Needle (comics)

Needle
The Needle Pencils by Carmine Infantino
Publication information
Publisher	Marvel Comics
First appearance	Spider-Woman #9 (Dec 1978)
Created by	Mark Gruenwald Carmine Infantino Al Gordon
In-story information
Alter ego	Josef Saint [1]
Species	Human Mutant
Team affiliations	Night Shift
Abilities	Ability to paralyze his foes with his one good eye Stronger and more spry than a typical man his age Wields a yard long needle.

The Needle is a fictional character, a mutant supervillain appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. Created by Mark Gruenwald, Carmine Infantino, and Al Gordon, the character first appeared in Spider-Woman #9 (December 1978). ^[2]

Publication history

Nedle's origin was recounted in his debut appearance in Spider-Woman #9.

Creator Mark Gruenwald brought the character back during his run on the West Coast Avengers as a member of the villain team Night Shift, which included other former Spider-Woman foes.

Fictional character biography

Josef Saint is an elderly tailor who was mugged one night while leaving work, losing an eye and his capability of speech. While recuperating, he discovers that he has the ability to paralyze others with his gaze. Seeking revenge, Saint assumes the guise of the vigilante Needle. Armed with a yard-long needle, Needle attacks young men on the streets at night, sewing their mouths shut. After victimizing S.H.I.E.L.D. agent Jerry Hunt, Needle is attacked by Hunt's girlfriend Spider-Woman, who takes him out with a close-range venom blast. Needle is subsequently arrested. ^[3]

The Needle joins the Night Shift and works with Captain America to battle the Power Broker and his augmented mutates. ^[4] Alongside the Night Shift, he tests Moon Knight to take over as the group's leader. ^[5] Needle later battles the West Coast Avengers alongside Satannish, who enhances his abilities using black magic. ^[6]

Needle appears with the Night Shift, as part of the Hood's gang. They battle the Midnight Sons, and Needle impales Daimon Hellstrom with his needle before Jennifer Kale knocks him off with a spell. Needle and the Night Shift are killed and subsequently resurrected as zombies after being exposed to an airborne virus. ^{[7] [8]} When Jennifer Kale and the Black Talon contain the virus within Zombie, the Night Shift members are restored to normal. ^[9]

Powers and abilities

Needle has the ability to hypnotically paralyze a victim with his gaze, and is also gifted with enhanced agility and strength.^{[ volume & issue needed ]} The Needle is mute and mentally disturbed.^{[ volume & issue needed ]} He is an expert tailor.^{[ volume & issue needed ]}

The Needle is a fair hand-to-hand combatant, and carries a needle-like weapon over 3 feet (0.91 m) long.^{[ volume & issue needed ]}

For a time, the Needle's powers were enhanced by Satannish, increasing his physical attributes to that of an athletic man, allowing his hypnotic gaze to work instantaneously, and rendering his weapon sharp enough to rend cinderblock.^{[ volume & issue needed ]}

References

1. Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe A to Z Update #02 (2010)
2. Rovin, Jeff (1987). The Encyclopedia of Super-Villains . New York: Facts on File. p. 244. ISBN   0-8160-1356-X.
3. Spider-Woman #9 (December 1978)
4. Captain America #330-331 (June - July 1987)
5. Solo Avengers #3 (February 1988)
6. Avengers West Coast #76-79 (November 1991 - February 1992)
7. Marvel Zombies 4 #2 (July 2009)
8. Marvel Zombies 4 #3 (August 2009)
9. Marvel Zombies 4 #4 (September 2009)

External links

• The Needle's entry at the Marvel Directory
• Needle at The Appendix to the Handbook of the Marvel Universe
• http://www.marvel.com/universe/Needle