| Robbie Robertson | |
|---|---|
.png) Robbie Robertson fromThe Pulse #2. Art byMark Bagley. | |
| Publication information | |
| Publisher | Marvel Comics |
| First appearance | The Amazing Spider-Man #51 (August 1967) |
| Created by | Stan Lee (editor/writer) John Romita Sr. (artist) |
| In-story information | |
| Full name | Joseph "Robbie" Robertson |
| Team affiliations | Daily Bugle Front Line |
| Supporting character of | Spider-Man Daredevil |
Joseph "Robbie"Robertson is a fictional character appearing inAmerican comic books published byMarvel Comics, usually in association withSpider-Man. Created byStan Lee andJohn Romita Sr., he first appeared inThe Amazing Spider-Man #51 (August 1967),[1][2] and has since endured as a supporting character of Spider-Man.
Robbie Robertson was one of the firstblack characters in comics to play a serious supporting role, rather than act as comic relief.[3] He has usually been a high-ranking editor at theNew Yorknewspaper, theDaily Bugle, and a close friend and confidant ofpublisherJ. Jonah Jameson, acting as a voice of reason in Jameson's campaign to discredit Spider-Man.[4] He is more friendly and supportive of Peter Parker as well as the otherDaily Bugle staffers than the brash Jameson. In the 1980s, the character's backstory was explored, revealing a past conflict with the supervillainTombstone, with whom he attended high school; these stories were well received by readers and contributed to greater interest in his character.
The character has appeared in several media adaptations outside of comics over the years, including films, animated series, and video games. ActorBill Nunn played Robbie Robertson inSam Raimi'sSpider-Man trilogy, andLamorne Morris in the upcomingSpider-Noir.
Gerry Conway's run onThe Spectacular Spider-Man andWeb of Spider-Man expanded Robertson's back story with a dark history involving the hit manTombstone which continues to haunt Robertson in the present. The stories drew an exceptionally intense level of reader interest. EditorJim Salicrup recalled that "some of the most jaded, seen-it-all before guys - namely the guys in Marvel's production department - got hooked on the Tombstone/Joe Robertsonsoap opera. They'd actually come into my office concerned about what was going to happen to Robbie next. 'He's not going to jail, is he?' they'd ask".[5]
Joseph Robertson was born inHarlem. He is married to Martha and they have had two sons. Their first son, Patrick Henry Robertson, died when he was only six months old. Their second son,Randy, is divorced. Growing up in a working-class family and being a member of a racial minority, Robertson seemed to sympathize with the downtrodden, including Marvel Comics' mutants, and he preachedtolerance. He was forced to practice what he preached when his son came home from college with his whiteJewish wife, Amanda.[6]
Robertson is theeditor-in-chief of theDaily Bugle, the newspaper at which Peter Parker works and sells his photographs of Spider-Man. Unlike theBugle's volatilepublisher,J. Jonah Jameson, Robbie tries his best to remain objective towards Spider-Man. Robbie is also the onlyBugle employee who does not fear the wrath of his boss and is ready to stand up to him on editorial matters. Robbie serves as publisher when Jameson temporarily steps down. Robbie was a close personal friend of CaptainGeorge Stacy, and it has been implied, although not outright stated, that Robbie has deduced Spider-Man's secret identity, as Stacy did. Robbie's son Randy is also a close friend of Peter Parker, and the two briefly share an apartment when Mary Jane is presumed dead and Peter had been evicted.[7]
Robbie grew up inHarlem, and as a teenager was a classmate of Lonnie Thompson Lincoln, later infamous as the brutal hit manTombstone. Robbie once wrote an article for the high school newspaper about Lincoln's bullying and extortion, butspiked it after being threatened by Lincoln. Years later, while working as a reporter inPhiladelphia, Robbie witnessed Lincoln murder one of Robbie's contacts. Once again, Lincoln threatened Robertson, and the journalist fled toNew York City and began working for theBugle. He told no one of the murder he witnessed.[8]
Twenty years later, when Tombstone takes a job with theKingpin, Robbie, determined not to be intimidated again, begins collecting evidence of past crimes that would have Tombstone incarcerated for life. Tombstone hunts Robbie down and breaks his back with his bare hands. Robbie is laid up for months as a result of this, but makes a full recovery, as his spine was not broken.[9]
Tombstone is arrested and tried, thanks in part to Spider-Man. Breaking 20 years of silence, Robbie testifies against his old schoolmate in court. The judge, however, is on the Kingpin's payroll and circumstances lead to Robertson having to agree to serve 3 years himself for withholding evidence of the Philadelphia murder. Robbie and Tombstone end up in the same cell block, where the hit man makes Robbie's life miserable. So broken is Robbie's spirit that he halfheartedly goes along with a jailbreak. However, when Tombstone attacks an interfering Spider-Man, Robbie regains his nerve and saves him. Robbie and Tombstone fall out of the escape helicopter and land in a river near anAmish farm.[10]
Things come to a head when Robbie attempts to defend the farmer's family from Tombstone, stabbing him with a pitchfork. Stunned by this, Tombstone backs off.[11] While Tombstone has not abandoned his murderous ways, he has officially called off his vendetta on Robbie. Robbie receives a pardon and resumes work at theDaily Bugle.[12]
After Peter reveals his secret identity to the world inCivil War, Robbie reveals he knew Peter was Spider-Man and stands up to J. Jonah Jameson after all the years about his treatment to Peter/Spider-Man. Unable or unwilling to admit that he had gone too far in his hatred of Spider-Man, Jameson fires Robertson. However, he rehires him shortly after.[volume & issue needed]
InSpider-Man: One More Day andSpider-Man: Brand New Day, Jameson suffers a heart attack and theBugle is bought byDexter Bennett, who turns it into a scandalous, muck-raking rag. Robbie, though disapproving, decides to stay, hoping Bennet will improve.[13] He soon realizes that is not going to happen, particularly after learning theDB was indirectly responsible for the death of several people shown on their paper from one of their scandals[14] and resigns. Robertson becomes the editor forBen Urich's newspaper,Front Line.[volume & issue needed]
Sometime after theDB's destruction, Jameson, as the Mayor of New York City, cashed in theDB shares he acquired from Bennett and gave the money to Robbie Robertson. Jameson asked Robertson to remakeFront Line (which itself was on hard times) into the newDaily Bugle.[15]
After Phil Urich is exposed as the newHobgoblin, to protect theDaily Bugle's reputation, Robbie benches Ben Urich until this situation blows over and fires Phil's ex-girlfriendNorah Winters.[16] During the later Goblin coup of New York, Ben attempts to arrange a meeting to talk Phil down and convince him to accept a cure for the Goblin formula, but when Robbie is discovered in the area, Phil believes that Ben was trying to set a trap and delivers a serious injury to Robbie before Spider-Man appears.[17]
Robbie Robertson later tells his employee Krys Crossman that his word game app has been removed from theDaily Bugle's website until it is debugged. In response, Crossman blamesSpider-Boy and becomes Puzzle Man.[18]
An alternate universe version of Robbie Robertson from Earth-295 appears inTales from the Age of Apocalypse #2. This version is the editor of theDaily Bugle who is later killed by aBrood-infectedChristopher Summers.[19]
An alternate universe version of Robbie Robertson from Earth-90214 appears inSpider-Man Noir: Eyes Without a Face. While investigating the disappearances of African-Americans from Harlem, he is captured and lobotomized by Doctor Octopus.[20]
An alternate universe version of Robbie Robertson from Earth-001 appears in theSpider-Verse tie-inThe Amazing Spider-Man (vol. 3) #9. This version works for theInheritors as an importer and trader.[21]
An alternate universe version of Robbie Robertson fromEarth-1610 appears inUltimate Spider-Man (2000). This version does not possess a strong connection to Peter Parker.[volume & issue needed]
An alternate universe version of Robbie Robertson fromEarth-6160 appears inUltimate Spider-Man (2024). This version worked withBen Parker andJ. Jonah Jameson in theDaily Bugle until their resignations.[22] When they startedThe Paper, Robbie agreed to be an inside person for Ben and Jameson.[23] Robbie is later revealed to be aMysterio.[24]
An alternate universe version of Robbie Robertson appears inWhat If #24. This version quit theDaily Bugle after J. Jonah Jameson outs Spider-Man's secret identity amidst the latter andGwen Stacy's wedding.[25]
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