CANCER
Real Name: Jack Klevano
Identity/Class: Human
Occupation: Criminal mastermind
Group Membership: Zodiac Cartel
Affiliations: Thunderbolts gang;
as a Cancer, he presumably has some association with Set;
see also the Catalogue of Correspondences for Set from Ian McNee's reading of the First Tarot
Enemies: Avengers (Black Panther, Captain America, Goliath (Clint Barton), Iron Man, Mantis, Scarlet Witch, Thor, Vision, Wasp, Yellowjacket), Nick Fury, Rick Jones, Zodiac (LMDs)
Known Relatives: None
Aliases: None
Base of Operations: Houston, Texas
First Appearance: Avengers I#72 (January, 1970)
Powers/Abilities: Cancer wore a costume outfitted with a pincer on each of his gloves which he could use for grabbing and slashing at opponents.
Height: 5'8"
Weight: 175 lbs.
Eyes: Blue
Hair: Unrevealed
History: (Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe Deluxe Edition#20: Zodiac (fb) - BTS) - The Zodiac Cartel was founded by Cornelius van Lunt (Taurus), handpicking the eleven other members; van Lunt concealed his own identity, while he was the only one who knew the identities of the others. Each member was based in a different American city as part of his nationwide criminal network, with the ultimate goal of world economic and political domination.
(Avengers I#72) - Cancer attended a gathering of the Zodiac made by Scorpio, who had captured the Avengers, only to discover that Nick Fury was masquerading as Scorpio, and the Avengers set themselves loose to battle them. Cancer was blasted by the Vision in battle, but was able to flee when Aries distracted the Avengers with the Zodiac Key.
(Avengers I#80 (fb) - BTS) - Under the direction of Aries (Marcus Lassiter), Zodiac regrouped and began plotting their takeover of Manhattan. Meanwhile, Cornelius van Lunt led Zodiac's efforts to build to steal the land from Red Wolf's father, leading Red Wolf to pursue van Lunt's agent, Jason Birch, back to Manhattan.
(Avengers I#80 - BTS) - Having learned something of Zodiac's activities, the Avengers prepared to oppose them, though they split into three groups, each pursuing a different agenda (unaware that all three were Zodiac related).
(Avengers I#81 - BTS) - Van Lunt's men shot down the Avengers' quinjet containing Goliath (Clint Barton), the Scarlet Witch, the Vision, and Red Wolf, and van Lunt appeared to drown when the artificial dam was destroyed in the ensuing conflict.
(Daredevil I#69 - BTS) - Zodiac backed the Thunderbolts gang, directing them to dupe other African-Americans into joining a seeming revolution against oppression, when they were really just common criminals; the Thunderbolts were defeated by the Black Panther, Daredevil, and William Carver.
(Avengers I#82 - BTS) - Aries led the forces of Zodiac to ambush the Avengers (Captain America, Iron Man (Tony Stark), Quicksilver, and Thor), using gas to incapacitate then within Avengers Mansion, after which they were placed within stasis.
Aries then led the forces of Zodiac to take over Manhattan, entrapping it within a force field, and threatening to slay the entire population if they did not receive one billion dollars within 24 hours time. The Black Panther and Daredevil freed the imprisoned Avengers, and Aries was apparently slain in the ensuing conflict. The army captured Zodiac's mercenary soldiers, and the force field was deactivated. The rest of the Zodiac Cartel escaped capture.
(Avengers I#120) - Cancer joined the Zodiac Cartel in an attack on the Avengers Mansion, and defeated the Avengers gathered there simply to demonstrate their might. He then participated in their plot to use the Star-Blaster to slay everyone born under the sign of the Gemini (except for their own Gemini), but the Avengers intervened. Taurus was able to halt the Avengers by threatening to kill Mantis with the Star-Blaster.
(Avengers I#121) - The Zodiac lost their stalemate when the Scarlet Witch ruined the Star-Blaster, but they managed to flee after Aries knocked Mantis off the World Trade Center. Later, Cancer participated in a meeting with Aries, Pisces, Scorpio, Sagittarius, Leo, Libra and Aquarius in which they planned to usurp leadership from Taurus, and planned to meet with their financier Cornelius Van Lunt in order to gain his support. However, a meeting with Van Lunt, the Avengers appeared. As they fought, Van Lunt fled, and revealed himself to be Taurus. He then trapped the Zodiac traitors and Avengers within his warehouse, and launched it into space.
(Avengers I#122) - Cancer and the other traitors continued to battle the Avengers aboard Taurus' space trap, until the Vision pointed out the futility of their battle. Iron Man was able to bring them all back to Earth safely, but as they prepared to engage Taurus, Taurus observed that the Avengers were certain to send them to prison. They then turned on the Avengers and aided the rest of the Zodiac, but were defeated by the Avengers.
(Avengers I#123 - BTS) - Cancer was turned over to the authorities by the Avengers along with the other Zodiac members, except for Libra.
(Ghost Rider II#7 (fb)) - Cancer was sent to prison with the rest of the Zodiac, with the exception of Taurus.
(Iron Man I#184) - Cancer participated in a viewscreen-only meeting with the other 11 Zodiac members, during which Taurus explained his intent to destroy Iron Man with a bomb to prevent him from investigating the cartels.
(West Coast Avengers II#26) - Cancer chaired a meeting of the Zodiac cartel in Houston, Texas, in which they discussed the threat the LMD Zodiac posed to them. Before they could come to any conclusions, they learned that an LMD of Jake Fury had replaced their Scorpio, and he let in his LMD Zodiac to destroy them. Cancer was slain by the LMDS.
Comments: Created by Roy Thomas, Sal Buscema and Sam Grainger.
As a Cancer, Jack Klevano was born between June 21st and July 22nd.
by Prime Eternal
CLARIFICATIONS:
Cancer should not be confused with:
Images taken from:
Avengers I#72, page 13
Avengers I#72, page 17, panel 1
First Posted: 01/23/2005
Last updated: 03/25/2013
Any Additions/Corrections? please let me know.
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