Kingpin’s Deadly List: Marvel Heroes Targeted During Devil’s Reign

In the Marvel Universe, Wilson Fisk is a formidable crime lord without equal. Debuting in the 1967 comic Amazing Spider-Man #50 (penned by Stan Lee, John Romita Sr., Mickey Demeno, and Sam Rosen), Fisk has dominated New York City and controlled its criminal underworld with a firm grip. Known as the Kingpin, he’s gone toe-to-toe with countless heroes hailing from New York, repeatedly seizing control of the city.

In the Chip Zdarsky-penned Devil’s Reign series, Kingpin’s hostile takeovers reached an unprecedented level when he ascended to the position of Mayor. After attempting to distance himself from his past, Kingpin found that his memory had been manipulated to erase his knowledge about Daredevil. This revelation prompted him to launch a crusade aimed at outlawing all vigilantes. As Mayor Fisk, he focused on several key targets in particular. The upcoming Daredevil: Born Again series draws inspiration from this event, making it an opportune time to revisit Kingpin’s list of comic book enemies.

Not even citizens were safe from Fisk

Following the Thunderbolt team led by Wilson Fisk capturing numerous New York superheroes, Matt Murdock’s close associate and friend, Foggy Nelson, joined forces with assistant DA Kirsten McDuffie to defend them in court. In an attempt to counter Fisk using legal means, the Kingpin dispatched his henchmen to brutally attack Foggy in his office as a form of intimidation, aiming to discourage both Foggy and McDuffie from continuing their defense efforts. Although Foggy managed to survive, the assault left him close to death, causing Matt Murdock to intensify his efforts in the ongoing conflict between himself, the heroes, and Fisk.

In contrast to being a vigilante, Foggy is a selfless hero in his own right. When most of the city was either trembling with fear or backing Kingpin Fisk, Foggy and McDuffie were among the few who dared to challenge the Kingpin, demonstrating that no one is immune from accountability under the law. It was Foggy’s unwavering stand that ultimately inspired Daredevil to confront Fisk directly, showing that anyone can rise up and become a hero, even without wearing a mask.

Spider-Man was a key player in gathering the heroes together

When Fisk implemented the Powers Act, banning all vigilantes, he and his police unit promptly scoured the city for any masked heroes. One of the first they encountered was Miles Morales, who was working alongside Captain America to rescue people from a blazing building. The police attempted to apprehend Spider-Man and Cap, but Rogers managed to free Spider-Man. The two then fought off the officers until they were rescued by Ben Reilly/Spider-Man, Daredevil, and Elektra.

Subsequently, Miles became a key member of Daredevil’s band of heroes, significantly contributing to the defeat of the Kingpin. In almost every significant confrontation, Miles was present, even managing to rescue Daredevil from Doc Ock in “Devil’s Reign” issue 4. Furthermore, Miles played a pivotal role in securing the hero’s victory by uncovering Fisk’s plot to target the children of the Purple Man, having previously rescued the Champions from Rhino. During the climactic battle in “Devil’s Reign” #6, Miles enlisted the aid of the Champions and Rhino, who had switched allegiances to support the heroes during the fight.

The X-Men took on Fisk politically

In the midst of Fisk’s battle against the city’s heroes, he also targeted the X-Men. With a Krakoan sanctuary situated within the city, the Thunderbolts assaulted the X-Men, but were halted when the U.N. declared that the Krakoan building was off-limits due to diplomatic immunity. Unable to defeat them physically, Fisk framed Emma Frost for a murder and aimed to tarnish the X-Men’s image in public opinion. However, Frost emerged victorious in the court of public opinion after she rescued the girl she was accused of killing and Ben Urich exposed Fisk’s smear tactics against her. In retaliation, Frost ambushed Fisk in his home by manipulating his wife, Typhoid Mary, and left him with a warning that she would seek revenge.

During the period of Devil’s Reign, the X-Men faced numerous issues on their island nation of Krakoa. Cyclops and the team initially considered abandoning their New York sanctuary until Emma Frost intervened. By skillfully navigating the political arena, she outmaneuvered Fisk, unveiling his deceit and significantly damaging his popularity – a move that had been his greatest asset during the Devil’s Reign.

Kingpin brought back Jessica Drew’s greatest enemy

Following her education, Fisk decided to wreak havoc on her and those dear to her. Fisk’s Thunderbolts laid a trap when they severely injured one of her friends. Spider-Woman then faced off against Fisk, discovering that he had released one of her former adversaries, the Skrull Queen Veranke, to track down her and her companions. In an attempt to seize her child and hand him over to Fisk, Veranke was eventually defeated by Spider-Woman and Captain Marvel.

Fisk’s assault on Jessica Drew, though indirectly connected to the primary event, was a highly personal matter for him. Beyond just wanting to eliminate Spider-Woman, he aimed to systematically dismantle everything she cherished. It’s worth noting that Veranke, who posed as Spider-Woman during the “Secret Invasion”, added another layer of personal vendetta in Fisk’s plan. This made his intention not only to defeat Drew but also to eliminate her from the scene entirely, even more, significant.

Reed and Sue rescued all the heroes caught by Fisk

In Fisk’s initial attack on the city, one of his primary targets were the Fantastic Four. Catching them off guard at the Baxter Building, Doc Ock captured Sue and Reed, but Ben Grimm, Johnny Storm, and the children managed to flee. While in captivity, Reed and Sue devised a strategy to liberate all the heroes who had been apprehended, such as Moon Knight, Iron Man, and Iron Fist. Once freed, these heroes joined forces with the Fantastic Four in the climactic battle during issue #6 of Devil’s Reign (written by Chip Zdarsky, Marco Checchetto, Marcio Menyz, and Clayton Cowles). The combined efforts of all the heroes proved instrumental in defeating Fisk and saving the city.

In their absence, it would have been challenging for Daredevil and his team of renegade superheroes to overcome Fisk and his horde of villainous minions, including those under his mind-control spell. Not only did the Fantastic Four significantly contribute to the decisive battle against Fisk, but Reed and Sue also orchestrated the demolition of the entire prison, liberating other heroes in the process. This strategic move dealt a heavy blow to Fisk’s power structure within the city.

The Fist of Khonshu was right at home in prison

In “Devil’s Reign” #1 (written by Chip Zdarsky, illustrated by Marco Checchetto, colored by Marcio Menyz, and lettered by Clayton Cowles), Fisk’s Thunderbolts patrolled the city to apprehend anyone sporting a mask. One of the initial heroes they clashed with was Moon Knight, who was detained following a fierce battle against multiple members of Fisk’s task force. Upon being incarcerated, . After overcoming various obstacles, Moon Knight confronted Man-Mountain Marko in prison. It was then that he disclosed that his arrest was strategically planned to reach Marko, as his wife had sought refuge at the Midnight Mission due to fears of Marko’s imminent release.

Despite engaging in his personal strategies, Moon Knight proved indispensable in the heroes’ prison break, albeit by reducing the number of threats before they could execute their plan. In the midst of safeguarding the city, Moon Knight held firm to his own beliefs and was prepared to take any measures needed to shield those he promised to protect. As Fisk’s adversaries strategized and outmaneuvered him, Moon Knight stood his ground and was ready to counteract force with force.

Bucky Barnes took back his life

Among all the individuals Fisk had marked as heroes, there was one who was pursuing him. In the first issue of Devil’s Reign: Winter Soldier (written by Jackson Lanzing, Collin Kelly, Nico Leon, Felipe Sobreiro, and Joe Caramagna), Bucky was tormented by images of his fallen victims while operating as the Winter Soldier. Upon discovering that Fisk possessed files on all heroes and their secret identities, Barnes spent three weeks trailing Fisk in an attempt to retrieve his own file. He managed to infiltrate Fisk’s mansion and came across Fisk sleepwalking before engaging in a fierce confrontation. After being close to death in the fight, their battle brought about extensive damage to Fisk’s mansion, leaving Bucky barely able to flee with the file and his life.

Among the heroes participating in the “Devil’s Reign” event, Bucky was primarily concerned with securing his own victory. Being constantly embroiled in conflict and pursued wasn’t unfamiliar to the Winter Soldier; all he yearned for was a chance to find resolution. Despite almost perishing during this confrontation with Fisk, Bucky’s file disclosed truth about his association with the Outer Circle, which set him on his current journey as the Revolution – a path that is depicted in “Captain America: Sentinel of Liberty”.

Ben Reilly stepped up when needed

In the time of “Devil’s Reign”, Ben Reilly assumed the role of Spider-Man and encountered Taskmaster, who was commanding Fisk’s Thunderbolts. After a tough fight with the adversary, Reilly sustained grave injuries when he fell from a building and was apprehended. Later on, he was rescued by the Human Torch and The Thing before joining Daredevil’s band of resistance heroes. Ben proved pivotal in the ultimate battle against Fisk as he reverse-engineered neural disruptors to safeguard the heroes from the Purple Man’s powers.

Regardless of which Spider-Man character it is, they always embody a heroic spirit. When Peter Parker was sidelined, Ben Reilly took his place in one of New York’s most monumental battles ever fought. Given their fame and impact, it’s no wonder that both Ben and Miles Morales found themselves on Wilson Fisk’s (Kingpin) list of key targets.

The world’s greatest assassin becomes more

Following Elektra’s transition into Daredevil and Fisk assuming the mayoral role, she went to confront him due to his crusade against heroes, intending to end his life. However, her vow not to kill held her back. Instead, Fisk delivered a cryptic message hinting that someone was searching for her. Subsequently, Elektra engaged in combat with Kraven the Hunter, who aimed to capture her for his collection. In the end, Elektra overcame Kraven, with the help of her former mentor from the Hand, and participated in the climactic struggle for New York City in “Devil’s Reign” #6 (by Chip Zdarsky, Marco Checchetto, Marcio Menyz, and Clayton Cowles).

In the epic saga known as “Devil’s Reign,” Elektra played a pivotal part, not just during the event itself, but also in helping Matt persevere when all hope seemed lost. Kingpin’s assault on New York coincided with a period where Elektra was grappling with her past as an assassin and her new role as a hero. As she navigated through “Devil’s Reign,” Elektra found the strength to leave her violent past in the past, even going so far as to prevent Matt from killing Fisk during their climactic fight. This journey signified Elektra’s transformation from a ruthless killer into the hero she is today, by embracing and overcoming her dark past.

Matt Murdock is always Kingpin’s #1 target

When Fisk assumed the role of Mayor, he earnestly endeavored to leave his criminal past behind and become a Mayor committed to his city through justice. Yet, something in his memory had been altered, causing him to forget the real name of Hell’s Kitchen’s Devil. This revelation sparked an intense obsession within Fisk to uncover Daredevil’s identity and the individual who manipulated his memory, leading directly to the Devil’s Reign event and his ensuing conflict with superheroes.

Ever since their initial encounter in issue #170 of Daredevil (written by Frank Miller, Klaus Janson, Glynis Wein, and Joe Rosen), Daredevil and the Kingpin have been sworn enemies. As such, it’s not surprising that Kingpin’s vendetta against masked heroes has always centered around Matt Murdock. Throughout this ongoing conflict, Daredevil repeatedly faced off against Fisk’s Thunderbolts and was instrumental in rallying all the heroes together to stand against him. During his tenure as Mayor, every hero found themselves targeted by Fisk, but Daredevil has always been, and will forever remain, Kingpin’s primary target.

2025-04-21 06:56