", Beetle appeared as a member of the Sinister Six alongside Doctor Octopus, Electro, Rhino, Kraven the Hunter and Lizard. Along with the group, he fought Spider-Man. Beetle then fought Nova but is defeated by Iron Fist after Spider-Man's teammates switched opponents and is later detained in S.H.I.E.L.D. custody. He returns in episode "Ultimate Venom", hired by Taskmaster to hunt down the symbiote.
Video games
- Beetle appears in both the Super Nintendo Entertainment System and Sega Genesis Spider-Man Animated Series games based on the animated series.
- The Abner Jenkins version of Beetle was the first boss in the 1995 Super Nintendo game Spider-Man: Lethal Foes, a game only released in Japan.
- The Abner Jenkins version of Beetle played a minor role in the PlayStation game Spider-Man 2: Enter Electro, voiced by Daran Norris. He only appeared in cut-scenes and did not appear as a boss character.
- Beetle appears in the Ultimate Spider-Man video game, voiced by Tucker Smallwood. Technically making his Ultimate continuity debut, he acts as an agent for the Latverians, collecting genetic information from superhumans to allow them to genetically engineer super-soldiers. The notable actions he took in the game were stealing a vial of sand (which it is implied Sandman has a connection) and freeing Norman Osborn. He also battled Spider-Man shortly after freeing Green Goblin but escaped by ducking into the nearby Latverian Embassy. Concept art in the special edition of the game shows Beetle giving the Sandman vial to Doctor Doom. Beetle is later sent to capture a sample of the Venom symbiote. Venom eventually chases and defeats Beetle.
- Beetle appears in Lego Marvel Super Heroes, voiced again by Steven Blum.
- Beetle appears in the Facebook game Marvel: Avengers Alliance.
Toys
- In 1997, the Abner Jenkins version of the Beetle received an action figure in the Spider-Man: The Animated Series line, despite not appearing on the show.
- In 2013, the Ultimate version of the Beetle received a figure in the Ultimate Spider-Man "Daily Bugle Showdown" play set from Lego.
- In 2014, the Ultimate version of the Beetle received a figure in the Amazing Spider-Man 2 line of the Marvel Legends series, despite not appearing in the actual film.
References
.png)
External links
- Beetle (disambiguation) at the Marvel Universe
- Beetle at the Marvel Database Project
