Alistaire Smythe

ALISTAIRE SMYTHE

Real Name: Alistaire Alphonso Smythe

Identity/Class: Normal human;
   formerly human with bio-organic enhancements

Occupation: Criminal, creator of the Spider-Slayers;
   formerly employed by Kingpin (Wilson Fisk)

Group Membership: Leader of a group of asylum escapees

Affiliations:  Boomerang (Fred Myers), Fly-Girl (Paula Crane), Jackal (Miles Warren), Knull, Kriegstein, Mister E, Louis Tuttle, Scorpion (Mac Gargan), Vulture (Adrian Toomes);
   formerly the Kingpin (Fisk), Jason Tso

Enemies:  Aura (Ann Herd), Avengers (Luke Cage, Iron Fist/Daniel Rand, Jessica Jones, Mockingbird/Barbara Morse, Ms. Marvel/Carol Danvers, Thing/Ben Grimm), Black Cat (Felicia Hardy), Black Knight (Dane Whitman), Cosmo, Dr. Octopus (Carolyn Trainer), Eli Folsom, Glory Grant, Orlando Kannor, Looter (Norton G. Fester), J. Jonah Jameson, Jay Jameson, John Jameson, Dr. Marla Jameson, Ned Leeds, M.A.C.H.-V (Abner Jenkins), Monica, Override (Greg Herd), She-Hulk (Jennifer Walters), Ted Shipley, Spider-Man (Peter Parker), Norah Winters, kidnapped asylum inmates (Stewart, Max Young, others)

Known Relatives: Spencer Smythe (father), unnamed mother

Aliases: Willie Lumpkin, Alistair Smythe, Alistair Alphonso Smythe, Alphonso Smythe (see comments), Smythe II, Ultimate Spider-Slayer

Base of Operations: New York City, USA;
   formerly an underground factory below Manhattan;
   formerly the top four floors of the Darnell Building on the Upper West Side in Manhattan;
   formerly an isolated rural estate in an unidentified location many miles from Manhattan;
   formerly a warehouse in lower Manhattan;
   formerly a lab in Kingpin's Manhattan skyscraper

First Appearance: Amazing Spider-Man Annual I#19 (December, 1985) (see comments)

Powers/Abilities: A gifted scientist and inventor, Alistaire Smythe was involved in the creation of several Spider-Slayer robots, mostly more advanced than those created by his equally gifted father. Paralyzed for a time, Smythe created a bio-organic carapace that increased his strength and granted him other abilities, including shoulder-mounted fang-like extensions. His body completely repaired after a period of wearing the suit, Smythe's fractured sanity appears to have been similarly mended as well.

Spider-Slayer has developed mini-spider-slayer robots which he can use to observe and track others, or even which can combine with the technology of other super-villains, giving them upgrades. He has also used the research of Harlan Stillwell to give powers to others, including Fly-Girl.

For a time, Smythe injected himself with a serum that turned him into Mister E, allowing him to wield Knull's dark energies and exist as a shadowy being that wielded teleportation and Darkforce manipulation abilities.

History:
(Amazing Spider-Man I#650/2 (fb)) - As a boy, Alistair Smythe loved building rockets with his father, creating a lifelong love of science. Spencer began giving Alistair complex science-based puzzles to solve. Spencer taught Alistair that spiders were the ultimate assassin.

(Symbiote Spider-Man: King in Black#1 (fb) - BTS) - Alistair went to college with Louis Tuttle, who later joined NASA.

(Amazing Spider-Man Annual I#19/Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe: Spider-Man: Back in Black (fb) - BTS) - As Alistaire Smythe's father, Spencer, grew more obsessed with Spider-Man's demise and the creation of his Spider-Slayers, a then teen-aged Alistaire saw his father with greater infrequency. Eventually Spencer abandoned his family in his mad pursuit and died due to the radioactive elements used in the creation of the Spider-Slayers. In spite of his hatred toward his father for leaving and ignoring him, Alistaire wanted to avenge his death by killing Spider-Man, heaping equal blame upon J. Jonah Jameson, who had financed the creation of several Spider-Slayers.

(Amazing Spider-Man Annual I#19 (fb) - BTS) - Smythe was employed by the Kingpin as an inventor, working out of a lab in his Manhattan skyscraper.

(Web of Spider-Man#2 - BTS) - When Spider-Man lost a hat he'd purchased for his Aunt May while fighting the Vulturions, the Kingpin had Smythe repair the hat before returning it to Spider-Man in gratitude for stopping the Vulturions whose activities disturbed his fragile wife, Vanessa. Knowing the hat was a gift from Spider-Man to his aunt, Smythe inserted a tracking device into the hat band as a way of locating him.

(Amazing Spider-Man Annual I#19 (fb) - BTS) - Smythe was disgusted at how the Kingpin not only returned the hat to Spider-Man, but let him go, and began spreading rumors that the Kingpin was going soft on Spider-Man.

(Amazing Spider-Man Annual I#19) - Confronted by the Kingpin over the rumors he'd been spreading, Smythe was fired. Gladly accepting his dismissal, Smythe used his financial resources to build a Mark 7 Spider-Slayer. Tracking the hat's signal, Smythe homed in on Spider-Man's Aunt May, who was then having lunch with Mary Jane and Anna Watson. Aunt May prompted Anna to try on her hat just as Smythe arrived, and, believing Anna to be Spider-Man's aunt, kidnapped her and Mary Jane. While en route to his lab, Smythe overheard Mary Jane address Anna as her aunt and began mistakenly thinking that Mary Jane was actually Spider-Man.

   Suspecting that Mary Jane had to wear an exoskeleton with built-in gadgets to secretly be Spider-Man, Smythe threatened to tortuously murder Anna unless Mary Jane admitted she was Spider-Man. Told by Mary Jane that she was Spider-Man (along with the story that the suit was given to her by aliens), Smythe had her "lead" him to her exoskeleton, stopping along the way to purchase a camera to preserve the moment of his victory. Ultimately lured to the Daily Bugle, the real Spider-Man finally caught up to Smythe, saving Mary Jane and luring Smythe away. Believing his Mark 7 Spider-Slayer to be invulnerable against electricity, Smythe flew through power-lines, the resulting shock causing the Mark 7 to crash. Despite the crash, Smythe remained relatively insulated inside the Slayer.

(Amazing Spider-Man I#291 (fb) - BTS) - However, enough electrical current got through the Mark 7 to paralyze Smythe and scramble his nervous system. Finding himself unable to eat or drink, Smythe now relied on an intravenous injection system connected to his high-tech wheelchair to survive (trimming his weight down in the process). Despite these hardships, Smythe felt that his mind was "as clear and brilliant as ever", and he oversaw the construction of another Spider-Slayer, the Mark 8. Smythe's goals also shifted toward proving himself superior to his father by killing Spider-Man.

(Amazing Spider-Man I#292 (fb) - BTS) - With the Mark 8 completed, Smythe piloted it to Mary Jane Watson's apartment planning to force her to lead him to Spider-Man.

(Amazing Spider-Man I#291) - Smythe arrived at Mary Jane's apartment, using the Mark 8 to tear through the outer wall of her building. Finding the apartment vacant and hearing a neighbor calling the police, Smythe fled, transporting the Mark 8 back to his lab in Lower Manhattan by way of a computer-controlled "autovan". Creating robotic drone "eyes" to locate Spider-Man, Smythe eventually found his prey and attacked Spider-Man in the Mark 8. Explaining to Spider-Man that his revenge was motivated by both his ambition to succeed where his father failed and stop Spider-Man, and revenge for being lured into the power-lines that crippled his body, Smythe blasted Spider-Man with ethyl chloride, a gas his father had also used against Spider-Man. Crushing Spider-Man with one of the Mark 8's arms, Smythe was halted when a construction worker -- seeing Spider-Man in peril -- ran over the arm with his bulldozer. With his Spider-Slayer damaged, Smythe fled, returning to his nearby autovan to ensure a covert exit.

   Having planned for failure in his initial outing, Smythe activated scanners designed to home in on the chemicals in the ethyl chloride, and tracked Spider-Man to his Manhattan apartment. Abandoning the autovan after attracting the attention of a police officer while avoiding a bag lady on the street, Smythe arrived at Peter Parker's apartment moments after his departure in a cab, traveling to the John F. Kennedy airport. Regaining the autovan from the police impound, Smythe arrived at JFK, but learned that while he'd arrived too late too intercept Parker, he was traveling to Pittsburgh.

(Amazing Spider-Man I#292) - Having the Mark 8 dismantled and packed in crates, Smythe had it loaded onto a flight to Pittsburgh under the guise that it was medical equipment. On his arrival and the delivery of the crates to a Pittsburgh warehouse he'd rented, Smythe had the Mark 8 assembled and successfully tracked down Peter Parker at Duquesne University. While Smythe was distracted recognizing Mary Jane, Parker was able to don his suit and lure Smythe away from the University. Leading him to the Liberty Bridge, Spider-Man proved no match for the Mark 8 and was held underwater by it's tentacles and was only saved when Mary Jane drove a car into the base of the Mark 8. Following Spider-Man as he webslinged away, Smythe caught up to him, dosing him with more of the disorienting ethyl chloride. Catching up to them, Mary Jane hit the Mark 8 with a baseball bat, prompting Smythe to drop Spider-Man and take Mary Jane instead. Livid at the prospect that Smythe would harm Mary Jane, Spider-Man shook off his daze and pummeled the Mark 8, tearing Smythe from its interior. Terrified by what Spider-Man would do to him, Smythe agreed to Spider-Man's warning that if he harmed Mary Jane or another innocent person, he would find him and pretend he was the robot.

(Symbiote Spider-Man: King in Black#1) - When Alistair was admitted to Ravencroft, Mister E appeared in Alistair's room in the form of Spencer Smythe, saying that Louis Tuttle had been his previous host until Tuttle burned out. Mister E promised to teach Alistaire how to make a serum that would allow him to walk again, and Alistaire agreed, though he knew Knull was looking for a new host.

(Symbiote Spider-Man: King in Black#1 - BTS) - Smythe reached out to the Daily Bugle, bragging that he had new technology to help other people walk. He asked to interview Jonah Jameson in person, but Ned Leeds is the one who responded. Before Leeds arrived, Smythe gassed Ravencroft, knocking out aides like Monica, then he injected himself with Knull's substance and was transformed into Mister E, a shadowy being who could wield Darkforce energies.

(Symbiote Spider-Man: King in Black#1) - Mister E confronted Spider-Man, but when Mister E tried to run, Black Knight stabbed him with the Ebony Blade.

(Symbiote Spider-Man: King in Black#4) - Smythe woke up, free of Knull's influence, on a space ship, disoriented. Cosmo, the telepathic dog, told Smythe that the others he'd infected wanted to kill him, but Cosmo was stopping them. Cosmo then said he was taking Smythe home.

(Amazing Spider-Man I#371 (fb) - BTS) - Smythe returned to New York and was committed to an asylum, where he remained for several years.

(Amazing Spider-Man I#372 (fb) - BTS) - Smythe felt that his time in the asylum had hardened his soul.

(Amazing Spider-Man I#371 (fb) - BTS) - Eventually Smythe escaped, taking several other inmates with him, including Max Young, former assistant to Mendel Stromm. Smythe kept the other inmates imprisoned, holding them captive while they built new Spider-Slayers.

(Amazing Spider-Man I#372/I#373 (fb) - BTS) - Smythe had himself encased in a bio-organic carapace to repair and enhance his damaged body. He began to think of himself as the Ultimate Spider-Slayer.

(Amazing Spider-Man I#367 - BTS) - Smythe positioned Mark 9 ("Mini Slayers") throughout New York as part of a plan to track down Spider-Man. Eventually one such "Mini-Slayer", the "Opikoid 437", spotted him and reported its findings to Smythe.

(Amazing Spider-Man I#368) - Smythe sent the Mark 10 Spider-Slayer after Spider-Man. Following a brief battle, a nearby construction worker used a jackhammer to damage the Mark 10, allowing Spider-Man to tear its head off. Other "Mini-Slayers" followed Spider-Man as he webslinged to the Daily Bugle, where the "Mini-Slayers" seen throughout the city were a topic of conversation.

   Smythe next attacked Spider-Man with the Mark 11 Spider-Slayer in Central Park, but the fight was short-lived after civilians entered the Mark 11's line of fire, prompting Spider-Man to attack its head, shutting it down. Watching the battle from a distance, Smythe mused to himself that despite Spider-Man's victories so far, there were more Spider-Slayers to come.

(Amazing Spider-Man I#369) - Smythe's "Mini-Slayers" continued to track Spider-Man, eventually catching up to him on the Empire State University campus while he was in pursuit of Electro. Sending the Mark 12 Spider-Slayer after Spider-Man, Electro used it as a distraction to better shock Spider-Man. Luring the Mark 12 into an abandoned building, Spider-Man emptied his web cartridges to stop it, leaving it immobilized. Using Electro to start the fuse to demolish the building, the Mark 12 was crushed as it collapsed.

(Amazing Spider-Man I#370 - BTS) - Smythe sent the Mark 13 -- based on Mendel Stromm's Amoeboid robots -- after Spider-Man, who was already in the middle of a pitched battle with the Scorpion. Trapped by the Amoeboid, Spider-Man deflected an attack by the Scorpion's enhanced tail stinger, using it to pull the Amoeboid away. The Amoeboid overloaded, damaged by the tail and it's internal electrical current, destroying both.

(Amazing Spider-Man I#371 - BTS) - Investigating Max Young's possible involvement in the recreated Amoeboid robot, Peter Parker and Felicia Hardy, the Black Cat, learned from hospital official Dr. Roberts that Young escaped the asylum months earlier. Spotting a "Mini-Slayer" as they exited, Parker and Hardy suited up and trapped it, only to be attacked by the Mark 14 Spider-Slayer. As the fight took them into the asylum's swimming pool area, Young, the controller of the Mark 14, began fighting with his own divergent personalities, his sane side regaining enough control to destroy the Mark 14.

(Amazing Spider-Man I#372) - Angry at his fellow escaped inmates for their failure to destroy Spider-Man, Smythe made an example of Young for failing with his Amoeboid, leaving him a charred skeleton. Tracking Spider-Man with his "Mini-Slayers" -- 14 of which Spider-Man and Black Cat destroyed while on a separate mission -- Smythe sent the Mark 15 Spider-Slayer (resembling a robotic black widow spider) after them, followed soon by the Mark 16 and Mark 17 Slayers, resembling a robotic tarantula and scorpion, respectively. Spider-Man and Black Cat fought the Spider-Slayers in a construction site, dispatching the black widow and the tarantula. Seemingly stopping the scorpion as well, the three Spider-Slayers regrouped as a combined unit, the Mark 18 Slayer. Stopping the Mark 18 by inserting an electrical cable into an opening, the three Slayers fell from the top of the construction site in flames.

(Amazing Spider-Man I#373) - Smythe confronted Spider-Man, who arrived at his estate after tracking a signal from a "Mini-Slayer". Introducing Spider-Man to the other escaped inmates, all strapped into high-tech wheelchairs, Smythe explained his new appearance was the result of the bio-organic carapace, showing off his regained mobility as he bested and trapped Spider-Man. Ready to use his shoulder-mounted "fangs" to blind Spider-Man, Smythe was distracted by Stewart, a prisoner freed from his bindings during Smythe and Spider-Man's fight, now pleading for Smythe to spare Spider-Man's life. Leaving Spider-Man to kill Stewart for his opposition, Smythe's murderousness roused Spider-Man enough to break free and defeat his foe. Smythe was taken into custody soon after, while the FBI tracked down the remaining "Mini-Slayers", which were rounded up and destroyed by Spider-Man and the Avengers.

(Untold Tales of Spider-Man: My Enemy, My Savior) - Smythe kidnapped Jameson. Allying himself with the Scorpion, Smythe activated various Spider-Slayers (including some otherwise unidentified early version and a slayer that resembled a "Corvette with eight tentacles attached). Both the Scorpion and Smythe saw defeat, with Parker thinking to himself that he would have Code: Blue place them in custody.

(Web of Spider-Man#2 (fb) - BTS) - Smythe escaped custody, but found his financial resources exhausted. Allying himself with criminal businessman and would-be mob boss Jason Tso, Smythe worked to obtain the technology needed to create cyberslayer robots, which he would then sell on the munitions black market.

(Amazing Scarlet Spider#1) - Via a video-link from his lab, Smythe overheard the latest on Tso's men's progress to procure computer components, including the cyber-neural inductor chips. Due to interference from a rival gang led by Dr. Octopus, Tso's men were only able to procure several microchips, which Smythe was eager to put to use.

(Scarlet Spider I#1) - Smythe contacted Tso to inform him that Dr. Octopus had become aware of his involvement in the component theft. Reminding him of the importance of the cyber-neural inductors to their plans, Smythe suggested Tso better protect himself in case Dr. Octopus should try to eliminate him.

(Spectacular Scarlet Spider#1) - Having acquired all necessary components, Tso had them delivered to Smythe's lab. With the cyber-neural inductors in place, Smythe successfully activated his cyberslayers.

(Web of Scarlet Spider#2) - Smythe spoke to Tso over their video link, calming him down while Tso argued they should go after Dr. Octopus for her attacks against them, the most recent of which left Tso's nightclub, the Club Noir, in ruins. Inviting Tso to his lab in the Darnell Building, Smythe spoke to him over a video link in the building's lobby, explaining his need to process cutting edge technology, and how it would allowed him to create "perfect predators" in the cyberslayers. Adding his desire to sell the cyberslayers on the black market, Smythe suggested they undergo a test run against Dr. Octopus and her lackeys.

   Arranging a meeting with Dr. Octopus' people in the Central Park Children's Zoo, Smythe and Tso ambushed them using the cyber-neural inductors to call the cyberslayers forward. After a brief fight between the cyberslayers and Aura, Override, and the Looter (with the Scarlet Spider in the middle), the cyberslayers and Tso's men fled following the arrival of the FBI and the New York Police Department. With Dr. Octopus' ranks diminished and no losses on their side, Smythe congratulated Tso on a job well done.

(Scarlet Spider I#2) - Remarking to himself that he'd wished Tso had been able to get all of the cyber-neural inductor chips so he'd have been able to build an army of cyberslayers, Smythe continued to work on his cyberslayers in a secondary underground lab.

(Spectacular Scarlet Spider#2) - Successfully linking all of the cyberslayers to a single master-visor, Smythe commanded them to ambush Dr. Octopus and her gang as they entered the Darnell Building to take back the cyber-neural inductor chips. Plowing through Dr. Octopus' men, Smythe prepared to finish her off, but was unexpectedly halted by Tso, who took control of the cyberslayers to eliminate Smythe and profit from them himself. Smythe continued to fight Dr. Octopus amid the chaos, but expecting a heated battle, Smythe was thrown off when Dr. Octopus revealed her sole interest in getting the master-visor holding the cyber-neural inductor chips, and was struck down.

(Amazing Spider-Man II#20 (fb) - BTS) - Over time, Smythe's use of his bio-organic carapace had a beneficial effect on his body, repairing the damage to his spine and internal organs. As he regained mobility, Smythe stopped using the carapace.

(Amazing Spider-Man II#16/I#20 (fb) - BTS) - Smythe began blackmailing J. Jonah Jameson to pay for his role in the death of his father. Threatening to use his "Mini-Slayers" against Jameson's family, Smythe forced him to stop running editorials or pictures of Spider-Man.

(Amazing Spider-Man II#16 - BTS) - Jameson turned down photos of a fight between Spider-Man and industrial saboteur the Ghost, as per Smythe's directive.

(Peter Parker: Spider-Man II#17 - BTS) - Jameson turned down photos of a fight between Spider-Man, Sandman, and Venom, claiming he'd finally listened to the Daily Bugle staff and decided to take his personal agenda out of the Bugle. Robbie Robertson later offered Parker a bonus on Jameson's behalf, in lieu of a steady paycheck from his Spider-Man photos.

(Peter Parker: Spider-Man II#18 - BTS) - Smythe instructed Jameson to purchase Spider-Man's suit and web-shooters from a teenager who discovered them in Peter Parker's stolen backpack.

(Amazing Spider-Man II#20) - Berating Jameson for his cowardice and his use of others to do his dirty work, Smythe plotted the next step in his revenge scheme, forcing Jameson to publish a story about the Spider-Man suit on the front page of the Daily Bugle and stage an exhibit to display it. Spotting a "Mini-Slayer" at the exhibit while surveying after-hours, Spider-Man ambushed Smythe, uninterested in Smythe's explanation for his regained mobility. Unleashing every Spider-Slayer created against Spider-Man, Smythe unveiled his latest design, the Mark 19, distracting Spider-Man long enough for a "Mini-Slayer" to leap on him and invade his mind.

(Amazing Spider-Man II#21) - Freeing himself from the "Mini-Slayer", Spider-Man webbed up the Mark 19 and freed Jameson from the "Mini-Slayer" attached to him. Gloating that the "Mini-Slayer" was psio-empathic, Smythe told Spider-Man that a connection was made between his mind and the Slayers and that the other "Mini-Slayers" were going to seek out Spider-Man's loved ones. As Spider-Man webslinged away with Jameson to stop the "Mini-Slayers", Smythe slunk into the shadows. Waiting for Jameson in his office, Smythe was surprised to see his "Mini-Slayers" deactivate following the destruction of the Mark 19. Confronted by Jameson, Smythe was soundly beaten with a baseball bat and warned against going after Jameson's loved ones.

(Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe: Spider-Man: Back in Black) - Smythe took his humiliating defeat to heart and abandoned his campaigns against Spider-Man and Jameson.

(She-Hulk I#4) - Smythe met with the Scorpion following an announcement in the Daily Bugle that Spider-Man and his attorney, the She-Hulk, were suing Jameson for libel. Smythe reluctantly offered Scorpion the use of his "Mini-Slayers" to ambush them on their court-date, but Scorpion and the "Mini-Slayers" were stopped by Spider-Man and She-Hulk before successfully entering the courthouse.

(She-Hulk II#10) - Posing as the Fantastic Four's mailman Willie Lumpkin, Smythe delivered wedding presents to newlyweds She-Hulk and John Jameson claiming they had been delivered to the Baxter Building mistakenly. Leaving a "Mini-Slayer" behind, Smythe activated it in a nearby alleyway, prompting it to 'bite' Jameson. Hospitalized, Jameson, as Smythe had intended, transformed into the Man-Wolf.

(Amazing Spider-Man I#654 (fb) - BTS) - Smythe gathered the work of Harlan Stillwell, capable of making genetic changes to others, turning them into insect hybrids.

(Amazing Spider-Man I#648) - Monitoring security protocols, Smythe closed in on Mayor J. Jonah Jameson and his wife, Marla, while the city went into crisis due to an attack from Doctor Octopus.

(Amazing Spider-Man I#650/2 (fb) - BTS) - Smythe killed Professor Eli Folsom, then posed as him, in order to get access to Scorpion at the Raft.

(Amazing Spider-Man I#650) - After designing a new set of Spider-Slayor armor, Smythe posed as Professor Folsom, and was greeted by M.A.C.H.-5 at the Raft, then shown into the cell of Scorpion (Mac Gargan), who was wounded after recently losing the Venom symbiote. Alistair revealed himself and attacked, summoning his Spider-Slayer armor and attacking the guards and M.A.C.H.-5. Spider-Slayer escaped with Scorpio then began experimenting on him.

(Amazing Spider-Man I#651/2 (fb) - BTS) - Spider-Slayer upgraded Gargan's power sources and gave him a new suit of armor that stabilized his mutation and gave him stronger powers. Smythe also created an entire army of mutated Spider-Slayers.

(Amazing Spider-Man I#652 (fb) - BTS) - Smythe helped transform people with grudges against Jameson, including Paula Crane, turning her into Fly-Girl.

(Amazing Spider-Man I#651/2) - As Gargan adapted to his new Scorpion powers, Spider-Slayer discussed his plans to make J. Jonah Jameson suffer, wanting to take his entire family and especially his father away from him. Smythe revealed his Spider-Slayer army and prepared to attack Jameson.

(Amazing Spider-Man I#652 (fb) - BTS) - Smythe and his army invaded a United States Air Force base, which was hosting a rocket launching for astronaut John Jameson. They killed several staff members, including Alan Carmichael.

(Amazing Spider-Man I#652) - After interfering with the rocket launch, Spider-Slayer revealed himself to Mr. Lynbrook. Smythe had his soldiers attack the base as he revealed to Jonah that he wanted him to watch his son die in the launched rocket, then he went after Jonah's dad, Jay Jameson. Spider-Man then fought back.

(Amazing Spider-Man I#653) - Spider-Slayer grew annoyed as John Jameson was saved from death and Jonah and his family successfully escaped from the Slayer Swarm. Soon the Avengers closed in, as more of the Slayer Swarm went after all of Jameson's loved ones, including his coworkers at the Daily Bugle and Jameson's wife, Marla.

(Amazing Spider-Man I#654) - Smythe saw operations getting out of control as he sent Scorpion after Spider-Man again. Smythe then attacked the Avengers and Spider-Man directly. When lashing out at Jonah Jameson, Smythe accidentally hit Marla Jameson, killing her. Spider-Man then defeated Smythe with a single punch.

(Amazing Spider-Man I#670 (fb) - BTS) - Smythe was tried and convicted, soon sentenced to death and placed on death row.

(Amazing Spider-Man I#670) - When the Queen infected much of the population of New York City, transforming many into spider-monsters, Jameson had Smythe brought to him in costume, though restrained, to ask for his help. Realizing Jameson was also infected, Smythe laughed in his face and bragged about killing Marla, which triggered Jonah's transformation into a spider-monster himself. Horrified and unable to move, Smythe yelled out that Spider-Slayers were the answer to save the city, but Jameson launched forward, bypassing Spider-Man, and savagely bit Smythe on the neck.

(Amazing Spider-Man I#671) - Spider-Man pulled Jameson off of Smythe, who was pulled away by the guards so they could stabilize him.

(Amazing Spider-Man I#691) - In prison and in restraints, Smythe saw Spider-Man walk by, there to visit another prisoner.

(Amazing Spider-Man I#698) - Spider-Slayer remained imprisoned.

(Amazing Spider-Man I#699) - Spider-Slayer remained imprisoned.

(Superior Spider-Man I#11 (fb) - BTS) - Smythe's death row appeals ran out and he was scheduled for execution.

(Superior Spider-Man I#11) - Wearing his Spider-Slayer helmet, Smythe read the Bible the night before his scheduled execution. Smythe saw Spider-Man (Otto Octavius in Peter Parker's body) walk by in the Raft, and Smythe bragged about killing Marla Jameson, but Spider-Man just walked away. As Smythe was brought in to be killed by lethal injection, he claimed he had turned his life to god, and J. Jonah Jameson, Glory Grant, Norah Winters, and others were in the next room watching. Spider-Bots swarmed the place, freeing Spider-Slayer, who then tried to escape, but he found that Spider-Man had reinforced the walls and escape ducts with traps, making escape difficult. Spider-Slayer then had his Spider-Bots reinforce wounded prisoners Boomerang, Scorpion, and Vulture so they could help him fight Spider-Man.

(Superior Spider-Man #I12) - Spider-Slayer killed several guards and savagely fought Spider-Man in an attempt to escape the Raft, then he freed more prisoners. Smythe then threatened civilians, but was shocked when Spider-Man came after him to kill him instead.

(Superior Spider-Man I#13) - Smythe offered to let the civilians go if Spider-Man backed down, but Spidey chose a fight to the death. Realizing he was losing, Spider-Slayer tried to surrender, but Spider-Man ripped off one of Smythe's tentacles and stabbed Smythe in the heart with it. Before he died, Spider-Slayer lashed out one more time, killing guard Ted Shipley before trying to upload his consciousness into Spider-Man's brain. When this failed, Spider-Slayer seemingly died.

SECRET WARS III HAPPENED

(Clone Conspiracy#4 (fb) - BTS) - Smythe was resurrected by the Jackal, alongside many other criminals, using cloning technology.

(Clone Conspiracy#4) - When Jackal commanded it, Smythe and other criminals attacked Spider-Man (Peter Parker). The clones soon began crying out in pain as the cloning process broke down in cellular degradation.

(Prowler II#4-5) - Spider-Slayer continued fighting Spider-Man in the chaos.

(Clone Conspiracy#5) - Many clones destabilized as many others escaped, remaining alive.

(Clone Conspiracy Omega#1) - Spider-Slayer survived the clone experience and was bound in webs to be taken away by authorities.

Comments: Created by Louise Simonson, Mary Wilshire and Pat Redding.

   Smythe may not be the first example of a character having their name Robert Bruce Banner'd, but he's definitely got to be one of the fastest. After accidentally referring to himself as "Alphonso" in one panel of Amazing Spider-Man Annual I#19, it was turned into his middle name in his second appearance in Amazing Spider-Man I#291.

   The month of Amazing Spider-Man Annual I#19's original release was not listed in the issue, but was figured out going by the other Marvel comics on sale at that time according to the Bullpen Bulletins in the back of the issue. However, had the issue had its month of release listed, it would most likely have been dated two months in advance, making it February, 1986.

   While tearing the Mark 8 Spider-Slayer apart, Spider-Man called Smythe "lowlife murdering scum", but it is unclear if Smythe had actually killed anyone by that point. In fact, he avoided hitting a homeless woman and only hospitalized the guards holding his autovan in Amazing Spider-Man I#291. It's likely Spider-Man referred to the fact that Smythe was more than willing to kill Mary Jane or Anna Watson, but it's not until Amazing Spider-Man I#373 that Smythe is depicted killing on-panel.

   Smythe's brief association with the Kingpin went on to provide several seasons worth of material in the 1990s' Spider-Man animated series, where both he and his father were portrayed with English accents.

   Alistaire Smythe received a profile in the Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe Spider-Man: Back in Black Handbook. The correct spelling of his name as 'Alistaire' was confirmed in this profile (although just about every writer following his first appearance has spelled it 'Alistair'). This profile also explains Smythe's attack on John Jameson as the bi-product of his abandonment of his revenge schemes against Spider-Man and Jameson, although it's worth noting that Smythe is more than likely to resume his campaign down the line since Spider-Man uttered a similar threat to Smythe before returning with multiple new Spider-Slayers and his bio-organic carapace.

   Despite a mention in Smythe's first appearance and the seeming confirmation that she's alive in his handbook profile, "Mommy" has yet to actually appear on-panel. You've got to wonder how someone deals with their husband leaving her to build superhero-killing robots and having their son become a crazed killer pseudo-cyborg with ties to organized crime.

Alistaire Smythe in Symbiote Spider-Man: King in Black poses a slight problem. The story obviously took place after Alistaire was crippled in Amazing Spider-Man Annual I#19, but at that point in time Spider-Man was not wearing the symbiote costume anymore. Alistaire's first appearance was actually during the issues when Spider-Man got separated from the symbiote, so Alistair never faced the symbiote Spider-Man. But it can still work! Spider-Man was wearing a black costume when he next met Alistaire in Amazing Spider-Man I#291-292, so the Symbiote Spider-Man: King in Black mini could've happened after this. I am well aware that Mister E believed Spider-Man, or rather his costume, to be his "brother" but Mister E could've just been mistaken. Maybe he mistook the black costume for a symbiote becuase he somehow felt Spider-Man's past connection to a symbiote. The black costume was obviously meant to be the symbiote during the Symbiote Spider-Man: King in Black mini-series, but it can't be due to the inclusion of Smythe!
--Markus Raymond

Profile by G Morrow. Update by Chadman (2011-2021).

CLARIFICATIONS:
Alistaire Smythe has no known connections to

"Mommy"

As her husband's obsession with destroying Spider-Man with his Spider-Slayer robots intensified, Spencer Smythe's wife saw less of her husband, and, in time, was abandoned by him. Eventually Spencer perished, a victim of the radioactive elements used to create the Spider-Slayers, and her son, Alistaire, began building Spider-Slayer robots himself. Her current location is unknown, although she seems to be alive and well.

--Amazing Spider-Man Annual I#19 (Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe: Spider-Man: Back in Black

images: (without ads)
Amazing Spider-Man II#21 (from OHotMU:SM:BiB profile), p2, pan1 (main image)
Amazing Spider-Man Annual I#19, p6, pan3 (first appearance close-up)
Amazing Spider-Man Annual I#19, p11, pan1 (entering Spider-Slayer Mark 7)
Amazing Spider-Man I#291, p4, pan3 (in wheelchair)
Symbiote Spider-Man: King in Black#1, p22, pan3 (taken over by Mister E)
Amazing Spider-Man I#373, p13, pan3 (with bio-organic carapace)
Amazing Spider-Man II#20, p2, pan1 (current appearance close-up, black background) Amazing Spider-Man I#650/2, p27, pan3 (shifting face)
Amazing Spider-Man I#650/2, p28, pan2 (Spider-Slayer)
Superior Spider-Man I#12, p6, pan1 (new Spider-Slayer, in Raft)

Appearances:
Web of Spider-Man#2 (May, 1985) - Louise Simonson (writer), Greg LaRocque (pencils), Jim Mooney (inks), Jim Owsley (editor)
Amazing Spider-Man I#19 (December, 1985) - Louise Simonson (writer), Mary Wilshire (pencils), Pat Redding (inks), Jim Owsley (editor)
Amazing Spider-Man I#291 (August, 1987) - David Michelinie (writer), John Romita Jr. (layouts), Vince Colletta (finishes), Jim Salicrup (editor)
Amazing Spider-Man I#292 (September, 1987) - David Michelinie (writer), Alex Saviuk (pencils), Vince Colletta (inker), Jim Salicrup (editor)
Amazing Spider-Man I#367 (October, 1992) - David Michelinie (writer), Jerry Bingham (pencils, Randy Emberlin (inks), Danny Fingeroth (editor)
Amazing Spider-Man I#368 (early November, 1992) - David Michelinie (writer), Mark Bagley (pencils), Randy Emberlin (inks), Danny Fingeroth (editor)
Amazing Spider-Man I#369 (late November, 1992) - David Michelinie (writer), Mark Bagley (pencils), Randy Emberlin (inks), Danny Fingeroth (editor)
Amazing Spider-Man I#370 (early December, 1992) - David Michelinie (writer), Mark Bagley (pencils), Randy Emberlin (inks), Danny Fingeroth (editor)
Amazing Spider-Man I#371 (late December, 1992) - David Michelinie (writer), Mark Bagley (pencils), Randy Emberlin (inks), Danny Fingeroth (editor)
Amazing Spider-Man I#372 (early January, 1993) - David Michelinie (writer), Mark Bagley (pencils), Randy Emberlin (inks), Danny Fingeroth (editor)
Amazing Spider-Man I#373 (late January, 1993) - David Michelinie (writer), Mark Bagley (pencils), Randy Emberlin (inks), Danny Fingeroth (editor)
Amazing Scarlet Spider#1 (November, 1995) - Tom DeFalco (plot), Mike Lackey (script), Mark Bagley (pencils), Larry Mahlstedt (inks), Bob Budiansky (editor)
Scarlet Spider I#1 (November, 1995) - Howard Mackie (plot), Todd Dezago (script), Gil Kane (pencils), Tom Palmer (inks), Bob Budiansky (editor)
Spectacular Scarlet Spider#1 (November, 1995) - Todd Dezago (writer), Sal Buscema (breakdowns), Jimmy Palmiotti (finishes), Bob Budiansky (editor)
Web of Scarlet Spider#2 (December, 1995) - Tom DeFalco (plot), Todd Dezago (script), Tom Morgan (breakdowns), Randy Emberlin, Hector Collazo, Don Hudson (finishes), Eric Fein (editor)
Scarlet Spider I#2 (December, 1995) - Howard Mackie (writer), John Romita Jr. (pencils), Al Williamson (inks), Bob Budiansky (editor)
Spectacular Scarlet Spider#2 (December, 1995) - Todd Dezago (writer), Sal Buscema (breakdowns), Bill Sienkiewicz & Jimmy Palmiotti (inks), Bob Budiansky (editor)
Untold Tales of Spider-Man (October, 1997) - Eric Fein (writer), Stan Lee & Kurt Busiek (editors)
Amazing Spider-Man II#16 (April, 2000) - John L. Byrne and Howard Mackie (story & art), Dan Green (inks), Ralph Macchio (editor)
Peter Parker: Spider-Man II#17 (May, 2000) - Howard Mackie, John Romita Jr., Scott Hanna (story & art), Ralph Macchio (editor)
Peter Parker: Spider-Man II#18 (June, 2000) - Howard Mackie (writer), Graham Nolan (pencils), Scott Hanna (inks), Ralph Macchio (editor)
Amazing Spider-Man II#20 (August, 2000) - Howard Mackie (writer), Erik Larson (pencils), John Beatty (inks), Ralph Macchio (editor)
Amazing Spider-Man II#21 (September, 2000) - Howard Mackie (writer), Erik Larson (pencils), John Beatty (inks), Ralph Macchio (editor)
She-Hulk I#4 (August, 2004) - Dan Slott (writer), Juan Bobillo (pencils), Marcelo Sosa (inks), Tom Brevoort (editor)
She-Hulk II#10 (October, 2006) - Dan Slott (writer), Rick Burchett (pencils), Nelson (inks), Tom Brevoort (editor)
Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe: Spider-Man: Back in Black#1 (April, 2007) - Mike Fichera (head writer/coordinator), Jeff Youngquist & Jennifer Grünwald (editors)
Amazing Spider-Man I#648/1 (January, 2011) - Dan Slott (writer), Humberto Ramos (penciler), Carlos Cuevas (inker), Stephen Wacker (editor)
Amazing Spider-Man I#650/2 (February, 2011) - Dan Slott (writer), Humbero Ramos (penciler), Scott Hanna, Joseph Damon, Victor Olazaba (inkers), Stephen Wacker (editor)
Amazing Spider-Man I#651/1 (March, 2011) - Dan Sott (writer), Humberto Ramos (penciler), Carlos Cuevas, Joseph Damon (inkers), Stephen Wacker (editor)
Amazing Spider-Man I#652/1 (April, 2011) - Dan Slott (writer), Stefano Caselli (artist), Stephen Wacker (editor)
Amazing Spider-Man I#653/1-654/1 (April, 2011) - Dan Slott, Fred Van Lente (writers), Stefano Caselli (artist), Stephen Wacker (editor)
Amazing Spider-Man I#670 (November, 2011) - Dan Slott (writer), Humberto Ramos (penciler), Victor Olazaba (inker), Stephen Wacker (editor)
Amazing Spider-Man I#671 (December, 2011) - Dan Slott (writer), Humberto Ramos (penciler), Carlos Cuevas, Victor Olazaba (inkers), Stephen Wacker (editor)
Amazing Spider-Man I#691 (October, 2012) - Dan Slott (writer), Giuseppe Camuncoli, Mario Del Pennino (pencilers), Klaus Janson, Daniel Green (inkers), Stephen Wacker (editor)
Amazing Spider-Man I#698 (January, 2013) - Dan Slott (writer), Richard Elson (artist), Stephen Wacker (editor)
Amazing Spider-Man I#699 (February, 2013) - Dan Slott (writer), Humberto Ramos (penciler), Victor Olzaba (inker), Stephen Wacker (editor)
Superior Spider-Man I#11 (August, 2013) - Dan Slott, Christos Gage (writers), Giuseppe Camuncoli (penciler), John Dell (inker), Stephen Wacker (editor)
Superior Spider-Man I#12-13 (August, 2013) - Dan Slott, Christos Gage (writers), Giuseppe Camuncoli (penciler), John Dell, Terry Pallot (inkers), Stephen Wacker (editor)
Clone Conspiracy#2 (January, 2017) - Dan Slott (writer), Jim Cheung (penciler), John Dell (inker), Nick Lowe (editor)
Prowler II#4 (March, 2017) - Sean Ryan (writer), Javier Saltares, Jamal Campbell (pencilers), Lorenzo Ruggiero (inker), Nick Lowe (editor)
Clone Conspiracy#5 (April, 2017) - Dan Slott (writer), Jim Cheung (penciler), John Dell, Jay Leisten (inkers), Devin Lewis (editor)
Amazing Spider-Man IV#23 (April, 2017) - Dan Slott, Christos Gage (writers), Giuseppe Camuncoli (artist), Devin Liewis (editor)
Prowler II#5 (April, 2017) - Sean Ryan (writer), Javier Saltares, Jamal Campbell (pencilers), Nick Lowe (editor)
Clone Conspiracy Omega#1 (May, 2017) - Dan Slott, Christos Gage (writers), Cory Smith (artist), Devin Lewis (editor)
Symbiote Spider-Man: King in Black#1 (January, 2021) - Peter David (writer), Greg Land (penciler), Jay Leisten (inkers), Nick Lowe (editor)
Symbiote Spider-Man: King in Black#4 (April, 2021) - Peter David (writer), Greg Land (penciler), Jay Leisten (inkers), Nick Lowe (editor)

First Posted: 09/20/2008
Last updated: 01/18/2022

Any Additions/Corrections? please let me know.

Non-Marvel Copyright info
All other characters mentioned or pictured are ™  and © 1941-2099 Marvel Characters, Inc. All Rights Reserved. If you like this stuff, you should check out the real thing!
Please visit The Marvel Official Site at: http://www.marvel.com

Special Thanks to www.g-mart.com for hosting the Appendix, Master List, etc.!

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