| Tombstone | |
|---|---|
.png) Tombstone as he appeared on the cover ofThe Amazing Spider-Man #9 (September 2022). Art by the character's co-creator Alex Saviuk. | |
| Publication information | |
| Publisher | Marvel Comics |
| First appearance | Web of Spider-Man #36 (March 1988) |
| Created by | Gerry Conway Alex Saviuk |
| In-story information | |
| Alter ego | Alonzo Thompson Lincoln[1] |
| Species | Human mutate |
| Team affiliations | Maggia Sinister Twelve The Hand Hardcore's Untouchables[2] Tombstone's Gang |
| Notable aliases | Lonnie Tombstone Lonnie Lincoln |
| Abilities |
|
Alonzo Thompson "Lonnie"Lincoln, known asTombstone, is asupervillain appearing inAmerican comic books published byMarvel Comics. Depicted as a hulkingalbino man withfiled teeth, Tombstone is a notorious crime boss inNew York City who is primarily an enemy ofSpider-Man andDaredevil, the father ofJanice Lincoln, and has personal ties withRobbie Robertson.
The character has appeared in several media adaptations outside of comics over the years, including animated series and video games. Tombstone made his cinematic debut in the 2018 animated filmSpider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse, voiced byMarvin "Krondon" Jones III, who will also portray a different version of the character in the live-actionMarvel Cinematic Universe filmSpider-Man: Brand New Day (2026).
The character was created byGerry Conway andAlex Saviuk and first appeared inWeb of Spider-Man #36 (March 1988).[3] The character was immediately established to have a history with longtime Spider-Mansupporting characterJoseph "Robbie" Robertson, and was brought on as a regular inThe Spectacular Spider-Man, which was then being written by Conway. Conway explained why he created Tombstone: "My general motivation was a need to work with the characters who weren't central toThe Amazing Spider-Man title, since that was the main book. That meant I needed to focus my attention not onAunt May orMary Jane, or evenJ. Jonah Jameson, but on second- or even third-tier supporting characters. Joe Robertson was one of those. The second motive had to do with my desire to bring back the ruthless gangsterHammerhead had been, but not Hammerhead himself. It just came to me as a character type. One thing led to another, and as his backstory expanded, readers responded well to it."[4]
In creating the character, Conway started with the name "Tombstone", and devised traits such as hisalbinism and squared-off features with the intent of making his appearance reminiscent of an actual tombstone. He told Saviuk to incorporate those traits when designing Tombstone's visual.[5]
Born asLonnie Thompson Lincoln inHarlem, he started out as a troubled youth who was bullied by his peers because he was the neighborhood's onlyAfrican-Americanalbino. Taller and stronger than the other children, the young Lincoln started his life of crime in school, extortingprotection money from his classmates. The school newspaper, edited byJoseph "Robbie" Robertson, was going to run a story exposing these illegal activities, but pulled it when Lincoln used scare tactics to intimidate Robertson. Lincoln allowed his personal demons to direct the course of his life and dropped out to join the ranks of organized crime.[6] As ahitman and enforcer, he used his albinism to his advantage. He filed his teeth and nails to points, giving him the appearance of avampire. This frequently caught his opponents off-guard, making it easier to kill them. He also lifted weights and engaged in many street fights to hone his fighting skills. One night, Robertson, now working for a local paper, went to meet a source only to see the source being killed by Lincoln. He threatened to kill Robertson if the story was brought out. Robertson kept the secret for over 20 years, allowing Lincoln to continue his rise through the criminal underworld.[7]
Now known as "Tombstone" for the many lives he had taken, he returned to New York City as theKingpin's top hitman.[8][9] He threw theHobgoblin out of the Arranger's window.[10] Later, he captured a mutant known as the Persuader for the Arranger.[11] Tombstone eventually returned to Robertson's neighborhood, where the reporter finally worked up the nerve to challenge him. He revealed the decades-old murder to the police, resulting in Tombstone's arrest, but not before Tombstone confronted and seriously injured Robertson, nearly permanently damaging his spine.[6] Tombstone then encounteredSpider-Man inAtlanta; Tombstone was defeated and sent to the Philadelphia State Penitentiary.[12]
Robertson was also incarcerated for suppression of evidence. On learning this, Tombstone obtained a transfer to Lewisburg State Penitentiary where Robertson was serving his sentence. There, he killed an inmate named Bruiser who died trying to protect his friend Robertson. Tombstone eventually broke out of prison but was confronted bySpider-Man; he eluded capture after a harrowing battle in which he nearly beat Spider-Man to death before Robertson stopped him. Tombstone and Robertson were knocked into the Susquehana River. Tombstone brought a badly-injured Robertson to an Amish family so that Robertson could recover enough to give him a decent fight. When Tombstone finally made his move to kill Robertson in retaliation for turning on him during the fight with Spider-Man, Robertson stabbed Tombstone with a pitchfork and then escaped. Tombstone switched allegiances by joining the crime family headed by the Kingpin's rivalsHammerhead and theChameleon, and then saved Robertson from the Hobgoblin so that he could kill his old foe himself.[13] Robertson earned a full pardon from the government for helping recapture Tombstone.[14]
Tombstone eventually gained asuperhuman physical constitution. This was the result of his last attempt to kill Robertson, this time at an Oscorp chemical plant. Robertson shot Tombstone and trapped him in an airtight test chamber which contained an experimental gas. The gas was absorbed into Tombstone's bloodstream and had a mutagenic effect on his body, enhancing his strength and heightening his other physical abilities. Tombstone then called off his vendetta against Robertson in gratitude.[15] Tombstone was later defeated byDaredevil and thePunisher while competing against theTaskmaster in a real game ofAssassin sponsored by theHand.[16] Tombstone was hired by theGreen Goblin to be part of the Spider-Man killing group, theSinister Twelve, but was defeated.[17] Tombstone was hired by Lily Lucca to pretend he kidnapped her as part of a trap for Daredevil, but lost to the hero in physical combat.[18] Tombstone joined theHood's army of criminals.[19] He later returned to pesterDeadpool in the miniseriesDeadpool: Suicide Kings.[20] Tombstone was with the Hood when he presents theoriginal Scorpion's costume to whichever low-level crook impresses him until the party is crashed by theScorpion stealing the costume.[21]
During the "Origin of the Species" storyline,Doctor Octopus invites Tombstone to join a supervillain team in exchange for some items.[22] Later, Tombstone confrontsCarlie Cooper.[23] However, the police arrive and Tombstone escapes, but later doubles back to follow Cooper after discovering that Cooper knows who Menace really is.[24] He corners Cooper,Mary Jane Watson and Menace, but Menace manages to knock him out by activating the Goblin Glider and sending it crashing into him.[25] The police soon arrive and take Tombstone away.[26] It is later revealed that Tombstone is the father of the new Beetle (Janice Lincoln). He was contacted by his daughter to help the Sinister Six against theOwl's men.[27]
Tombstone continued to fight Spider-Man.[28] One of his encounters with the police led to Tombstone critically injuring a friend ofYuri Watanabe, a rogue cop who became the fourth Wraith. Tombstone escapes justice with the help of a crooked judge named Howell when Tombstone uses his resources to save his wife from cancer.[29] However, the crime lordMister Negative supplies Watanabe with evidence of Tombstone's relationship with Howell, putting them both in prison.[volume & issue needed] Howell is later killed by a prisoner who worked for Tombstone.[volume & issue needed] When theBlack Cat, anInner Demon disguised as theCrime Master and theEnforcers attempted a jail break, the Inner Demon shot Tombstone in the chest.[volume & issue needed]
After surviving the attempt on his life, Tombstone later formed his gang and gained the brothersGrim andReaper as his minions.[30] Tombstone is later approached byMr. Fish who warns him about the Black Cat's gang targeting him and his criminal empire in the upcoming gang war in Harlem.[31] Tombstone and Fish are later visited byAlex Wilder, who talks about his fatherGeoffrey Wilder'sfamily business, as the two of them knew him back when he was still alive. He also tells Tombstone and Fish that he is starting a new incarnation of the Pride which will be based in Harlem. Afterwards, Alex beats up Tombstone and uses a magic spell to send Fish to Hell.[32] After recovering from the attack, Tombstone rescues Fish from Hell with the help ofBlack Talon.[33]
During the "Infinity Wars" storyline, Tombstone is among the villains that accompany gangsterTurk Barrett to his meeting with theInfinity Watch at Central Park.[34] During the "Hunted" storyline, Tombstone was seen as a patron at the Pop-Up with No Name.[35] Tombstone is among the crime lords competing withMister Negative in obtaining the Tablet of Life and Destiny to win the favor of Mayor Wilson Fisk.[36]
During the "Gang War" storyline, Tombstone is shot byShotgun while attending Janice Lincoln andRandy Robertson's wedding. This triggers the eponymous war as New York City's crime lords battle for his territory. Tombstone forms a truce with Spider-Man andShe-Hulk to deal with the gang war. After freeing Shotgun fromMadame Masque's control, Tombstone has his gang and theSinister Syndicate retreat during the final fight between Spider-Man's allies and the Maggia.[37]
Tombstone later hiredDoctor Tramma to work on an experiment that involved Hijack. When Hijack takes control of the drone at Rand Enterprises and it is encountered by Spider-Man andSpider-Girl, Tombstone orders Doctor Tramma to dispose of them. After Spider-Girl disables the drone, Doctor Tramma tells Tombstone that she will get back in operation as Tombstone leaves withLady Bullseye.[38]
Originally, Lonnie Lincoln had no powers, but was simply unusually tall at near-peak human condition. Lincoln later gained actual powers as a result of amutagenicreaction to an experimental preservative gas. He possesses physical strength and reflexes that have been increased far beyond his original limits to abnormal levels. Tombstone's body can withstand extreme temperatures, great impact forces, high caliber bullets, and even toxic vapors without sustaining injury. He has filed all his teeth into razor-sharp points for intimidation on rare occasions.[39]
Aside from these advantages, he also possesses unarmed combat skills with years ofstreet fighting experience. Before gaining superpowers, Tombstone was capable of killing someone easily with his bare hands. He now combines those skills with physical prowess to create a unique fighting style that relies on intense speed or force to overwhelm his opponents. He is also highly proficient with conventional firearms and well-connected in the world of organized crime.[40]
An alternate universe variant of Tombstone from Earth-20051 appears inMarvel Adventures.[45]
An alternate universe variant of Tombstone from Earth-90214 appears inLuke Cage Noir.[46]
An alternate universe variant of Tombstone fromEarth-982 appears inThe Spectacular Spider-Girl.[47][48]
An alternate universe variant of Tombstone from Earth-22191 appears inSecret Wars.[49]
Lonnie Lincoln / Tombstone appears in projects set in theMarvel Cinematic Universe.
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