"SMART ALEC"

Real Name: Unknown

Identity/Class: Human/Unknown

Occupation: Thief

Group Membership: None

Affiliations: None

Enemies: Spider-Man

Known Relatives: None

Aliases: None

Base of Operations: Unknown, possibly New York, but quite likely mobile

 

First Appearance:
In a Hostess ad appearing in March and April 1978 editions of Marvel comic books
(examples: Black Panther vol. 1 #8, Defenders vol. 1 #57, & What If? Vol. 1 #8)

Powers/Abilities: Through unknown means (quite possibly technological in
nature), Smart Alec had the ability to project multiple images of himself.  At least up
to seven images were seen on-panel, but Spider-Man commented that he saw
hundreds of them (but this may have been an exaggeration).

History: Within a museum (or gallery), Smart Alec stole the Cope Emerald and released multiple images of himself to confuse security and onlookers.  One of the onlookers was Spider-Man in his civilian identity of Peter Parker.  After a quick outfit change, Spidey was having trouble distinguishing the real Smart Alec from the fakes in order to nab the thief with his webbing.  Luckily, Spider-Man brought Hostessâ cup cakes.  Once Spidey dropped the cup cakes on the floor, the real Smart Alec could not resist being drawn toward the delicious, fudgy, chocolaty icing of these sugary snacks and was consequently captured.

Comments: Creators unknown.

This character was never properly named Smart Alec; his title was taken from a comment Spider-Man said about the thief in the ad, "some smart alec is projecting hundred [sic] of images."

Of all the Hostess villains, only Icemaster has shown up in an Earth-616 title. He could have crossed over to Earth-616 from "Earth-Hostess, " but I say leave them on Earth-616 until proven otherwise. Nonetheless, until they do show up in regular continuity, they remain outside regular canon. Surely someone will write a story teaming them all together--Snood.

This is not true anymore as some Hostess ad villains were mentioned in the Fantastic Four Encyclopedia as natives of Earth-616. And lets not forget about Printout Man in the New Avengers Most Wanted Files.

You can get the whole story, and some clever commentary from Seanbaby's The Hostess Page. It might not meet with the Comics Code Authority's approval, so kids, ask your parents before checking that out!

With an assist from Snood, Bob Almond, Inker Extraordinaire, provided the image for this profile. Many thanks to both!

 Profile by Kyle Smith

CLARIFICATIONS: Smart Alec, the Hostess ad character, should be distinguished from:

images:
Hostess ad, pan4 (main image)

Last updated: 12/26/13

Any Additions/Corrections? please let me know.

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