Mister Fear

Mister Fear
Larry Cranston as Mister Fear. Art by Michael Lark.
Publication information
Publisher	Marvel Comics
First appearance	Daredevil I #89 (Jul 1972)
Created by	Gerry Conway Gene Colan
In-story information
Alter ego	Lawrence "Larry" Cranston
Partnerships	Lucia von Bardas
Abilities	Skilled lawyer Extensively trained hand to hand combatant Fear pheromone administered primarily by gas pellets, occasionally by syringe, most recently by an aerosol sprayer Use of a perfume that made him able to influence other people

Mister Fear is the name of four fictional characters, all supervillains appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. These character have all fought with superhero Daredevil on numerous occasions.

Mr. Fear is the identity of multiple supervillains that have fought Daredevil on numerous occasions using a special 'fear gas' fired from a gas pellet gun; the original was Zoltan Drago who first appeared in Daredevil #6 (February 1965) and was created by Stan Lee and Wally Wood. The second was Samuel "Star" Saxon who also goes by Machinesmith; he temporarily took up the mantle when he murdered Zoltan Drago. The 3rd is Larry Cranston, an ex-law graduate who blames Matt Murdock (Daredevil) for his failures in life. The fourth is Larry Cranston's nephew Alan Fagan who used the identity to go after Spider-Man.

Zoltan Drago was the proprietor of a financially ailing wax museum who attempted to use his knowledge of chemistry to create an elixir which would turn his wax statues into living creatures, with which he would create a private army. The chemical failed to create life in wax, but Drago discovered the brew he had created could evoke fear in those who inhaled it. Designing a frightening costume for himself, Drago became Mister Fear.

Fear used his fear-gas to make terrified slaves of the brutish Ox of the Enforcers and the Eel. Naming his triumvirate the Fellowship of Fear, Drago ran afoul of, and was soundly defeated by Daredevil and imprisoned. He was later killed by Machinesmith (Samuel 'Starr' Saxon) in New York City.

Criminal engineer Samuel "Starr" Saxon temporarily assumed the guise of Mister Fear. Daredevil had defeated Saxon's robotic assassins, and desiring the means to confront Daredevil directly, Saxon gunned down Drago and stole his gear. As the second Mister Fear, Saxon humiliated Daredevil in televised battles, casting himself as the hero in a series of charity-funding battles against the superhero. In the final battle with Daredevil, Saxon was unmasked, and plunged to his death. Saxon's robots would use his mind as the template for the Machinesmith's central consciousness.