Crazy Gang (Marvel Comics)
Encyclopedia
Crazy Gang is a fiction
al group of supervillain
s, appearing in Marvel Comics
. They are mostly petty thieves, but will work as mercenaries. The Crazy Gang has fought Captain Britain
and Excalibur
.
version in the pages of Marvel UK's Marvel Superheroes #377 (September 1981). This version was created by David Thorpe
, Paul Neary
and Alan Davis
. This group subsequently appears in Marvel Superheroes #387-388 (June-July 1982), and Daredevils #1 (January 1983).
The Crazy Gang of mainstream Marvel Earth (Earth-616
) first appeared in Marvel UK's The Mighty World of Marvel
#10 (March 1984), by Alan Moore
and Alan Davis. They subsequently appear in Captain Britain Comics #1-3 (January-March 1985).
The Crazy Gang first appeared in American comics in Excalibur #4 (January 1989), by Chris Claremont
and Alan Davis. They subsequently appear in #52 (July 1992), #54 (September 1992), #57-58 (November-December 1992), and #124-125 (September-October 1998).
The Crazy Gang received an entry in the Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe Update '89
#2.
was sent to an alternate Earth, known as Earth-238, by Merlyn
. Together with Saturnyne
, he hoped to save this world from the corruption that threatened it; instead they encountered Earth-238's Mad Jim Jaspers
, a lunatic with the ability to warp reality. Serving Jaspers were the Crazy Gang, a group of superhumans based on characters in Lewis Carroll
's Through the Looking-Glass
. Captain Britain and Saturnyne individually managed to escape this Earth and Jaspers and the Crazy Gang were killed when Earth-238 was destroyed by Saturnyne's successor, Mandragon.
Back on his homeworld, Earth-616
, Captain Britain encountered his world's Mad Jim Jaspers. Jaspers was even more powerful here and in a moment of boredom he created the Crazy Gang from the Earth. Jim Jaspers was killed shortly afterwards and his death undid most of the changes Jaspers had done to the world, but the Crazy Gang continued to exist for some reason. Leaderless, the Crazy Gang tried to rob banks, but without a leader they were too incompetent to be any actual threat. They started looking for a leader and Slaymaster
responded. Disguised as the Caterpillar
from Alice's Adventures in Wonderland
, he convinced the Crazy Gang that he was like them. Under Slaymaster's leadership, the Crazy Gang became an effective band of thieves and he directed them to steal and vandalize objects and monuments that had symbolic importance to Great Britain
. These actions angered Captain Britain and he attacks the Crazy Gang, walking into the trap Slaymaster set for him. Finding out that Slaymaster had used them, the Crazy Gang left him, disappointed.
Months later, they were hired by Arcade
to kidnap Courtney Ross
, Captain Britain's former girlfriend. In Arcade's deadly theme park Murderworld, the Crazy Gang fought Captain Britain's new group Excalibur
. Crazy Gang member Tweedledope had created a device that allowed the Crazy Gang to switch bodies with Excalibur, but in the end Excalibur managed to restore everything back to normal.
Disappointed with their life of crime, the Crazy Gang kidnapped Joyboy of the Technet, now known as the N-men. They brought Joyboy to their Red Queen and Joyboy's ability to twist a person's dreams and desires and make them a nightmarish reality connected with the Red Queen's madness. The two entered a symbiotic embrace and created a beautiful land. They invited villagers from nearby to visit them and the villagers accepted. Their sudden disappearance was noticed and Excalibur was called in by their long-time ally Dai Thomas. Excalibur discovers the Wonderland, but Captain Britain's prejudices against the Crazy Gang made him attack the group (and they were attacked by the land itself). His girlfriend Meggan
convinced him, though, that the Crazy Gang had changed their ways and was actually harmless, and Excalibur leaves the Crazy Gang as friends. The citizens of the land, mostly seniors, were allowed to enjoy this new paradise. Some time later, Excalibur sends a large group of trolls, who were living under London
, to live with the Crazy Gang in their Wonderland.
Under unknown circumstances, Joyboy returned to the Technet and the Red Queen turned insane again. The Executioner was destroyed and the Crazy Gang buries it. Former Excalibur member, Feron
, stumbles upon the Crazy Gang. Falsely believing his old friends did not care about him anymore, Feron disguises himself as the Executioner. He manipulates the Crazy Gang to attack Excalibur, but they were easily defeated and the Executioner was unmasked. The Crazy Gang was then invited to Captain Britain's wedding to Meggan.
Fiction
Fiction is the form of any narrative or informative work that deals, in part or in whole, with information or events that are not factual, but rather, imaginary—that is, invented by the author. Although fiction describes a major branch of literary work, it may also refer to theatrical,...
al group of supervillain
Supervillain
A supervillain or supervillainess is a variant of the villain character type, commonly found in comic books, action movies and science fiction in various media.They are sometimes used as foils to superheroes and other fictional heroes...
s, appearing in Marvel Comics
Marvel Comics
Marvel Worldwide, Inc., commonly referred to as Marvel Comics and formerly Marvel Publishing, Inc. and Marvel Comics Group, is an American company that publishes comic books and related media...
. They are mostly petty thieves, but will work as mercenaries. The Crazy Gang has fought Captain Britain
Captain Britain
Captain Britain , briefly known as Britannic, is a fictional character, a superhero appearing in the comic books published by Marvel Comics. Created by Chris Claremont and Herb Trimpe, he first appeared in Captain Britain Weekly, #1...
and Excalibur
Excalibur (comics)
Excalibur is a Marvel Comics superhero group, an off-shoot of the X-Men, usually based in the United Kingdom. Conceived by writer Chris Claremont and artist/co-writer Alan Davis, the original Excalibur first appeared in Excalibur Special Edition , also known as Excalibur: The Sword is Drawn.The...
.
Publication history
The Crazy Gang first appeared as a parallel universeParallel universe (fiction)
A parallel universe or alternative reality is a hypothetical self-contained separate reality coexisting with one's own. A specific group of parallel universes is called a "multiverse", although this term can also be used to describe the possible parallel universes that constitute reality...
version in the pages of Marvel UK's Marvel Superheroes #377 (September 1981). This version was created by David Thorpe
Dave Thorpe
Dave Thorpe is a British writer who is best known for his work on Captain Britain.-Biography:Thorpe's career began with Marvel UK's Captain Britain character in the early 1980s. He created many of the characters later used by Alan Moore...
, Paul Neary
Paul Neary
Paul Neary is a British comic book artist, writer and editor.His first work was for Warren Publishing in the 1970s before working with Dez Skinn at Marvel UK as well as work for 2000 AD...
and Alan Davis
Alan Davis
Alan Davis is an English writer and artist of comic books, known for his work on titles such as Captain Britain, The Uncanny X-Men, ClanDestine, Excalibur, JLA: The Nail and JLA: Another Nail.-UK work:...
. This group subsequently appears in Marvel Superheroes #387-388 (June-July 1982), and Daredevils #1 (January 1983).
The Crazy Gang of mainstream Marvel Earth (Earth-616
Earth-616
In the fictional Marvel Comics multiverse, Earth-616 or Earth 616 is the name used to identify the primary continuity in which most Marvel Comics titles take place.-Origin of Earth-616:...
) first appeared in Marvel UK's The Mighty World of Marvel
The Mighty World Of Marvel
The Mighty World Of Marvel was Marvel UK's first-ever title, debuting in 1972, and is also the name of a similar current comic printed by Panini Comics, which bought the Marvel UK titles....
#10 (March 1984), by Alan Moore
Alan Moore
Alan Oswald Moore is an English writer primarily known for his work in comic books, a medium where he has produced a number of critically acclaimed and popular series, including Watchmen, V for Vendetta, and From Hell...
and Alan Davis. They subsequently appear in Captain Britain Comics #1-3 (January-March 1985).
The Crazy Gang first appeared in American comics in Excalibur #4 (January 1989), by Chris Claremont
Chris Claremont
Chris Claremont is an award-winning American comic book writer and novelist, known for his 17-year stint on Uncanny X-Men, far longer than any other writer, during which he is credited with developing strong female characters, and with introducing complex literary themes into superhero...
and Alan Davis. They subsequently appear in #52 (July 1992), #54 (September 1992), #57-58 (November-December 1992), and #124-125 (September-October 1998).
The Crazy Gang received an entry in the Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe Update '89
Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe
The Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe is an encyclopedic guide which details the fictional universe featured in Marvel Comics publications...
#2.
Fictional history
Captain BritainCaptain Britain
Captain Britain , briefly known as Britannic, is a fictional character, a superhero appearing in the comic books published by Marvel Comics. Created by Chris Claremont and Herb Trimpe, he first appeared in Captain Britain Weekly, #1...
was sent to an alternate Earth, known as Earth-238, by Merlyn
Merlyn (Marvel Comics)
Merlyn is a fictional character in the Marvel Comics universe. He claims to be the Merlin of British Legends and has served for many years as the Omniversal Guardian, a function his daughter Roma took from him...
. Together with Saturnyne
Saturnyne
Opal Luna Saturnyne is the name of a fictional comic book character created by Dave Thorpe and Alan Davis for their Captain Britain stories. She is the Omniversal Majestrix of Otherworld, and a servant of Roma, charged with the safety of the Omniverse....
, he hoped to save this world from the corruption that threatened it; instead they encountered Earth-238's Mad Jim Jaspers
Mad Jim Jaspers
Sir James Jaspers is a fictional character created by Dave Thorpe and Alan Davis for the Captain Britain stories in Marvel UK comics and later developed by Alan Moore....
, a lunatic with the ability to warp reality. Serving Jaspers were the Crazy Gang, a group of superhumans based on characters in Lewis Carroll
Lewis Carroll
Charles Lutwidge Dodgson , better known by the pseudonym Lewis Carroll , was an English author, mathematician, logician, Anglican deacon and photographer. His most famous writings are Alice's Adventures in Wonderland and its sequel Through the Looking-Glass, as well as the poems "The Hunting of the...
's Through the Looking-Glass
Through the Looking-Glass
Through the Looking-Glass, and What Alice Found There is a work of literature by Lewis Carroll . It is the sequel to Alice's Adventures in Wonderland...
. Captain Britain and Saturnyne individually managed to escape this Earth and Jaspers and the Crazy Gang were killed when Earth-238 was destroyed by Saturnyne's successor, Mandragon.
Back on his homeworld, Earth-616
Earth-616
In the fictional Marvel Comics multiverse, Earth-616 or Earth 616 is the name used to identify the primary continuity in which most Marvel Comics titles take place.-Origin of Earth-616:...
, Captain Britain encountered his world's Mad Jim Jaspers. Jaspers was even more powerful here and in a moment of boredom he created the Crazy Gang from the Earth. Jim Jaspers was killed shortly afterwards and his death undid most of the changes Jaspers had done to the world, but the Crazy Gang continued to exist for some reason. Leaderless, the Crazy Gang tried to rob banks, but without a leader they were too incompetent to be any actual threat. They started looking for a leader and Slaymaster
Slaymaster
Slaymaster is a fictional comic book character from Marvel Comics's Captain Britain series.-Publication history:The Slaymaster's first appearance was in Super Spider-Man and Captain Britain #243 , a weekly Marvel UK title which featured a mix of reprint and original material.He was created by Jim...
responded. Disguised as the Caterpillar
Caterpillar (Alice's Adventures in Wonderland)
The Caterpillar is a fictional character appearing in Lewis Carroll's book, Alice's Adventures in Wonderland.-Appearance in Alice's Adventures in Wonderland:...
from Alice's Adventures in Wonderland
Alice's Adventures in Wonderland
Alice's Adventures in Wonderland is an 1865 novel written by English author Charles Lutwidge Dodgson under the pseudonym Lewis Carroll. It tells of a girl named Alice who falls down a rabbit hole into a fantasy world populated by peculiar, anthropomorphic creatures...
, he convinced the Crazy Gang that he was like them. Under Slaymaster's leadership, the Crazy Gang became an effective band of thieves and he directed them to steal and vandalize objects and monuments that had symbolic importance to Great Britain
Great Britain
Great Britain or Britain is an island situated to the northwest of Continental Europe. It is the ninth largest island in the world, and the largest European island, as well as the largest of the British Isles...
. These actions angered Captain Britain and he attacks the Crazy Gang, walking into the trap Slaymaster set for him. Finding out that Slaymaster had used them, the Crazy Gang left him, disappointed.
Months later, they were hired by Arcade
Arcade (comics)
Arcade is a fictional character, a supervillain in the Marvel Comics Universe created by Chris Claremont and John Byrne. Arcade first appeared in Marvel Team-Up, vol...
to kidnap Courtney Ross
Courtney Ross
Courtney Ross is a fictional character from Marvel Comics originating in the Captain Britain comics as Brian Braddock's college girlfriend. She was created by Chris Claremont and drawn by artists Herb Trimpe and Fred Kida...
, Captain Britain's former girlfriend. In Arcade's deadly theme park Murderworld, the Crazy Gang fought Captain Britain's new group Excalibur
Excalibur (comics)
Excalibur is a Marvel Comics superhero group, an off-shoot of the X-Men, usually based in the United Kingdom. Conceived by writer Chris Claremont and artist/co-writer Alan Davis, the original Excalibur first appeared in Excalibur Special Edition , also known as Excalibur: The Sword is Drawn.The...
. Crazy Gang member Tweedledope had created a device that allowed the Crazy Gang to switch bodies with Excalibur, but in the end Excalibur managed to restore everything back to normal.
Disappointed with their life of crime, the Crazy Gang kidnapped Joyboy of the Technet, now known as the N-men. They brought Joyboy to their Red Queen and Joyboy's ability to twist a person's dreams and desires and make them a nightmarish reality connected with the Red Queen's madness. The two entered a symbiotic embrace and created a beautiful land. They invited villagers from nearby to visit them and the villagers accepted. Their sudden disappearance was noticed and Excalibur was called in by their long-time ally Dai Thomas. Excalibur discovers the Wonderland, but Captain Britain's prejudices against the Crazy Gang made him attack the group (and they were attacked by the land itself). His girlfriend Meggan
Meggan
Meggan Puceanu is a fictional character, a mutant superhero in the . She first appeared in Mighty World of Marvel #7, , and was created by Alan Moore and Alan Davis....
convinced him, though, that the Crazy Gang had changed their ways and was actually harmless, and Excalibur leaves the Crazy Gang as friends. The citizens of the land, mostly seniors, were allowed to enjoy this new paradise. Some time later, Excalibur sends a large group of trolls, who were living under London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
, to live with the Crazy Gang in their Wonderland.
Under unknown circumstances, Joyboy returned to the Technet and the Red Queen turned insane again. The Executioner was destroyed and the Crazy Gang buries it. Former Excalibur member, Feron
Feron
Feron is a Marvel Comics character, a former member of the superhero group Excalibur. He first appeared in Excalibur vol. 1 #48 and was created by Alan Davis-Fictional character biography:...
, stumbles upon the Crazy Gang. Falsely believing his old friends did not care about him anymore, Feron disguises himself as the Executioner. He manipulates the Crazy Gang to attack Excalibur, but they were easily defeated and the Executioner was unmasked. The Crazy Gang was then invited to Captain Britain's wedding to Meggan.
Members
- Mad Jim JaspersMad Jim JaspersSir James Jaspers is a fictional character created by Dave Thorpe and Alan Davis for the Captain Britain stories in Marvel UK comics and later developed by Alan Moore....
: the creator of the Crazy Gang. - The Executioner: A silent android swathed in a long robe and hood and armed with an axe. It follows the commands of the Red Queen and seems to lack any real intelligence. It was destroyed under unknown circumstances, but it had been destroyed and repaired before.
- FeronFeronFeron is a Marvel Comics character, a former member of the superhero group Excalibur. He first appeared in Excalibur vol. 1 #48 and was created by Alan Davis-Fictional character biography:...
: A mage and former member of ExcaliburExcalibur (comics)Excalibur is a Marvel Comics superhero group, an off-shoot of the X-Men, usually based in the United Kingdom. Conceived by writer Chris Claremont and artist/co-writer Alan Davis, the original Excalibur first appeared in Excalibur Special Edition , also known as Excalibur: The Sword is Drawn.The... - The Jester, also known as the Clown. A very agile fighter and sometimes the self-proclaimed leader of the Crazy Gang. His Earth-238 counterpart was known as Coco.
- The Knave, also known as Jack of Hearts or the Knave of Hearts. He possesses superhuman strength and durability, but also a rather insecure personality. The Knave always argues with the Jester about the leadership of the Crazy Gang.
- The Red Queen, also known as the Queen of Hearts. She is completely insane, and all she ever does is shouting "Orv wiv 'is 'ead" ("Off with his head") - a command the Executioner follows without question.
- Tweedledope is an idiot savant; he is capable of creating incredible pieces of advanced technology like Widget, but has little practical intelligence. His vocabulary seems to be limited to grunts and chortles. He enjoys himself by training rats to obey his commands. In fights, Tweedledope is an unskilled but brutal fighter, who even bites his opponents.