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Scotty McDowell (Earth-616)

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History

A child prodigy,[15] Scotty McDowell always wanted to become a crimefighter.[16] He had ambitions to join the Federal Bureau of Investigation,[16][6] but he had an accident[6] which irreversibly paralyzed his legs.[1] Suddenly wheelchair-bound,[6][13] he discovered that his dream of joining the FBI was out of reach.[16][6] Settling in Los Angeles,[16] McDowell became an accomplished[6] criminologist,[6][7][8][9][4][10][1][11] scholarly[1] so that the wheelchair hindered him as little as possible: He convinced his landlady Mrs. Archer[6] to adapt the access of his ground-floor apartment with a ramp on the stairs for his wheelchair,[6][13] and he had his car modified[6] to drive it manually without using the feet.[6][13] He filled his home with specialized criminology equipment[16] that allowed him to find links between crimes and calculate likely targets of criminals,[17] and he also started a network of informants.[15] While fulfilled at his work, he failed to have any successful romantic relationship, in his opinion because the women he was interested in, were unwilling to date a disabled man like he was.[16]

Bounty hunting collaboration with Spider-Woman: Initial activities and the Gamesmen[]

Jessica Drew (Earth-616), Scotty McDowell (Earth-616), Scotty McDowell's Apartment from Spider-Woman Vol 1 21 001

McDowell collaborated with Spider-Woman as a bounty hunting team.

Jessica Drew, also known as the superheroine Spider-Woman, had just moved to an apartment next door to his[16] after she was evicted from her previous home during a bad streak that had left her unemployed and single.[18][16] Trying to find out a new path for herself while making the most of her powers,[9] she decided to make a partnership with McDowell[10][4][8] to become a professional bounty hunter[12][8][19][4] with McDowell's help.[16][13][8][19][4] Spider-Woman approached McDowell willingly, asking him to help her become a professional crimefighter.[20] McDowell found the criminals they targeted and organized Spider-Woman's activities to track them, giving her as much details as he could find using his means,[16] and coordinated her activities sternly, but also worrying about her health and making sure she'd be OK.[20] Although Spider-Woman was already active as a costumed adventurer,[21] she had hidden her existence up to that point;[22][4] from that moment, she was publicly known, although she did not try to obtain fame.[14] Thus, Spider-Woman began to deal with McDowell's informers, including fireman-paramedic Hugh Donovan.[5] More importantly, Spider-Woman dealt with LAPD Captain Alexander Walsh, who paid her the bounties using drop-boxes so that she did not need to reveal her identity to him. She did however reveal her identity to McDowell (or McDowell found it somehow).[16] While this arrangement was fulfilling for both Spider-Woman[4] and McDowell, he'd have loved to go to the field, which was infeasible due to his disability; and he also felt a crush towards Spider-Woman,[16] which was not reciprocated, in his opinion because of his disability.[1]

Jessica Drew (Earth-616), Scotty McDowell (Earth-616), Scotty McDowell's Apartment from Spider-Woman Vol 1 22 001

McDowell prompted Spider-Woman to stop a serial killer.

In some of their exploits as a team during the first weeks of their collaboration, McDowell correctly predicted that Lou DeFalco's criminal gang, for whom there was a reward, would attempt to rob the Majestic Jewelry Emporium; confident that they would be arrested, McDowell purchased new devices that he hoped to pay for with the reward. Spider-Woman apprehended DeFalco and his associates, and by then the reward for them had risen to $20,000. After that, McDowell studied the Shark Mob gang and concluded that they would take the Sandy Point Lighthouse to steal the gold cargo from the ship Regency III, which was passing nearby. Again, Spider-Woman defeated these enemies. Afterwards, McDowell prepared an elegant dinner for him and Spider-Woman, during which Spider-Woman recommended that he find a girlfriend, unaware that he was infatuated with Spider-Woman herself.[16] In the following days, McDowell convinced Spider-Woman to chase the Killer Clown, a serial killer, even if there was no bounty for him.[12] Spider-Woman successfully captured the Clown,[12][8] and shortly thereafter captured five members of the Gamesman's gang who had stolen paintings from the Los Angeles County Art Museum, recovering the paintings in the process.[6]

Jessica Drew (Earth-616), Scotty McDowell (Earth-616), Scotty McDowell's Apartment from Spider-Woman Vol 1 23 002

Spider-Woman's romance with Braverman strained her professional relationship with McDowell.

Understanding that Spider-Woman threatened his plans, the Gamesman began a plan to manipulate her[6] through seduction:[6][8] He had five of his goons attack her, and then the Gamesman, in his identity civilian of Tim Braverman, helped her escape.[6] Pretending to be a Los Angeles Times reporter, Braverman courted Spider-Woman.[6][8] Learning of this, McDowell first worried about the attack, and then distrusted Braverman, but Spider-Woman dismissed her concern, believing that McDowell was just jealous and had no right to interfere in her personal life. Even when McDowell verified that no one by the name of Braverman worked at the Times, Spider-Woman refused to stop seeing Braverman. However, Spider-Woman accepted McDowell's theory that the Gamesman would try to steal the Rajah Ruby from the Civic Auditorium, and prepared to protect it. Correctly fearing that Braverman might be an agent of the Gamesman or the Gamesman himself, McDowell decided to go to the Auditorium and discovered that the Gamesman's hitmen had overpowered and incapacitated Spider-Woman, and left her tied up in the Auditorium, causing a fire. McDowell rescued Spider-Woman,[6] but the Gamesman, fearing for her life, returned there to try to rescue her.[6][8] At gunpoint, McDowell made the Gamesman reveal his identity, which surprised Spider-Woman; McDowell also said that the Gamesman may have returned to steal more jewelry, not to save Spider-Woman. Thanks to McDowell,[6] the Gamesman was arrested by the police;[6][8] but Spider-Woman was so distracted that, although McDowell asked her to help apprehend the Gamesman's henchmen, she was emotionally unable to help.[6]

Still in love with Braverman,[6] she visited him in prison and he convinced her to try to ask her contacts to give him an early parole; when she told McDowell, McDowell adamantly objected.[20] At the same time, another man, Calvin Felder, replaced Braverman as the new Gamesman[20][8] and launched several attacks against Spider-Woman; meanwhile, McDowell coordinated Spider-Woman's operation to apprehend the "Zook Suit" McCandless Gang for the reward, disguising Spider-Woman as a member of the Gang,[20] after which Spider-Woman managed to capture the second Gamesman and became convinced that Braverman was corrupt.[23][8]

Dockery and the Enforcer[]

Los Angeles Courier (Earth-616), Rupert Dockery (Earth-616), Scotty McDowell (Earth-616), Smedley (Earth-616) from Spider-Woman Vol 1 27 001

To help Spider-Woman, McDowell confronted Dockery - and hid a microphone in Dockery's desk.

McDowell sent Spider-Woman to capture the Desmond Boys, a criminal group with a reward of $12,500 that McDowell wanted to invest as down payment for specialized office furniture. Upon returning, Spider-Woman apparently rescued[14] press mogul Rupert M. Dockery[14][8] of the Los Angeles Courier, who was being apparently attacked on the street.[14] Dockery immediately tried to profit from the superheroine by covering her public feat, and subsequent ones, in his newspaper.[14][8] McDowell, seeing the news, agreed that Spider-Woman had been morally right when she helped Dockery, but McDowell also knew that this coverage would make the superheroine's job more difficult by giving her enemies information about her powers. Worse still, McDowell knew of Dockery's ruthless reputation, and correctly predicted that Dockery would continue to take advantage of Spider-Woman.[14] Sure enough, Dockery hired the criminal Grinder to confront Spider-Woman;[14][8] the Grinder, in his first appearance, challenged Spider-Woman in the pages of the Courier, and McDowell found it suspicious that only that single newspaper covered it. McDowell and Spider-Woman worked together to search for the Grinder, and with the information they had, McDowell correctly concluded that the Grinder would attempt to steal Arnolde Windersmith's rare coins in the World Skytower Building, which allowed Spider-Woman to apprehend him. Dockery had sent photographers and reporters to cover this moment exclusively, since he knew where the Grinder was going to attack.[14] Dockery's subsequent news about Spider-Woman improved the newspaper's circulation, but hurt Spider-Woman's bounty hunter career.[13]

Charles Delazny Jr (Earth-616), Jessica Drew (Earth-616), Scotty McDowell (Earth-616), from Spider-Woman Vol 1 27 001

The Enforcer injured McDowell.

Dockery arranged for the Enforcer,[13][8] an enemy of Spider-Woman from before she had met McDowell,[24] to escape from prison by ensuring that the Enforcer would get Dockery's "misplaced" rapier-staff which, unknown to the Enforcer, had a hidden microphone. Upon hearing news of the escape, Spider-Woman alerted McDowell to track him down. McDowell correctly predicted that the Enforcer would attack the Los Angeles Museum of Anthropology and Folk Art, but when Spider-Woman went there, the Enforcer and her thugs defeated her and captured her. KLTV, associated with Dockery, covered the news, and when McDowell heard it, he decided that it could not be a coincidence, and that Dockery was undoubtedly in cahoots with the Enforcer. McDowell drove to the Los Angeles Courier building and passed through Dockery's assistant, Smedley; Dockery agreed to meet with McDowell, assuming that dealing with a "handicapped" person would be good publicity for him. McDowell hid an electronic eavesdropping device on Dockery's table while practically accusing him of being an accomplice in the capture of Spider-Woman, and Dockery had him thrown out, but then McDowell eavesdropped that the Enforcer and his gang were hiding on Mullin Street.[13] Boldly, McDowell broke into the Enforcer's secret base, armed with a handgun,[13][11] but the Enforcer, mocking McDowell for his disability, shot him[13] with a special toxin-filled dart[13][11][8][25][7] - a metabolic incendiary formula that kept him in a coma.[3] Meanwhile, Spider-Woman, locked in the same lair, managed to free herself, but not in time to save McDowell. Spider-Woman threatened to kill the Enforcer if McDowell died;[13] then the Enforcer blackmailed Spider-Woman, offering a cure for his own dart if Spider-Woman became his accomplice, stealing with him until she obtained the amount he wanted to retire[11][8] (and Dockery secretly overheard this whole conversation). The Enforcer kept McDowell in a freezing unit[11][26] and Spider-Woman did indeed assist in several robberies, including one on guru Maharishi Parata, and another on insurance tycoon J.R. Van Dekalb, while the press accused her (although LAPD Captain Walsh still gave her the benefit of the doubt).[11] Spider-Man, A former ally and opponent of Spider-Woman,[18] upon reading the news, went to Los Angeles to decide whether he should help or stop Spider-Woman.[11] Spider-Man discovered that Dockery was monitoring the Enforcer, found the secret lair, and defeated the Enforcer with the help of Spider-Woman: In the decisive fight, the Enforcer had a chance to kill Spider-Man, but Spider-Woman was not going to allow that, even if by saving Spider-Man she was risking McDowell's life.[26] Defeated by Spider-Man, the Enforcer he admitted that he had no cure for the dart that had put McDowell in danger, and that he had tricked Spider-Woman.[26][8]

McDowell was taken to the hospital, where a Dr. Pederson had him kept in a cryogenic freeze-unit while searching for a cure.[3] Meanwhile, Spider-Woman and Walsh intimidated Dockery to leave the city, although they could not arrest him.[3]

Malus, the Fly, and the Hornet[]

Jessica Drew (Earth-616), Scotty McDowell (Earth-616), Pederson from Spider-Woman Vol 1 30 001

McDowell in a coma, when the Fly called him "the human popsicle."

Superhuman villain the Fly, seeing his powers decline, looked for criminal investigator Dr. Karl Malus to find a solution to such a problem,[7] and Malus decided that a blood transfusion from another superhuman[25] could restore the Fly's powers; Malus decided that Spider-Woman was a suitable donor.[3][7] In an attempt to lure Spider-Woman into a trap, Malus sent the Fly to kidnap McDowell, a known associate of Spider-Woman, to use as a bait; however, Spider-Woman was visiting McDowell and talking to Pederson at the time.[3] Spider-Woman repelled the Fly, causing him to flee, although she did not know what the Fly was after.[3][7] Shortly after, at Malus' command, the Fly returned to the hospital[3] and managed to take McDowell's body,[3][7][25] even though Spider-Woman was there disguised as Pederson. The Fly couldn't fly very fast carrying McDowell, so Spider-Women followed her to his lair. Although Malus set traps for Spider-Woman,[3] she defeated the Fly[3][25] and Malus.[3]

Jessica Drew (Earth-616), Scotty McDowell (Earth-616), Pederson from Spider-Woman Vol 1 30 002

McDowell recovers in a hospital

In exchange for lenient treatment,[3][7] Malus, who had invented the Enforcer's poison darts,[3][25] offered to heal McDowell.[3][27][7][8] With Spider-Woman's permission, Malus injected McDowell[3] with a supposed anti-toxin, which was really a transformer drug[1][25] created from the Fly's DNA[25] from his blood[7] which he had developed based on his previous studies of superpowered people.[1] Malus knew that the serum would make McDowell develop superhuman powers in the following days.[7] Malus planned for McDowell to rampage due to the side effects of the drug on the latter's mind health, so that Malus would have a chance to offer his services to the authorities to stop such a supervillain and thus get a chance to escape prison in the following days.[1] Malus also intended to use superpowered McDowell as a minion to do his bidding,[8] for McDowell to destroy Spider-Woman in revenge for Malus' capture,[1][2] and, as a scientist, Malus wanted to know what effects would his drug have in real conditions.[2][28] Malus even had a supervillain costume ready to be sent to McDowell's address[1][25][7] anonymously[7] through non-official channels.[1] Malus then voluntarily went to prison[3][25] and McDowell was sent to the UCLA Medical Center, where he quickly recovered under Pederson's observation.[3]

Scotty McDowell (Earth-616) from Spider-Woman Vol 1 31 001

McDowell grows wings

In the days that followed, McDowell became more and more mercurial in his actions,[1][7] especially when thinking that Spider-Woman would never love him the way he loved her, because of his disability. He also had nightmares in which he was a costumed supervillain attacking Spider-Woman.[1] McDowell then received the costume Malus had sent,[1][25] and concluded that it was the same one he wore in his nightmare.[1] McDowell then observed that he had grown enormous insect wings on his back[1] similar to those of the Fly[7] and that he could use those to fly, although his legs were still paralyzed;[1] he also had superhuman strength.[25] Upon donning the costume, his personality changed, deciding that his job deserved more respect than he was receiving.[1] McDowell wore the uniform for several days to operate in public as a costumed vigilante[1][7] using the alias the Hornet,[1][7][25] in very public feats such as rescuing a plane in trouble. In the process he met Spider-Woman, who failed to recognize him as McDowell, and behaved like a sexist by suggesting that she, being a woman, could not match his power or prowess. He attracted media attention[1] with his early heroic behavior,[1][25] and Malus learned about him from prison on the radio.[1]

The Hornet developed the new power of launching energy from his hands, calling it a "sting", and at the same time became more unstable and aggressive: Attacking some thugs who were robbing the most exclusive jewelry store in Beverly Hills together with Spider-Woman, the Hornet hit them with excessive force to disarm them, reproached Spider-Woman for her too soft treatment of criminals, and then attacked with the sting, but, aiming incorrectly, wounded the jeweler. Spider-Woman criticized the Hornet for his lethal tactics on both criminals and innocents, and the Hornet dismissed her by saying that he treated scoundrels like scoundrels themselves treated others, and that innocents should not come near the battlefield. Spider-Woman would have chased the Hornet, but she chose to take the victims to the hospital instead. The Hornet believed that Spider-Woman was jealous of his superior strength and better performance as a superhero, and she tried to minimize him for that reason; distracted on his return flight, the Hornet knocked down a neon sign into the street to scatter people and, when the police tried to stop him, the Hornet used his stinger against them.[1]

Scotty McDowell (Earth-616), from Spider-Woman Vol 1 31 001

McDowell as the Hornet

Karlin Malus (Earth-616), Scotty McDowell (Earth-616), from Spider-Woman Vol 1 32 001

Dr. Malus manipulated the Hornet.

With the Hornet publicly turned into a power-mad[8] menace,[25] Malus offered his help to the police to stop him[25][1] in exchange for mercy in his impending trial; Malus convinced the police commissioner that he could develop a "tranquilizer gun", a technology that could neutralize the Hornet's powers. The commissioner accepted, but two agents (one of them Archie) had to escort Malus at all times, in addition to providing him with what he needed to build his tranquilizer gun.[1] Malus however planned to escape:[2] When the Hornet crashed a bus into a building for no other reason than his madness for chaos, Spider-Woman fought him, but the Hornet's power was growing every day and he resisted her attacks. Malus and his escorts went there, and then Malus fired his gun at Spider-Woman[1] deliberately while pretending to aim it at the Hornet.[1] Malus then escaped from the police[1] and took refuge in McDowell's house, waiting for him to propose his plan to defeat Spider-Woman.[1][25] When the Hornet came through the window, exhausted, Malus made him a drink,[1] acknowledged having caused McDowell's transformation into the Hornet[2][25][27] and concluded that the dose he had given McDowell was not enough for McDowell to destroy Spider-Woman,[2] so Malus boosted McDowell's powers with a second injection.[2][25]

Jessica Drew (Earth-616), Scotty McDowell (Earth-616), from Spider-Woman Vol 1 32 001

The Hornet versus Spider-Woman

Malus manipulated the already impressionable McDowell, admitting that he had no interest in the latter staying sane, and had McDowell contact Spider-Woman by phone to lure her into a trap, saying that he had discovered that the Hornet was going to attack in Long Beach that same night, when in reality it was Malus's plan. Spider-Woman even observed on the phone that McDowell sounded different, recognizing the change in his personality, and was worried because she had not been able to contact McDowell in several days; but he convinced her that he had been busy looking for those clues and that there was no time to waste. Spider-Woman, impressed by McDowell's supposed genius when the Hornet came as predicted, battled the Hornet in Long Beach, but she found that he was stronger than before and able to withstand her venom blasts to almost no effect. However, she misled him with acrobatics and pretended to flee to ambush him. She maintained the upper hand in the fight and, unable to beat her, the Hornet had to break through a roof to endanger bystanders with the debris, so Spider-Woman protected the innocents while the Hornet escaped. Although the Hornet returned home convinced that he had done a good job, Malus reproached him that he had once again been on the verge of defeat. The Hornet yelled at Malus, but Malus silenced him so as not to attract attention from the authorities, and then Malus sent the Hornet to rest. Realizing that the Hornet could not take down Spider-Woman alone,[2] Malus recruited Jack Russell, the Werewolf, who believed that Malus would help him control his transformations. Instead, Malus took control of the Werewolf using a scrambler collar.[2][7][25][27] In the process, Malus abandoned McDowell's living quarters. Thus, when Spider-Woman went to see McDowell, she found him alone and behaving strangely, even calling her a new nickname similar to the one the Hornet used; Spider-Woman believed it was an effect of the traumatic experience McDowell had suffered at the hands of the Enforcer. Spider-Woman promised to spend time with McDowell once they resolved the Hornet issue.[2]

Spider-Woman Vol 1 31

The Hornet versus Spider-Woman

Malus and the Hornet lured Spider-Woman into a trap on an old movie set,[2][25] Metro-Movies Lot "C" used for western movies,[2] by pretending that the Hornet had kidnapped McDowell.[2][25] When she arrived, the Hornet said over the public address system that there was nothing left of McDowell except for his wheelchair, and surprised her by having the Werewolf attack her. Spider-Woman managed to put the Werewolf against the ropes, but then she was attacked by the Hornet, who fired the sting at her erratically. Seeing the Hornet's failure of aim and behavior, Spider-Woman understood that the Hornet had gone mad; additionally, in a second "sting" attack, the Hornet mistakenly injured the Werewolf, and Spider-Woman observed that the sting was becoming weaker and that the Hornet was suffering from deeper dementia. Spider-Woman attempted to pursue the Hornet, believing him to be more dangerous than the Werewolf, but the Werewolf attacked her, holding her back.[2] Breaking the collar Spider-Woman freed the Werewolf,[6][7] who then found Malus and defeated him.[6][7][27] When she encountered the Hornet again, she defeated him by launching a powerful venom blast that she had reserved, knocking him out. Discovering McDowell under the Hornet's mask, Spider-Woman rushed to take him to the hospital.[2]

Malus was sent to prison[2] and McDowell recovered after several days in the hospital:[2] The effect of Malus's drugs was temporary[7] and he returned to complete normality by scavenging his body after four or five days; the hospital expected to discharge him in one or two more weeks.[2] The return to normality[7] was complete, including in McDowell's mind.[2]

Johnny Yen, Turner D. Century, Hammer and Anvil, and Angar the Screamer[]

After McDowell was released from the hospital,[note 1][8] he rejoined work with Spider-Woman and sent her on an operation in Jude, New Mexico, searching for fugitive Johnny Yen to hand him over to the LAPD to be tried for three homicides; Captain Walsh was coordinating with Spider-Woman in this operation. McDowell bought her a bus ticket and when she arrived he called her to let her know. Shortly after, Spider-Woman discovered a conspiracy involving Jude's sheriff, so she couldn't count on his help. She instead called Walsh and McDowell to ask them to notify authorities in Arizona, revealing to McDowell that she had found another fugitive, Dr. W. Lee Benway. McDowell notified the State Patrol, who came to Spider-Woman's aid.[29]

Scotty McDowell (Earth-616), from Spider-Woman Vol 1 33 001

McDowell returned to his previous activities.

After sending Spider-Woman to capture the Siciliano Brothers for a $10,000 reward, McDowell briefed Spider-Woman on Turner D. Century, an eccentric activist for traditionalism turned vigilante turned terrorist, attacking progressive businesses. McDowell had to convince Spider-Woman to go to San Francisco instead of taking a break like she wanted, convincing her by talking about the people Century was putting in danger, and how McDowell and Spider-Woman would use the reward; Spider-Woman said that she accepted only because she wanted to visit San Francisco. McDowell prepared the operation, predicting which premises Century would attack. Following Spider-Woman's actions when watching the news from her house, McDowell learned that Century had escaped her after an encounter; he called out Spider-Woman, and she justified the failure because she had prioritized saving lives. McDowell continued to guide Spider-Woman, warning her to keep an eye on the sex shop area (a likely target for Century), and once again Century escaped her for the same reason; in the debriefing, Spider-Woman was upset by McDowell's priorities, although, after a battle in Chinatown, she decided to continue collaborating with him and being his friend. McDowell meanwhile investigated to discover that the targets were former properties of the reclusive millionaire Morgan MacNeil Hardy, and told Spider-Woman where Hardy lived. Spider-Woman went there and found Hardy and his accomplice Century, although both apparently died in the destruction of the Hardy Estate.[17] It is unclear if Spider-Woman was able to collect the reward.

McDowell received a tip that Lady Amanda Sheridan, CEO of Sheridan Industries, was going to be kidnapped in Santa Ana, and sent Spider-Woman to patrol the area to prevent it. The kidnappers,[15] superhumans Hammer and Anvil, managed to defeat Spider-Woman[15][8] and flee with Lady Sheridan, leaving behind Sheridan's adult granddaughter, Samantha and Spider-Woman behind. Upon returning to her house, Spider-Woman telephoned McDowell to tell him what he had failed to find out: that her enemies were superhumans and worked for Sheridan's rival Deterrence Research Corporation. Spider-Woman asked McDowell for information about DRC, a duplicate of an electronic I.D. card that she had obtained to access the DRC facilities, and to organize an interview for Spider-Woman, under the alias Ariadne Hyde, to work at the DRC. That allowed Spider-Woman to enter the DRC buildings and rescue Lady Sheridan.[15]

McDowell learned that the superhuman criminal David Angar had escaped from a prison in Halwan and was rumored to be in Los Angeles; the Halwan government was offering a sizeable reward, and McDowell immediately began working on the case. He was unable to find Spider-Woman for a day, which she had taken on vacation without telling him, and when he found her, he reproached her for her lack of professionalism. The two realized that they were fighting more and more often, especially over their incompatible interests (McDowell wanted to capture criminals and Spider-Woman wanted to help innocents). During Angar's case, Jessica Drew's best friend, Lindsay McCabe, told her that she, McCabe, was moving to San Francisco and wanted Drew to come with her to be her roommate, suggesting that there Drew would have more employment opportunities; and simultaneously McDowell was being offered[5] a state position[8][4] in the governor's crime commission[5][8] which he decided to accept. When Spider-Woman came to see him to tell him she was moving to San Francisco, McDowell broke his news first.[5] They ended their partnership[5][4][10][8] amicably,[5] to some extent because Spider-Woman had become too independent-minded for McDowell.[8]

Spider-Woman went to see her associate, Nick Fury of law enforcement agency S.H.I.E.L.D., so that Fury could give her a recommendation so that she'd get a private investigator license.[30][9][19] Fury told her that he had learned about the work that Spider-Woman and McDowell had done together as bounty hunters and that, although they had been a good team, Spider-Woman was not tough and cruel enough to thrive in that field.[30]

In San Francisco, Spider-Woman died in a confrontation with Morgan Le Fay, and at the request of Spider-Woman's spirit, her ally Magnus cast a spell so that everyone who had ever met her, including McDowell, would forget her;[31] however, Magnus' magic failed, leading to several people remembering Spider-Woman[32] and resurrecting her.[33] If McDowell remembered Spider-Woman again, he did not contact her.

Personality

Jessica Drew (Earth-616), Scotty McDowell (Earth-616), Scotty McDowell's Apartment from Spider-Woman Vol 1 21 002

McDowell was infatuated with Spider-Woman.

Scotty McDowell was a professional criminologist, dedicated,[16] talented,[6] and happy with his job,[16] although he would have loved to join the FBI.[16][6] His home was full of specialized equipment for his criminology work, and he was constantly improving it and buying new items.[16] He also decorated the walls with wanted criminals posters.[16][12] In his collaboration with Spider-Woman, McDowell primarily coordinated activities without participating in field work due to restrictions of the wheelchair,[16] and instead defined where it was most appropriate to send Spider-Woman, both to patrol and to track down specific criminals.[6] However, when Spider-Woman was in trouble, McDowell did not hesitate to leave the house as reinforcement, armed if necessary;[6][13] although the violent field work clearly put him in danger,[13] he demonstrated his courage and sang-froid on several occasions.[6][13]

Because he was wheelchair-confined,[16] he had his home and car adapted,[6] in addition to decorating both to his personal style.[16][6] McDowell's walls were also adorned with paintings[29] and a poster that could be from Conan the Barbarian. His well-stocked library included Random House Dictionary, and he occasionally read Playboy, although he was ashamed of it.[17]

McDowell was unable to maintain a romantic relationship to his satisfaction, and he believed that the ladies he was interested in, including Spider-Woman, were not interested in him due to his disability.[16] Spider-Woman noticed that McDowell became jealous when she became interested in Tim Braverman and McDowell aggressively interrogated her.[6] She never saw McDowell as anything but a friend.[17]

Scotty McDowell (Earth-616), from Spider-Woman Vol 1 31 002

As the Hornet, McDowell was chauvinistic and arrogant.

As the Hornet, McDowell became a macho vigilante who favored the use of force, even lethal force, against criminals, and said that women were not prepared to solve problems because they were much softer than "real men" like himself, so they should adapt to traditional gender roles[1] (After being cured of the Hornet's powers and mind, McDowell confronted another criminal who supported traditional roles, Turner D. Century, and at no point did the sane McDowell suggested that he supported that, instead focusing on stopping Century).[17] The Hornet did not care about collateral damage to innocent civilians, and was especially angry at Spider-Woman for several of her alleged sins against him: First, having shown false sympathy towards him because of his disability; then taking the glory of the job when he was doing the most difficult intellectual effort; and finally trying to use morality to prevent the Hornet from doing a good superhero job.[1] Although the Hornet was strong, he was unable to defeat Spider-Woman because she was more cunning in combat; the Hornet only managed to escape her, repeatedly, by endangering innocents. After the second injection of Dr. Malus' drug, the Hornet became even more unstable, and although he could pretend to be McDowell, he aroused Spider-Woman's suspicions with various unusual behaviors (for example, calling him a new nickname, "Webdoll", which combined the typical nickname for her used by McDowell, "Web Lady", and the one used by the Hornet, "Dollface"), but she attributed it to the tension over McDowell's recent ordeal at the hands of the Enforcer. During the final confrontation, the Hornet became increasingly deranged, allowing Spider-Woman to defeat him and discover his identity.[2]

After recovering and leaving the Hornet persona behind, McDowell became increasingly demanding of Spider-Woman, insisting that she pursue more criminals[17][5] and scolding her when she had found one of her targets and let him escape, even if it was because she was busy saving innocents.[17] They both realized that they were developing different priorities: McDowell wanted to catch guilty people, and Spider-Woman wanted to help innocent people, and she thought that, no matter how good a person he was, he was becoming increasingly reluctant to consider alternative points of view to his own.[5] Although they remained partners and friends,[17] they argued more and more often, and she began to consider having a serious discussion on that topic. Finally, when McDowell was offered an appointment to the governor's crime commission, he decided to accept and asked Spider-Woman to end their partnership - at a time when Spider-Woman was already looking for a similar chance to move to another city.[5]

Attributes

Powers

Jessica Drew (Earth-616), Scotty McDowell (Earth-616), from Spider-Woman Vol 1 31 001

As the Hornet, McDowell could fly and was super-strong.

McDowell only had superhuman powers during his brief stint as the Hornet.[2]

Former Powers

As the Hornet, McDowell had the following superhuman powers:

  • Sting: The Hornet developed a ranged energy-based attack that he called "Sting": An energy beam that could advance in a curve and that he aimed at his enemies. On two occasions his aim proved to be imprecise as he wounded a civilian, the jeweler, when he tried to shoot criminals,[1] and then wounded his ally the Werewolf when he was trying to hit Spider-Woman.[2] The sting could be lethal against human targets, especially if they did not receive early medical attention.[1]
  • Superhuman Endurance: The Hornet had superhuman stamina that allowed him to withstand significant physical punishment, although with subsequent consequences such as bruises and muscle soreness.[2] His stamina also allowed him to withstand even Spider-Woman's venom blasts. Initially a blast that should have been enough to knock him out, could only stun him momentarily.[1] After Malus increased the Hornet's powers, the Hornet said that the blasts only tickled him; however, even at his best, Spider-Woman managed to knock out the Hornet with a powerful, well-aimed venom blast (admittedly after saving all of her resources for that shot).[2]
  • Superhuman Strength: The Hornet had superhuman strength[1][25] and was capable of changing the course of a LOC small plane in flight and knocking down a heavy neon sign, using his flight powers to gain momentum.[1] He was also seen pushing a bus into a building.[2] Although he was very strong and his blows could be lethal against normal humans,[1] he was not strong enough to defeat Spider-Woman with these attacks alone. Dr. Malus theorized that new doses of the drug could increase his power to the point of overcoming Spider-Woman's resistance, but this could not be proven.[2]
  • Winged Flight: Having insect-like wings, the Hornet could fly within the atmosphere by flapping his wings. He flew at much faster speed than Spider-Woman, who only glided on the wind, could reach. The Hornet could maneuver in flight and move to ram people on the ground. However, even with this power, his legs were still disabled (although this was not apparent when he was seen flying).[1]

Abilities

A former boy genius,[15] McDowell was a brilliant[6] criminologist[6][13][7] with a network of contacts that give him tips[15] and the ability to research the patterns of criminals in a way that can predict the criminal's further targets.[17]

In other skills, McDowell could apply first aid[6] and was also able to use a gun, thou not with great accuracy.[6] His aiming skills were also proven to be sub-par when he used the Hornet's sting attack, at least twice (accidentally hitting a civilian[1] and then an ally).[2]

Being used to move in a wheelchair, he learned how to use ramps and how to easily move from the chair to his car, and vice versa, bending the chair in an automatic movement.[6]

Weaknesses

Scotty McDowell (Earth-616), Scotty McDowell's Apartment from Spider-Woman Vol 1 31 001

Even when he had powers, McDowell's legs did not work.

Scotty McDowell's legs were permanently immobilized[1] due to an accident[6] and he was restricted to move in a wheelchair.[6][13] Not even when he had flight superpowers could he use his legs.[1]

McDowell was also bespectacled.[16] However, he did not wear his glasses when operating in his secret identity as the Hornet (his superpowers may have fixed his eyesight temporarily), nor when he was hospitalized while recovering.[2]

When affected by Dr. Karl Malus' drug, McDowell obtained superhuman powers which, as a side effect, destabilized McDowell's personality making him erratic, unstable and deranged for as long as he had the powers. The powers were caused by the drug, which McDowell's human system tried to wash out, so the powers were weakened and even disappeared (along with the side effects) unless McDowell received periodic doses of the drug.[2]

Paraphernalia

Equipment

McDowell had a lot of criminological research equipment, especially at home, ranging from computers to microscopes, and he invested the money he earned as a bounty hunter in buying new equipment to be a better criminologist.[16] Some of his devices included small electronic eavesdropping devices that could be hidden to listen conversations from a receiver, including one in his car;[16] as well as the technology to duplicate an I.D. card in a way that it can trick the computer sensors of a company like DRC,[15] an untraceable phone line at his home,[2] and a police radio.[5]

Weapons

McDowell had a handgun which he occasionally used, but was not a very good marksman.[6]

Transportation

Scotty McDowell (Earth-616) from Spider-Woman Vol 1 23 001

McDowell drove an adapted car.

McDowell's legs were paralyzed and he moved in a wheelchair[16] that could be bent so that it occupied less space.[6]

McDowell owned a car, adapted so that he could drive it without using his feet and so that he can put his wheelchair in it.[6] The car could be identified easily because of the flames painted on the sides.[6][13] McDowell had a device in the car so that he could listen to some electronic eavesdropping devices (microphones) in range.[13]

Notes

  1. ↑ Per Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe A to Z #11, Spider-Woman (Drew)'s profile, the story in Jude, New Mexico, takes place after Scotty McDowell stopped being the Hornet (in Spider-Woman #32) and before Spider-Woman meets Turner D. Century (in Spider-Woman #33), although the comic was published just after Spider-Woman #30.

Trivia

  • Scotty nicknamed Spider-Woman "Web Lady",[16][12][6][14][3] sometimes hyphenated as "Web-Lady" (but the spelling was kept coherent in all the mentions of her nickname in a given story);[20][2][17][15][5] when not addressing her directly, he thought of her as "the Web Lady".[13] The Hornet called her "Dollface."[1][2] When Scotty called her "Web-Doll" (because he was secretly the Hornet at that point), Spider-Woman noticed the unusual nickname.[2]
    • Soon after Spider-Woman ended her partnership with McDowell, her new romantic interest David Ishima spontaneously called her "Weblady", but she didn't want anyone but McDowell to call her that.[34]
  • McDowell worked from his home, which is understandable due to his restricted mobility,[16] even if he owned a car (with painted flames on the sides) that was adapted for him to drive and was not shy to leave his home.[6] He had many specialized equipment for his criminology work,[16] and decorated his walls with "Wanted" posters of criminals.[16][12]
  • McDowell occasionally sore saying "Holy Toledo."[1]
  • Jessica Drew's best friend at the time, Lindsay McCabe, apparently never met Scotty McDowell or heard Drew mentioning him - as McDowell was a known associate of Spider-Woman, not of Drew.[3][1][5]

See Also

Links and References

References

  1. ↑ 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 1.33 1.34 1.35 1.36 1.37 1.38 1.39 1.40 1.41 1.42 1.43 1.44 1.45 1.46 Spider-Woman #31
  2. ↑ 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 2.30 2.31 2.32 2.33 Spider-Woman #32
  3. ↑ 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 Spider-Woman #30
  4. ↑ 4.00 4.01 4.02 4.03 4.04 4.05 4.06 4.07 4.08 4.09 4.10 Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe: Avengers 2005 #1 ; Spider-Woman (Drew)
  5. ↑ 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 Spider-Woman #35
  6. ↑ 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 6.13 6.14 6.15 6.16 6.17 6.18 6.19 6.20 6.21 6.22 6.23 6.24 6.25 6.26 6.27 6.28 6.29 6.30 6.31 6.32 6.33 6.34 6.35 6.36 6.37 6.38 6.39 6.40 6.41 6.42 6.43 6.44 Spider-Woman #23
  7. ↑ 7.00 7.01 7.02 7.03 7.04 7.05 7.06 7.07 7.08 7.09 7.10 7.11 7.12 7.13 7.14 7.15 7.16 7.17 7.18 7.19 7.20 7.21 7.22 Gamer's Handbook of the Marvel Universe #3 ; Malus, Dr. Karl
  8. ↑ 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 8.20 8.21 8.22 8.23 8.24 8.25 8.26 8.27 8.28 Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe A to Z #11 ; Spider-Woman (Drew)
  9. ↑ 9.0 9.1 9.2 9.3 Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe (Vol. 2) #4 ; Drew, Jessica
  10. ↑ 10.0 10.1 10.2 10.3 10.4 10.5 Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe Master Edition #8 ; Spider-Woman I
  11. ↑ 11.0 11.1 11.2 11.3 11.4 11.5 11.6 11.7 Spider-Woman #28
  12. ↑ 12.0 12.1 12.2 12.3 12.4 12.5 12.6 Spider-Woman #22
  13. ↑ 13.00 13.01 13.02 13.03 13.04 13.05 13.06 13.07 13.08 13.09 13.10 13.11 13.12 13.13 13.14 13.15 13.16 13.17 13.18 13.19 Spider-Woman #27
  14. ↑ 14.00 14.01 14.02 14.03 14.04 14.05 14.06 14.07 14.08 14.09 Spider-Woman #26
  15. ↑ 15.0 15.1 15.2 15.3 15.4 15.5 15.6 15.7 15.8 Spider-Woman #34
  16. ↑ 16.00 16.01 16.02 16.03 16.04 16.05 16.06 16.07 16.08 16.09 16.10 16.11 16.12 16.13 16.14 16.15 16.16 16.17 16.18 16.19 16.20 16.21 16.22 16.23 16.24 16.25 16.26 16.27 16.28 16.29 Spider-Woman #21
  17. ↑ 17.00 17.01 17.02 17.03 17.04 17.05 17.06 17.07 17.08 17.09 Spider-Woman #33
  18. ↑ 18.0 18.1 Spider-Woman #20
  19. ↑ 19.0 19.1 19.2 Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe: Women of Marvel 2005 #1 ; Spider-Woman
  20. ↑ 20.0 20.1 20.2 20.3 20.4 20.5 Spider-Woman #24
  21. ↑ Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe: Avengers 2005 #1 ; Spider-Woman (Drew)'s profile
  22. ↑ Spider-Woman #17
  23. ↑ Spider-Woman #25
  24. ↑ Spider-Woman #19
  25. ↑ 25.00 25.01 25.02 25.03 25.04 25.05 25.06 25.07 25.08 25.09 25.10 25.11 25.12 25.13 25.14 25.15 25.16 25.17 25.18 25.19 25.20 25.21 Captain America: America's Avenger #1 ; Dr. Karl Malus
  26. ↑ 26.0 26.1 26.2 Spider-Woman #29
  27. ↑ 27.0 27.1 27.2 27.3 Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe Master Edition #5 ; Doctor Malus
  28. ↑ Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe A to Z #1 ; Armadillo
  29. ↑ 29.0 29.1 Marvel Team-Up #97
  30. ↑ 30.0 30.1 Spider-Woman #37
  31. ↑ Spider-Woman #50
  32. ↑ Avengers #240
  33. ↑ Avengers #241
  34. ↑ Spider-Woman #39
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