Enforcers (comics)

The Enforcers
Cover art for Daredevil (vol. 2) #102. Art by Marko Djurdjevic.
Publication information
Publisher	Marvel Comics
First appearance	The Amazing Spider-Man #10 (March 1964)
Created by	Stan Lee (writer) Steve Ditko (artist)
In-story information
Base(s)	New York City
Member(s)	the Ox Montana Fancy Dan "Snake" Marston "Hammer" Harrison

The Enforcers are a team of supervillains appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics, usually as adversaries of the superheroes Spider-Man and Daredevil. The original Enforcers consisted of Montana (Jackson Brice), the Ox (Raymond Bloch), and Fancy Dan (Daniel Brito).

The Enforcers first appeared in The Amazing Spider-Man #10 (March 1964), and were created by writer-editor Stan Lee and artist and co-plotter Steve Ditko.^[1][2]

The Enforcers appear often in the early issues of The Amazing Spider-Man, debuting in #10,^[3] and returning in #14 and 19, in the latter issue teaming with the supervillain the Sandman. The team would go on to appear in Daredevil #356–357 and Dazzler #7–8, and fight Spider-Man again in Marvel Team-Up #39–40 and 138, Peter Parker, the Spectacular Spider-Man #19–20, Spider-Man #94–95, Spider-Man (vol. 2) #28, and elsewhere.

The Enforcers are a group of hired hitmen and extortionists, each with an expertise in a different and unique area of combat, whose goal it is to aid various employers in the takeover of New York City's criminal gangs.^[4] In their first appearance, the Enforcers aided the Big Man (Frederick Foswell) in his attempt to gain control of New York City's criminal gangs. They clashed with the superhero Spider-Man for the first time, and are defeated by him.^[5][6]

They were subsequently employed by paranoid industrialist Norman Osborn, hired them to shut down Malone's Flophouse in a bid to gain the land. However, the then-amnesiac Malone resident Namor the Sub-Mariner thwarted them, later destroying Osborn's construction equipment.^[7] They next aided the Green Goblin in his first unsuccessful attempt to eliminate Spider-Man, but were again defeated and jailed.^[8] Soon after that, they joined forces with the Sandman to subdue the Human Torch at a point where it was believed Spider-Man had become a coward, but are defeated by the combined might of Spider-Man and the Human Torch.^[9]

The Enforcers clash repeatedly with Spider-Man and occasionally other heroes such as Daredevil. Foswell is eventually unmasked, but later reforms and is killed. Afterward, the Ox also appears to have been killed,^[10]

Montana and Fancy Dan team with a new Big Man, as well as with the Sandman and a new Crime Master, Nick Lewis, Jr. son of the original. During a battle in which the team is defeated by Spider-Man, the Human Torch, and the Sons of the Tiger, Crime Master shoots the new Big Man, learning belatedly that this "Big Man" was, in fact, a woman — Janice Foswell, daughter of the original and the younger Lewis' romantic interest.^[11]

The Enforcers were hired by Lightmaster, who introduced a new Ox, Raymond Bloch's twin brother Ronald Bloch, to the team. The Enforcers are once again defeated by Spider-Man.^[12] They later battle the mutant superheroine the Dazzler.^[13]

The Enforcers return with new members "Snake" Marston and "Hammer" Harrison. The Enforcers come under the employ of the Kingpin, but were defeated by Spider-Man and the then-reformed Sandman.^[14] This lineup appears only once more to fight Daredevil.^[15]

The original Ox (Raymond Bloch) returns, revived by the Kingpin.^[16] It is unclear whether it is Raymond or Ronald Bloch who appears with Montana and Fancy Dan in subsequent battles with Spider-Man^[17] and the She-Hulk.^[18]

During the events known as the superhero Civil War, either Raymond or Ronald Bloch and "Snake" Marston are recruited into the Thunderbolts, a team of reformed villains.^[19]

Later, they came back together to work for Mister Fear, which pitted them directly against Daredevil.^{[volume & issue needed]} After Mister Fear's arrest, the Enforcers are taken in to work for the Hood's crime organization.^{[volume & issue needed]}

Following the events of the storyline "Spider-Man: Brand New Day", the Enforcers are patrons at the Bar with No Name. They take bets with a person calling himself "the Bookie", over whether Spider-Man will show up to battle "Basher", an unknown villain who claimed to have fought Spider-Man. Spider-Man shows up, but is revealed to be Screwball in disguise when the real one shows up at the scene of the fight. The Enforcers decide to get revenge on the Bookie, capturing him. The Bookie's father calls Spider-Man for assistance and he agrees to help. Spider-Man defeats Fancy Dan and Montana and saves the Ox from being flattened by a falling roller coaster. Grateful for the save, the Ox agrees to come along quietly.^[20]

During the "Origin of the Species"' storyline, Spider-Man goes against the villains after Menace's infant was stolen from him by the Chameleon. The Enforcers were not actually part of this group, where they quoted "we're the Enforcers, not the Kidnappers". They got caught in the crossfire anyway when the Sandman tries to recruit them to team up with him again.^[21]

Montana then started working for the Kingpin. During a fight which resulted in the Kingpin's office crumbling, the Hobgoblin lets him fall to his death in order to take his place as Fisk's right-hand man.^[22]

The Enforcers (Fancy Dan, the Ox, "Snake" Marston and "Hammer" Harrison) are reassembled by the fourth Crime Master, who convinces them and the Black Cat to assist him with breaking Hammerhead and Tombstone out of Ryker's Island. The attempted breakout is prevented by Spider-Man and the Wraith and the Crime Master is revealed to be an impostor who Mister Negative had instructed to assassinate Hammerhead and Tombstone.^[23][24]

During the "Hunted" storyline, "Snake" Marston is among the animal-themed characters that were captured by the Taskmaster and the Black Ant for Kraven the Hunter's Great Hunt, which is sponsored by Arcade's company, Arcade Industries. He was seen at a gathering held by the Vulture.^[25]

During the "Devil's Reign" storyline, the Enforcers members Fancy Dan, Ox, Montana, Snake Marston, and Hammer Harrison were shown as inmates of the Myrmidon. When 8-Ball offered to sit with them, they turn him down.^[26]

During the "Gang War" storyline, the Enforcers are shown to have Ridgewood, Queens as their territory.^[27] Hobgoblin and Prowler (Aaron Davis) sway the Enforcers to their side by providing them with some weaponry. While Miles Morales and Cape Killers members Scorpion and Gust are investigating Hobgoblin activity in Sheepshead Bay, Brooklyn, they are attacked by Prowler and the Enforcers. Despite the high-tech weaponry that they wielded, the Enforcers were defeated by Scorpion and Gust.^[28]

The group originally consisted of:

• Fancy Dan - Daniel Brito is a diminutive martial artist from Brooklyn who is proficient in judo, karate, and kicking.
• Ox I - Raymond Bloch is a brutish strongman and the twin brother of Ronald Bloch.
• Montana - Jackson W. Brice is an expert lasso-wielder.

These members were later additions to the group. They consisted of:

• Ox II - A brutish strongman and Raymond Bloch's twin brother who temporarily replaced him following his death.
• "Snake" Marston - An expert contortionist.
• "Hammer" Harrison - An expert boxer who wields diamond-hard steel hammers.

An alternate universe variant of the Enforcers from Earth-9997 appear in Earth X, consisting of Fancy Dan, Ox, Montana, and Vulture. These versions are Norman Osborn's bodyguards.^[29]

An alternate universe variant of the original Enforcers from Earth-90214 appear in Spider-Man Noir. These versions are former carnies and servants of Norman Osborn.^[30]

An alternate universe variant of the original Enforcers from Earth-982 appear in MC2.^[31][32][33]

An alternate universe variant of the original Enforcers from Earth-1610 appear in the Ultimate Marvel universe.^[34] These versions are servants of the Kingpin. Additionally, Fancy Dan is a gunslinger named Dan Crenshaw, Ox is a Black Dominican named Bruno Sanchez, and Montana is named Montana Bale and wields a whip rather than a lasso.^{[35][36][37][38]}

• The original Enforcers appear in the Spider-Man episode "Blueprint For Crime", consisting of Ox and Montana, the latter of whom is known as "Cowboy".^{[citation needed]}
• The original Enforcers appear in The Spectacular Spider-Man, with Fancy Dan voiced by Phil LaMarr, the Ox by Clancy Brown and later by Danny Trejo, and Montana by Jeff Bennett.^{[2][39][40][41][42][43]} This version of the group utilize modern weaponry, suits, and equipment. They debut in the series' pilot episode "Survival of the Fittest", where Tombstone and Hammerhead hire them to kill Spider-Man. However, Dan and Ox are captured while Montana escapes. In the episode "Market Forces", Montana becomes the Shocker, only to be defeated and captured as well. In the episode "Group Therapy", the Enforcers are broken out of prison, though Montana joins the Sinister Six to kill Spider-Man alongside five of his previous enemies, only to be defeated once more. Montana rejoins the Enforcers in the episode "Probable Cause", Dan and Ox receive powered suits from the Tinkerer, but are sabotaged by Hammerhead and incarcerated at the Vault.
• The original Enforcers appear in the Ultimate Spider-Man episode "Nightmare on Christmas", with Fancy Dan voiced by Steven Weber, Ox by Mark Hamill, and Montana by Troy Baker.^[40][41][42]

The Enforcers appear in Marvel Heroes.^{[citation needed]} They kidnap Speedball and almost kill him before being killed by Jean DeWolff.

• Enforcers at Marvel.com
• Marvel Directory: Enforcers
• Grand Comics Database