| Jonathan Powers Jester | |
|---|---|
| Publication information | |
| Publisher | Marvel Comics |
| First appearance | Daredevil #42 (July 1968)[1][2] |
| Created by | Stan Lee (writer) Gene Colan (artist) |
| In-story information | |
| Alter ego | Jonathan Powers |
| Species | Human |
| Team affiliations | Screwball |
| Notable aliases | Jester |
| Abilities |
|
Jonathan Powers is a character appearing inAmerican comic books published byMarvel Comics. Created by writerStan Lee and artistGene Colan, the characterfirst appeared inDaredevil #42 (July 1968).[3] The character is known under thecodenameJester.[4] Powers is the first of several costumed criminals to use this identity. He is a recurringantagonist of thesuperheroMatt Murdock / Daredevil.[5]
Jonathan Powers debuted inDaredevil #42 (July 1968), created byStan Lee andGene Colan.[6] He appeared in the 2013Superior Spider-Man series,[7][8] and is mentioned in the 2016Civil War II series.[9][10]
Jonathan Powers was born inHoboken, New Jersey. He was a struggling actor with a huge ego who finally got his big break as the leading character in an off-Broadway revival ofCyrano de Bergerac. Panned by critics, jeered by the audience, and disdained by his fellow performers, Powers was fired after one performance. Obsessively, he continued to study the various arts and crafts that he thought would earn him roles, things like gymnastics and body building. He turned down suggestions that he should take actual acting classes, insisting that he already had more raw acting talent than anyone who had ever lived. Still, Powers was only able to find employment as a stooge in a children's television show taped in New York.[11]
Finally getting fed up with having pies thrown in his face, Powers vents his anger with society by turning his extensive training in gymnastics and fencing to a life of crime. Contracting the criminal weapons-maker theTinkerer to make him a number of gimmicks, Powers fashions himself a harlequin-like disguise and calls himself the Jester.[12] After gaining some notoriety as a professional thief, the Jester is hired by Richard Raleigh to getFoggy Nelson to resign his campaign for district attorney. This brings the Jester into conflict withDaredevil, who continues trying to apprehend him, even after they find Raleigh dead. Angered by Daredevil's persistence, he vows revenge.[11]
In his civilian guise as Jonathan Powers, he stages his own murder at the hands of Daredevil.[13] However, Daredevil clears his name by defeating and then unmasking the Jester on live television, demonstrating that his "victim" was still alive.[14] He later escapes prison and teams up with two fellow enemies of Daredevil, theCobra andMister Hyde, for revenge. They lure Daredevil to an amusement park, but he defeats and apprehends them there.[15]
The Jester later kidnaps an inventor of computer-generated video and uses his invention to broadcast false news reports smearing Foggy Nelson's re-election campaign and undermining public trust in the government and the media. Though he succeeds in making Nelson lose his post as district attorney, his plan to take over the city and execute Daredevil for murder are foiled by Daredevil and new district attorney Blake Tower.[16] While in prison, the Jester falls under the mental control of thePurple Man, along with the Cobra, Mister Hyde and theGladiator. The Purple Man forces them all to attack Daredevil andPaladin.[17] He later battles theMoon Knight and Daredevil as well.[18]
After escaping prison, the Jester kidnaps an actor portraying Cyrano de Bergerac on live television and takes his place. His performance is a success with the audience. When he afterwards learns that Daredevil was diverting the police's attention so that he could finish his performance, he voluntarily surrenders.[19] Later, Powers allows himself to be the host of a demon, gaining great strength in the process. When the demon leaves him, Powers is apparently left comatose.[20]
The Jester later collaborated with Screwball when they started a web show called "Jested". Their first episode had them doing a prank on MayorJ. Jonah Jameson. After that happened, both of them are tracked down by theSuperior Spider-Man (Doctor Octopus' mind inSpider-Man's body) and (after performing a series of pranks on the Superior Spider-Man himself) are brutally defeated by him.[21]
During theCivil War II storyline, Powers apparently retires from his former role until he is arrested as part of an entrapment operation set up by undercover police officers and an informant, despite the fact that all he was doing was talking about his old days rather than actually planning a crime. Despite theShe-Hulk making a passionate argument about the need to believe in redemption and not condemn someone for their thoughts, Powers is sentenced to prison, where he is shot by a prison guard during a riot a couple of days later.[22]
During theSpider-Men II miniseries, the Jester turns up alive. During his recent criminal activities, the Jester was defeated byJessica Jones and the She-Hulk.[23]
Jonathan Powers is a talented acrobat, gymnast, and fencer. He utilizes a range of joke-themed weapons, some of which are created by the Tinkerer, to assist in his criminal activities.[24] Jester's gadgets are all humor-themed, aligning with his identity, and include a weighted yo-yo, exploding popcorn, and gas-emitting discs.[25]
Maxwell Pishny ofComic Book Resources describes Jonathan Powers as a less extreme and deadly adversary to Daredevil compared to other villains in the series. He notes that Powers' gimmicks and humor helped keep his stories lighthearted and enjoyable for readers.[26]
Jonathan Powers / Jester appears in theMoon Girl and Devil Dinosaur episode "Make It, Don't Break It,"[27] voiced by Kalen Aris Whitfield.[28]
| |||||||||||||||||||
| |||||||||||||||||||
