RAY DONOVAN

Real Name: Ray Donovan

Identity/Class: Human

Occupation: Detective, law enforcement officer

Group Membership: FBI;
    formerly the NYPD

Affiliations: Steve Daugherty, Derek Freeman, Lou Snider, May Parker, Rafferty, Spider-Man (Peter Parker), Desiree Vaughn-Pope

Enemies: The Blank, the Cat (Prowler impostor)

Known Relatives: None

Aliases: None

Base of Operations: Manhattan, New York, USA;
    formerly Dallas, Texas, USA

First Appearance: Spectacular Spider-Man II#47 (October, 1980)

Powers/Abilities: Ray Donovan is an experienced detective and has been seen using FBI surveillance equipment.

Height: Unrevealed (approximately 5'9")
Weight: Unrevealed (approximately 146 lbs.)
Eyes: Brown
Hair: Black (gray at temples)

History:
(Spectacular Spider-Man II#47) - After a burglar dressed as the Prowler invaded the apartment of Desiree Vaughn-Pope and killed bodyguard Charlie McGuire, Ray Donovan investigated the crime scene alongside his partner Sgt. Lou Snider. As the policemen were taking a statement from Desiree's boyfriend Steve Daugherty, photographer Peter Parker arrived at the scene, having heard of the crime on a news broadcast. Donovan recognized Parker as a photographer from the Daily Globe and convinced Snider to let him enter the crime scene. Daugherty and Desiree both thought the intruder was Spider-Man but Peter subtly observed there were indents on the wall outside from where the intruder climbed in and razor sharp flechettes that the intruder had fired at McGuire, neither of which pointed to Spider-Man. Assessing this information, Donovan believed someone wanted the police to think Spider-Man was the intruder. Donovan noted that nothing had been stolen but the intruder had been rifling through Desiree's fashion sketches. Peter went after the intruder as Spider-Man and exposed the criminal as the Cat, impersonating the Prowler.

(Amazing Spider-Man II#580 (fb) - BTS) - Donovan eventually transferred to the FBI. For a time he was stationed in Dallas, Texas but was later reassigned to Manhattan.

(Amazing Spider-Man II#580) - Donovan was brought in by the police to investigate a robbery at a Metrobank by the super-villain the Blank. As Donovan was taking a statement from witness May Parker, May's nephew Peter arrived on the scene. Ray recognized Peter from their meeting years earlier and so permitted Peter to enter the crime scene. Having finished taking May's statement, Ray let her depart with Peter.

As Donovan was preparing to make a public statement about the Blank, he was intercepted by Peter, who offered him his favorite coffee (regular with no sugar). Donovan agreed to give Peter early access to his report. He explained what was known about the Blank's force field device and that the Blank appeared to be deliberately targeting banks who were predatory lenders. Peter accompanied Ray to the briefing, which was conducted by Agent Derek Freeman. When Peter tried to ask Freeman about what the FBI was doing to capture the Blank, Freeman refused to comment and Donovan tried to politely escort Peter from the room. Once they reached the hallway, Peter grew angry and lashed out at Donovan, grabbing him by his coat's lapels and reminding him that the Blank had threatened his aunt. Unaware Peter's anger was something of a cover to slyly slide a Spider-Tracer under Donovan's lapel, Donovan brushed Peter off his coat and assured him the FBI were doing all they could to catch the Blank and that Peter should head home and cool off.

Donovan was assigned to a surveillance van as they searched for the Blank. When another robbery by the Blank led to a tip on the crook's getaway car, the FBI van went in pursuit, unwittingly bringing along Spider-Man, who was riding on the van's roof. Spider-Man finally caught the Blank and rolled him into a giant ball of webbing that he sent to Donovan with the note: "Contents: One Blank-- Courtesy of your friendly neighborhood Spider-Man." Peter Parker then appeared to snap some photographs of Donovan with the Blank. As Donovan wondered how Spider-Man beat the FBI to the Blank, Peter pretended to see some "schmutz" on his lapel and retrieved his Spider-Tracer.

Comments: Created by Roger Stern, Marie Severin and Bruce Patterson.

    Marie Severin loved drawing caricatures of her co-workers - in this instance she drew Donovan to look like Roger Stern!

    Appropriately, Donovan first appeared near the start of Stern's career as a Spider-Man writer then came back with him when he returned in 2009.

Profile by Prime Eternal.

CLARIFICATIONS:
Ray Donovan should not be confused with:

Rafferty

Rafferty was a police officer who helped FBI agent Donovan secure the crime scene at Metrobank after it was robbed by the Blank. Rafferty tried to stop Peter Parker when he entered the crime scene to find his aunt May Parker but agent Donovan told Rafferty to let Peter pass as he was acquainted with him.



--Amazing Spider-Man II#580



images: (without ads)
Spectacular Spider-Man II#47, page 3, panel 7 (main)
Amazing Spider-Man II#580, page 7, panel 4 (face)
Amazing Spider-Man II#580, page 7, panel 3 (Rafferty)

Appearances:
Spectacular Spider-Man II#47 (October, 1980) - Roger Stern (writer), Marie Severin (pencils), Bruce Patterson (inks), Denny O'Neil (editor)
Amazing Spider-Man II#580 (February, 2009) - Roger Stern (writer), Lee Weeks (artist), Stephen Wacker (editor)

First posted: 01/06/2023
Last updated: 01/06/2023

Any Additions/Corrections? please let me know.

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