Montana
Attributes
| Eyes: | Beady. |
| Features: | Always wears a cowboy hat and string tie. And, oh yes, he always carries a lasso. |
| Hair: | Brown. (Though it has also been presented as orange.) |
| Height: | 6'3" (Approximate.) |
| Weight: | 150 pounds (Approximate.) |
Powers
| Abilities: | Can rope just about anyone or anything with his trusty lasso. |
| Equipment: | Just the lasso... unless you want to count the hat and the string tie. |
| Limitations: | Limitations? Well, he and the other Enforcers have this bad habit of hiring themselves out to other villains rather than trying to go it alone. Other than that, what kind of limitations can a guy with a lasso possibly have? |
| Strength Level: | Normal human. |
| Weapons: | That pesky lasso again. And, in his last appearance, a gun. |
Summary
| Citizenship: | USA |
| Created By: | |
| Current Groups: | The Enforcers. |
| Current Occupation: | Jailbird, presumably. |
| Education: | Unknown. |
| Former Bases: | New York City. |
| Former Groups: | The New Enforcers. (His regular buddies plus Hammer Harrison and Snake Marston.) |
| Former Occupation: | Mob Enforcer. |
| Known Allies: | Fancy Dan, the Ox, the Big Man, the Green Goblin, the Sandman, the Big Man II, the Crime Master II, the Ox III, Lightmaster, Hammer Harrison and Snake Marston (The Satan Squad), Norman Osborn, the Headsman, the Arranger, Mr. Hyde, the Kingpin. |
| Known Confidants: | Fancy Dan and the Ox (The Enforcers.) |
| Legal Status: | Incarcerated, presumably. |
| Major Enemies: | Spider-Man, the Human Torch, the Sons of the Tiger, the Dazzler, the Sandman, Daredevil, the Eel, Jimmy-6. |
| Marital Status: | Single. |
| Place of Birth: | Hmmm, I don't know... maybe, Montana? |
| Real Name: | Unknown. |
| Usual Bases: | New York City. |
Background
Montana's origin has never been revealed. He first appears as a member of the Enforcers along with Fancy Dan and the Ox, working for the Big Man in his attempt to take over the New York mobs. His specialty is the lasso, which, in his hands, "resembles a living thing, completely obedient to its master's will". Combining their special abilities into an intimidating mix, the Enforcers wage the first of the gang wars in which Spider-Man becomes involved. Thanks to the wall-crawler's interference, the Enforcers are rounded up by the police and the Big Man is discovered to be Daily Bugle reporter Frederick Foswell.
(A later retcon reveals the Enforcers as employees of Norman Osborn before they ever team up with the Big Man. They also work with the Headsman, an Osborn flunky, post-Big Man, in yet another retcon.)
”The Grotesque Adventure of the Green Goblin”
Released from jail after a stint of a few months, Montana and his pals team up with the Green Goblin in order to get revenge on Spider-Man. The plan is to convince Spider-Man that he is acting in a movie with stunt men made up to look like the Enforcers and then... clobber him! It doesn't work. Montana gets webbed up in a cave and the Enforcers get picked up by an Army helicopter. The Goblin, of course, escapes. (Amazing Spider-Man (vol. 1) #14)
Out of jail, Montana and friends team up with the Sandman to capture the Human Torch. Spidey steps in, rescues the Torch and creams the Enforcers again.
Years go by before Montana is seen again. In his next appearance, he allies himself with the Big Man II, the Crime Master II, Fancy Dan, and the Sandman. (Spidey beats him by kicking him in the stomach.)
”Again, The Enforcers!”
Then he teams with Fancy Dan, Ox III and the Lightmaster. Spidey beats him by grabbing his lasso and swinging him against the wall. (Peter Parker, The Spectacular Spider-Man (vol. 1) #19)
In his battle with the Dazzler...ahh, who'm I kidding? I didn't read those issues of the Dazzler. He later teams with Hammer Harrison and Snake Marston of the Satan Squad (along with Dan and Ox III, of course) to form the New Enforcers under the aegis of the Arranger. (Spidey beats him by yanking his hat down over his head, tying him up with his own lasso and whacking him against a wall.) He and the New Enforcers get hired by Mr. Hyde to do a number on Daredevil. (The Eel... yes, the Eel... beats him by punching him out.) Most recently, Montana, Fancy Dan, and the original Ox have been hired by the Kingpin and resorted to using guns. (Spidey beats him by kicking him in the head.)
”The Sting That Never Goes Away”
Montana became the right hand man of Wilson Fisk after Kingpin was released from prison. He didnt stay in that position for long, as he was killed during a fight between Spider-Man and Phil Urich, the Hobgoblin. The Hobgoblin's sonic laugh set off a material called reverbium, which had been stolen and was being held in Fisk's building. The vibrations caused the building to collapse, sending Montana to his death and allowing Hobgoblin to take his place in the Kingpin's organization. (Amazing Spider-Man #651)
”Dead No More: The Clone Conspiracy”
Sometime later, Montana was cloned by the Jackal (Ben Reilly). Reilly was cloning anyone that had died whom Spider-Man had failed to rescue, preying on his sense of guilt. Jackal promised that the criminals were no longer a danger, as they had taken therapy from Ashley Kafka. Reilly offered to resurrect Ben Parker, which was the breaking point for Peter. He refused to join the Jackal and Reilly ordered the clones to kill him.
”Gang War”
As New York’s mobs fought in the streets, the Hobgoblin ordered Prowler (Aaron Davis, uncle of Miles Morales) to keep Spider-Man from his business in Brooklyn. (Miles Morales: Spider-Man (vol. 2) #13)
The Enforcers met with Prowler at a secret laboratory and he offered to boost their reputation. They instead suggested killing him and taking his territory when Hobgoblin showed up. Then they agreed to work for them. Hobgoblin sent them out to distract Spider-Man, Misty Knight and Colleen Wing. The Daughters of the Dragon were captured and taken away by Agent Gao’s “Cape Killers” task force, while Miles was watched over by Scorpion and Gust (a teenage girl forced to join the Cape Killers.) The Enforcers and Prowler arrived to take out Spidey, which resulted in a brawl with the three. Montana challenged Scorpion to an old fashioned gun draw, and Scorpion beat him immediately. As he told Gust, the Enforcers were “jobber’s jobbers.” (Miles Morales: Spider-Man (vol. 2) #14)
Image Gallery
Appearances
| Cover Date | Appearance Information |
|---|---|
| Mar 1964 | App: Amazing Spider-Man (Vol. 1) #10 |
| Jul 1964 | App: Amazing Spider-Man (Vol. 1) #14 |
| Dec 1964 | App: Amazing Spider-Man (Vol. 1) #19 |
| Nov 1975 | App: Marvel Team-Up #39 |
| Dec 1975 | App: Marvel Team-Up #40 |
| Jun 1978 | App: Spectacular Spider-Man (Vol. 1) #19 |
| Jul 1978 | App: Spectacular Spider-Man (Vol. 1) #20 |
| Sep 1981 | App: Dazzler #7 |
| Oct 1981 | App: Dazzler #8 |
| Feb 1984 | App: Marvel Team-Up #138 |
| Apr 1996 | App: Untold Tales of Spider-Man #8 |
| Oct 1996 | App: Daredevil (Vol.1) #357 |
| Apr 2001 | App: Amazing Spider-Man (Vol. 2) #28 |
Thanks To
The assistance of the Marvel Chronology Project is gratefully acknowledged.
Some of the above information is extracted from the various versions of the Official Handbook to the Marvel Universe and the more recent Marvel Encyclopaedias.