Mysterio

Mysterio is an American villain and former movie stuntman and special-effects designer. He uses his skill in special effects to make his villainous persona seem magical and mysterious.

Biography

In 1964, the man who would become known as Mysterio decided to employ his skill in design to achieve an artificial glory. He created a special suit to imitate the powers of the hero Spider-Man, committing crimes across the city to bring in money as well as to ruin Spider-Man's reputation. He also created the new "hero" persona of Mysterio, donning a dramatic cape, bodysuit, and large opaque dome over his head. With his knowledge of special effects, he equipped himself with various gadgetry designed to counter Spider-Man's powers and emphasize his own enigmatic nature. After Spider-Man had been sufficiently painted as a villain, he confronted the wronged crimefighter atop the Brooklyn Bridge and quickly overtook him with his sneaky maneuvers. Spider-Man was forced to retreat into the river below, and Mysterio was hailed as a hero. Spider-Man later tracked Mysterio to his film-studio hideout, where he got Mysterio to arrogantly confess that he had framed him. Spider-Man surreptitiously tape-recorded the confession, and Mysterio tried to take the tape from him, but Spider-Man was able to fight through the villain's tricks. Spider-Man brought Mysterio to the police, who with his taped confession was quickly charged. After getting free several months later (it is unclear whether he escaped or was released), Mysterio was brought into a team formed by Doctor Octopus called the Sinister Six, alongside Electro, the Vulture, the Sandman, and Kraven the Hunter. The Six consisted of some of Spider-Man's greatest foes, but were nonetheless unable to defeat him in a series of individual battles, and were incarcerated once more.

Mysterio eventually got out of prison and took a more subtle approach to defeating Spider-Man. He concocted the identity of European psychiatrist Ludwig Rinehart and went in disguise to J. Jonah Jameson at the Daily Bugle, a rabid Spider-Man critic. He claimed, using his supposed psychiatric expertise, that Spider-Man was mentally ill and on the verge of a total breakdown. Jameson published his comments in the Bugle, and Mysterio began using various remote-controlled imaging devices to make Spider-Man think he was hallucinating. The hero eventually came to "Rinehart's" home seeking aid, but by that point Jameson had gotten wind of Mysterio's lies. He arrived at the house moments later, and Spider-Man exposed Mysterio's true identity and apprehended him.