The next Marvel Villain I shall showcase from the "Bar With No Name Massacre" is the Power Man & Ms. Marvel villain known as Steeplejack. Three men have used the identity of Steeplejack but we are here to discuss Maxwell Plumm.
Maxwell Plumm was a building contractor in New York City. He was indebted with crime boss Dominic Varone. To pay his debts, he was forced to perform budget cuts in his projects which caused different security failures.
Sadly, two of his construction workers fell to their deaths due to a sudden wind slipping the cable of a girder. A surviving worker was Jake Mallard, brother of the two victims. Mallard discovered Plumm's illegal activities and budget cuts. He swore to get revenge on him. He made some construction-tool-like weapons and would become the first Steeplejack to avenge the death of his brothers.
Steeplejack tried to kill Plumm by throwing him from the top of one of his buildings. However, Power Man was coincidentally near the area, witnessing the scene, and rushed to save Plumm. After exchanging some punches, the Steeplejack managed to throw Plumm from the building, and Power Man had no choice but to save him. Eventually Power Man would fight Steeplejack again. This time the battle ended with the death of Jake Mallard, thus ending the career of Steeplejack...but not really. You see Maxwell Plumm noticed Steeplejack's gear at the scene of his death and found it interesting, so he savaged and reproduced it. He wanted to patent and sell Mallard's inventions. He relocated to Boston and began a new project, Monarch Plaza, using his budget-cutting tactics.
This new project involved a worker named Joseph Danvers, who happens tobe the father of one MS. Marvel aka Carol Danvers. Due to Plumm's illicit activities, Danvers was almost killed by the impact of materials thrown by a wind - and he would have died if his daughter were not there to save his life. Joe Danvers threatened Plumm because of the event, but Plumm counter-threatened Danvers.
Seizing his opportunity to strike, Plumm disguised himself as the second Steeplejack. He had a slighter complexion than Mallard, and thus he could fool no-one pretending to be the original Steeplejack. However, he designed a completely-different costume, and other weaponry. He used it to kidnap Joe Danvers and intended to throw him from the Monarch Plaza. He wasn't counting on Danvers having his own galactic guardian angel.
Steeplejack fought Ms. Marvel and stood toe to toe with her for a minute, but she was just too powerful in the long run. He was captured and sent to prison. It was in Captain America #319 that we see the return of Steeplejack. His return wouldn't last long due to the fact that he walked into a trap set by the Scourge of the Underworld. It was here where he and 16 other villains met their deaths by the Scourge and his machine gun.
Publication Information
First Appearance: Maxwell Plumm - Power Man #18 (April 1974)
First Appearance: Steeplejack - Ms. Marvel #14 (February 1978)
Death: Captain America #319 (July 1986)
Created by Len Wein & George Tuska
Powers & Abilities
Steeplejack had a padded costume that his physique look larger than he actual was.
The costume also helped soften the blows in a fight.
He also carried a rivet gun that could fire several forms of energy and force (including light and heat), red-hot rivets, and a cable.
