Sinister Syndicate
| Sinister Syndicate | |
|---|---|
| Publication information | |
| Publisher | Marvel Comics |
| First appearance | The Amazing Spider-Man #280 (Sep 1986) |
| Created by |
Tom DeFalco Ron Frenz |
| In-story information | |
| Base(s) | New York |
| Member(s) |
The Beetle Boomerang Hardshell Hydro-Man Rhino Shocker Speed Demon |
The Sinister Syndicate is a fictional group of supervillains appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. The characters serve as a collection of lesser-known Spider-Man villains. It was the focus of the 1991 Deadly Foes of Spider-Man mini-series.
The Sinister Syndicate first appeared in The Amazing Spider-Man #280 and was created by Tom DeFalco and Ron Frenz.
Patterned after the conglomeration of Spider-Man's deadliest foes who call themselves the Sinister Six, the Sinister Syndicate originally was formed by the super-villain Abner Jenkins, a.k.a. "The Beetle". The original roster of the group consisted of Beetle, Hydro-Man, Rhino, Boomerang, and Speed Demon, who collectively gathered together under the Beetle's leadership. Unlike the Sinister Six, which was formed mainly to destroy Spider-Man, the Syndicate was formed to act as a mercenary group that worked for the highest bidder.
The Syndicate's first appearance was in The Amazing Spider-Man #280, where the group successfully prevented Spider-Man and Silver Sable from capturing famed assassin Jason Macendale, then known as Jack O'Lantern.
The group, now featuring Shocker and getaway driver/Boomerang's girlfriend Leila Davis, were the focus of the 1991 mini-series Deadly Foes of Spider-Man. The four-issue mini-series focused upon the group's break-up due to the Beetle's jealousy towards Boomerang and his attempts to usurp control over the group. Beetle eventually betrayed Boomerang by allowing him to be caught during a robbery and then convincing him to use Beetle's lawyer, not knowing that Beetle had instructed his lawyer to throw the trial to ensure Boomerang's conviction.
As Beetle forges an alliance with the Kingpin, Speed Demon begins a relationship with Leila while Rhino locates a scientist who can remove his rhino-themed body-armor, which had been permanently bonded to his body at the time. The scientist however, owes the Kingpin a large sum of money in unpaid gambling debts, resulting in Beetle killing the scientist. As Shocker helps Boomerang escape jail, Leila betrays Speed Demon and reveals her true purpose for dating Boomerang and involving herself with the Syndicate: Leila was the widow of the super-villain Anthony Davis a.k.a. "The Ringer." The Ringer had been kidnapped years earlier by Beetle, who then strapped a (what was ultimately revealed to be fake) bomb to his chest, forcing him to fight Spider-Man. Beetle watched via a camera hidden inside "the bomb" in order for him to observe Spider-Man in action. When Spider-Man defeated the Ringer and exposed Beetle's scheme, Ringer was humiliated and branded a loser by his fellow villains, culminating in his being killed by the Scourge. Leila sought to destroy Beetle in order to avenge her husband.
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