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Jack O’Lantern: Your Comic Guide to the many Marvel’s Pumpkin Heads

The Green Goblin. Doctor Octopus. Mysterio. Vulture. Electro. Scorpio. Rhino. Kraven the Hunter. Spider-Man has one of the most emblematic rogues galleries at Marvel Comics, and every one of them would not look out of place at a Halloween Party. But no one would fit more than Jack O’Lantern with his Pumpkin head, Pumpkin Bombs, explosive candy, and rocket-powered broomstick. 

Despite his cool design, Jack O’Lantern is still a C-list among Spider-Man villains, and a confusing one on top of that, as many different people have held the name Jack O’Lantern over the years.

To make things a little bit more complicated, there are two different types of Jack O’Lantern. While most of them use costumes, illusions, and conventional weaponry, two of them have sold their soul to Satan and were granted supernatural powers and the ability to turn into Jack at will.

From the first appearance of Jack O’Lantern in 1980 in Machine Man to the reinvention of the character as an archenemy of Venom, celebrate Halloween by discovering more about the many Jack O’Lanterns of Marvel Comics! 

Jason Macendale Jr, the original Jack O’Lantern

Created by Tom DeFalco and Steve Ditko, the original Jack O’Lantern’s real name is Jason Macendale, an ex-CIA agent who embarked on a career as an international mercenary. To stand out from the competition, he took on the mantle and costume of Jack O’Lantern. While he started his career on the pages of Machine Man #19, he quickly became part of Spider-Man’s rogue gallery. His first encounter with the web-slinger actually happened not long after his introduction and defeat, when he was transported to the hospital in Peter Parker, The Spectacular Spider-Man #56. 

Jack O’Lantern disappeared for a few years before coming against Spider-Man once again when he attempted to steal the Hobgoblin’s Battlevan. O’Lantern and Hobglobin would become rivals during the Gang War, until Macendale had his enemy killed and became the fourth Hobgoblin for several years. 

The original Jack O’Lantern Reading Order: 

Steven Levins, the second Jack O’Lantern

A few years would pass before another mercenary chose to take on the free mantle of Jack O’Lantern. Created by Mark Gruenwald and Rik Levins, the second Jack O’Lantern was named Steven Mark Levins and started his career as a member of the Skeleton Crew on Captain America #396, although his identity was not known at the time. The character vanished for almost a decade before resurfacing during the Civil War and being recruited into Baron Zemo’s Thunderbolts. Levins was then killed by The Punisher.

It wasn’t the end for this Jack O’Lantern, though! His corpse was later possessed by a fragment of Lucifer’s soul — a situation that was resolved by Ghost Rider, and he was later resurrected as a clone by the Jackal during the Clone Conspiracy!

Steven Levins’s version of Jack O’Lantern Reading Order:

Mad Jack, a new mysterious Jack O’Lantern

After Levins vanished, another Jack O’Lantern made his appearance in New York City, working for Norman Osborn. Created by J.M. De Matteis in Spectacular Spider-Man #241, this version made his name as Mad Jack. His real identity was also a mystery, as his own creator had no idea who was under the mask at the time. He left the book before coming up with a name. Tom DeFalco revisited the character during Spider-Man: Mysterio Manifesto, revealing that behind the mask were two people working in unison: Daniel Berkhart, who took over the Mysterio name after Quentin Beck’s death, and Maguire Beck, Quentin’s cousin.

Mad Jack Reading Order: 

One-off Jack O’Lanterns

The S.H.I.E.L.D. captured a version of Jack O’Lantern during the events of Secret War, from Brian Michael Bendis and Gabriele Dell’Otto. First misidentified as Macendale, it was discovered that this Jack used several names, including Maguire Beck and Mad Jack. His real identity stayed a mystery. 

Another Jack O’Lantern made his appearance in Dark Reign: Made Men #1, by Frank Tieri and John Paul Leon. Under the mask is Levins’ brother (first name unknown), who gained his supernatural powers in a satanic ritual to take revenge on those who took his brother’s life. 

Both only appeared in one issue and are supposed to be dead, killed by the next Jack O’Lantern!

Crime-Master’s Jack O’Lantern

If you should take an interest in only one Jack O’Lantern, this is the one! Created by Rick Remender and Tony Moore, this new Jack O’Lantern became the arch-enemy of Agent Venom after their encounter in an Eastern European country. 

This version of Jack O’Lantern stands out by its creepy factor and more violent actions. Only known as “Jack”, he was already a disturbed child who liked hurting animals before being kidnapped by Bennett Brant, the third Crime-Master. He was trained as a master assassin and took on the Jack O’Lantern persona. He developed his signature style, carving out the brains of his victims and putting candles inside the skulls to make them look like jack-o’-lanterns. He also claimed to have eliminated all the previous Jack O’Lanterns. 

Later, Jack took part in the conflict between the Avengers and the X-Men, had a brutal confrontation with Eddie Brock as Venom, before being killed by Deadpool in a similar fashion than his predecessor, Steven Levins. However, his complete demise happens in Ghost Rider, after a little time in Hell.

Crime-Master’s Jack O’Lantern Reading Order: 

Venom (Vol. 2) #37-39 features a Jack O’Lantern Imposter, collected in Venom Modern Era Epic Collection: Space Knight.

Owen Ward

Donny Cates and Ryan Stegman introduced another Flaming Pumpkin in Venom (Vol. 4) #1. Hiding under the mask is Owen Ward, a failed medical student who found and stole Jack’s costume and equipment. He took on the mantle and started a career as a supervillain and arms dealer.

His new career took some wild turns quickly, following his first encounter with Eddie Brock as Venom. At the time, Venom was under the influence of Knull, and tore out one of Owen’s eyes. Seeking revenge, he was given a Dreamstone by one of Malekith’s War Witches. However, Jack was defeated by Venom once more.

Although Owen puts Eddie Brock’s son’s life in danger, this will not lead to his downfall. Encountering the new hero Gold Goblin, the alter ego of Norman Osborn, will put Owen in further danger, ranging from third-degree burns to manipulation by Queen Goblin in her plot against Osborn. In the end, he took his own life.

Owen Ward as Jack O’ Lantern Reading Order: 

Hudson Berkhart

Created by Anthony Oliveira and Pablo Collar, our latest Jack O’Lantern follows in the footsteps of his father! Hudson Berkhart is the son of the late Daniel Berkhart, who briefly held the Jack O’Lantern mantle. Like his father, Hudson can’t stand J. Jonah Jameson and, as his first criminal act, chose to terrorize the offices of the Daily Bugle, which put him under the radar of Avengers Academy. 

Hudson Berkhart Reading Order:

  • Avengers Academy: Marvel’s Voices Infinity Comic #31
  • Avengers Academy: Marvel’s Voices Infinity Comic #46
  • Avengers Academy: Marvel’s Voices Infinity Comic #57

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