Scorpion (Marvel)



Macdonald Gargan was an private detective hired by J. Jonah Jameson to discover how Peter Parker got such good pictures of Spider-man. Having failed this, Jameson then went to Professor Farley Stillwell and once again hired Gargan, but this time to become a new supervillain to destroy Spider-man. Stillwell genetically altered Gargan, giving him superhuman strength, speed, agility, and stamina; even more so than Spider-man. Stillwell also gave him a titanium/rubber suit with a mechanical tail that Gargan controlled mentally. As the Scorpion, Gargan went after Spider-man, and defeated him soundly. He was eventually defeated himself, and later went after Jameson, who had refused to give Gargan the $10,000 that he promised for beating Spider-man. Spidey was forced to save Jameson several times from the Scorpion's wrath, and Gargan eventually went insane.

Scorpion's tail could be used as a clubbing weapon, a grasping limb, or a spring to launch himself great distances. Later modifications on the tail included energy blasts, an acid spray, blades, and knockout gas.

Scorpion-Venom
When Eddie Brock (aka Venom) learned he was dying of cancer, he auctioned off the symbiotic suit that made him Venom. It eventually fell into the hands of Mac Gargan, who accepted the alien symbiote's power and became the new Venom. Now with both the powers of Scorpion and Venom, Gargan became a powerful enemy of Spider-man. Using memories of his Scorpion days, the symbiote could create a scorpion-like tail for Venom.

Gargan later joined the Dark Avengers as Venom.