PHOTOMAN

Real Name: Vincent Charles

Identity/Class: Human technology user

Occupation: Prisoner;

formerly photographer/thief

Group Membership: None

Affiliations: Big Wheel, Chairman, Demolition Derby, Elektro, Fly, Home Wrecker, Hotshot, Human Computer, Hypno-Hustler, June Jitsui, Larcenous Lil, Legal Eagle, Printout Man, Simon the Evil Swami

Enemies: Spider-Man (Parker)

Known Relatives: None

Aliases: None

Base of Operations: S-Wing, unnamed prison in New York state, USA

First Appearance: Hostess Twinkies ad "Puts Himself In The Picture!" from Doctor Strange II#34 (April, 1979) and other issues in that month

Powers/Abilities: Photoman's camera was equipped with a flash-bulb, the light from which could immobilize anyone who saw it for an unknown duration of time.

History: 

("Puts Himself In The Picture!") - Photoman was about to commit a robbery by immobilizing a couple on the street and taking their valuables.  Spider-Man witnessed these events and swung down to taunt the photographic fiend, daring Photoman to try the same thing on him.  The camera crook exposed Spidey to the flash-bulb's light, and Spider-Man feigned paralysis.  Photoman walked up to the "immobilized" Spider-Man to pick his pocket and found a package of Hostess Twinkies.  As the shameful shutterbug turned his back to devour his ill-gotten goodies, he was webbed up by Spider-Man and left for the authorities.

(Fin Fang Four Return!#1/5 (fb) - BTS) - Photoman was imprisoned somewhere in NY state.

(Fin Fang Four Return!#1/5) - The robot Elektro, mistakenly identified as a villain and arrested, was ushered into the prison's S-Wing where he met various past Spider-Man villains, including Photoman. Later, inspired by Elektro's defiance, he and the other inmates of S-Wing smashed their way out only to be subdued by the prison guards using sedation foam.

Comments: Created by an unknown writer and an unknown artist.

How was Spider-man able to resist the effects of Photoman's flash-bulb?  Probably had his eyes closed.

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.

And now they've been found! ... in a dark corner of an ignored prison ...

You can get the whole Hostess 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!

Perhaps the awesome mind-altering powers of Twinkies has been neutralized to prevent its will-sapping power falling into the wrong hands...---Grendel Prime

His real name was revealed in Elektro's profile in OHotMU A-Z Update 2010#2.

Profile by John Kaminski

Clarifications:
Photoman has no known connection to:

images:
Hostess ad, panel 2
Hostess ad, panel 1
Hostess ad, panel 4

Appearances:
Hostess Ad: "Puts Himself In The Picture!" (April, 1979)
Fin Fang Four Return!#1/5 (July, 2009) - Scott Gray (writer), Roger Langridge (artist), John Barber (editor)

First Posted: 12/21/2005
Last updated: 08/24/2013

Any Additions/Corrections? please let me know.

Non-Marvel Copyright info
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