Crash Course in Villainy, part four

Self explanatory by now, don’t you think? Let’s dive into the next set of villains! This month’s villains are Humbug, Venom, and Baron Zemo!

photo courtesy of Google. Hello, Mr. One-eyed Bug Man <3

Humbug

Etymology professor gone bad then good, Buck Mitty just wanted to get funding for some research. Is that so much to ask? Forced to find alternate means to continue his studies, Mitty designed the Humbug costume . After several attempts at robberies thwarted by Spider-Man, he ended up in jail several times before attempting to the rob the Museum of Natural History. This is when he encountered Deadpool who, after dousing Mitty with honey and South American fire ants, proclaimed him dead. After the Civil War arc, Humbug tried to redeem himself by doing good, only to be decapitated by Shang-Chi due to Earth Hive politics during Heroes for Hire #15.

Humbug’s powers include superhuman strength, speed, agility, and senses as well as the ability to communicate with all insects using audio tapes.

Check out Heroes for Hire to see him in his latest escapades as a hero until his untimely death.

Best Humbug quote: “I love Christmas.”

venom courtesy of adonihs. check out his work at adonihs.deviantart.com/gallery/

Venom

Dubbed insane by its own race, the symbiote Venom is probably the most popular of Spider-Villains, save Green Goblin. In the off chance this is the first time you’ve heard of it, Venom is a liquid like alien parasite from an unknown planet first brought to Earth during the Secret Wars arc of Spider-Man. Do NOT watch Spider-man 3 hoping to get an idea of everything Venom is. That is a blasphemy. Where were we? Ah, yes. Once the symbiote fused to Spider-Man and Spider-Man rejected it, Venom carried around that bitterness to each subsequent host, leading to various altercations, some of the most notable with Eddie Brock. Currently, you can check out Venom’s and its host, Flash Thompson’s, adventures in it’s own solo series Venom.

Superpowers include superhuman strength, speed, agility, generally enhancement of other physical attributes as well. The symbiotes also grant enhanced durability and resistance to damage as well as genetic memory, healing ability, ability to negate damage caused by illness and reacts to the thoughts and will of the host.

I thoroughly enjoyed Venom when it was attached to Eddie Brock so a good arc to me would be Amazing Spider-Man #300 and up.

Best Venom quote: “We’re going to leave just enough of your face to make a positive ID.”

art done by alexsantalo, check out more of his work at alexsantalo.deviantart.com!

Baron Zemo

Baron Zemo was created by super team Jack Kirby and Stan Lee in 1964 and was a Nazi scientist turned soldier, like the Red Skull. Zemo, however, focused his energies on creating a death ray (wow, this sounds like the Captain America movie but without the cosmic cube!). He also created a serum that allowed him to age slowly and created adhesive x which was spilled onto his head (thanks, captain america) and fused his cowl to his skull. This drove him insane and made him bent on world destruction. As he approached completion on the death ray,  he created the Masters of Evil to engage the Avengers multiple times. Baron Zemo met his end when he gets blinded from light of Captain America’s shield and starts shooting the death ray wildly, only to die by an avalanche he created. Poor guy!

His “powers” include scientific genius, master swordsman and hand-to-hand fighter, and skilled strategist.

A good story arc involving Baron Zemo is a little tough unless you get your hands on Avengers comics from 1965-1970…I enjoyed Iron Man Noir#1-4 so check that out if you can find it.

Best Baron Zemo quote: “I offer victory, Mammoth. The victory that only comes to those with knowledge and the cunning to use it.”