J. Jonah Jameson
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John Jonah Jameson (also known as J. Jonah Jameson, J.J. or J.J.J.) is a supporting character featured in Marvel Comics’s Spider-Man series. Created by writer Stan Lee and artist Steve Ditko, he first appeared in The Amazing Spider-Man #1 (March 1963).
Jameson is the publisher and editor-in-chief of the Daily Bugle, a New York newspaper. Recognizable by his mustache, flattop haircut and ever-present cigar, he carries out an Ahab-like smear campaign against Spider-Man that has turned much of the city against the hero. Ironically, he employs Spider-Man’s alter ego Peter Parker as a photojournalist.
Portrayals of Jameson have varied throughout the years. Sometimes he is shown as a foolishly stubborn and pompous skinflint who micromanages his employees and resents Spider-Man out of jealousy. Other writers have portrayed him more humanly, as a humorously obnoxious yet caring boss who nevertheless has shown great bravery and integrity in the face of the assorted villains the Bugle comes into contact with, and whose campaign against Spider-Man comes more from fear of youngsters following his example. In either case, he has remained an important part of the Spider-Man mythos.
Jameson seems to be modeled on the American yellow journalism tycoons of the 1890s and 1900s, particularly William Randolph Hearst. Creator Stan Lee once said that Jameson was based on the impression that people have of Lee himself.
Jameson is also the father of John Jameson, the Marvel Universe supporting character who, in addition to his job as a famous astronaut, has become Man-Wolf, Star-God and married She-Hulk.
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[edit] Biography
[edit] Early life
According to "Behind the Moustache," a story featured in Spider-Man's Tangled Web #20 (January 2003), he was born to David and Betty Jameson. His father was an officer of the United States Army, a war veteran decorated as a hero; at home, however, David regularly abused his wife and son. As a result, J. Jonah Jameson grew convinced that "No one's a hero every day of the week" and "Even the real heroes can't keep it up all the time". He was a Boy Scout during his childhood. In high school, his interests were mainly boxing and photography. He met his first wife, Joan, when they both joined their high school's photo club. When the school's three top athletes started bullying him, he fought back and beat all three of them to a pulp. This impressed Joan, and they started dating. They married as soon as they finished school.
After school, Jameson sought employment as a journalist. According to Marvels #1, he found employment in the Daily Bugle and bragged to his colleagues that he would one day run the newspaper. In 1939, he witnessed the first appearances of Jim Hammond, the android Human Torch, and Namor McKenzie (aka Namor the Sub-Mariner, Prince of Atlantis), who are jointly considered Marvel's first superheroes. Jameson was immediately skeptical of both of them; he doubted that someone with superhuman powers who operated outside the law could be trusted. When the USA joined World War II in 1941, Jameson served as a war journalist in Europe. Sergeant Fury and His Howling Commandos #110 featured him as covering a mission of Sergeant Nicholas Fury, who was heading a team of commandos during the war.
After the war, he and Joan had a son, John, who grew up to become an astronaut. When Jameson returned from a journalistic mission covering the Korean War, he was grieved to find that his wife had died in a mugging incident during his absence. Focusing on his professional life to dull the pain, he was eventually promoted to chief editor of the Daily Bugle, and eventually came to own the paper.
Jameson gained a mostly deserved reputation for journalistic integrity, but his greedy opportunism and unyielding belligerent stubbornness made him more than a few enemies.
[edit] Jameson and Spider-Man
Those flaws became most obvious when Spider-Man became a media sensation. Jameson strove to blacken Spider-Man's reputation; casting the masked hero as an unhinged vigilante not only boosted the Bugle's circulation, but also punished Spider-Man for overshadowing Jameson's astronaut son. When Spider-Man tried to counter the bad press by rescuing his son from danger, Jameson vindictively accused the hero of staging the situation for his own benefit.
This episode set a pattern with Jameson's and Spider-Man's typical relationship: Jameson publicly accusing Spider-Man of numerous crimes and misdeeds, only to feel continually obliged to print almost as many retractions after being proven wrong. Jameson refused to accept responsibility for his unprofessional conduct, however, and blamed Spider-Man for trying to ruin him. While he would never admit it, Jameson was jealous of Spider-Man's selfless heroism, to the point that, despite all evidence to the contrary, he convinced himself that the hero had some hidden, sinister agenda. Even while Spider-Man saved his life and those of his loved ones numerous times, his determination to find some flaw in the hero only increased. For his part, Spider-Man's reaction has ranged from frustration and anger at the ungrateful publisher, which has lead to occasional pranks to antagonize him, to an amused acceptance of his self destructive stubbornness. Ironically, Jameson himself was something of a hero in his reporter days, when he labored tirelessly against organized crime and in support of civil rights, so Jameson's suspicion that Spider-Man cannot possibly be as good as he seems might be interpreted as an extrapolation of the impossible standards Jameson has set for himself, or a manifestation of the abuse he suffered from his "hero" father.
Jameson posted rewards for Spider-Man's capture or secret identity, hunted him with Spencer Smythe's Spider-Slayer robots, and even commissioned super-powered agents to defeat the masked man. He hired a private detective called Mac Gargan, put him through a regimen of genetic enhancement, and transformed him into the Scorpion—who soon went insane and turned on his benefactor. Although Spider-Man has protected Jameson from this monster, Jameson kept his role in creating the Scorpion secret for years. He was even so foolish as to create another superbeing, who turned into a minor supervillain, the Human Fly, who had his own vendetta against him. At one time, he hired Silver Sable and her Wild Pack to hunt Spider-Man down before he could be proven innocent.
For all his hostility towards Spider-Man, Jameson needs photographs of his heroics to sell papers, and Peter Parker soon took advantage of that by taking pictures of himself as Spider-Man and selling them to the Bugle with few questions asked.
In Amazing Spider-Man #162 (November 1976), Jameson first introduced himself to Dr. Marla Madison, a distinguished scientist and daughter of a deceased friend of his. He asked for her help in creating a new Spider-Slayer, one of a series of robots created to defeat Spider-Man, although Spider-Man has managed to survive their attacks and destroy each of them. Madison was interested in the challenge, and joined Jameson in his efforts. The two eventually grew closer, eventually marrying in Amazing Spider-Man Annual #18. Jameson remains a devoted, if a little over-protective, husband to his second wife. The two have also adopted their niece, Mattie Franklin, who, unbeknownst to her aunt and uncle, is also Spider-Woman. In the third volume of Alias, Mattie's secret was revealed, as, while searching for Jessica Drew in a drug-induced haze, she found former superhero Jessica Jones. Jones tracked down the girl and found that Mattie's boyfriend was using her blood to make Mutant Growth Hormone.
Despite his feelings towards Spider-Man, Jameson helped him out during Inferno, a demonic attack on New York. The publishing offices of the Daily Bugle had come under siege and Jameson led the defense. A badly injured Spider-Man and Jameson cooperated in defending the others.
The guilt for creating the Scorpion caught up with Jameson when the Hobgoblin blackmailed him about it. When he received the threats, rather than succumb to the Hobgoblin, Jameson chose instead to reveal it to the world in a public editorial. Naturally of course, he neglected to mention his role in creating the Fly and financing several of the Spider-Slayers. He stepped down as the Bugle's editor-in-chief, delegating the post to his immediate subordinate, Joseph "Robbie" Robertson, but Jameson remained its publisher.
Jameson's influence on the paper as its publisher will be shown in the upcoming Civil War: Frontline where he pressures his staff into supporting the government's Super-human Registration Act, still directing the general tone of the paper, despite losing his more hands-on position.[1]
To his credit, Jameson has also been a tireless crusader for civil rights. He has also agitated in print on behalf of labor union rights. He has even stood up for mutant rights, despite his dislike of superhuman individuals; for the most part it is only superhumans who set themselves above others by acting outside the law who earn his ire, not superhumans per se. Jameson is admittedly more tolerant of superheroes who act with government sanction, such as the Avengers as opposed to uncontrolled costumed vigilantism. He has also come to Peter's aid financially, although on the sly, and has repeatedly gone after organized crime and corrupt officials, despite repeated threats and attempts on his and his staff's lives.
In Civil War #2, upon seeing the true identity of Spider-Man to be Peter Parker, he faints upon the realization that the greatest thorn in his side was right under his nose. It has been since revealed that Jameson had always believed that between him and Peter Parker was a bond of trust ever since the young man stumbled into his office, and he had always regarded him as another son, the "last honest man" in the world, and aside from his rudeness, he had always bought his photos, even the ones that were poor, to help him in a discreet manner. After the public confession of Peter, he felt so betrayed that it shattered their bond. "I guess he must've thought it really funny...must've thought I was pretty stupid, having him in here all this time, and never knowing," he tells Joe Robertson. "Probably spent whole days just laughing at me." Jameson channeled all his hatred into "making Peter Parker pay", despite Parker (as enforcer) and Jameson both actively supporting the Super-human Registration Act. For starters, he had planned to sue his former protege for fraud, demanding back all the money he paid Peter over the years and more. However, he hit a stumbling block in his drive to get vengeance as the government granted Parker amnesty for his years of being a vigilante and all the acts he had done to protect his secret identity, which included taking photos of himself (see She-Hulk #9). Since Parker had legally obeyed the Super-Human Registration Act up to that point in time, and unable to stand the fact that he may not have been able to do anything about it, plus the fact that his son had married a costumed super-human, Jameson went into a fit of rage, and even attacked his new daughter-in-law with the original Spider-Slayer. Luckily for all those involved, the She-Hulk reduced the ancient monstrosity to scrap.
In order to soothe things over with her new-father-in-law, Jennifer Walters, the She-Hulk, said she would take the case for fraud against Spider-man. However, in private she told John of her intentions to drag the case out for as long as possible to frustrate his father.
Since that incident, Spider-Man has defected from Iron Man's pro-registration, government sanctioned team and joined up with Captain America's Secret Avengers, openly rebelling against the new law and fighting those attempting to enforce it. Jameson's reaction to this new development remains to be seen, though in recent issues of Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man, it has been said that he has posted a reward to bring Peter in. However, Jameson now faces problems of his own with reporter Betty Brant secretly supplying information to The Daily Globe for a damaging front page story accusing his paper of libel against Parker.
[edit] Other media adaptations
Jameson has been a regular character in almost all adaptations of Spider-Man.
The 1960s animated series contained the most negative depiction with the character, voiced by Paul Kligman, as an egotistical loudmouth who automatically accuses Spider-Man of any crime, even when the evidence clearly contradicts him.
J. Jonah Jameson appeared in the 1981 Spider-Man series and Spider-Man and his Amazing Friends voiced by William Woodson.
Subsequent depictions have portrayed the character as more reasonable in his beliefs of masked men, particularly in the 1990s animated series, in which he was voiced by Ed Asner (whose casting may have been inspired by Asner being well-known role as another fictional news editor, Lou Grant). In this series, Jameson's hatred of Spider-Man is based less on his powers and more to his wearing a mask; in this continuity, his wife was killed by a masked gunman.
The series also portrays his integrity as a journalist, refusing to cover up the truth even when it's in his best interests, and portrays his loyalty to those who work for him. He secretly hired attorney Matt Murdock to defend Peter Parker when Peter was framed by Richard Fisk and personally uncovered evidence exonerating Robbie when he was framed by Tombstone (Jameson's cigar-smoking trademark characteristic was removed from the more recent animated TV incarnations).
The character's first live-action appearances were in 1970s television, performed by David White in the television movie and Robert F. Simon in the subsequent television series. In both these incarnations, Jameson's abrasive, flamboyant personality was toned down and the character was portrayed as a more avuncular figure.
[edit] Film
J. K. Simmons played a very authentic version of Jameson in the feature film. In the movie, Jameson retains his dislike for Spider-Man, but is basically a good, loyal man; under the right circumstances, he would die to protect others (as demonstrated by his refusal to reveal to the Green Goblin the identity of the photographer who took all the pictures of Spider-Man). Jameson also, at some level, knows that Spider-Man is a hero. He even went so far as to admit it in Spider-Man 2, though true to his origins, he recanted almost immediately and became infuriated with "Spidey" once again (when Spider-Man stole his suit back after disappearing for a period of time). Here, when asked why he disliked Spider-Man, he pointed out that "he wears a mask. What's he got to hide?"
Mrs. Jameson is alive and well in the movies, being mentioned in the first movie and seen in the second. Jameson also retains his miserly ways in the film. At the wedding of John and Mary-Jane Watson in the second film, once it becomes clear that the bride had left the groom at the altar, the first thing Jameson does is tell his wife to call the wedding caterer and "tell her not to open the caviar."
The recent video shown in the Spider-man 3 movie blog states that Jameson sets Eddie Brock and Peter Parker up as rivals. His office is once again rearranged.
[edit] Video Games
Jameson has appeared in many of the Spider-Man video games, usually as a supporting character.
The snooty editor-in-chief of the Daily Bugle appeared in the 2000 Spider-Man video game. He appeared when the Scorpion tried to kill him because Jameson put Mac Gargan, the Scorpion, in the armour suit he is forever stuck in. Spider-Man eventually saves Jameson and defeats Scorpion in battle. However, Jameson doesn't thank Spider-Man because at the beginning of the game, Spider-Man was seen stealing the seemingly reformed Dr. Otto Octavius' machine (Jameson doesn't know that Spider-Man was framed). He even told two S.W.A.T. cops to shoot down and kill Spider-Man. Luckily, the hero escaped by jumping out of a window with him saying, "J.J., you're out of my will! I mean it this time!"
Jameson also appeared in the two games based on the films, with his character being based on the film version.He will also make an appearance in Spider-Man 3 (video game).
Though not appearing, in Marvel Super Heroes and subsequent Capcom 2-D fighting games featuring Spider-Man, Jameson is mentioned. In his victory pose after winning a round, Spider-man casts a web up to the "ceiling" to the bottom of which he attaches a camera. He then stands over his fallen opponent and makes a "thumbs-up" gesture as the camera flashes and says "One for J.J." In Marvel vs. Capcom, in addition to the victory pose, Spider-man poses for a picture with his partner after winning the game, stating "I know Jameson will use this picture to make me look like a bad guy."
[edit] Comparisons to Perry White
Jameson has various similarities to the Superman mythos' Perry White (the editor-in-chief of The Daily Planet newspaper, and boss of Superman's alter ego, newspaper reporter Clark Kent). Jameson and White have been directly compared in several intercompany crossovers, including the second Superman/Spider-Man encounter published in 1981 and set in a universe where the DC and Marvel characters co-exist. Peter Parker briefly relocates to Metropolis and sells photographs to White, forming the opinion that White is just as tough as Jameson, but nicer. Clark Kent, meanwhile, has moved to New York and is warmly greeted by Jameson when Kent applies for a temporary stint at the Bugle.
Jameson and White meet in the Marvel vs DC series (in which the two universes are initially separate but are briefly merged) after the mysterious new owner of the Planet fires White and replaces him with Jameson. In one frame, White and Jameson angrily confront the owner (Wilson Fisk, aka The Kingpin) and are drawn with near-identical clothing, wristwatches, hairstyles and cigars. At the end of the series, the status quo is restored.
[edit] Trivia
- In the alternate reality of Earth X, everyone on Earth has been affected by the Terrigen Mists, granting everyone super powers. Jameson is turned into a donkey; literally, he becomes a jackass. It is also revealed that after he published information exposing Peter Parker as Spider-Man, his reputation was ruined, as no one trusted a man who had spent years paying the very hero he called a menace.
- Stan Lee has declared, on more than one occasion, that he would have relished the opportunity to portray Jameson in a live-action film, though he has nonetheless praised actor J.K. Simmons' performance as Jameson in the Spider-Man films, even stating that, to his disdain "[Simmons] portrays [Jameson] better than [Lee] could".
- The J in J. Jonah Jameson stands for 'John', as confirmed in Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe: Spider-Man 2005, although he's called "Jolly Jonah" many times in the comics.
- J. Jonah Jameson's wife Joan also shares her name with Stan Lee's real-life wife.
- In The Simpsons episode, "Moe'N'a Lisa," which aired on November 19, 2006, J.K. Simmons guest stars, playing a publisher resembling Jameson as Simmons himself played him in the Spider-Man movies. This resemblance is made more apparent when he demands pictures, stories, and even poems about Spider-Man. This is due in part to guest star, Michael Chabon doing the writing on Spider-Man 2 [1]
- In the Spider-Man 2 parody on VH1 ILL-Ustrated, Jameson is portrayed a Dr. Dre lookalike.
- Reference is made to Jameson in the novelization of the Fantastic 4 movie, although the character is not named; after they have saved the people on the bridge, Mr. Fantastic is shown numerous television channels talking about the 'Fantastic Four', and recognises a man with a small moustache (Accompanied by a headline 'FANTASTIC FOUR: HEROES OR MENACE') as the owner of a major newspaper
