Massacre

Origin

Husband and wife, Marcus and Judy Lyman, were successful wall street traders. A disgruntled client who’d lost their life savings parked a car bomb in front of their offices, and the resulting explosion sent shrapnel through Marcus’ brain, in addition to killing his wife, Judy, who dies in his arms. The shrapnel severely damaged the parts of his brain that dealt with how he relates to others, his morals, and ethics. He later became a patient of Dr. Ashley Kafka, who recommended he stay in observation indefinitely.

Creation

Massacre was created by Dan Slott and Marcos Martin and first appeared in Amazing Spider-Man #655 in 2011.

Major Story Arcs

Massacre Hits the Scene

Massacre first made his presence known during a hostage crisis he initiated with the NYPD, who tried to negotiate with him. He shot a man and threw him to the street below before negotiations could even begin. Massacre stated that he had no demands. He said he had no regard for human life and that if the NYPD didn’t do what he says, they’ll “have a real Massacre” on their hands. He then decided to set off a charge in the west wing of the bank, effectively killing seven more people.

Spider-Man later arrived on the scene, but was met by a barrage of bullets, and without his spider-sense, he became susceptible to a shot that passed through his torso. Forgetting he lost his spider-sense, he landed a tracer on Massacre, and allowed him to get away in hopes of him not hurting or killing anyone else. There was no way Spider-Man could follow his trail. After having then recently lost his wife and seeing the pain Massacre had caused his victims, Mayor J. Jonah Jameson declared that Massacre was to be taken out the next time he struck.

Later, Massacre struck at his old trading firm on Wall Street and took the building’s occupants hostage. However, Spider-Man arrived in a new armored costume he himself had created, which deflected the bullets and protected the hostages. He’d also equipped himself with magnetic webbing, which stopped the radio waves of Masacre’s charges before they could kill anymore hostages, and also used the webbing to protect himself, the hostages, and the building where Massacre fired grenade rounds. After beating and staggering Massacre with his spider-strength, Spider-Man then saved Massacre with his armored self from a hail of policemen gunfire, which had been fired under orders from Mayor Jameson. Massacre was then taken away on a stretcher.

Escape and the Superior Spider-Man

Following his arrest, he was placed in Ravencroft Institute, but soon escaped killing Dr. Kafka in the process. Making his way to a fast food restaurant, he kills all but two of the occupants. He then meets with the CEO of that company, agreeing to go on a rampage at Grand Central Station while wearing their competitor’s logo on a t-shirt for 12 million dollars. The CEO agrees, and Massacre makes his way to the scene.

Otto Octavius, now Spider-Man, arrives at Grand Central Station and manages to save the civilians, taking his gun, and shooting him in the shoulder. As Otto holds him at gunpoint, Massacre begins to tear up and experience fear for the first time since his accident. Asking the pedestrians in the station what he should do and when one of them tells him to kill him, the impostor web-slinger pulls the trigger, killing Massacre.