Fictional biography
Black Spectre (organization)
| Black Spectre | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Publication information | |
| Publisher | Marvel Comics |
| First appearance | Daredevil #108 (March 1974) |
| Created by | Steve Gerber (writer) Bob Brown (penciller) |
| In-story information | |
| Type of organization | Para-military |
| Leader(s) | Mandrill Nekra |
The Mandrill created Black Spectre by organizing his female followers, disguising themselves as men using bulky armor. He plotted to use Black Spectre to confuse America using terrorism and racism, instilling chaos in the world and intending to rule it by taking advantage of the anarchy. Black Spectre agents were able to steal printing plates while Daredevil was busy fighting Beetle, and then Black Spectre caused a riot over the counterfeited money they secretly made and distributed. During the riot, Nekra took Black Widow captive and handed her over to the Mandrill, while Beetle and Daredevil disrupted the Black Spectre agents and they fled. [3] [4]
Mandrill was able to learn Daredevil's identity when he enthralled the Black Widow with his powers, and he then confronted Daredevil as Matt Murdock before escaping. Nekra and Black Spectre, with the Silver Samurai, kidnapped Shanna the She-Devil who was able to resist the Mandrill's powers. Mandrill wanted to dissect the brain of Shanna to determine how she was able to resist him. Silver Samurai joined Black Spectre in an attack on the Empire State Building and jammed all lines of communication in America. Mandrill and Nekra took Daredevil captive, planning to have him dissected as well. Mandrill entered the White House and sat in the President's chair, and then Daredevil attacked him. Mandrill fought Daredevil on the roof but the zeppelin carrying Black Spectre exploded, allowing Mandrill the chance to escape. [4] [5] [6]
Later Daredevil came into possession of the Omega Drive, a piece of hardware which contained secretive information on five criminal organizations A.I.M., HYDRA, the Secret Empire, the Black Spectre and Agence Byzantine. This sensitive information could take down all these organizations, so they formed a conglomeration named Megacrime and they tracked down the superhero. [7] After Black Spectre had framed Black Cat in an attempt to get the Omega Drive back which failed, [8] [9] Felicia left a note for Matt before she left warning him of Black Spectre's plot. [10] Daredevil was able to get Reed Richards help in leaking Black Spectre's information to the Daily Bugle leading to their takedown as a warning. [11]
In one of his missions, the Punisher learned of the existence of the Omega Drive from Black Spectre operatives and decided to find Daredevil. [7] [12] Reed Richards, whose technology had been used to create the coveted drive, asked Spider-Man to contact Daredevil. [2] [7] Both Punisher and Spider-Man found Daredevil and the three men had to work together against the conglomeration Megacrime. [2] [7] [13] Later when Daredevil was being hunted down by the other Megacrime operatives, a group of Black Spectre agents show up to everyone's surprise and steals the Omega Drive. It was later revealed that these agents were actually some of Daredevil's teammates from the New Avengers who performed this ruse as part of his plan to be able to get the other Megacrime organizations off his back. [14]
Black Spectre (Carson Knowles)
| Black Spectre | |
|---|---|
 Carson Knowles as the Black Spectre. Art by Mark Texeira. | |
| Publication information | |
| Publisher | Marvel Comics |
| First appearance | Moon Knight 25 (Nov. 1982) |
| Created by | Doug Moench (writer) Bill Sienkiewicz (penciller) |
| In-story information | |
| Alter ego | Carson Knowles |
The Black Spectre was Carson Knowles, a Vietnam War veteran whose father was a politician. Upon returning, he discovered that his wife left him and his son was killed. He couldn't get a job and decided to get revenge on the city since it turned its back on him when he needed it most. Inspired by Moon Knight, Knowles became the Black Spectre, a master criminal. He also decided to run for Mayor of New York City. Knowles was defeated by Moon Knight and sent to prison. [15] [16]
Later, Black Spectre joined together with Morpheus and Bushman, two other foes of Moon Knight. They intended to use the power of the statue of Egyptian God Seth to curse diplomats at a U.N. conference. [17] [18]
Carson Knowles appeared again some time later, recently released from prison. [19] He falls back into his ways as the Black Spectre and attempts to, yet again, destroy Moon Knight and hurt the city. Knowles frames several murders on Moon Knight, putting him under scrutiny by S.H.I.E.L.D. Knowles then steals Stark nanotechnology and is about to launch an attack, but Moon Knight pushes him off a building to his death. [20] [21] [22]
During the "Dark Reign" storyline, Quasimodo researched Black Spectre for Norman Osborn. Quasimodo suggested finding a way to resurrect Black Spectre in the event that H.A.M.M.E.R. goes after Moon Knight. [23]
Ryan Trent
Knowles's costume and identity were subsequently appropriated by Ryan Trent, a disgruntled member of the NYPD whom Moon Knight defeats in the deranged officer's first and only outing as the new Black Spectre. [24]
Since he was a kid Ryan Trent was constantly undermined, having his decisions throughout his life continuously questioned. Even after he joined the NYPD, he didn't feel he was good enough. When Moon Knight returned to New York City as a consultant for Detective Flint, Flint's preference over the vigilante caused Trent to finally break, and slowly descend into madness as he became obsessed with Moon Knight. Ryan began training himself, as well as he investigated about Moon Knight by interrogating former allies of him disguised as a S.H.I.E.L.D. agent. Using Carson Knowles, the Black Spectre, as an inspiration, Ryan aims to replace Moon Knight, believing that if he replaced Moon Knight and revealed himself to Flint, he would get be respected and get a promotion. In order to become even more similar to Moon Knight, who worked alone and had no ties to anybody, Trent murdered his wife. Now armed with equipment and a costume, Trent donned the mantle of Black Spectre and began attacking people and peeling their faces while yelling for Moon Knight. With Moon Knight's car finally arriving at his location, Black Spectre activated three I.E.D. planted in cars nearby to explode Moon Knight's car. Only two of them went off, but this was enough to destroy the vehicle. Black Spectre got out of the building he was hiding, expecting to find Moon Knight's corpse among the ruins. However, Moon Knight arrived at the scene using his glider. Before the fight could get started, Trent proclaimed that he was going to kill Moon Knight so he could be loved. Then, the third I.E.D. went off and exploded next to Black Spectre and injured him. When Trent was asked who was he supposed to be, he presented himself as Black Spectre. Moon Knight ripped off his mask and explained to him and he didn't want to be loved, because all those close to him suffered and died, and that because he worked alone he had always won. He then left Black Spectre and departed. [25]
Black Spectre III
In Moon Knight #24 (2021), Morpheus reveals there is a new Black Spectre who was responsible for recent events. [26] The following issue reveals that this Black Spectre has created a twisted version of the Midnight Mission where they will take care of a favor in exchange for a future debt. This same issue establishes that this is a different version of the character as Carson Knowles remains dead and Ryan Trent is shown to be in prison with the villain Zodiac. [27]
