The Rose
Real Name: Richard Fisk. The Rose identity was also assumed for a while by police sergeant Blume during the rather complicated "Name of the Rose" storyline that ran through Web of Spider-Man 84-89. Another Rose pretender was reporter (and crime-boss wannabe) Jacob Connover. (Don't believe that Jake could be the Rose? The whole sorry story is available on the Spider-Man page--and if it's in print, it must be true. Right?)
AKA: The Schemer. Blood Rose.
First Appearance: As the Schemer, Amazing Spider-Man 83. As the Rose, Amazing Spider-Man 253. As Blood Rose, Web of Spider-Man 88.
What's His Problem? From the moment Richard Fisk found out his father was the Kingpin, crime lord of New York, he vowed to bring the elder Fisk to justice -- one way or another. Although sent into catatonic shock when he first discovered the Schemer was his son, the Kingpin eventually became attuned to his offspring's routine treachery and was unsurprised when the powerful crime-boss the Rose turned out to be Richard. Richard never stopped trying to bring his father down, even during periods when he seemed to be under control and ready to take over his father's empire. When the Kingpin was defeated by HYDRA, Richard's friend Alfredo took over the Kingpin's name and territory. In retaliation Fisk became the Punisher-like Blood Rose, fighting his former right-hand-man with a new-found ferocity. After a massive battle that included Spider-Man, the Enforcers and the Foreigner successfully brought Alfredo down, Richard entered the Witness Protection Program. The removal of the new Kingpin, however, left the New York underworld without leadership, sparking a series of gang wars and a rush of minor villains trying to fill the power vacuum.
Abilities: Richard is a well-trained athlete who has studied numerous yoga techinques. He is an expert in the use of firearms and in hand-to-hand combat, skills he delibrately cultivated during the latter stages of his criminal career to battle the likes of Spider-Man and the Foreigner. As the Schemer, Richard had a variety of weapons including a steel-rod-reinforced cape, guns and numerous Spider-Sense-numbing gas bombs. As the Rose, he only rarely resorted to direct physical confrontation, relying instead on his talent as an organizer and his icy control to first bring the bad guys into line, and then to take them down. Blood Rose, however, was a different matter. Frustrated with the failure of the Rose's meticulous, behind-the-scenes manipulations, Fisk added a suit of tear-away kevlar armor to his arsenal in order to negate Spidey's webbing and set out to physcially demolish the underworld by packing major heat and ventilating anyone who got in his way.
Favorite Quote, the Schemer: "It was the sight of her that stopped me from carrying out my plan! The way she looked at me ... as if she knew!" (Amazing Spider-Man 85, as a young Richard Fisk backs down after accidentally running into his mother during a confrontation with the Kingpin)
Favorite Quote, the Rose: "Stay back! I have no wish to engage you in physical combat. I employ underlings for such matters!" (Amazing Spider-Man 253, as a considerably more mature -- and more ruthless -- Richard squares off against Spider-Man).
Favorite Quote, Blood Rose: "Don't panic, punks -- I brought enough ammo for everybody!" (Web of Spider-Man 97, as Richard goes totally over the edge).
Heroes He Kept Running Into: In all of his identities Richard primarily tangled with Spider-Man, whom he kept tripping over during his attempts to ruin the Kingpin. He also had a run-in with Captain America during his HYDRA stint which should have ended his life; however, he was rejuvenated by a shot of Spider-Man's life force in Amazing Spider-Man 164.
People Who Think He's Not So Bad: His girlfriend Dina accepted Richard's criminal connections with barely a blink. Former detectives Johnston and Varley supported his ends-justifies-the-means philosophy and stood by his side during the Gang Wars, an act of loyalty that cost their lives. Professional killer Puma always treated him with respect. Richard's best buddies through his Rose phase were Alfredo Morelli and Ned Leeds, who may or may not have been the original Hobgoblin. The Hobgoblin's betrayal of the Rose did not prevent Richard from mourning Leeds' death and waxing nostalgic over his memory for years.
Most Despicable Act: The Schemer was careful not to involve innocents in his plots, and always stopped short of murder. That changed when Richard became the Rose. Determined to use any and all means to undermine his father's empire, Richard ordered hits on Spider-Man and other enemies. When a rookie cop stood between himself and freedom, the Rose killed the police officer himself. Although his goals did not change, nothing else has been the same for Fisk since!
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