The
son of an abusive veteran, Jameson began his journalism
career as a paperboy, then copy boy for the Daily
Bugle, formerly edited by old man Jameson, whom some
presume to have been his father. A sullen and bullying
student, he quit school after becoming a reporter.
At twenty he uncovered police corruption by supposed
department hero Sam Kenner; beaten and bombed, Jameson
nonetheless exposed Kenner with the help of Bugle
owner William Goodman. He became a full-time Bugle
reporter, including a stint as a war correspondent,
criticizing most costumed heroes as glory-seeking
vigilantes upstaging the common man. Marrying his
high school sweetheart Joan, Jameson rose to editor-in-chief
and became renowned for supporting civil rights and
opposing organized crime. When Goodman's heirs put
the Bugle up for sale, Jameson tapped his last dollar
and made the newspaper his own. He worked hard to
support his wife and their son John, eventually becoming
a millionaire member in New York's elite Century Club;
although earning a reputation as a notorious miser,
he supported many charities and often helped employees
in true need. Still a reporter at heart, he ventured
to Korea for a story but was crushed when Joan was
killed by a masked gunman in his absence; this and
other self-perceived failures contributed to his distrust
of masked heroes and the heroic ideal.
In
recent years, when the superhuman performer Spider-Man
became a crimefighter, Jameson vowed to expose him
as a publicity-seeking scofflaw, and not even the
rescue of John from a space flight disaster dissuaded
him. He relied on photos from Peter Parker, not knowing
he was employing Spider-Man himself.
Wilson
Fisk, the man who would one day become the Kingpin,
started out as a common thug in the Bronx. He was noticed
by one Don Rigoletto, an accomplished crime boss who
admired Fisk's sheer brutality and hired him as his
primary enforcer. Fisk eventually murdered his benefactor
and took control over his mob empire. Thus, the Kingpin
was born.
While
his wife, Vanessa, knew of Wilson's criminal activities,
he was careful to shield their only son, Richard,
from the life he led. That effort was in vain, as
Richard finally did learn of his father's mob connections.
Richard faked his own death, and returned to New York
as the Schemer, intent on destroying his father's
empire. He had also taken on the guises of the original
Rose and later, Blood Rose, but was never able to
do much damage to the Kingpin's organization.
Wilson
Fisk is a criminal mastermind who is involved in extensive
illegal activities such as drug running, smuggling,
murder, and so forth. Despite this, he has no criminal
record and an army of lawyers to keep it that way,
and is a criminal financial strategist without parallel.
Fisk has no superhuman powers, but the majority of
his 400-plus pound bulk is solid muscle. When he delivered
a kick to the Kingpin's back, Daredevil could only
think, "Whatever that was, it wasn't fat. Felt
more like rock". He is a superb fighter who has
held his own against Spider-Man, recently Daredevil
occupies most of his attention.