| The Ringmaster | |
|---|---|
.png) The Ringmaster as depicted inThe Incredible Hulk #3 (September 1962). Art by Jack Kirby andDick Ayers. | |
| Publication information | |
| Publisher | Marvel Comics |
| First appearance | The Incredible Hulk #3 (September 1962)[1] |
| Created by | Stan Lee Jack Kirby |
| In-story information | |
| Alter ego | Maynard Tiboldt |
| Species | Human |
| Team affiliations | Circus of Crime Lethal Legion |
| Notable aliases | Circus Master of Ceremonies; Martin Thraller |
| Abilities | Hypnotic mind control via device on his hat Formerly: Reality manipulation via cosmic powered ring |
TheRingmaster is the name of two characters appearing inAmerican comic books published byMarvel Comics. The first incarnation of Ringmaster,Fritz Tiboldt,first appeared inCaptain America Comics #5 (August 1941). The second incarnation,Maynard Tiboldt, debuted inThe Incredible Hulk #3 (July 1962).[2]
Fritz Tiboldt debuted as the Ringmaster of Death inCaptain America Comics #5 (August 1941).[3] He appeared inCaptain America #112 in a flashback (April 1969).
Maynard Tiboldt debuted as the Ringmaster inThe Incredible Hulk #3 (July 1962). He has turned up as a somewhat pathetic and luckless opponent for virtually every hero in the Marvel universe since his first appearance, ranging fromSpider-Man toHoward the Duck. He is a tall thin man who sports aFu Manchu moustache and dresses in a green variation on the traditional circusringmaster costume. Having acquired a hypnosis-wave generator originally created by theRed Skull and mounted said device in his costume'stop hat, the Ringmaster's usual scheme is to lead the self-titled "Circus of Crime" into a community and rob the local citizenry as they attend his circus. Nearly every appearance of the Ringmaster ends with him being thrown back into jail, having been defeated by his current foe.
The original Ringmaster is aNazi agent named Fritz Tiboldt whose circus was a cover for murdering US government officials. He traveled with Missing Link who hadprimate-like features,midget Tommy Thumb;snake charmer Omar;strongman Zandow, and theTrapeze Trio. After murdering a U.S. sergeant with a tiger,Captain America andBucky become suspicious of their activities. The Ringmaster kidnapsBetsy Ross, and the heroes trace him and his circus and defeat the foes.[4]
Later, Fritz and his wife were killed by the Nazis for their defeat at the hands of Captain America.[5] Following the introduction of Maynard Tiboldt, this character was revealed to be his father.[6]
Maynard Tiboldt was born inVienna, Austria to the original Ringmaster, Fritz Tiboldt, and his wife Lola. He inherited the Circus when his parents were murdered.
The Ringmaster is a powerless man with a unique hat which is designed to hypnotize people, thus allowing him to take complete control over their actions. He originally traveled across America as the manager, director, and ringmaster of his small traveling circus, which was actually a front for his "Circus of Crime"; TheHuman Cannonball, TheClown,Bruto the Strongman, TheGreat Gambonnos (two acrobat brothers), andPrincess Python the snake charmer. During their show, he would hypnotize the crowd and send his lackeys out to steal any valuables on the victim's person. Once, while engaging in this activity, he managed to enslave theHulk when he was under the control ofRick Jones who was attending a performance. However the Hulk captured him when he tried to escape in a chariot.[6]
Bringing this act to New York, he foughtSpider-Man andDaredevil, whose blindness prevents Ringmaster from hypnotizing him, though he was briefly able to place Spider-Man under his control.[7]
After this failure, he briefly abandoned the Circus of Crime, who became the Masters of Menace (a name Python thought up) led by the Clown. He came back to steal their loot after their capture by Spider-Man, but was captured by the police instead along with the rest.[8]
The Ringmaster next attempted to enlist recentAvengers inducteesHawkeye,Quicksilver, andScarlet Witch as circus performers, but instead wound up defeated by them, though he claimed they tried to rob him making them wanted by the Police, though it is later claimed the DA got the truth out of Python.[9] He later schemed to blow upAvengers Mansion during the wedding ofYellowjacket and theWasp and defeated Jarvis, but fought and was defeated by the Avengers.[10] He later enlisted a mind-controlledUlik as an accomplice, but was defeated byThor.[11] WithBlackwing, he battled Daredevil once again.[12] He also battledPower Man andBlack Goliath.[13] Ringmaster later helpedNamor and theShroud secretly enterLatveria.[14] He later captured the sea-nymph Meriam and fought the Hulk again.[15]
The Ringmaster later enlistedHoward the Duck as an unwilling accomplice, but was defeated by Howard and Iris Raritan.[16] Ringmaster battled theThing,Iceman, and Bill Foster asGiant-Man.[17] Ringmaster next pitted a mind-controlled Hulk against theDragon Man.[18] The Ringmaster was later hired by theHeadmen to testShe-Hulk's strength and invulnerability.[19] He later attempted to reform, but helped the Circus of Crime escape from the police after battlingPower Pack.[20] He was released from prison inDoc Samson's custody, and assists in the therapy that creates theMerged Hulk personality for Bruce Banner when his MPD was causing him serious psychological damage.[21]
The Ringmaster later gets a surgical-upgrade of his eyes, allowing him to use them to hypnotize people, from surgeons working forDevlin DeAngelo, which he used to hypnotize Bruce Banner.[22] As "Martin Thraller", the Ringmaster used his hypnotic eyes while running for president of the United States (and manages to hypnotizeNick Fury into forgetting his own identity) until stopped byDeathlok.[23]
The Ringmaster traveled to Tibet and stole a ring that had once been created for theMandarin shortly before his apparent demise. Made from a piece of a shatteredCosmic Cube, the ring allows him to manipulate reality within a fifteen-foot radius. Attacking New York for 'practice', he clashes with various superheroes, includingSpider-Man andMoon Knight. Moon Knight and Spider-Man are both given heart attacks, but then Daredevil joins the scene. Moments before the Ringmaster is about to fire them out of cannons, at the ground about one foot below, thePunisher shoots off his ring finger.[24][25]
The Cosmic Ring is confiscated byCaptain America, who encourages the grouping of heroes to get the shot-off finger to the ambulance personnel for reattachment. He later loses the ring when he is attacked by a M.O.D.O.C. squad.[26] The ring is then found by Curtis Doyle, who uses it to become the superheroFreedom Ring until his death at the hands ofIron Maniac.[27]
During theCivil War storyline, the Circus of Crime appear as one of several villains captured byIron Man andS.H.I.E.L.D. agents.[28]
Later, Ringmaster enacts a plot to hypnotize the elderly into stealing for him, though this is foiled by Howard the Duck andTalos the Untamed.[29][30]
During theSecret Empire storyline, the Circus of Crime joinBaron Zemo's Army of Evil.[31]
During the "Gang War" storyline, Ringmaster is revealed to runRandalls and Wards Islands. He is briefly seen hypnotizing civilians to fight for him.[32] After running into two people trying to get toCentral Park, Ringmaster informs them of what is happening and hypnotizes them into his ranks of hypnotized people as he needed a "circus" to lead. Ringmaster's hypnotized civilians fight againstCrime Master and theA.I.M. Agents with him. Spider-Man's group arrives to fight them as Spider-Man advises the superheroes with him to be careful while confronting the hypnotized civilians. As Spider-Man andSpider-Woman fight Crime Master, Ringmaster tries to hypnotizeElektra, only for her to resist the mind control and defeat him.[33]
Ringmaster was revealed to have a daughter who becameRingmistress, wielding a copy of her father's hat and leading a separate incarnation of Circus of Crime.[34]
The Ringmaster possesses no inherent superhuman powers. His principal weapons are mind-controlling devices implanted in his hat and eyes. However, his hypnotism does not work on those who cannot see and can be neutralized with special glasses.[volume & issue needed]
With the Cosmic Ring, Tiboldt gained the ability to alter reality in a 15-foot (4.6 m) radius around him.[35]
The Ringmaster appears as a non-playable character inQuestprobe featuring Spider-Man.[40]
The Ringmaster appears inMarvel's Wastelanders: Hawkeye, voiced byJoe Morton.[41]
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