Enforcers (comics)

The Enforcers first appeared in The Amazing Spider-Man #10 (March 1964), and were created by writer-editor Stan Lee and artist and co-plotter Steve Ditko.^[1][2]

The Enforcers appear often in the early issues of The Amazing Spider-Man, debuting in #10,^[3] and returning in #14 and 19, in the latter issue teaming with the supervillain the Sandman. The team would go on to appear in Daredevil #356–357 and Dazzler #7–8, and fight Spider-Man again in Marvel Team-Up #39–40 and 138, Peter Parker, the Spectacular Spider-Man #19–20, Spider-Man #94–95, Spider-Man (vol. 2) #28, and elsewhere.

The Enforcers are a group of hired hitmen and extortionists, each with an expertise in a different and unique area of combat, whose goal it is to aid various employers in the takeover of New York City's criminal gangs.^[4] In their first appearance, the Enforcers aided the Big Man (Frederick Foswell) in his attempt to gain control of New York City's criminal gangs. They clashed with the superhero Spider-Man for the first time, and are defeated by him.^[5][6]

They were subsequently employed by paranoid industrialist Norman Osborn, hired them to shut down Malone's Flophouse in a bid to gain the land. However, the then-amnesiac Malone resident Namor the Sub-Mariner thwarted them, later destroying Osborn's construction equipment.^[7] They next aided the Green Goblin in his first unsuccessful attempt to eliminate Spider-Man, but were again defeated and jailed.^[8] Soon after that, they joined forces with the Sandman to subdue the Human Torch at a point where it was believed Spider-Man had become a coward, but are defeated by the combined might of Spider-Man and the Human Torch.^[9]

The Enforcers were hired by Lightmaster, who introduced a new Ox, Raymond Bloch's twin brother Ronald, to the team. The Enforcers are once again defeated by Spider-Man.^[10] They later battle the mutant superheroine Dazzler.^[11]

The Enforcers return with new members "Snake" Marston and "Hammer" Harrison. The Enforcers come under the employ of the Kingpin, but were defeated by Spider-Man and the then-reformed Sandman.^[12] This lineup appears only once more to fight Daredevil.^[13]

The original Ox (Raymond Bloch) returns, revived by the Kingpin.^[14] It is unclear whether it is Raymond or Ronald Bloch who appears with Montana and Fancy Dan in subsequent battles with Spider-Man^[15] and She-Hulk.^[16]

During the events known as the superhero Civil War, either Raymond or Ronald Bloch and "Snake" Marston are recruited into the Thunderbolts, a team of reformed villains.^[17]

Following the events of the storyline "Spider-Man: Brand New Day", the Enforcers are patrons at the Bar with No Name. They take bets with a person calling himself "the Bookie", over whether Spider-Man will show up to battle "Basher", an unknown villain who claimed to have fought Spider-Man. Spider-Man shows up, but is revealed to be Screwball in disguise when the real one shows up at the scene of the fight. The Enforcers decide to get revenge on the Bookie, capturing him. The Bookie's father calls Spider-Man for assistance and he agrees to help. Spider-Man defeats Fancy Dan and Montana and saves Ox from being flattened by a falling roller coaster. Grateful for the save, Ox agrees to come along quietly.^[18]

The Enforcers (Fancy Dan, Ox, Snake Marston, and Hammer Harrison) are reassembled by the Crime Master, who convinces them and Black Cat to assist him with breaking Hammerhead and Tombstone out of Ryker's Island. The attempted breakout is prevented by Spider-Man and Wraith. The Crime Master is revealed to be an impostor who Mister Negative had instructed to assassinate Hammerhead and Tombstone.^[19][20]

In the "Gang War" storyline, the Enforcers are shown to have gained control of Ridgewood, Queens.^[21] Hobgoblin and Prowler (Aaron Davis) sway the Enforcers to their side by providing them with weaponry. The Enforcers attack Miles Morales and Gust using their new weapons, but defeated.^[22]