Big Wheel (comics)
Encyclopedia
Big Wheel is a 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...

 supervillain created by Marv Wolfman
Marv Wolfman
Marvin A. "Marv" Wolfman is an award-winning American comic book writer. He is best known for lengthy runs on The Tomb of Dracula, creating Blade for Marvel Comics, and The New Teen Titans for DC Comics.-1960s:...

, Ross Andru
Ross Andru
Ross Andru was an American comic book artist and editor. He is best known for his work on Amazing Spider-Man, Wonder Woman, Flash and Metal Men....

, and Mike Esposito
Mike Esposito (comics)
Mike Esposito , who sometimes used the pseudonyms Mickey Demeo, Mickey Dee, Michael Dee, and Joe Gaudioso, was an American comic book artist whose work for DC Comics, Marvel Comics and others spanned the 1950s to the 2000s...

. The character first appeared in The Amazing Spider-Man
The Amazing Spider-Man
The Amazing Spider-Man is an American comic book series published by Marvel Comics, featuring the adventures of the fictional superhero Spider-Man. Being the mainstream continuity of the franchise, it began publication in 1963 as a monthly periodical and was published continuously until it was...

#182 (July 1978).

Fictional character biography

Jackson Weele is a businessman who has embezzled from his company. Fearing that he might be caught, he hires a youthful criminal, Rocket Racer
Rocket Racer
The Rocket Racer is an African-American super-hero in Marvel comics.-Publication history:Rocket Racer first appeared in Amazing Spider-Man #172 as a super-villain. He returned in issues #182 and #183 in a battle against the Big Wheel...

, to steal the evidence that incriminates him. However, Rocket Racer opts to use the evidence to blackmail Weele instead. Despairing, Weele tries to commit suicide, but Rocket Racer prevents him from doing so. However, Racer is not particularly kind to Weele, disparagingly referring to him as "Big Weele". Humiliated by Rocket Racer's taunts, Weele visits the mechanical genius and underworld supplier the Tinkerer
Tinkerer
The Tinkerer is a fictional character, a supervillain appearing in comic books set in the Marvel Comics Universe...

, who the Rocket Racer boasted had upgraded his equipment. At Weele's urging, the Tinkerer creates a large metal wheel that can climb up buildings, complete with guns and waldo-arms.

With this new vehicle, Wolfman transforms Weele into "Big Wheel", the supervillain. Newly empowered, Big Wheel hunts down and chases Rocket Racer across the city. In the process, he ends up fighting the title character Spider-Man
Spider-Man
Spider-Man is a fictional Marvel Comics superhero. The character was created by writer-editor Stan Lee and writer-artist Steve Ditko. He first appeared in Amazing Fantasy #15...

. Spider-Man is also seeking Rocket Racer, whom he had battled in a previous issue. Unfortunately, Weele lacks practice in using his new device and, in the heat of battle, the Big Wheel topples off a high rooftop and plunges into the Hudson River. Spider-Man tries to save him, but comes up empty-handed. He presumes Jackson Weele died when the Big Wheel vehicle sank to the bottom of the river.

Return

Big Wheel did not appear in another comic book for more than twenty years. However, the story was picked up again by writer Cristos N. Gage. As often happens in the comics medium, Weele survives his seemingly deadly encounter. He turns up again with his Big Wheel while Spider-Man is in combat with Stilt-Man
Stilt-Man
Stilt-Man is the name of two supervillains in Marvel Comics.-Publication history:Stilt-Man first appeared in Daredevil vol. 1 #8 and was one of his earliest enemies. He is a criminal wearing a suit of armor with powerful telescopic legs .The character did not age well, as his powers were more a...

. This time, Big Wheel attempts to help Spider-Man. However, due to his interference, Stilt-Man escapes. Confronted by Spider-Man, Weele reveals that, in the interim since their last meeting, he went to jail for embezzlement and joined Vil-Anon, an analog of Alcoholics Anonymous for super-villains. In fact, his attempt to help the hero was part of his twelve-step program. Out of pity, Spider-Man lets Big Wheel accompany him for the rest of the day. While foiling a bank robbery, the pair confronts the Shocker
Shocker (comics)
The Shocker or just Shocker is a fictional character that appears in comic books published by Marvel Comics. The character first appeared in The Amazing Spider-Man #46 and was created by writer Stan Lee and artist John Romita, Sr.-Fictional character biography:Herman Schultz was born in New York...

. Although they defeat him, Jackson Weele finally realizes that he is not cut out for super-heroics. He now makes his living using his Big Wheel rig in demolition derbies and speaking at events for Vil-Anon.

Although poorly received by Spider-Man fans in his initial storyline, Big Wheel's appearance in Spider-Man Unlimited generally received positive reviews. Despite the character's limited exposure, he is often cited as one of Spider-Man's least powerful foes.

Poker

The Big Wheel is discussed in "Spectacular Spider-Man" #21 (Jan. 2005) during a super-hero poker game. Spider-Man tells Reed Richards that the Big Wheel is one of the craziest things he has ever seen (along with a gang of mimes). The Human Torch
Human Torch
The Human Torch is a fictional character and superhero appearing in comic books published by Marvel Comics. Created by writer Stan Lee and artist Jack Kirby, he is a member of the superhero team the Fantastic Four, debuting in The Fantastic Four #1...

 says he has met the man at the 'Rusty Nail' and he is working as a security guard. The Torch also claims the Wheel's first name is Axel.

Civil War

During the "Civil War" storyline Big Wheel is shown being chased by the Harbor Patrol, implying that he returned to super-heroics despite the doubts he harbored in Spider-Man Unlimited.

He was later brought in by Spider-Man and Iron Man
Iron Man
Iron Man is a fictional character, a superhero in the . The character was created by writer-editor Stan Lee, developed by scripter Larry Lieber, and designed by artists Don Heck and Jack Kirby, first appearing in Tales of Suspense #39 .A billionaire playboy, industrialist and ingenious engineer,...

 for black market connections Iron Man believes may have aided Ezekiel Stane.

Jackson is back in a more jagged version of his Big Wheel machine and he at one pointed joined Blackout and other villains in a mission to kill Ghost Rider
Ghost Rider (Johnny Blaze)
Ghost Rider is a fictional character, an antihero in the Marvel Comics Universe. He is the second Marvel character to use the name Ghost Rider, following the Western hero later known as the Phantom Rider, and preceding Daniel Ketch.Johnny Blaze was portrayed both in the 2007 film Ghost Rider and...

.

Television

  • Big Wheel appears in the Spider-Man: The Animated Series
    Spider-Man (1994 TV series)
    Spider-Man, also known as Spider-Man: The Animated Series, is an American animated series starring the Marvel Comics superhero, Spider-Man. The show ran on Fox Kids from November 19, 1994, to January 31, 1998. The producer/story editor was John Semper, Jr. and production company was Marvel Films...

    episode "Rocket Racer" voiced by Michael Des Barres
    Michael Des Barres
    Lord Michael Philip Des Barres is a British actor and rock singer. He is known for playing the recurring role of Murdoc on the television show MacGyver and for replacing the late Robert Palmer in the band Power Station, fronting the band at the 1985 Live Aid concert...

    . In this version, Weele is the head of a band of high-tech thieves whose technology is stolen by Rocket Racer
    Rocket Racer
    The Rocket Racer is an African-American super-hero in Marvel comics.-Publication history:Rocket Racer first appeared in Amazing Spider-Man #172 as a super-villain. He returned in issues #182 and #183 in a battle against the Big Wheel...

    . He states at one point that he once worked in aeronautics
    Aeronautics
    Aeronautics is the science involved with the study, design, and manufacturing of airflight-capable machines, or the techniques of operating aircraft and rocketry within the atmosphere...

    , and has achieved everything from proper timing/planning. He is defeated by the combined efforts of Spider-Man and Rocket Racer.

Video games

  • Big Wheel appears as one of the villains in the Game Boy Advance
    Game Boy Advance
    The is a 32-bit handheld video game console developed, manufactured, and marketed by Nintendo. It is the successor to the Game Boy Color. It was released in Japan on March 21, 2001; in North America on June 11, 2001; in Australia and Europe on June 22, 2001; and in the People's Republic of China...

     game Spider-Man: Mysterio's Menace
    Spider-Man: Mysterio's Menace
    Spider-Man: Mysterio's Menace is one of the early releases for the Game Boy Advance, this game features Spider-Man pitted against a rogue's gallery including villains Rhino, Hammerhead, and Big Wheel, led by none other than the Master of Illusion himself, Mysterio.In Japan the game was released as...

    .
  • Big Wheel appears in the PSP and PS2 versions of Spider-Man: Web of Shadows
    Spider-Man: Web of Shadows
    Spider-Man: Web of Shadows is a video game title encompassing three versions: a full-3D action game for Microsoft Windows, PlayStation 3, Wii, and Xbox 360; a 2.5D sidescrolling beat em up action game for the PlayStation Portable and PlayStation 2 , and a 2.5D side-scrolling brawler/platformer for...

    . He appears as an assist character who will run over enemies.
  • A Marvel 2099
    Marvel 2099
    Marvel 2099 is a Marvel Comics imprint, started in 1992, that explores one possible future of the Marvel Universe. It was originally announced by Stan Lee in his "Stan's Soapbox" column as a single series entitled The Marvel World of Tomorrow, which was being developed by Lee and John Byrne...

     version of Big Wheel appears as a villain in the Nintendo DS
    Nintendo DS
    The is a portable game console produced by Nintendo, first released on November 21, 2004. A distinctive feature of the system is the presence of two separate LCD screens, the lower of which is a touchscreen, encompassed within a clamshell design, similar to the Game Boy Advance SP...

     version of Spider-Man: Edge of Time
    Spider-Man: Edge of Time
    Spider-Man: Edge of Time is a video game developed by the Activision-owned developer Beenox, based on the superhero Spider-Man. The story was written by Peter David, and gameplay has a "cause-and-effect" system where one Spider-Man's actions will affect the other and vice versa. It was released on...

    .

External links

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