Screwball (character)

Screwball is a supervillain appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. Created by writer Dan Slott and artist Marcos Martín, the character first appeared in Amazing Spider-Man #559. Screwball is described as the world's first "live streaming super-villain." She commits crimes to get more hits on her web page and is an enemy of Spider-Man and Spider-Girl.[1][2]

Screwball
Publication information
PublisherMarvel Comics
First appearanceAmazing Spider-Man #559 (July 2008)
Created byDan Slott
Marcos Martín
In-story information
Alter egoUnknown
SpeciesHuman
Team affiliationsDeadpool Inc.
Abilities
  • Expert gymnast

Screwball appears in the 2017 animated series Spider-Man as the vigilante alter-ego of Liz Allan, voiced by Natalie Lander, and in the 2018 video game Spider-Man and its DLC sequel The City That Never Sleeps, voiced by Stephanie Lemelin.

Publication history

Screwball debuted Amazing Spider-Man #559, created by writer Dan Slott and artist Marcos Martín.[3]

Fictional character biography

Not much is known about Screwball's past. She is an Internet personality who seeks attention, to the point that she commits infractions to gain followers and fame. Screwball would commit crimes while a film crew filmed her so that she could get more hits on her videos by having Spider-Man appear on it. She first encountered Spider-Man while he was tracing the "Spider-Tracer Killer."[4]

Screwball later posed as Spider-Man to help Bookie where they filmed Spider-Man fighting a villain called Basher. The fight was uploaded on YouTube and watched by the patrons of the "Bar with No Name". The Enforcers recognized what was happening and began to attack Bookie only for him to be rescued when the real Spider-Man showed up.[5]

When Spider-Man and Daredevil arrive at the Bar With No Name, Screwball is among the patrons that attack them.[6]

Because of Spider-Man's humiliating fight with Screwball, Ben Reilly didn't want to buy any of Peter Parker's photos.[7]

During the "Origin of the Species" storyline, Spider-Man apprehends Screwball and Looter in Midtown in light of Doctor Octopus stealing Lily Hollister's newborn child Stanley.[8]

Spider-Girl later chased Screwball and confiscated her camera to prevent her from broadcasting her latest activity before handing her over to the police.[9]

Screwball later collaborated with Jester in pranking Mayor J. Jonah Jameson which was uploaded on the Internet. Both villains were defeated by Superior Spider-Man (Doctor Octopus' mind in Spider-Man's body), who savagely beats them.[10] Screwball later appeared in Las Vegas where she collaborated with Arcade who gave her the training, equipment, and exclusive streaming rights that she needed. She later fights Elektra, under Arcade's orders, but is defeated.[11]

During the "Hunted" storyline, Screwball was seen as a patron at the Pop-Up with No Name.[12]

Powers and abilities

Screwball is an expert gymnast. She relies on her skills to evade Spider-Man.

Reception

Critical response

Joshua Kristian McCoy of Game Rant included Screwball in their "5 Spider-Man Villains Who Actually Could Carry A Solo Project" list, calling her "perfect" for a "meta-comedy film about making movies or social media."[13] Screen Rant included Screwball in their "Spider-Man: 10 Best Female Villains" list,[14] and in their "10 Spider-Man Villains That Are Smarter Than They Seem" list.[15] Comic Book Resources ranked Screwball 10th in their "Spider-Man's 10 Funniest Villains" list.[16]

In other media
  • Screwball appears in the 2017 Spider-Man animated series episode "Screwball Live!." This version is a vigilante rather than a villain and the alter-ego of Liz Allan (voiced by Natalie Lander). She sets up reckless pranks on corrupt businesses and livestreams them, but one of her pranks nearly gets her and Randy Robertson killed by Hammerhead and Absorbing Man. After the former pair are rescued by Spider-Man, Allan realizes she was using her internet exposure recklessly and takes a "hiatus."
  • Screwball appears in the 2018 Spider-Man video game,[17][18] voiced by Stephanie Lemelin.[19][20] She appears in a side mission wherein she forces Spider-Man to partake in her challenges before her fans murder a hostage while she livestreams his feats to gain numerous new followers. In the last challenge, Screwball pretends to be the hostage before her fans ambush Spider-Man. While he defeats them and sees her arrested, she claims she cannot be held responsible since her fans committed the crimes, not her. As of the three-part DLC story "The City That Never Sleeps,"[21] she has been released from prison and resumes forcing Spider-Man to complete her challenges before her fans start killing innocents. After reaching 50 million followers, she throws a giant rooftop party, which allows Spider-Man to track her down. A chase ensues, but he eventually catches her and leaves her for the police to take her back into custody.

References
  1. Lapitan, Emilio Gabriel (2022-04-02). "MCU: 10 Weirdest Spider-Man Villains That Marvel Will Never Adapt To Screen". Collider. Retrieved 2022-12-03.
  2. Chrysostomou, George (2022-10-03). "10 Spider-Man Villains That Are Smarter Than They Seem". Screen Rant. Retrieved 2022-12-03.
  3. Serrano, Ryan (2021-01-03). "Spider-Man PS4: Who Is Screwball?". Comic Book Resources. Retrieved 2022-12-03.
  4. Amazing Spider-Man #559. Marvel Comics.
  5. Amazing Spider-Man #562. Marvel Comics.
  6. Amazing Spider-Man #600. Marvel Comics.
  7. Amazing Spider-Man #608. Marvel Comics.
  8. Amazing Spider-Man #645. Marvel Comics.
  9. Spider-Girl Vol. 2 #1. Marvel Comics.
  10. Superior Spider-Man #6. Marvel Comics.
  11. Elektra Vol. 4 #1-4. Marvel Comics.
  12. Amazing Spider-Man Vol. 5 #19.HU. Marvel Comics.
  13. McCoy, Joshua Kristian (2022-05-13). "5 Spider-Man Villains Who Could Carry A Solo Project". Game Rant. Retrieved 2022-12-03.
  14. Hernandez, Brenda (2021-09-29). "Spider-Man: 10 Best Female Villains". Screen Rant. Retrieved 2022-11-07.
  15. Chrysostomou, George (2022-10-03). "10 Spider-Man Villains That Are Smarter Than They Seem". Screen Rant. Retrieved 2022-11-08.
  16. Sparkle, Billie (2022-08-19). "Spider-Man's 10 Funniest Villains". Comic Book Resources. Retrieved 2022-11-08.
  17. Radulovic, Petrana (September 12, 2018). "A guide to the Spider-Man PS4 villains". Polygon. Retrieved 9 September 2018.
  18. Baker, Ben (September 21, 2021). "Every Boss In Marvel's Spider-Man, Ranked". Game Rant. Retrieved 2023-05-05.
  19. "Voice Of Screwball – Behind The Voice Actors". Behind The Voice Actors. Check marks indicates role has been confirmed using screenshots of closing credits and other reliable sources{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: postscript (link)
  20. Miranda, Felicia (December 23, 2018). "These voice actors put the 'Oomph!' in 'Marvel's Spider-Man'". Digital Trends. Retrieved 2023-05-05.
  21. Pantoja, Kevin (2020-09-02). "Every Villain In Marvel's Spider-Man, Ranked". Game Rant. Retrieved 2022-12-03.
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