| Looter | |
|---|---|
.png) Looter on the cover ofThe Amazing Spider-Man #36. Art by Steve Ditko. | |
| Publication information | |
| Publisher | Marvel Comics |
| First appearance | The Amazing Spider-Man #36 (May 1966) |
| Created by | Stan Lee (writer) Steve Ditko (artist) |
| In-story information | |
| Alter ego | Norton G. Fester |
| Species | Human mutate |
| Team affiliations | Defenders Impersonators |
| Notable aliases | Meteor Man |
| Abilities |
|
TheLooter (Norton Fester), also known as theMeteor Man, is asupervillain appearing inAmerican comic books published byMarvel Comics. The character primarily appears in comic books featuringSpider-Man.[1] The character first appeared in 1966.
The character first appeared inThe Amazing Spider-Man #36 (May 1966), and was created byStan Lee andSteve Ditko.[2]
The character subsequently appears inMarvel Team-Up #33-34 (May–June 1975),The Defenders #63-64 (September–October 1978),Peter Parker, The Spectacular Spider-Man #41 (April 1980),Web of Spider-Man #39 (June 1988),The Amazing Spider-Man Annual #26 (1992),The Amazing Scarlet Spider #1 (November 1995),The Spectacular Scarlet Spider #1 (November 1995),Web of Scarlet Spider #2 (December 1995),The Sensational Spider-Man #8 (September 1996),Untold Tales of Spider-Man (October 1997),The Sensational Spider-Man #27 (May 1998),Marvel Knights: Spider-Man #6 (November 2004),Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man #5 (April 2006),Spider-Man Family #7 (April 2008),The Amazing Spider-Man #645 (December 2010),The Superior Foes of Spider-Man #11 (2013) andThe Amazing Spider-Man (vol. 3) #9 (2015).
The Looter received an entry in theAll-New Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe A-Z #6 (2006) #6.
Norton G. Fester was always a poorly skilled scientist, and was considered a crackpot by his colleagues. One day, however, he found an unusualmeteor that had crashed to Earth. Excited by his discovery, Fester searched for funding into a project, but investors went for more commercial ventures. Fester decided to continue without funding, and while chiseling the meteor, he struck a pocket of gas. Immersed in the strange compound, he discovered that he now had super-strength and agility thanks to the meteor's powers.[3] Fester decided to devote his time and new powers to crime from then on. Calling himself the Looter, he struckbanks and offices everywhere, gaining his current name. However, after attempting to steal another meteor to continually supply himself with his powers, he was defeated by Spider-Man after a battle in ahot-air balloon.[4]
Since then, the Looter has had little success as a criminal, even after a name change to the Meteor Man. He would come into conflict withNighthawk after stealing a meteor from Kyle Richmond's home after he purchased it from the museum. Meteor Man would face Nighthawk and Spider-Man but would escape.Valkyrie from theDefenders helps Spider-Man apprehend Meteor Man. Fester tried to escape on his balloon but Valkyrie throws her sword into the balloon, causing it to pop. Meteor Man crashed into the ground and is hospitalized for a few months.[5] He would reappear at theEmpire State University campus to find components from a microwave energy exhibit to increase his powers. This would lead into another conflict with Spider-Man andGiant-Man. Fester created a transmitter that transmuted the energy in his meteors into microwaves which is then transmitted into his nervous system. However, his transmitter was channeling too much power and the feedback caused it to explode and Fester was presumed dead.[6]
Fester survived the explosion, but his mind was further addled by his experiences and he became a homeless alcoholic. He robbed Nathan Lubensky, but was beaten down by Spider-Man and forced to surrender to the police, who try to help Nathan.[7] Whencircumstances forced Spider-Man to adopt new identities, the Looter was the first foe Spider-Man fought as theHornet when he attempted to raid theDaily Bugle in order to steal the ransom thatNorman Osborn was offering for Spider-Man. Here he was portrayed as talking constantly to the original meteor after attaching it to a gun, despite Hornet's certainty that the rock was just a rock after giving him his strength.[8] He was seen at an auction in which theVenom symbiote was sold.[9] He later attempted to steal yet another meteor, at a museum display, to grow further in power. Spider-Man defeated him once more in the museum bathroom, in front of a woman named Vanna Smith, who was obsessed with the wallcrawler.[10]
During theDark Reign storyline, Spider-Man would capture Looter after a robbery and web him up against a building wall. Norton tells Spider-Man thatNorman Osborn is running the show and his stay in a jail cell would not be long. The wall crawler gets in Norton's face and gives him awedgie before he leaves.[11]
During theOrigin of the Species storyline, Looter meets up withScrewball before he is attacked by Spider-Man (who is attacking and apprehending any villain that might be responsible for the abduction ofLily Hollister's baby). Looter pleads to Spider-Man that was not responsible.[12]
The Looter is briefly seen being defeated by Spider-Man and his new sidekickAlpha.[13]
Looter begins attending Supervillains Anonymous meetings that was held at a church and also attended byBoomerang,Doctor Bong,Grizzly,Hippo,Mirage,Porcupine, and others. At another Supervillains Anonymous meeting, Looter and Grizzly tell about their violent run-ins withSuperior Spider-Man (Doctor Octopus' mind in Spider-Man's body).[14]
During theSpider-Verse storyline, Spider-Man andSilk run into Looter who has stolen a Spider-Tank and Spiderling outfits from Spider-Island, which was used as the base of the Superior Spider-Man (back when Doctor Octopus' mind was in Peter Parker's body). Spider-Man and Silk defeat Looter while his fleeing henchmen were defeated whenSpider-UK,MC2Spider-Girl, andSpider-Ham arrive.[15]
During theHunted storyline, Looter was seen as a patron at the Pop-Up with No Name.[16]
Fester received abnormal abilities from the meteor he discovered. The gases inside it provided him with extreme strength, stamina, durability, agility, and leaping.[17] On one occasion, he was able to convert theradiation of certain meteors intomicrowave form. By drawing theirenergies onto himself, he grew in stature. As the Meteor Man, Fester has immense physical attributes.
The Looter has access to various types of equipment. He utilizes the "Dazzle Gun" (a gun that produces flashing, but blinding lights for quick getaways), a self-inflatinghelium balloon, and an upgraded stealth suit with bionics in its fabric to enhance his powers.[14] Throughout his career, he wielded weapons fromStilt-Man, theShocker, theUnicorn, theTrapster, and theMauler.[18]
InSpider-Man Loves Mary Jane,Mary Jane's high school counselor Mr. Limke uses the identity of the Looter.[19]
Spider-Man was introduced to a new character in the form of the super villain called the Looter. The product of another [Stan] Lee and [Steve] Ditko collaboration, the Looter was born when hiker Norton G. Fester discovered and experimented on a mysterious meteor.
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