Black Fox (Thief) (Earth-616)

Black Fox
Name	Unrevealed
Current Alias	Black Fox
Aliases	Raul Chalmers, Mr. Nussbaum, Osgood Hempstead, Daniel Kiely, Matthew Lazenby, Tyler Mackenzie, Thomas Ogilvie, Mitchell Chessman, Thomas J. Murray, Francis Featherbottom
Affiliation and Relationships
Group Affiliation	Thieves Guild, Formerly Walter Hardy and Castillo Drake
Relatives	Parents: Unidentified mother
Physical Characteristics
Gender	Male
Height	5′9″ (1.75 m)
Weight	152 lbs (68.95 kg)
Eyes	Irises: Brown
Hair	Grey-haired
Origin and Living Status
Origin	Human
Living Status	Alive
Reality	Earth-616
Place of Birth	Brighton, England, United Kingdom (possibly)
Personal Information
Identity	Known to Authorities
Citizenship	British
Occupation	Professional thief, cat burglar
Base of Operations	New York City, New York Formerly Los Angeles, California; Mobile
Creators and Appearances
Creators	Tom DeFalco, Ron Frenz
First	Amazing Spider-Man #255 (May, 1984)
First	Amazing Spider-Man #255 (May, 1984)

History

Early Life

Born and raised in Brighton, England, the Black Fox honed his skills in deception and thievery from an early age. The Black Fox spent three decades robbing and burglarizing across most of Western Europe and the United States under numerous fake identities, garnering a formidable reputation in the process. Eventually, Interpol assigned him the codename "Black Fox," a name he adopted as his own.

Meeting Black Cat

Thieves Guild

With his exceptional skills and notorious reputation, the Black Fox was invited to join the New York Thieves Guild, where he took on the role of mentor to a young Walter Hardy. He also trained Castillo Drake, a wayward scion of disgraced nobility, serving as his right-hand man for three years. In a daring heist, the crew robs Count Dracula by setting a trap: luring Ulysses Bloodstone to a card game between him and the king of the vampires, and then escaping amidst the ensuing chaos. His getaway is aided by his students, though the time comes for a parting of ways. Castillo announces his intent to lead the New York Thieves Guild, while Walter expresses his desire to start a family with a woman named Lydia. The Black Fox silently accepts their decisions but leaves Walter with one final piece of advice: press the accelerator until dawn, for Dracula is in pursuit.

Later, he also mentored Felicia Hardy, the future Black Cat, who was his ward after a heist gone wrong led to her imprisonment. He freed Felicia from prison and took her on as his pupil, alongside fellow thief Tamara Blake. He would tutor them in the arts of slight or hand or such thieving tricks of the trade. During their time together, Felicia and Tamara became romantically involved. For many years, the trio pulled off numerous heists. However, Felicia eventually felt she had learned all she could from the Black Fox and decided to move on. Not wanting Tamara to get caught before she was ready, Felicia left without informing her.

Spider-Man

Now in his twilight years, he planned one final grand heist to ensure a leisurely retirement on the French Riviera. Targeting what appeared to be an abandoned luxury New York City apartment filled with priceless objets d'art, the Fox prepared to clean the place out. Easily infiltrating the apartment, the Fox was enthralled by the valuables inside. Selecting a vase he deemed exquisite enough to finance at least a month on the Riviera, he was startled when it transformed into the growling baboon Igor. Two more simians soon besieged him, preventing his escape. The Super-Apes' master, the Red Ghost, emerged from the floor and revealed that he had subtly led the master burglar to his hideout. Kragoff, occupied with constructing the Cosmicizer a device capable of amplifying his powers a thousandfold had depleted his personal finances. Thus, he coerced the reluctant Black Fox into robbing a nearby jewellery store for him.

The Fox, uneasy under the watchful eyes of three super-powered apes, attempted to subtly pick the lock, only for the magnetic orangutan Peotor to rip off the door. The ensuing racket triggered alarms, prompting the Fox to consider fleeing. However, when the Super-Apes proceeded with the heist, smashing display cases and looting valuables, he chose to stay and guide them to the store's safe. When the police arrived, Peotor smashed their squad car, alarming the Fox, who was relieved that the officers survived. Seizing the opportunity, he threw a flare to blind the beasts and attempted to escape. Yet, they quickly caught up with him in a back alley just as Spider-Man swung by. The wallcrawler fought off the apes and pursued the Fox, intimidating him into revealing everything he knew about the Red Ghost's scheme. As Spider-Man left to confront Kragoff, the Black Fox noticed the jewels abandoned by the distracted Super-Apes. Overjoyed, he took the loot, confident that his retirement dreams were finally within reach—after attending to some unfinished business.

Silver Sable

A major insurance company, reeling from the financial damage of one of the Black Fox's recent heists, hired Silver Sable and her Wild Pack to capture him. Coordinating with the New York authorities, Sable's team prepared to arrest the Fox when he attempted to sell his loot to underworld fence André Bouillon. As expected, the Fox visited Bouillon's apartment, hoping to finalise the sale and secure his retirement. However, before the transaction was completed, a squad of police officers, tipped off by the Symkarian Embassy, stormed in. Bouillon stalled them, allowing the Fox to escape through a window. Outside, Wild Pack operatives spotted him and gave chase, causing a chaotic traffic jam and endangering civilians as they fired non-lethal "mercy" rounds at him. Ultimately, the relentless Symkarian commandos cornered the Fox, only for Spider-Man to intervene on his behalf. The Fox slipped away while Spider-Man found himself at odds with both the Wild Pack and local authorities for aiding an international thief. Later, deciding it was time to leave the US, the Black Fox sought passage on a freighter bound for Europe at a waterfront dive bar. Unbeknownst to him, a Symkarian operative among the patrons signalled the Wild Pack. Meanwhile, the Wild Pack tracked Spider-Man's movements in a helicopter. Noticing their abrupt shift in direction, the web-slinger decided to follow.

Spider-Man overheard the operatives discussing their ambush plans and sought to reach the Black Fox first. Finding him in a warehouse, he effortlessly dodged the terrified Fox's smoke pellets. The Fox soon encountered the Wild Pack, who resumed firing non-lethal rounds at him. Disapproving of their methods, Spider-Man intervened, webbing up the mercenaries and whisking the Black Fox to safety. Taking a moment to regroup on a nearby rooftop, the Fox pleaded his case, fabricating a tearful story about wanting to return to Europe to reunite with his wife and four children before his time ran out. Swayed by this tale, Spider-Man helped the Fox evade capture, even allowing him to board a speedboat bound for freedom. Once safely out of range, the Fox checked his loot, only to find that Spider-Man had taken it—leaving behind nothing but a friendly calling card.

The Foreigner

The Black Fox sought out his old friend André Bouillon after his release from jail. Struggling to climb to Bouillon's first-floor window, he realized age was catching up with him. They reunited over Moët et Chandon champagne, but Bouillon disappointed the Fox by revealing he couldn't fence stolen goods for six months due to police surveillance. Determined, the Fox resolved to steal something so valuable André couldn't resist. Unbeknownst to him, the crimelord Foreigner had pressured Bouillon to join his organization. When André refused, Foreigner hired the mercenary Chance to assassinate him. Bouillon was soon murdered.

The Fox targeted the Eye of Carnelia, a flawless ruby displayed at the Carnelian Embassy. Using a teddy bear stuffed with taser darts, he disabled rooftop security, infiltrated the building, and knocked out the guards. As he worked on the security system, Spider-Man spotted him. Just as the Fox secured the ruby, guards opened fire. Deploying smoke bombs, he fled while Spider-Man fought off the guards, who mistook him for the thief. Reinforcements arrived, allowing the Fox to escape, unaware that Spider-Man had planted a tracer on him. The Fox returned to Bouillon's apartment to find him dead. With nothing left to do, he departed, unaware Spider-Man was watching. Entering the apartment, Spider-Man found Bouillon's body and mistakenly believed the Fox was the murderer. Haunted by guilt over failing to stop the burglar who killed his Uncle Ben, Spider-Man swore to capture him. Chance, monitoring the situation, contacted Foreigner with a bet: his $10,000 fee that he could kill Spider-Man within 24 hours, double or nothing. Amused, Foreigner agreed. The Fox hid on a rooftop, trying to process events. Spider-Man, tracking him via the tracer, arrived and easily evaded his smoke pellet. Desperate, the Fox insisted he was innocent. Just as Spider-Man realized the truth, Chance attacked. The Fox fled, determined to sell the ruby. He approached Elmo Twig in Soho but was insulted when the pawnbroker failed to recognize him and offered only $5,000. Attempting to prove his identity, he was unaware that Twig was calling Chance. Both Spider-Man and Chance arrived at Twig's shop simultaneously and began fighting. Taking advantage of the chaos, the Fox leapt out a window, landing painfully in a dumpster. The spider-tracer fell off his coat, allowing him to escape unnoticed.

West Coast

The Black Fox traveled to Beverly Hills, California, where he selected the vacant mansion of Osgood and Mrs. Hempstead as his hideout. Admiring its lavish décor, he secured his stay by posing as Osgood and informing the police that a "Mr. Fox" would be staying there. His target: the priceless Valencia chalice at LA's John Duncan Civic Center. Gaining entry by stealing an invitation, he disabled security and subdued guards, but before he could steal the chalice, Spider-Man attending the event with Mary Jane Watson intervened. Using smoke bombs, the Fox escaped, hiding in the ceiling until Spider-Man left, only to be confronted by the Prowler, who was also after the chalice. Spider-Man interrupted the Fox and Prowler's standoff, allowing the Fox to flee with the chalice. Returning to the Hempstead mansion, he rested before planning to sell the chalice and stolen jewelry abroad. Before he could board the RMS Queen Mary, he was caught by Spider-Man and the Prowler. Feigning frailty, he pleaded for mercy, swearing on his mother's grave to renounce crime. Spider-Man relented, unaware the Fox had kept a valuable ruby from the mansion. Later, sipping champagne in first class, he chuckled at the thought of sharing his "promise" with his mother.

Doctor Doom

The Black Fox robbed a Monaco museum, stealing valuable gemstones, including the Dragon's Egg, a mystical emerald once owned by Doctor Doom's mother. Doom learned of the theft and sought to recover the gem. Back in New York, the Fox impersonated Robert Chalmer's brother, Raul, to take over Chalmer's loft. Using his burglary skills, he disabled security, met with a fence, and bought tools to steal the Trask diamond. Doom, learning the Fox was behind the Dragon's Egg theft, arrived in New York to confront him. After a series of encounters with Spider-Man, the Fox tried to escape Doom's wrath but was caught. Doom demanded the Dragon's Egg, threatening the Fox's life. Spider-Man intervened, buying the Fox time to escape. The Fox tracked down the Dragon's Egg, discovering it had been sold to millionaire Andrew Carpathian. He and Spider-Man followed the lead to New Jersey, where they thwarted Carpathian's ritual with Doom's help. Doom recovered the gem but punished the Fox by destroying the Trask diamond in front of him. Despite Spider-Man's plea for mercy, Doom left the Fox humiliated. Spider-Man ensured the thief was arrested.

Anna Sablinova

After escaping custody, the Black Fox returned to his old ways. He targeted the Symkarian embassy, knowing it housed valuable artifacts. Taking advantage of the absence of Silver Sable and the Wild Pack, he knocked out the skeleton crew by releasing ether into the air conditioning system, giving him an hour to carry out the heist. However, he didn't anticipate Anna Sablinova, Silver Sable's teenage niece. Lacking combat training but resourceful, Anna used spare gear like magnesium flares and marbles to stall the Fox until the ether's effects wore off. Though the Fox managed to defeat and tie up Anna, he ultimately fled empty-handed, unable to steal anything of value.

Stealing from the Black Cat

The Borovian government hired the Black Fox to retrieve a stolen piece of their royal family's jewelry collection, last taken years earlier by the Black Cat. While returning from a patrol, Black Cat found the Black Fox in her apartment searching for the necklace. Despite claiming she had returned all stolen goods, the Fox found the artifact in her drawer and tried to flee, spraying her with mace. After a brief brawl on the snowy streets of New York, they lost the necklace to a thief but resumed fighting on rooftops. Realizing the Black Cat was stronger, faster, and more agile, the Fox feigned falling off the roof. She saved him, only to realise it was a trick. Regretful, she let him leave with the necklace, feeling relief that her past as a thief was finally over. Later, the Black Fox was imprisoned in Seagate Prison.

Irredeemable Ant-Man

When Mole Man attacked New York, Black Fox seized the opportunity to loot stores, only to cross paths with Ant-Man (Eric O'Grady), who he mistook for Spider-Man. After a brief confrontation, O'Grady knocked out Fox and stole his loot, though he paused to rescue a trapped girl from rubble, earning praise from Damage Control. Later, Fox revived and demanded his backpack back, but O'Grady claimed it as his own and threatened to call the cops. Fox left, swearing revenge, while O'Grady sold the contents of the backpack for $10,000, unaware it was worth much more and didn't realise the backpack had a tracker. Fox later confronted O'Grady for the missing gems, and after O'Grady tricked a pawnshop owner into paying the full value through a fake S.H.I.E.L.D. threat, the two negotiated a split, with O'Grady taking 15%. Over the following weeks, O'Grady and Fox became unlikely friends, often playing Nintendo Wii together, though Fox secretly placed a tracker on O'Grady's suit. One night, Fox found O'Grady quietly weeping over a breakup, and during the Hulk's attack on New York, Fox stole O'Grady's Wii. After O'Grady was captured by S.H.I.E.L.D. and tortured, Fox risked his life to track his suit to the S.H.I.E.L.D. Helicarrier. Fox attempted to bluff his way out of the situation, but O'Grady turned the tables, exposing his deception. Fox was captured, and O'Grady regained S.H.I.E.L.D.'s trust. Eventually, O'Grady visited Fox in custody, giving him instructions on how to escape. Fox admitted stealing the Wii and refused to return it, but O'Grady let him keep it, though Fox felt it didn't quite settle things.

The Black Fox escaped from the Helicarrier and resumed his criminal activities. A.I.M.'s Monica Rappaccini recruited him to help steal Hank Pym's digital afterlife device, Heaven, promising him a special place in its utopian virtual reality. To access the device, AIM's Agent Anesthesia needed a hypnotically conditioned host to enter Pym's mind. The Fox visited Eric O'Grady, casually dropping the hypnotic trigger word "Fnord" while chatting. He hinted at AIM's plan, knowing O'Grady would warn Pym to regain his favour. To sell his sincerity, he even returned O'Grady's Wii. Once the conditioning was set, Fox departed, enabling Anesthesia to infiltrate Pym's lab and steal Heaven. By the time the theft was complete, Fox was enjoying life at the Sand Dollars senior resort in Key West, Florida. Flirting with local women, he sent three “cheeky hens” complimentary Banana Mama cocktails, declaring, "Mr. Fox is on the hunt." Just then, Rappaccini called to confirm the mission's success and assured him his place in AIM's Heaven was secured.

Hiring the Black Cat

Sometime later, Black Fox, facing a terminal illness, sought immortality. Rejected by Dracula and Yi Yang. Dracula refused to help remembering as the thief who stole from him in Miami all those years ago. He then sort after the Gilded Saint the true power behind the Thieves Guild. He decided to recruit the help of the Black Cat, so he anonymously hired he to steal a painting from the Frick Collection. After the job, he effortlessly infiltrated her hideout, bypassing all her security measures, and presented her with a bold proposition, setting the stage for their renewed partnership. Under his guidance, Felicia and her crew pulled off a dangerous heist at Sanctum Sanctorum, overcoming its mystical defenses to steal a powerful artifact. Their operations escalated when they targeted the Baxter Building, seeking another valuable item crucial to the Black Fox's bigger plan. While Felicia took on side missions, the Black Fox continued working in the background, pushing his own agenda. He eventually revealed his true goal not riches or fame, but immortality, hoping to secure a lasting legacy beyond a life of crime. However, his past caught up with him when he was kidnapped by Odessa Drake and the Thieves Guild, who sought revenge for his past betrayal of her father. Even in captivity, his grand plan stayed in motion. He sent Felicia to Madripoor, where she teamed up with Wolverine on a mission. As his schemes neared their endgame, the Black Fox's ambitions led to a high-stakes job targeting Stark Industries. He tasked Felicia with stealing the Iron Cat Armor, a risky move that put her directly in the path of Iron Man. The heist quickly turned chaotic, forcing Felicia to step in and save the very people she was supposed to be stealing from. Despite the complications, the Black Fox celebrated their success, raising a toast to his young protégé and a job well done.

He finally revealed his illness and infiltrated the New York Thieves Guild's cemeteries, deceiving her into aiding his plan. Summoning the god Gilded Saint, he offered Manhattan in exchange for eternal life. The deal was sealed, rejuvenating him while golden vines overtook the city. Horrified, Black Cat sought to undo the bargain. Infiltrating the Vaults, she tricked the Gilded Saint into believing Black Fox would break their deal. As proof, she planted an explosive on the deed. When it detonated, the enraged god dragged Black Fox into its domain, making him part of its collection.

Attributes

Power Grid

Abilities

• Athletics: The Black Fox is a highly skilled trained athlete. Although thanks to his advanced age he is no longer as proficient as he would have been when young, he is still incredibly agile. He can for instance swing on a line from one building to another, and scale the sides of buildings.
• Thievery: Black Fox is a skilled thief, pickpocket and infiltrator.
• Acting: He is also a skilled actor.

Weaknesses

Black Fox is rather cowardly, and apparently has little training in hand-to-hand combat.

Paraphernalia

Equipment

Black Fox carries a pack containing smoke grenades and flash grenades. He also carries rope for swinging between buildings, a glass cutter, and an electronic device that can disable most burglar alarms.

See Also

• 38 appearance(s) of Black Fox (Thief) (Earth-616)
• 4 appearance(s) in handbook(s) of Black Fox (Thief) (Earth-616)
• 4 minor appearance(s) of Black Fox (Thief) (Earth-616)
• 14 mention(s) of Black Fox (Thief) (Earth-616)
• 2 mention(s) in handbook(s) of Black Fox (Thief) (Earth-616)
• 19 image(s) of Black Fox (Thief) (Earth-616)
• 4 quotation(s) by or about Black Fox (Thief) (Earth-616)

Links and References

• Black Fox (Thief) on Wikipedia.org