SINCLAIR SPECTRUM

Real Name: Unrevealed

Identity/Class: Human

Occupation: Computer hacker

Group Membership: None

Affiliations: Baron Strucker (Wolfgang von Strucker), Cobol Charlie, Jack Fargo, Knowbot, Price Chopper, System Crash (Bitmap, Infomorph, Killobyte/Joey, Killobyte/Lester, Steel Collar, Technospike, Wirehead), Vic, Wolfy

Enemies: Captain America (Steve Rogers), Daredevil (Matt Murdock), Kathy Malper

Known Relatives: None

Aliases: None

Base of Operations: New York City, New York

First Appearance: Daredevil I#326 (March, 1994)

Powers/Abilities: Sinclair Spectrum is a computer hacker with impressive skills. She has connections to many other hackers and can interface with government databases and private networks with relative ease. Spectrum has set electronic pulses to erase computers and files.

Height: 5'5" (by approximation)
Weight: 98 lbs.
Eyes: Blue
Hair: Brown; later blonde

History:
(Daredevil I#326 (fb) - BTS) - A computer hacker with a good reputation, Sinclair Spectrum worked with another hacker called Knowbot to develop fake black boxes for ATM machine that recorded I.D. numbers off cards for small-time criminals. They sold one to Wolfy and Vic.

(Daredevil I#327 (fb) - BTS) - Spectrum also sold stolen goods and boxes full of fake goods to conmen like the Price Chopper, and worked with other hackers like Cobol Charlie.

(Daredevil I#326) - Spectrum went back to Knowbot, and found that he had hacked into government systems and was guarded by Killobyte, an agent of his employers. Spectrum watched from afar as Captain America attacked Knowbot; Killobyte defended Knowbot, but when Captain America threatened to defeat him Killobyte turned on Knowbot and electrocuted himself and Knowbot to protect the identity of their employers Hydra.

(Daredevil I#327) - Cobol Charlie called to warn Spectrum about the villain group System Crash, and she planned to get out of town by hacking into the airlines, but Captain America arrived to question her first, then Daredevil arrived.

(Daredevil I#328) - Captain America and Daredevil both demanded intel from Spectrum, but she refused to say anything to either of them. After Daredevil left, the police arrived, and Kathy Malper threatened to take Spectrum down to the station if she didn't start answering questions.

(Daredevil I#329) - Sinclair waited patiently while Malper and her cops searched the apartment. They triggered a pulse Sinclair had set with a trap, one that wiped the hard drives clean, angering Malper. Spectrum bragged about electronic crime becoming more prevalent, unnerving Malper.

(Daredevil I#330 (fb) - BTS) - Malper filed formal charges against Spectrum, who obtained a public defender (Jack Fargo) to aid her in court.

(Daredevil I#330) - As Spectrum ranted about politics, Jack Fargo recommended she take a plea deal. Just then, Systems Crash attacked, seemingly killing Fargo, and offering Spectrum access to vast tech resources.

(Daredevil I#331) - Spectrum was taken by System Crash to their headquarters, where Baron Wolfgang von Strucker revealed himself as their benefactor, kissing Spectrum's hand. Strucker revealed his plan to use Knowbot's tech to hack into a line feeder, which would give them access to clipper tech, harvesting government secrets to implement power, chaos, and control. Spectrum was asked to hack into Knowbot's tech to find the location of the line feeder, and she soon broke the code on the line feeder itself.

(Daredevil I#332) - Spectrum found the main line feeder intel source was in the ground underneath the Statue of Liberty. With System Crash and Strucker, she began to access the intel, impressed by the advanced technology. Daredevil and Captain America closed in, defeating Strucker and his agents and most of System Crash. Steel Collar grabbed Spectrum, trying to pretend that she'd been forced to participate against her will, but Daredevil saw through the ruse. After getting Daredevil to promise he'd help Spectrum get a second chance instead of arresting her, Steel Collar (who revealed his name was Lee) sacrificed himself to stop Strucker's plot. Cap wanted to arrest Spectrum, but Daredevil took her away, saying he had a promise to keep. He later destroyed Spectrum's police file, closing down her case.

(Daredevil I#334) - Her hair dyed blonde, Sinclair was hanging out at Cin City night club when Daredevil sought her out. He told her she owed him and had her hack into the city system to get police intel on a recent string of business bombings.

(Daredevil I#336 (fb) - BTS) - Spectrum broke into a residence and made herself comfortable, wearing the clothes of the woman who lived there. She began researching a businessman, Walter Jenkins, at Daredevil's orders.

(Daredevil I#336) - Daredevil ordered Spectrum to keep digging on Jenkins, and she challenged the hero on his morals. He demanded that she do as he say, and then disappeared through the window.

(Daredevil I#337 - BTS) - Daredevil had Spectrum clean up some files related to a money transfer.

Comments: Created by D.G. Chichester (writer), Scott McDaniel (penciler) & Hector Collazo (inker).

Sinclair Spectrum had a big set-up in the series, but changing writers left her fading into obscurity.

Sinclair Spectrum's name is a clear homage to Sir Clive Sinclair and his ZX Spectrum home computer. In the early 1980s, Sinclair and his company produced a series of home computers for the British market that rivalled then competitors such as Apple and BBC Micro. His best known model was the ZX Spectrum, frequently known colloquially as the Sinclair Spectrum. Given the character is a computer hacker and Sinclair Spectrum is presumably her hacker name rather than birth name, there's no way this is coincidental.
--Loki

Profile by Chadman.

CLARIFICATIONS:
Sinclair Spectrum should not be confused with:

Jack Fargo has no known connection:

Cobol Charlie

(Daredevil I#327 (fb) - BTS) - A computer hacker who sold black boxes used in credit card scams, Cobol Charlie heard about the death of Knowbot. The criminal Bitmap hired Charlie to help blow up the Staten Island Ferry, and, afraid for his life, Charlie agreed.

(Daredevil I#327 (fb) ) - Charlie called Sinclair Spectrum to warn her, as Daredevil listened. Minutes later, the Ferry exploded prematurely. Bitmap found Charlie, who said it wasn't his fault, and the timer had been defunct, but Bitmap responded by killing Charlie. (The Avengers responded to the scene of the crash as the "Silicon Pirates" claimed credit for the bombing.)

(Daredevil I#330 - BTS) - The villains System Crash used Cobol Charlie's tech-signature to access data.

--Daredevil I#327 ([Daredevil I#327 (fb)], Daredevil I#327 (fb), [Daredevil I#330]

Jack Fargo

(Daredevil I#330 (fb) - BTS) - Public defender Jack Fargo was assigned to represent Sinclair Spectrum in court as district attorney Kathy Malper pressed charges against her.

(Daredevil I#330) - Fargo was listening to Spectrum rant about the government when he recommended a plea bargain. Just then, Systems Crash broke in, killing Fargo.

(Daredevil I#331 - BTS) - Daredevil investigated Fargo's murder.

--Daredevil I#330 ([Daredevil I#330 (fb)], Daredevil I#330, [Daredevil I#331]

Knowbot

(Daredevil I#326 (fb) - BTS) - A talented computer hacker, the man called Knowbot helped Sinclair Spectrum design fake black boxes for ATM machines that recorded I.D. numbers off cards to sell to small-time criminals, including Wolfy and Vic. Knowbot then took a job from Hydra to hack into the National Security Agency's local Line Eater. Hydra provided him with a guard in the form of System Crash's Killobyte (Joey). It took Knowbot 37 hours to hack into the goverment systems.

(Daredevil I#326) - Spectrum checked on Knowbot as he was finishing his project for Hydra. Captain America attacked, but Killobyte fought him until he shockingly turned on Knowbot, electrocuting himself and Knowbot to prevent Knowbot from revealing who his client was.

(Daredevil I#327) - Captain America and D.A. Kathy Malper found the remains of Knowbot and Killobyte.

--Daredevil I#326 ([Daredevil I#326 (fb)], Daredevil I#326

Price Chopper

(Daredevil I#327 (fb) - BTS) - A man who called himself the Price Chopper dealt in conning tourists to buy empty boxes of supplies, thinking they were electronics. He often got his boxes and gear from Sinclair Spectrum.

(Daredevil I#327) - Price Chopper was conning a man named Lamar Sanders on the streets, selling a box of bricks that he said was a Camcorder. Another conman, Jack Batlin (secretly Daredevil) stopped the transaction and roughed Price Chopper up, getting intel on Sinclair Spectrum.

--Daredevil I#327 ([Daredevil I#327 (fb)], Daredevil I#327

Wolfy and Vic

(Daredevil I#326 (fb) - BTS) - After careful observation, Wolfy and Vic realized they could steal financial information by building a fake ATM and placing it in a bank. They got a replica black box that recorded I.D. numbers off cards from Sinclair Spectrum and Knowbot.

(Daredevil I#326) - Wolfy and Vic waited for closing time at the bank and then began to wheel their ATM machine into the bank, but Daredevil attacked, easily knocking Vic out. Surprised that Daredevil was carrying a gun, Wolfy tried grabbing the hero's nunchukus to fight back, but Daredevil still triumphed.

--Daredevil I#326 ([Daredevil I#326 (fb)], Daredevil I#326

images: (without ads)
Daredevil I#328, p2, pan4 (main)
Daredevil I#331, p3, pan6 (face)
Daredevil I#327, p3, pan2 (Cobol Charlie)
Daredevil I#330, p22, pan2 (Jack Fargo)
Daredevil I#326, p20, pan1 (Knowbot)
Daredevil I#327, p18, pan3 (Price Chopper)
Daredevil I#326, p12, pan3 (Wolfy)
Daredevil I#326, p10, pan4 (Vic)

Appearances:
Daredevil I#326-327 (March, 1994) - D.G. Chichester (writer), Scott McDaniel (penciler), Hector Collazo (inker), Ralph Macchio (editor)
Daredevil I#328 (May, 1994) - Gregory Wright (writer), Sergio Cariello (penciler), Ariane (inker), Ralph Macchio (editor)
Daredevil I#329 (June, 1994) - D.G. Chichester (writer), Scott McDaniel (penciler), Hector Collazo (inker), Ralph Macchio (editor)
Daredevil I#330 (July, 1994) - D.G. Chichester (writer), Scott McDaniel (penciler), Hector Collazo, Rich Rankin (inkers), Ralph Macchio (editor)
Daredevil I#331-332 (August-September, 1994) - D.G. Chichester (writer), Scott McDaniel (penciler), Hector Collazo (inker), Ralph Macchio (editor)
Daredevil I#334 (November, 1994) - Gregory Wright (writer), Tom Grindberg (penciler), Don Hudson (inker), Ralph Macchio (editor)
Daredevil I#336-337 (January-February, 1995) - Gregory Wright (writer), Tom Grindberg (penciler), Don Hudson (inker), Ralph Macchio (editor)

First Posted: 07/27/2019
Last updated: 07/27/2019

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