BIG TURK
Real Name: Unrevealed
Identity/Class: Human
Occupation: Gangster, extortionist
Group Membership: The Kingpin's criminal empire
Affiliations: Flint, Kingpin (Wilson Fisk), Shorty
Enemies: Spider-Man (Peter Parker)
Known Relatives: None
Aliases: None
Base of Operations: New York City, New York, USA
First Appearance: Amazing Spider-Man I#51 (August, 1967)
Powers/Abilities: Big Turk was reasonably strong and a decent brawler in combat.
Height: Unrevealed (approximately 6'6")
Weight: Unrevealed (approximately 235 lbs.)
Eyes: Brown
Hair: Brown
History: (Amazing Spider-Man I#51) - Big Turk was one of
many gangsters who gathered around Wilson Fisk after he had become the
Kingpin of Crime in New York City. As editorials written in the Daily
Bugle by J. Jonah Jameson made reference to the Kingpin's takeover,
Fisk ordered his men to silence Jameson so that their criminal
activities would remain secret.
While the Kingpin sent the gangster Blinker after Jameson, the other gangsters expressed dissatisfaction about "hangin' around 'n waitin'!" To keep them satisfied, the Kingpin gave Big Turk a list of service stations to collect protection money from. Big Turk was dismayed by his orders, complaining "I thought we were in the big time!" but noting that Fisk was protected by his disintegrator cane so he didn't challenge the Kingpin.
Just as Big Turk and his men were leaving a service station with a briefcase full of money, they were attacked by Spider-Man, whose webbing snatched away the mobsters' handguns. Spider-Man began fighting the gangsters hand-to-hand, in which he was more than capable. One of Big Turk's men remarked that the Kingpin had told them Spider-Man was gone; overhearing this, Spider-Man thus became aware that they were working for the Kingpin.
Big Turk attempted to fend off Spider-Man and struck the hero in the back with a powerful blow. For a moment, he seemed to have stunned Spider-Man but Spider-Man quickly sprang back and struck Big Turk, claiming Turk had merely "scratched" a "king-sized itch" he'd had. Realizing he couldn't handle Spider-Man, Big Turk fled for his car alongside Shorty, abandoning the rest of his men to Spider-Man.
Big Turk and Shorty returned to the Kingpin's office and burst into his room while he was meeting with Flint and Frederick Foswell. Big Turk was outraged that their collection had been interrupted by Spider-Man despite the Kingpin's claim that the hero was gone. Big Turk refused to continue following the Kingpin's orders. Flint offered to shoot Big Turk and Shorty but the Kingpin claimed this was merely a "disciplinary problem" which he would handle personally.
Despite this, Big Turk punched Flint in the face to ensure Flint wouldn't harm him. Shorty warned Big Turk to mind the Kingpin's disintegrator cane but the Kingpin had no intention of using it, instead facing Big Turk with his bare hands. Big Turk assumed that Fisk was merely fat but, upon striking at him, discovered that the Kingpin was extremely muscular and faster than he appeared. The Kingpin easily defeated Big Turk then ordered he and Shorty to leave his office and wait in their "rat-holes" until he had need of them.
Comments: Created by Stan Lee, John Romita and Mike Esposito.
Big Turk goes down in history as being the first person to realize that the Kingpin is not, contrary to appearances, a marshmallow.
Big Turk might've also been one of the unidentified gangsters in Amazing Spider-Man I#50.
There's a guy named Shorty at the summit led by Flint in Amazing Spider-Man I#50 but he wears glasses and seems to have a receding hairline. Probably another gangster with the same nickname.
Profile by Prime Eternal.
CLARIFICATIONS:
Big Turk should not be confused with:
Shorty was another one of the Kingpin's henchmen. He accompanied Big Turk in collecting protection money from service stations. When Spider-Man interfered with the money collection, Shorty and Big Turk were the only two to escape as Shorty drove off in a getaway car.
Shorty and Big Turk returned to the Kingpin to complain about Spider-Man's interference and challenge his authority. Although the two men thought they could outfight the Kingpin, Shorty soon saw Big Turk was easily defeated in hand-to-hand combat by the Kingpin. Cowed, Shorty submitted to the Kingpin's authority and helped Big Turk exit his office to their hideout until the Kingpin needed them again.
--Amazing Spider-Man I#51
images: (without ads)
Amazing Spider-Man I#51, page 5, panel 2 (main)
Amazing Spider-Man I#51, page 8, panel 3 (action)
Amazing Spider-Man I#51, page 7, panel 4 (Shorty)
Appearances:
Amazing Spider-Man I#51 (August, 1967) - Stan Lee (writer, editor), John Romita (penciler), Mike Esposito (inker)
First posted: 04/07/2022
Last updated:
04/07/2022
Any Additions/Corrections? please let me know.
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