Vulture (Marvel Comics)

The second and most prominent incarnation of the character, Adrian Toomes, is an inventive but maniacal genius who designed his suit and turned to a life of crime, becoming an enemy of Spider-Man and a founding member of the Sinister Six, with later characters to assume the mantle including Blackie Drago, a former cellmate of Toomes, and Clifton Shallot and Jimmy Natale, human/bird hybrids of independent origins.

The first Vulture, Italian scientist Isidoro Scarlotti, first appeared in Young Men #26 (December 1953), created by Joe Gill and Carl Burgos and depicted as an enemy of the original Human Torch and Toro.

When the Torch and Toro arrive to investigate Costene's disappearance, they encounter the Vulture'scrime robots and manage to defeat them by luring them into the swamp to be short-circuited by water.

Rushing up north to the secret location of the Vulture's hideout, the Torch and Toro ambush the criminal and his minions and destroy the rocket.

One day, after creating a flight harness, Toomes eagerly rushed into Bestman's office to share the happy news, but he was not there.

[14] The Vulture employs a special electromagnetic harness of his own design that allows him to fly; his flight is directed by a pair of artificial wings worn on his arms.

Spider-Man realized for the first time he could sell photos to J. Jonah Jameson after the Daily Bugle offered a reward for a picture of Vulture.

[18] Due to a preoccupation with the camera, Spider-Man was knocked out by Vulture and sealed in a water tank with sides too slippery to climb up, but was able to break free.

[24] Some time later, Dr. Clifton Shallot mutated his body into a form resembling Toomes's, but possessing natural wings and flight capability.

[30] Reduced to a "mere salesman", he journeyed to Las Vegas, where he attacked Morris "Snake" Diamond in the middle of the desert for stealing Toomes's blueprint journals for ultrasonic-sensitive dice.

[27] Vulture would seemingly cherish Nathan's influence, but irony would serve him a cruel blow when he was hired by the Kingpin to assassinate a high-ranking casino runner.

During another conflict with Spider-Man just prior to joining Doctor Octopus's new Sinister Six, the Vulture sought to use a hostage as a shield, and selected May Parker from the crowd.

The next day, she visited Toomes in prison and apologized to him for her cruel remarks, but also stated that she could not forgive him, and that any kind of redemption would be left up to him and God.

During a later fight with Spider-Man, the Vulture was 'attacked' by David Kalen, a man capable of dissolving anything he touched who had turned his power on himself in his grief at the death of his brother.

[citation needed] In the Identity Disc series, it was revealed that Toomes, with the help of Sandman, manipulated Marvel villains Bullseye, Deadpool, Juggernaut and Sabretooth into laying siege to terrorist group A.I.M.

[volume & issue needed] During a brief time working for the Owl, he failed in a mission (and had his face brutally slashed by the Black Cat) and was severely beaten as punishment.

prison cell speaking with Agent Jamie Madrox, and commenting on Spider-Man's inherent weakness, that being his unwillingness to use his powers for personal gain.

[46] Following the "Spider-Island"' storyline, Vulture returns as the leader of an unnamed gang of penthouse thieves and murderers who have vulture-like wings, but with a new gothic style.

Having used his new magnetically sensitive webbing to catch the gang and deactivate their wings, Spider-Man defeats Toomes despite his new use of his gravity-manipulating technology to give himself seemingly superhuman strength.

Superior Spider-Man confronts Vulture and attempts to bribe him into giving up crime by offering him a small fortune from Octavius's hidden bank accounts.

[55] They eventually break free of Superior Spider-Man's control and attempt to exact revenge on the wall-crawler, nearly destroying New York in the process.

[57] Adrian Toomes later developed a modified version of his electromagnetic harness that has a reinforced helmet and lightweight, razor-sharp, nano-woven wings which responded to his mental commands, where he took on the Falcon name, which he believed to be vacant at the time.

[59] In a prelude to the "Hunted" storyline, Vulture is among the animal-themed characters captured by Taskmaster and Black Ant on Kraven the Hunter's behalf.

[65] Vulture uses the Technarchy samples to convert Feral, Animax, Cloak and Dagger, Fatale, and Reaper into Orchis' version of the Hounds, and he sends them after Mystique and Nightcrawler.

The first mobster he finds revealed Vulture's past as the Maggia's "cleaner" Jimmy Natale and then, lies about the transformation caused by J. Jonah Jameson.

[73] In the Origin of the Species story-arc, the Vulture joins Doctor Octopus' supervillain team, which was assembled to procure specific items.

He wears a costume of synthetic stretch fabric housing an electromagnetic harness with artificial bird-like wings attached beneath the arms.

Another by-product of his exposure to its unique radiation as that, despite old age and no exercise of Adrian Toomes, his physical strength represents the upper limits in human development.

Toomes is also elderly and depends on the tailored suit for strength, speed, and health boosting, as well as draining life-forces to maintain his own youth.

[97] Alternate universe variants of Blackie Drago, Jimmy Natale, the Vulture Noir, Adrian Toomes, and Clifton Shallot appear in Spider-Verse as members of the Hounds.

Blackie Drago as Vulture. Art by John Romita, Sr. .
Clifton Shallot as Vulture. Art by Ross Andru .
Jimmy Natale as Vulture. Cover to The Amazing Spider-Man #623. Art by Joe Quinones.
Spider-Man 2099 and Vulture 2099 on the cover of Spider-Man 2099 #7. Art by Rick Leonardi
Adrian Toomes / Vulture as he appears in Spider-Man: The Animated Series .
Vulture as he appears in Spider-Man Unlimited .
Adrian Toomes / Vulture as he appears in The Spectacular Spider-Man .