Real Name: Buck Mitty
AKA: The Bug-Man of Alcatraz (but don't call him that to his face!) Sheesh, why not call him that to his face? What's he gonna do, hit me with the sound of a locust rubbing its forelimbs together? editor hey-I-can-take-this-guy Jeanne
First Appearance: Web of Spider-Man 19
What's His Problem? Mitty, the senior entomology professor at Empire State University, had his funding cut because of his unusual (i.e. crackpot) theories on how insects are friends to humanity. In order to fund his scientific research, Mitty adopted the identity of Humbug and embarked on an embarassingly inept criminal career.
Weapons: Humbug used the amplified sounds of such insects as the imbricated snout beetle and the eye-spotted budmoth, which he projected through his gloves, to commit his less-than-daring robberies.
Abilities: Besides the unintentional ability to provoke scorn, derision, and hysterical laughter in all who met him? Nope, Humbug had few abilities that would prove in any way useful to a would-be super-villain.
Favorite Quote: "How come things like this never happen to Doctor Octopus?" (Web of Spider-Man 19. Humbug laments his lack of planning after his very first robbery hits a major hitch -- and that was even before Spider-Man arrived to stop him!)
Heroes He Keeps Running Into: During his two ill-fated outings as Humbug, Mitty ran into Spider-Man, who quickly trounced him on both occasions.
People Who Think He's Not So Bad: I'm not sure if anyone actually likes Humbug. If his insect "friends" could talk, they would probably tell Humbug to stop defaming their good names.
Most Despicable Act: As bumbling as Humbug is, he is fanatical enough about his research to be dangerous. During an attempt to rob Empire State University, Humbug was chased by Spider-Man into his old entomology lab. Cornered, Humbug grabbed a research assistant and threatened to blow her head off with the wail of the plaster bagworm if Spider-Man didn't let him go. Spidey, in turn, threatened to smash a jar full of insects, uttering the immortal line "Let the girl go, Humbug, or these roaches die screaming!" A horrified Humbug quickly surrendered, lest his precious insects be hurt. Spider-Man promised himself that if he ever wrote his autobiography he would be sure to leave this chapter out of it.
by Benjamin Herman
