Sin-Eater (comics)

Sin-Eater
Publication information
Publisher	Marvel Comics
First appearance	Peter Parker, The Spectacular Spider-Man #107 (Oct 1985)
Created by	Peter David Rich Buckler
In-story information
Alter ego	Stanley Carter
Team affiliations	S.H.I.E.L.D.

Sin-Eater is a name given to several fictional characters appearing in books published by Marvel Comics, usually those featuring Spider-Man and Ghost Rider.

Spider-Man related fictional character biographies

Stanley Carter

Stanley Carter was born in Fort Meade, Maryland. He was an agent of S.H.I.E.L.D. working in research and development. He was injected with experimental drugs to increase strength and endurance, but when the program was designated too dangerous it was discontinued. Carter became violent and resigned from S.H.I.E.L.D., eventually becoming a detective with the New York City Police Department. After his partner was killed by several young criminals, he became obsessed with destroying anyone who “sinned” by abusing authority.

As the Sin-Eater, his first victim was Captain Jean DeWolff (in "The Death of Jean DeWolff" story arc of the Peter Parker the Spectacular Spider-Man comics series).^{[volume & issue needed]} As a detective, he was assigned to find the killer, and worked closely with Spider-Man. His next two victims were Judge Horace Rosenthal, a friend of Matthew Murdock, and an African-American priest. During his escape after killing Judge Rosenthal, he fought against Spider-Man and killed a bystander during the battle. When Spider-Man and Daredevil discovered that the Sin-Eater’s next victim was going to be J. Jonah Jameson, they rushed to save him and sent the killer to prison. As he was being sent to Riker's a mob including De Wolff's father tried to kill him. Daredevil and Spider-Man stopped the mob and De Wolff's father from murdering Carter. During this time, Daredevil revealed that he knew Spider-Man's identity (he was able to recognize his heartbeat), and revealed his identity to Spider-Man.^[1]

After he was arrested, he was put in psychological and medical care. Spider-Man, who had lost control over his own strength, had caused serious damage crippling Carter. S.H.I.E.L.D purged all the drugs during this time but he still had visions of his Sin-Eater persona. After Carter was released, he had trouble readjusting to society and was perpetually haunted by his alternate persona the Sin-Eater. Finally, he took an empty shotgun and threatened to kill a child right in front of the police. After he released the hostage, he was shot and killed. His final words were "I've.... won. Sin-Eater d-dead. Now I can live....". Carter had become so troubled that he believed that he and the Sin-Eater were two different people.^[2]

Sin-Eater is, in a way, indirectly responsible for creating Venom. Hoping for a big story, Daily Globe reporter and photographer Eddie Brock interviewed a man who claimed to know information about the Sin-Eater's identity. However, it turned out that the man was a compulsive liar, and Spider-Man had caught the real killer. This resulted in Brock being fired and becoming hateful of Spider-Man for ruining him.^[3]

Michael Engelschwert

A new Sin-Eater appeared in the Venom: Sinner Takes All mini-series. He appeared on the steps of a courthouse wielding a shotgun, and killed several innocent people, and injured Anne Weying (Eddie Brock's ex-wife). Venom becomes involved because of his undying love for Anne and the battle between them begins. The Sin-Eater's identity in this story-arc is revealed as Michael Engelschwert, a former soldier in the Gulf War. In issue #4 of Sinner Takes All, Venom presumably kills the Sin-Eater after blowing up his vehicle with an anti-tank rocket. In issue #5 (the last issue) it is revealed that a cop was put in his place inside the vehicle, and the real Sin-Eater shows up at Anne Weying's apartment to find her and Eddie Brock. He makes an attempt to kill all of them by setting off a bomb that is strapped to himself, but Venom saves them while the Sin-Eater explodes.

Powers and abilities

The Sin-Eater had artificially heightened physical strength similar to that of Captain America. Though his strength was greater than that of any Olympic athlete it did not exceed the hypothetical natural limitations of the human body and would not be considered truly superhuman. The same clandestine experiments that produced his physique probably also drove him insane.

He had some degree of military training, though it was rendered less effective by his insanity.

Ghost Rider related fictional character biographies

Ethan Domblue

An earlier character named Sin-Eater first appeared in Ghost Rider #80. Ethan Domblue was a pastor obsessed with having a sinless congregation. Ghost Rider foe Centurious gave Ethan the power to "eat" his congregation's sins, leaving them in a passive, "sinless" state. He did not realize that by placing his parishioner's souls in the Crystal of Souls, he was creating an army of zombie-like slaves loyal to Centurious. Eventually, Ghost Rider defeated Centurious and freed the souls in the Crystal. As a last redemptive act, Ethan Domblue removed Zarathos from Johnny Blaze and placed the demon in the Crystal of Souls, freeing Blaze from the curse of Ghost Rider.

Reverend Styge

The Dan Ketch Ghost Rider also had a foe that was referred to as the Sin-Eater. Reverend Styge was granted power by Chthon to raise the dead by eating the living.

In other media

Television

Stan Carter currently appears in The Spectacular Spider-Man, voiced by Thomas F. Wilson.^[4] He is a uniformed police sergeant partnered with officer Jean DeWolff and expressed a short temper with Max Dillon after he refused to return to the hospital. He shows support of Spider-Man's activities, as opposed to his partner, even barricading a construction area so Spider-Man can finish fighting Sandman.

Novels

In the Spider-Man novel Spider-Man: Requiem, Stanley Carter appears not as Sin-Eater but instead as the newest incarnation of Carrion, who was brought back to life by S.H.I.E.L.D.

Stanley Carter came back to life after the Cabal of Scrier used the Carrion virus (created by Professor Miles Warren) to bring Stanley back to life in an attempt to steal the Darkhold from S.H.I.E.L.D. Spider-Man and the new Stanley Carter/Carrion battled for a while but eventually Carter began to fight with Carrion for control of his own body and when the Cabal of Scrier brought back the ancient god Chthon (which would destroy the world) Carter/Carrion gave up his own life to stop the god. While Stanley was still alive he had hidden from the authorities in his uncle Emory Carter's house and Emory had been infected by the Carrion virus when he was around Stanley. When Stanley died Emory become the next Carrion but was later defeated by Spider-Man.

References

1. ^ Peter Parker, the Spectacular Spider-Man #107-110
2. ^ Spectacular Spider-Man #134-136
3. ^ Amazing Spider-Man #300
4. ^ Comics Continuum by Rob Allstetter: Monday, February 4, 2008

External links

• http://www.marvel.com/universe/Sin-Eater