TARKINGTON BROWN

Real Name: Tarkington Brown

Identity/Class: Human

Occupation: Mayoral office computer specialist

Group Membership: None

Affiliations: Bertha, Charlie, Tony Stark;
formerly Heather Glenn, Wolverine

Enemies: Manny Carver, Daredevil (Matt Murdock), Heather Glenn, Franklin "Foggy" Nelson, Bruno Ponchatrane, Aces Quartuccio, Wolverine

Known Relatives: None

Aliases: Tark

Base of Operations: New York City, New York

First Appearance: Daredevil I#195 (June, 1983)

Powers/Abilities: Tarkington Brown was a talented computer specialist and wielded a handgun. He commanded dirty cops with access to deadly weaponry.

History:

(Daredevil I#195 (fb) - BTS) - The mayoral office's computer specialist, Tarkington Brown had access to public records, including those of every cop in town. When he found out he only had a few months to live, Brown wanted to leave his mark on the city and make a difference. He recruited cops who were willing to kill criminals who had been exonerated for murder. Criminals Manny Carver and Aces Quartuccio were killed, and Bruno Ponchatrane was let off for the murder of a small girl, represented by Matt Murdock and Franklin "Foggy" Nelson. Brown's cops were stopped from killing Ponchatrane by Daredevil.

(Daredevil I#195/Iron Man I#171) - While at a party that night at the home of Tony Stark, Brown flirted with Heather Glenn, the ex-girlfriend of Matt Murdock.

(Daredevil I#195) - Drunk, she confessed that Murdock and Daredevil were the same. Brown rushed into action, calling cops to kill Murdock, though not Charlie, who was still working. While Brown's men waited with weapons and gas to kill the hero, Glenn rushed to Brown and claimed that she'd been lying about Murdock, but he didn't believe her and held her at gunpoint, planning to kill her as soon as he heard Murdock was dead. Heather tossed hot coffee in Brown's face and managed to escape just as Daredevil attacked. After they briefly fought, Daredevil promised to leave Brown alone as long as no more murders took place and Brown kept his secret. Brown agreed.

(Daredevil I#196 (fb) - BTS) - Hearing that a Japanese sect were planning on rescuing Bullseye, Brown provided information to Wolverine.

(Daredevil I#196) - Wolverine checked in with Brown and informed him that he and Daredevil were working on the case together. Elated, Brown bid farewell to his maid Bertha and went down to the docks, where the heroes were fighting several criminals. Brown prepared to open fire on Daredevil, but Wolverine slashed him to stop him. Ironically, Daredevil saved Brown's life and Brown received a transfusion that would keep him alive until he died weeks later from his natural illness.

(Daredevil I#200 - BTS) - Foggy mentions Tarkington Brown died.

Comments: Created by Denny O'Neil and Klaus Janson.

The cops working for Tarkington Brown were called the Murder Squad and they were inspired by the 1973 movie Magnum Force with Tarkington Brown as the stand-in for Lt. Neil Briggs.
--Gammatotem

Profile by Chadman.

CLARIFICATIONS:
Tarkington Brown has no known connections to

• Abraham Brown, of Sons of the Tiger @ Deadly Hands of Kung-Fu I#1
• Abraham Lincoln Brown, Ghost Tiger victim @ Daredevils#11/3
• Bennington Brown, of Iron Mask's Circus of Crime @ Kid Colt#112
• Charity Brown, Dracula ally @ Dracula Lives#1/2
• Det. Chuck Brown of Ultraverse @ Hardcase#2
• Colleen Brown, bitten by Dracula @ Tomb of Dracula II#3
• Francis Leroy Brown, Dracula foe @ Tomb of Dracula I#65
• Frank Brown, cousin of Mary Jane's mother @ Amazing Spider-Man I#259
• Hobie Brown, aka. the Prowler @ Amazing Spider-Man I#78
• Jamal Brown, of Ultraverse @ Hardcase#1
• Kenny Brown, Daily Bugle employee @ Annex#1
• Laura Brown, of Hydra and SHIELD @ Strange Tales I#135
• Lester Brown, of NYPD @ Wolverine II#188
• Linda Brown, mermaid @ Strange Tales I#97/3
• Mary Brown, Thing from Hidden Swamp ally @ Tales to Astonish I#30/3
• Mindy McPherson Brown, wife of Prowler @ Amazing Spider-Man I#78
• Nick Brown, Dazzler's step-father @ Dazzler I#20
• Rachel Brown, Reno Jones lover @ Gunhawks#1
• Ronnie Brown, Barbara Norris childhood friend @ Defenders I#21
• Agent Brown, Canadian Secret Intelligence Service @ Omega Flight#1
• or any other "Tarkington" or "Brown" characters

Bruno Ponchatrane

(Daredevil I#194 (fb) - BTS) - The murderer of a little girl, Bruno Ponchatrane was exonerated for his crime with the legal help of Matt Murdock and Franklin "Foggy" Nelson. He threw a celebratory party and invited his lawyers to attend.

(Daredevil I#194) - The party was attacked by men seeking to kill Bruno, but Daredevil stopped them. Bruno later killed another little girl.

--Daredevil I#194 (Daredevil I#194 (fb) - BTS, 194

Manny Carver and Aces Quartuccio

(Daredevil I#194 (fb) - BTS) - Both criminals who'd escaped from their crimes by legal technicalities, Manny Carver and Aces Quartuccio were killed by Tarkington Brown's men.

--Daredevil I#194 (Daredevil I#194 (fb) - BTS

Charlie

(Daredevil I#194 (fb) - BTS) - Charlie, one of Tarkington Brown's dirty cops, had to work during Brown's called meeting.

--Daredevil I#194 (Daredevil I#194 (fb) - BTS

Bertha

(Daredevil I#195) - Bertha, the maid of the dying Tarkington Brown, asked why he was so elated, but was sad his health had not improved.

--Daredevil I#195

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Daredevil I#195, p7, pan6 (main)