JAMES WESLEY
Real Name: James Wesley
Identity/Class: Human
Occupation: Criminal, attorney
Group Membership: None
Affiliations: Turk Barrett, Sarah Dewey, Gavin James, Jigsaw (Billy Russo), Kingpin (Wilson Fisk), Legal, Madame Masque, Cheryl Mondat, Nuke (Frank Simpson), Mr. Ornstein, Owl (Leland Owlsley), Orlando Perez, Roark, Steiner, Stillson, Tombstone, Winch
Enemies: Daredevil (Matt Murdock), Mr. Glazer, Hammerhead, David Menard, Gideon Oliver, Karen Page, Raldo, Mr. Switzer, Tonio, Victor
Known Relatives: None
Aliases: None
Base of Operations: New York City, New York
First Appearance: (As Wesley) Daredevil I#227 (February, 1986); (first name revealed) Kingpin II#4 (July, 2017)
Powers/Abilities: James Wesley is a talented attorney who is dedicated to the services of the Kingpin, both in his capacities as criminal mob boss and as New York City mayor. Wesley has full access to the resources of the Kingpin, including weapons, criminal enforcers, vast amounts of money. Wesley often uses Kingpin's influence to hire or coerce other criminals into action for Kingpin's criminal designs.
Height: 6'1"
Weight: 170 lbs.
Eyes: Blue
Hair: Brown
History:
(Kingpin II#4 (fb) - BTS) - James Wesley became an attorney.
(Daredevil I#227 (fb) - BTS) - Wesley was a trusted aid of the Kingpin, who ran a complex criminal empire out of New York City. At meetings, when Kingpin dismissed the others, Wesley would hang behind, making the others scared of Wesley as well.
(Daredevil I#227) - In a meeting, Stillson delivered an envelope that contained the real identity of the hero Daredevil, that of blind attorney Matt Murdock. Kingpin launched a long-term plan to test the information, and he ordered Wesley to locate and identify anyone who had handled the envelope as he might need them put to death later. Kingpin began systematically dismantling Murdock's life, impacting his home mortgage (this news delivered to Matt by Syd), revoking his law license, damaging Matt's reputation, and ultimately blowing up Matt's home. Wesley had Raldo and Tonio, two men who knew about Murdock, killed. He also tried having Karen Page, Matt's ex-girlfriend, killed through assassins, but Karen escaped.
(Daredevil I#228) - At Kingpin's instruction, Wesley monitored Matt Murdock's actions, which included hiding out in a hotel, beating up a hotel manager, and savagely beating up muggers on a train before punching a cop. Wesley gave a full report to Kingpin, who was sure Murdock would attack him next. Later, Murdock attacked and Kingpin defeated him, then staged his death in a car accident, but Murdock survived.
(Daredevil I#230) - Wesley watched Kingpin defeat a group of fighters, then Kingpin ordered Nuke to be brought into service. Wesley was shocked, as Nuke seemed such an extreme option, but he consented.
(Daredevil I#231) - During a meeting discussing profits in his criminal empire, Kingpin heard complaints from Mr. Switzer. Kingpin silenced the man and ordered him to sell his shares in the enterprise or his family would be murdered. James Wesley informed Kingpin that Switzer was preparing to go on a ski vacation in Colorado, and Kingpin ordered Switzer's legs both be broken.
(Daredevil I#233) - When Kingpin deployed Nuke in the streets, the mercenary began slaughtering civilians and blowing up buildings, and Wesley was genuinely afraid, both of the slaughter and of the fall-out landing on Kingpin. Later, in the sauna, Wesley was present when Kingpin killed Mr. Glazer in front of Mr. Ornstein and others. Later again, Kingpin was receiving an award in business when Wesley informed him that Nuke had escaped from military custody and was on a rampage. With Wesley present, Kingpin sent Roark in to deliver the killing shot on Nuke, and aids like Winch and Steiner kept Kingpin informed. Nuke ended up apprehended, though, and Kingpin's business began to fail in a wave of news stories and negative publicity rolled in.
(Marvel Graphic Novel#24: Daredevil: Love & War ) - At Kingpin's instruction, Wesley arranged to have Turk Barrett go after the killer Victor. He later reported that Cheryl Mondat and Victor had gone missing and that Turk had been tied under the bed. Kingpin ordered Wesley to have Cheryl Mondat brought in, and Victor killed. Wesley later called to tell him Daredevil had interfered.
(Kingpin II#1) - Kingpin sent Wesley to a gym to pick up author Sarah Dewey. Wesley took time to investigate Dewey thoroughly.
(Kingpin II#1) - Wesley offered Dewey $2000, and promised to get her boxer friend Orlando Perez home safely if she came with him. Sarah agreed to write for the Kingpin, and she showed up at a party that night in a dress Kingpin provided; Wesley saw her there.
(Kingpin II#2) - At a charity benefit that Kingpin hosted, Sarah Dewey, Gavin James, and others attended. Tombstone and Hammerhead confronted Kingpin and Wesley reminded Kingpin of the guests there, and Kingpin ended the fight. Later, Wesley showed Madame Masque out as Dewey arrived to interview Kingpin further. Wesley informed Kingpin that Anya, a young girl he was sponsoring at the local hospital, had passed away.
(Kingpin II#3) - At Kingpin's instruction, Wesley warned Sarah that she was in danger from Tombstone, then he picked her up for a meeting with Kingpin.
(Kingpin II#4) - Kingpin sent James Wesley to represent Sarah Dewey in her custody battle for her children against her ex, David Menard, who had attorney Gideon Oliver representing him. Sarah began to realize that Kingpin had put some kind of pressure on Menard to agree to shared custody and alimony.
(Kingpin II#5) - Kingpin arranged for Orlando Perez to throw a fight. At the match itself, Wesley insisted that Sarah sit with Kingpin, Jigsaw, Turk Barrett, and Tombstone. They all watched as Perez chose not to throw the fight.
(Daredevil V#23) - After Kingpin was elected mayor, he put a plan in place to win a major legal victory. While he hired the attorney called Legal, Kingpin sent Wesley to recruit Tombstone as a back-up plan. Wesley showed Tombstone live footage of Kingpin's interview with Legal. Tombstone promised to go after Matt Murdock at Wesley's instruction.
(Daredevil V#24) - Wesley heard Kingpin plotting with Legal. Wesley was then ordered to remind Tombstone of his contract.
(Daredevil V#25) - When Kingpin lost the legal case he was hoping to win against Matt Murdock, he was furious, and told Wesley to put Plan C in place.
(Daredevil I#597) - Kingpin talked to Wesley about any threats that Matt Murdock might represent. Wesley reminded Kingpin what Murdock was capable of.
(Daredevil I#598) - After Kingpin became the mayor of New York City, he had his man James Wesley offer the Owl the position of the head of the Department of Aging, and Owl accepted.
(Daredevil I#599) - Kingpin called Wesley, telling him to take down the giant bloody murals that Muse had painted all over the city. Wesley informed Kingpin that someone was already doing that.
(Punisher XIII#13) - James Wesley escorted Mayor Fisk to a baseball game, where he was to throw the first pitch, and they found Baron Zemo there seeking an alliance. Wesley soon saw Zemo assemble a new team of Thunderbolts (Fixer, Ghost, Jigsaw, Moonstone, Radioactive Man), with Zemo as Citizen V.
(Punisher XIII#14) - When Punisher began killing some of Zemo's Hydra troops disguised as U.N. forces, Wesley learned the men had their Hydra uniforms on underneath. He reported this to the Kingpin.
(Punisher XIII#16) - Wesley prepared an escape helicopter for Kingpin as Punisher and Ghost Rider (Dan Ketch) stormed the building. As the helicopter landed, Zemo begged for a place on it, but Kingpin had Ghost seemingly kill Zemo to get Punisher to back down. As Punisher threatened the Kingpin, Nick Fury Jr. landed with Hawkeye (Clint Barton), Winter Soldier, Quake, and Luke Cage, helping deescalate the situation.
Comments: Created by Frank Miller and David Mazzucchelli.
James Wesley became a character in the Daredevil Netflix series, where he was a close aid of the Kingpin until he was killed by Karen Page. In Daredevil I#610, James Wesley is killed but it is later revealed to be only an elaborate dream Matt Murdock is having from his hospital bed.
Profile by Chadman.
CLARIFICATIONS:
James Wesley should not be confused with:
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(Daredevil I#233) - After Kingpin unleashed Nuke on the streets of New York, resulting in hundreds of civilian casualties and massive property damage, Mr. Glazer yelled at Kingpin in the sauna for damaging the drug trade. Kingpin patiently listened as Glazer ranted. Glazer, ignoring the warnings of his colleague Mr. Ornstein, knew he went too far when he mentioned Kingpin losing his wife, and Kingpin choked him to death in retaliation. --Daredevil I#233 |
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(Daredevil I#233) - After Nuke attacked the city on Kingpin's orders, Kingpin sat in the sauna with many of his colleagues, including Mr. Glazer and Mr. Ornstein. Glazer berated Kingpin, and Ornstein advised him to back off, and Kingpin ended up killing Glazer in retaliation. --Daredevil I#233 |
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(Daredevil I#233 - BTS) - When Nuke went rogue, escaping from the military, Kingpin sent his asset Roark in to kill him, but Captain America and Daredevil had already intervened.
--Daredevil I#233 - BTS
(Daredevil I#233 - BTS) - When Nuke went rogue and batlted Captain America and Daredevil on the rooftops, Kingpin's men, including Steiner, gave him reports. Kingpin called out for Steiner over the comm-devices.
--Daredevil I#233 - BTS
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(Daredevil I#231) - In a meeting discussing Kingpin's criminal profits, Mr. Switzer raised concerns about Kingpin's personal vendetta against Matt Murdock. Kingpin silenced Switzer, ordered him to sell out all of his shares in the empire immediately or Switzer's family would be murdered. James Wesley informed Kingpin that Switzer had a ski vacation in Colorado upcoming, and Kingpin ordered Switzer's legs to be broken, both in compound fractures. --Daredevil I#231 |
(Daredevil I#227 - BTS) - Syd, long-term accountant of Matt Murdock, called Matt to inform him the I.R.S. was investigating him.
--Daredevil I#227 - BTS
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(Daredevil I#233) - Kingpin monitored the fight between Daredevil and Captain America against Nuke as his men, including Winch, gave him updates. Captain America punched Winch before more information could be relayed. --Daredevil I#233 |
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images: (without ads)
Kingpin II#4, p7, pan7 (main)
Kingpin II#1, p3, pan7 (Wesley face)
Daredevil I#227, p2, pan4 (with Kingpin)
Daredevil V#23, p4, pan4 (Wesley face)
Daredevil I#233, p10, pan7 (Mr. Glazer)
Daredevil I#233, p11, pan1 (Mr. Ornstein)
Daredevil I#231, p2, pan1 (Mr. Switzer)
Daredevil I#233, p27, pan6 (Winch)
Appearances:
Daredevil I#227 (February, 1986) - Frank Miller (writer), David Mazzucchelli (artist), Ralph Macchio (editor)
Daredevil I#230 (May, 1986) - Frank Miller (writer), David Mazzucchelli (artist), Ralph Macchio (editor)
Daredevil I#231 (July, 1986) - Frank Miller (writer), David Mazzucchelli (artist), Ralph Macchio (editor)
Daredevil I#233 (August, 1986) - Frank Miller (writer), David Mazzucchelli (artist), Ralph Macchio (editor)
Marvel Graphic Novel#24: Daredevil: Love & War (1986) - Frank Miller (writer), Bill Sienkiewicz (artist), Al Milgrom (editor)
Kingpin II#1-2 (April-May, 2017) - Matthew Rosenberg (writer), Ben Torres (artist), Mark Paniccia (editor)
Kingpin II#3 (June, 2017) - Matthew Rosenberg (writer), Marc Laming, Ben Torres (artists), Mark Paniccia (editor)
Kingpin II#4 (July, 2017) - Matthew Rosenberg (writer), Miguel Sepulveda (peciler), Walden Wong, Don Ho (inkers), Mark Paniccia (editor)
Kingpin II#5 (August, 2017) - Matthew Rosenberg (writer), Ben Torres (artist), Mark Paniccia (editor)
Daredevil V#23-25 (September-November, 2017) - Charles Soule (writer), Alec Morgan (artist), Mark Paniccia (editor)
Daredevil I#597 (March, 2018) - Charles Soule (writer), Stefano Landini (artist), Jordan White (editor)
Daredevil I#598-599 (April, 2018) - Charles Soule (writer), Ron Garney (artist), Jordan White (editor)
Punisher XIII#13-14 (October-November, 2019) - Nathan Edmondson (writer), Szymon Kudranski (artist), Jake Thomas (editor)
Punisher XIII#16 (December, 2019) - Matthew Rosenberg (writer), Szymon Kudranski (artist), Jake Thomas (editor)
First Posted: 03/11/2019
Last updated: 10/09/2019
Any Additions/Corrections? please let me know.
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