Prowler (comics)

Prowler
Artwork for the cover of Prowler vol. 2, 1 (October, 2016 Marvel Comics). Art by Mike Deodato. (Variant cover art)
Publication information
Publisher	Marvel Comics
First appearance	The Amazing Spider-Man #78 (November 1969)
Created by	Stan Lee (writer) John Buscema (artist) Jim Mooney (artist)
In-story information
Alter ego	Hobie Brown (first incarnation) Unnamed cat burglar (second incarnation) Rick Lawson (third incarnation)
Team affiliations	Defenders The Outlaws Wild Pack
Notable aliases	Spider-Man
Abilities	Technological genius Skilled hand-to-hand combatant Use of hypnotic aids and conventional hand-held weapons Battle suit grants: Wall crawling Gliding via cape Titanium-laced claws Gauntlets capable of shooting compressed air blasts, sleeping pellets and other projectiles

The Prowler is a fictional character, a superhero appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. Created by writer-editor Stan Lee, John Buscema and Jim Mooney, Prowler made his first appearance in The Amazing Spider-Man #78. While several other characters have also taken up the character's identity, the first version developed a high-tech battle suit in order to start a life of crime until Spider-Man convinces him to turn his life around.

The original Prowler character was criminal-turned-superhero Hobie Brown. He debuted in The Amazing Spider-Man #78 (November 1969). He was created by Stan Lee, John Buscema and Jim Mooney after a "suggestion" by a young John Romita, Jr. He eventually appeared in his own solo comic The Prowler.

Hobie Brown was born in the Bronx, New York. He was a bright but angry teenage African-American who got fired from his window washer job. Intending to use his engineering skills for personal profit, he devised a plan to steal items while disguised as a supervillain and then return them as Hobie.

Donning his green and purple "Prowler" costume for the first time, Hobie set out to rob the payroll office of the Daily Bugle, figuring that that would garner him quick publicity. However, he was caught in the act by Peter Parker. While struggling with Peter, he drew the attention of editor J. Jonah Jameson. Parker, with no way to defeat Prowler without giving away his own secret identity, contrived to get thrown through a window during the struggle, and used his spider-powers to save himself once outside. Traumatized by the events, a shaken Hobie made his escape to the roof of the building, only to be confronted by Spider-Man. Spider-Man vanquished and unmasked Hobie, but realizing he was just a misunderstood kid (much like the web-slinger himself), Spider-Man gave him advice not to throw his life away as a criminal and to redeem himself. Hobie took this advice to heart and has since become a model citizen. Hobie later impersonated Spider-Man at the hero's request - Spider-Man wearing a webbing mask - to convince Peter's friends that he was not Spider-Man after Peter 'confessed' the truth while suffering delirium due to the flu, thus creating the impression that Peter had merely been confused. Hobie became convinced that Spider-Man was involved somehow in police Captain George Stacy's death, and unsuccessfully tried to bring Spider-Man to justice. Hobie eventually married his love, Mindy S. McPherson, and settled down into a career as a construction worker.