—Rupert Dockery[5]I'll get straight to the point. I believe the Globe has been overly concerned with printing facts.
History
Rupert M. Dockery, born in England,[1] was a corrupt journalist[7][6] and businessman[8] who became a newspaper tycoon.[9] Dockery controlled several newspapers in England, all of which were notorious for resorting to scandal to increase their sales. Dockery himself had a reputation for taking advantage of people for this purpose.[1]
Dockery purchased the then-struggling and low-selling American newspaper Los Angeles Courier; KLTV, described as "the television voice of the Los Angeles Courier," was also included in the sale.[2] Naming himself publisher of the Courier, Dockery moved to Los Angeles,[1] where he lived in the prestigious Bel Air neighborhood[4] and was driven around in a company limousine by his personal chauffeur Bartholomew. From the very beginning he intended to maintain his borderline illegal tactics of boosting sales with a sensationalist attitude, even organizing a phony kidnapping on his own person at the office door to attract attention. Just before the execution of this plan, two of his new employees, the journalists Fredericks and Myers, met with Dockery to express their fear that the Courier, renowned for its journalistic integrity which they valued, might adopt the attitude which had brought infamy to Dockery's English newspapers; Dockery verbally reassured them that he had no such plans, but as soon as they left the office, Dockery called another of his employees, Dunlop, to fire Fredericks and Myers the next day. As he left his office, the fake kidnappers attempted to bundle Dockery into a car, in broad daylight and in high visibility. Dockery was spectacularly rescued by the superhuman Spider-Woman, who was hovering overhead after arresting the Desmond Boys and who believed the kidnapping to be real; after beating up the attackers, she left, revealing to Dockery that she was a bounty hunter and that her police contact was Captain Alexander Walsh. Dockery immediately decided to seize the opportunity to make money off of her, promptly offering a reward for information about her in his paper, and even getting other newspapers such as New York City's Daily Globe to cover the matter. Spider-Woman's associate, criminologist Scotty McDowell, warned Spider-Woman that Dockery would surely undermine her bounty hunting activity through his abusive tactics, but of course McDowell couldn't help but appreciate that she had helped Dockery.[1]
Spider-Woman and the Grinder[]
In an attempt to capitalize on Spider-Woman's fame for greater coverage, Dockery decided to recruit a criminal[1][9] with exotic abilities[1] to fight Spider-Woman.[1][9] After a meeting at the Courier meeting room in which his employees Marya and Terry confirmed that they had sold a lot, but that now the whole city knew about Spider-Woman and therefore the Courier no longer had the exclusive on her, Dockery went by limousine to a bar to talk to major crime figure Brute Bashby. By buying Bashby drinks, Dockery convinced him to work for him, promising to pay Bashby for every crime he committed, if Bashby first phoned Dockery for cover. Dockery also provided Bashby with exotic armor and weaponry, convincing him to operate under the alias the Grinder and to challenge Spider-Woman in the morning edition of the Courier. Reading the news, Spider-Woman and McDowell decided to investigate the Grinder, although McDowell quickly found it suspicious that only the Courier was carrying this story. The Grinder attacked the Los Angeles's World Skytower Building in an attempt to steal Arnolde Windersmith and Sons's rare coins, and Dockery sent a press team including Pete to cover the event exclusively; Dockery himself was in the area in his limousine. However, Spider-Woman arrested the Grinder, sending him to prison and ending his career; Dockery regretted that his plan had only made for a single news day, and blamed Bashby's incompetence for it.[1]
Dockery insisted on improving the Courier's circulation by using Spider-Woman as a so-called front-page celebrity,[2] so, as McDowell had predicted,[1] Spider-Woman had more trouble working as a bounty hunter capturing criminals, and thus had less income. She also got some unwanted publicity: UCLA created its own so-called official Spider-Woman Sorority after its female students read her stories in the Courier, and the club president, disguised as Spider-Woman, attempted to replicate the real heroine's exploits, endangering her life and being rescued by the real Spider-Woman.[2]
Spider-Woman and the Enforcer[]
In a more ambitious plan, Dockery decided to break the super-criminal Enforcer out of prison, again to produce events in his checkbook journalism and have Spider-Woman-related exclusives.[2][9] Using his influence, Dockery got permission from the warden of the California State Prison to meet privately with the dangerous Enforcer, who was locked up there after being defeated by Spider-Woman.[2] Dockery planned to "forget" his walking stick for the Enforcer to take;[2][10] the stick had a hidden stiletto with which the Enforcer could undoubtedly break out of prison under his own power, and Dockery would not be blamed for that.[2] In addition, the stick had a hidden tiny transmitter and microphone, which would allow Dockery to learn of the Enforcer's activities after the escape.[2][10]
When Dockery met with the Enforcer, the Enforcer thought Dockery wanted an interview about Spider-Woman, but as the Enforcer was not looking for that kind of coverage, he insulted Dockery for believing him to be a half-assed criminal like Bashby, and even shook him. Dockery pretended to panic and fled, leaving the baton behind,[2] and according to his plan, the Enforcer left the jail[2][9] that same night. Immediately, Dockery covered the news of the escape and had the paper offer $10,000 for the Enforcer's capture, supposedly as a civic gesture but really to attract bounty hunter Spider-Woman's attention (and this worked, as she learned of her former foe's escape through a report on KLTV). Dockery's right-hand man Smedley, who handled the details,[2] later came to be in the loop when Dockery told him the details of the staff she used to keep track of the Enforcer.[11]
Unaware that Dockery was spying on him, the Enforcer assembled a gang of at least four people and used a warehouse on Mullin Street[2] as their hideout.[2][10][11] Dockery thus learned that the Enforcer was planning a robbery at the West African Wing of the Los Angeles Museum of Anthropology and Folk Art, and sent a photographer to cover the story, later claiming that he had only deduced where the Enforcer would strike. Spider-Woman confronted the Enforcer at the Museum, but she was temporarily blinded by the Enforcer's exotic weapons, and was captured unconscious; Dockery made sure KLTV reported that outcome.[2]
Learning of Spider-Woman's capture from the news, McDowell became concerned about her and correctly deduced that Dockery knew much more than he had said. McDowell went to the Courier offices and insisted on meeting with Dockery without an appointment; Dockery agreed, because he feared nothing from wheelchair-bound McDowell and even hoped to do public relations. However, when McDowell accused Dockery of knowing where the Enforcer was hiding with his prisoner, Dockery decided that McDowell was being rude and had Smedley throw him out. In fact, McDowell had taken the chance to hide an electronic eavesdropping device in Dockery's office, and from his car in the area, McDowell overheard Dockery telling Smedley about the Enforcer's hideout on Mullin Street and how he expected Spider-Woman to escape. McDowell went solo to the warehouse to try to rescue Spider-Woman,[2] but the Enforcer wounded McDowell with a toxic dart[2][10][10][9] and then, in exchange for the antidote[10][9] (which the Enforcer did not have),[11][9] the Enforcer extorted Spider-woman to collaborate in his crimes,[10][9] not knowing that Dockery was listening because the Enforcer still had the walking stick in his lair. Dockery was delighted by this turn of events which would benefit him in the future, giving him more interesting exclusive news.[10]
Thus, when shortly thereafter the Enforcer planned an attack on the Hollywood Bowl with Spider-Woman during a performance by the popular spiritual leader Maharishi Parata to steal jewel-encrusted statue of Hindu gods, Dockery knew in advance and sent reporters to disguise themselves and blend into the crowd, including Harry with a hidden mini-camera. The reporters believed Dockery had only deduced where the Enforcer was going to attack. By contrast, LAPD Captain Walsh, an ally of Spider-Woman, was suspicious as he read the Courier the next morning, and decided to visit Dockery. Without accusing Dockery, Walsh asked him to explain his inside information when the police were baffled; Dockery admitted to having sources and invoked his right to keep them hidden. To get rid of Walsh, Dockery agreed to share data on future attacks by the Enforcer and Spider-Woman with Walsh, in exchange for Walsh not passing that information on to the Courier's competitors.[10]
After that, Dockery "predicted" that the Enforcer and Spider-Woman would attempt to steal tycoon J.R. Van Dekalb's rare postage stamp collection when the latter went to Christie's Auction House to sell it; Dockery's reporters and Walsh's policemen were kept on alert over a nearby building. Walsh, suspecting that Spider-Woman was not really a criminal and that something fishy was going on, attempted to apprehend only the Enforcer, but Spider-Woman released him. Exclusive coverage of this story, a "million dollar stamp heist" in an extra edition, increased the circulation of Dockery's paper until it reached Berdu and West Covina, much to Dockery's satisfaction. The news about Spider-Woman also received coverage in New York's Daily Bugle, and New York-based superhero Spider-Man took an interest in the situation, deciding to travel to Los Angeles to either try to help Spider-Woman, or arrest her.[10]
Through the walking stick, Dockery then learned that the Enforcer was planning to make off with a fortune in gems on a jumbo jet traveling from New York to Los Angeles, and knew in detail that it was the 707 airliner, Atlantic Airlines Flight 814, so he sent Harry and the rest of his crew, with cameras to film during the flight; there were also law enforcement officers on board, but the Enforcer's agents were able to take them on. Spider-Man, in his civilian identity of Peter Parker, was coincidentally traveling on the same flight and attempted to confront the Enforcer, but Spider-Woman got in the way because she expected the Enforcer to save her friend McDowell. In the struggle, Spider-Woman threw her venom blast at Spider-Man, and he fell from the plane into the Pacific Ocean, eleven miles from shore, apparently to his death. Smedley reported this to Dockery at the Courier building in Los Angeles, which would receive a report on KLTV. Smedley also told Dockery that the Courier was to receive the National Press Association Award for continued coverage on Spider-Woman, and that Sam Chulin, NBC newsman, wanted to film Dockery in person to show the Courier offices on NBC evening news. Dockery agreed to appear on NBC and exhibited his diary, giving some coverage to chief editorial cartoonist Ernie Chan.[11]
However, Spider-Man survived, swam ashore and found it too suspicious that the Courier had a camera crew so handy on the plane, so he went to the Courier building and spied on Dockery, overhearing him talking to Smedley about the walking stick bug and the Enforcer's lair on Mullin Street. Spider-Man stormed the Enforcer's base and overpowered the thugs; the Enforcer attempted to kill Spider-Man, but Spider-Woman stood in the way, unwilling to allow a homicide even if McDowell died.[11] The Enforcer was defeated and, arrested, acknowledged that he had no antidote for his darts.[11][9] McDowell was taken to a hospital.[11][4]
Spider-Woman explained to Walsh the crimes Dockery had committed, but Walsh believed they didn't have enough to put Dockery in jail, so they concocted another plan: Spider-Woman disguised herself as the Enforcer, with a microphone hidden in her costume, to break into Dockery's house and intimidate him, so that Dockery would talk and incriminate himself; Walsh would stay hidden by recording the conversation. Indeed, the fake Enforcer entered Dockery's house when Dockery was dressing in a tuxedo to accept the National Press Award, and accused Dockery of using him and manipulating the truth, framing Spider-Woman when Dockery knew she was not really his accomplice. When Dockery said enough, Walsh revealed himself and struck a deal: If Walsh asked for grand jury investigation, the Courier would be closed for months and Dockery would be in a lot of trouble, so instead Walsh demanded that Dockery refuse the National Press Association award, appear in court to exonerate Spider-Woman, and then leave Los Angeles for good. Dockery agreed to the conditions,[4] and stopped working at the Courier, possibly selling it.[5][6]
New York and the plot to murder K.J. Clayton[]
Dockery moved to New York City to work as circulation manager[6][5] of the Daily Globe,[5] then owned by reclusive publisher Katrinka Janice "K.J." Clayton[7][3] and managed by Barney Bushkin;[5] the purpose of hiring Dockery was to boost the Globe's circulation.[12] Dockery also owned a toy store in Lower Manhattan, Hickory Dockery Toy Store.[3] Bushkin organized an editorial meeting with the staff to introduce Dockery; staff photographer Peter Parker arrived late and, when Dockery recommended that the paper stop focusing on facts, Parker disagreed. In person, Parker found Dockery[5] insincere,[5][6] perhaps not remembering that shortly before Parker had heard Dockery confess to crimes in Los Angeles.[11]
In a later meeting at the offices, Dockery criticized the lack of responsibility of young people for Parker's constant tardiness and, having heard that Parker was a student at Empire State University (ESU), Dockery commissioned Parker to get compromising photos of immoral flings between professors and female students; as Parker told him that such a thing did not happen at ESU, Dockery urged Parker to produce fake photos that would sink reputations of decent, innocent people, in order to get better sales. Parker began to refuse the assignment, against Bushkin's advice, but they were interrupted by the supervillain Kraven the Hunter, who entered the paper to demand that they print, on the front page, a challenge to Spider-Man: Kraven dared Spider-Man to a duel to the death, without saying where it would be so as not to attract the police, but revealed that he had a Spider-Tracer for Spider-Man to find. Spider-Man found Kraven and defeated him; and Parker apparently remained uninterested in the assignment Dockery had requested at ESU.[12]
Shortly thereafter, Spider-Woman read of Dockery's activities in the paper, and regretted not having gotten enough evidence for her and Walsh to arrest him; she thought perhaps Spider-Man would have better luck now that Dockery was on his turf.[12]
In a murderous plot[3][8] to seize control of the Daily Globe for himself,[3][6] Dockery gained the confidence of Clayton, who rarely left her penthouse suite at the Globe because, Dockery discovered, she was ashamed of having lost the beauty and appeal of her youth;[3] in fact, the Globe staff had yet to see Clayton in person.[8] Dockery convinced Clayton to allow him to hire an actress-model to impersonate Clayton at the meetings,[3] and so he hired Belinda Bell for that purpose.[3][8][7] However, Dockery planned to have Bell, as Clayton, relinquish control of the diary to him with the staff as witnesses, and then have five masked men, secretly hired by Dockery, kidnap Bell in the middle of the meeting[3][8] and then assassinate her; Dockery, with his control over the building, could ensure that the switchboard was not operative and that the elevators were closed,[3] and gave the goons access to Hickory Dockery Toy Store to hold Bell during the operation.[3][8] Yet Dockery's plan called for the real Clayton to die as well, to prevent her from regaining control of the newspaper,[8][7] so Dockery then planned to set Clayton's penthouse on fire to kill her, and even seize the exclusive on the fire.[3]
At the Globe's conference room[3][8] (with Parker arriving late as usual),[3] Dockery introduced Bell as if Bell was the real Clayton, and Bell followed his script by handing the diary to Dockery. Then the hoods burst in, grabbing the phony Clayton.[3][8] Parker switched to his Spider-Man identity to try to stop them,[3] but Dockery blocked his way just long enough for them to escape,[3][8] while insulting Spider-Man for his clumsiness; at the same time, Dockery had ordered Bushkin not to go for help but instead to cover the newsworthy event.[3] Spider-Man found a scrap of paper dropped by Bell that was an advertisement for the psychic Madame Web,[3][8] with whom Bell had worked.[3] After trying to find the kidnappers himself,[3][8] Spider-Man visited Web and she helped him find Bell:[3][8][6] Spider-Man understood that Web's cryptic visions of railroads referred to railroad models, and discovered that Dockery was the owner of a toy store in the area that sold such items.[3]
Meanwhile, Dockery went to the penthouse to kill Clayton; she attempted to escape, but he had made sure to disable the elevators. He called his goons to order them to kill Bell, mocked Clayton's naivety and complexes, and poured gasoline on the penthouse to start a fire, after which he left the building, leaving Clayton trapped. [3] But Spider-Man rescued Bell at the Hickory Dockery Toy Store just as Dockery's goons were about to execute her, and Bell warned Spider-Man that Dockery was going to kill the real Clayton as well. Spider-Man arrived in time to smash through a window into a smoke-filled room[3][8] and save Clayton,[3][8][7] though she was unconscious.[3] Spider-Man then went outside, where Dockery attempted to flee in his limousine, but Spider-Man tore off the car's door and pulled a terrified Dockery out.[3][8] Foiled by Spider-Man,[3][8][7] Dockery confessed not only his murder attempt,[3][8] but also several crimes he had committed in Los Angeles.[3]
After that, Dockery went to prison,[6] and Clayton suspended publication of the Globe.[3][6]
Spider-Woman died in a confrontation with the witch Morgan Le Fay, and at the request of Spider-Woman's spirit, her ally Magnus the Magician cast a spell so that everyone who had ever met her, including Dockery, would forget her;[13] however, Magnus' magic failed, leading to several people remembering Spider-Woman[14] and resurrecting her.[15] If Dockery remembered Spider-Woman again, he did not contact her.Personality
Attributes
Abilities
Dockery was a corrupt journalist[7] and businessman[8] dealing in several fields: Besides the several newspapers he came to control,[1] he also owned at least one toy shop in Manhattan.[3] His professional approach opposed to journalistic integrity and he was known to use scandal and abuse people,[1] but he also generated news, slandering innocent people in the process to increase his sales.[10][3]
Although Peter Parker immediately noticed how insincere Dockery was,[5] and Dockery failed to convince Parker to fabricate photographs to create news,[12] Dockery was convincing and manipulative: He was able to hire criminal Brute Bashby to work for him, even if Dockery had made a blunder and for a moment Bashby felt offended,[1] and he later played the Enforcer like a fiddle, pretending that the Enforcer intimidated Dockery and put him on the run, while he was only leaving his stiletto walking stick behind so that the Enforcer would take it, not knowing it had a microphone; apparently the Enforcer never knew that Dockery had tricked him.[2] Dockery however demonstrated to be tough when LAPD Captain Alexander Walsh tried to push Dockery's buttons and find out how Dockery was getting more details on the Enforcer than even the police was; Walsh could get next to nothing from Dockery.[10]
Besides the technology in his walking stick (A hidden stiletto and a microphone),[2] Dockery had access to advanced technology, as he provided Brute Bashby with the relatively-advanced armor to turn him into the supervillain the Grinder[1] (on the other hand, Dockery failed to notice when Scotty McDowell hid a microphone in Dockery's office).[2] Dockery also had influence that allowed him to get a private visit with a dangerous inmate like the Enforcer and, after the Enforcer escaped, he was not disturbed by the police.[2]Paraphernalia
Equipment
Dockery was a wealthy businessman who could afford a home in Bel Air,[4] a chauffeured limousine,[1][3] and had the resources to provide supervillain armor to Brute Bashby without leaving a trace.[1] In addition to the multiple newspapers he owned over the course of his career,[1] Dockery branched out and owned a toy store, Hickory Dockery Toy Store, in Lower Manhattan.[3] Dockery was occasionally seen wearing a gold chain around his neck,[5] and also smoked cigars[12] and drank alcohol on the job.[1]
Dockery owned a walking stick that concealed a blade.[1][2] The stick also had a hidden tiny transmitter[2][10] with a microphone[2] in the handle.[10][11] Dockery brought this stick to a meeting with the criminal Enforcer, explicitly to allow the Enforcer to steal the stick[2] from him and use it to escape.[1] Dockery correctly anticipated that the Enforcer would keep the stick, allowing Dockery to spy on the Enforcer in secret.[2] The transmitter emitted the sound around the stick clearly and discreetly, unnoticed by people around him.[10] Dockery told his subordinate Smedley about this transmitter, possibly to help him keep track of the Enforcer's activities.[11]Transportation
Notes
- Dockery has a one-paragraph entry in the Appendix of Marvel Encyclopedia #Spider-Man, and is also mentioned in the entries on K.J. Clayton and the Daily Globe; in the latter, he's erroneously listed as a reporter of the Globe, when he was the circulation manager per Amazing Spider-Man #208
- There are a few inconsistencies and inaccuracies in the sources related to Dockery:
- Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe A to Z #11, Spider-Woman (Drew)'s profile, says that Spider-Woman exposed Dockery's crimes after the Enforcer's defeat and before Scotty McDowell could be treated. In Spider-Woman #3, Spider-Woman discovered Dockery's crimes thanks to Spider-Man, and she revealed those crimes only to Captain Walsh. Spider-Woman and Walsh then intimidated Dockery to leave Los Angeles, lest they'd take Dockery to the court; but Dockery's crimes in Los Angeles were not publicly exposed at that point. Some time later, in Amazing Spider-Man #210, Dockery did confess those crimes.
- Spider-Man Saga #3, retelling the events from Amazing Spider-Man #208, says that Peter Parker met Dockery at the Globe, and describes Dockery as the circulation managemer from the Los Angeles Courier. There are several inaccuracies: Dockery was never the circulation manager of the Globe, but of the Courier. At that point, Dockery was no longer in the Courier, having resigned after the events in Spider-Woman #30. Lastly, Parker, as Spider-Man, had seen Dockery before when he spied on Dockery in Spider-Woman #29 - thou admittedly, as Dockery was in his office and Spider-Man was outside the building, he may not be able to recognize Dockery's face.
- Spider-Man Saga #3 also says that Madame Web helped Spider-Man find K.J. Clayton, who had been kidnapped by Dockery. In Amazing Spider-Man #210, Web helps spider-Man find Belinda Bell, not Clayton.
- In 'Amazing Spider-Man #210, Dockery's thugs say that they intend to kill Bell in a way she'll never be found; but a moment later, Dockery says that Bell will be found dead as a part of his plan (so that the Globe staff can identify the corpse as Clayton's).
Trivia
- Bennett Schwed, publisher of Empire Books company, has in his office a framed cover of something that reads "Power! The Rupert Dockery Story".[16] This may be some of Dockery's publications, or a report detailing Dockery's fall.
See Also
- 8 appearance(s) of Rupert Dockery (Earth-616)
- 1 appearance(s) in handbook(s) of Rupert Dockery (Earth-616)
- 3 minor appearance(s) of Rupert Dockery (Earth-616)
- 9 image(s) of Rupert Dockery (Earth-616)
Links and References
References
- ↑ 1.00 1.01 1.02 1.03 1.04 1.05 1.06 1.07 1.08 1.09 1.10 1.11 1.12 1.13 1.14 1.15 1.16 1.17 1.18 1.19 1.20 1.21 1.22 1.23 1.24 1.25 1.26 1.27 1.28 1.29 1.30 1.31 1.32 Spider-Woman #26
- ↑ 2.00 2.01 2.02 2.03 2.04 2.05 2.06 2.07 2.08 2.09 2.10 2.11 2.12 2.13 2.14 2.15 2.16 2.17 2.18 2.19 2.20 2.21 2.22 2.23 2.24 2.25 2.26 2.27 2.28 2.29 Spider-Woman #27
- ↑ 3.00 3.01 3.02 3.03 3.04 3.05 3.06 3.07 3.08 3.09 3.10 3.11 3.12 3.13 3.14 3.15 3.16 3.17 3.18 3.19 3.20 3.21 3.22 3.23 3.24 3.25 3.26 3.27 3.28 3.29 3.30 3.31 3.32 3.33 3.34 3.35 3.36 3.37 3.38 Amazing Spider-Man #210
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 4.3 4.4 Spider-Woman #30
- ↑ 5.00 5.01 5.02 5.03 5.04 5.05 5.06 5.07 5.08 5.09 5.10 5.11 5.12 5.13 Amazing Spider-Man #208
- ↑ 6.00 6.01 6.02 6.03 6.04 6.05 6.06 6.07 6.08 6.09 6.10 6.11 6.12 Spider-Man Saga #3
- ↑ 7.0 7.1 7.2 7.3 7.4 7.5 7.6 7.7 Marvel Encyclopedia #Spider-Man
- ↑ 8.00 8.01 8.02 8.03 8.04 8.05 8.06 8.07 8.08 8.09 8.10 8.11 8.12 8.13 8.14 8.15 8.16 8.17 8.18 8.19 Gamer's Handbook of the Marvel Universe #7 ; Madame Web's profile
- ↑ 9.00 9.01 9.02 9.03 9.04 9.05 9.06 9.07 9.08 9.09 9.10 Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe A to Z #11 ; Spider-Woman (Drew)'s profile
- ↑ 10.00 10.01 10.02 10.03 10.04 10.05 10.06 10.07 10.08 10.09 10.10 10.11 10.12 10.13 10.14 10.15 Spider-Woman #28
- ↑ 11.00 11.01 11.02 11.03 11.04 11.05 11.06 11.07 11.08 11.09 Spider-Woman #29
- ↑ 12.0 12.1 12.2 12.3 12.4 12.5 12.6 Amazing Spider-Man #209
- ↑ Spider-Woman #50
- ↑ Avengers #240
- ↑ Avengers #241
- ↑ Marvels: Eye of the Camera #4