Styx and Stone

Styx and Stone
Publication information
Publisher	Marvel Comics
First appearance	The Amazing Spider-Man #309 (November, 1988)
Created by	David Michelinie Todd McFarlane
In-story information
Alter ego	Jacob Eishorn (Styx) and Gerald Stone
Abilities	(Styx): Lethal touch Claw-like hands that disintegrate all organic material within seconds (Stone): Wears two large weapons on his shoulders

Styx and Stone (Jacob Eishorn and Gerald Stone) are two fictional comic book characters in the Marvel Comics universe. They are a criminal duo that have crossed Spider-Man's path on a number of occasions. They were created by David Michelinie and Todd McFarlane and first appeared in The Amazing Spider-Man #309. They reappeared in issues #332-333 and #376-377 of the same series.

Fictional character biography

Gerald Stone was an idealistic scientist who wanted to find a cure for cancer. He conducted an illegal experiment on a homeless person named Jacob Eishorn. The experiment failed and Eishorn became a living cancer, who needed to kill to survive. Now calling himself "Styx", Eishorn enjoyed the killing of innocents. Feeling responsible for Styx, Stone built high-tech weaponry for himself and turned the two of them into a mercenary duo. Stone hoped that as mercenaries, Styx wouldn't kill innocents, but by now Stone was willing to kill anybody to protect Styx. He planned on using the money they earned as mercenaries to find a cure for Styx.

On their first outing, the duo was hired by Jonathan Caesar, a millionaire obsessed with Mary Jane Watson to kidnap her. This brought them into conflict with Spider-Man, Mary Jane's husband, who defeated the duo. Styx and Stone returned to Caesar, who told them to try again. This time, the duo faced Spider-Man who was at the time in conflict with Venom. During the fight, Styx's touch nearly killed Venom and they were returned to prison.

A third meeting with Spider-Man involved the vigilante Cardiac. Cardiac's alter-ego, Dr. Elias Wirtham, had been a good friend of Stone and offered to cure Styx. Cardiac was convinced that Styx couldn't be cured or redeemed and tried to kill Styx. Spider-Man stopped Cardiac and the two fought, while Styx and Stone attempted, in vain, to escape.

Powers and abilities

Styx's touch can kill anything organic and can disintegrate organic matter within seconds. His fingers can grow longer to increase his range. His touch has no effect on synthetic or inorganic material and Spider-Man's synthetic costume was enough to protect his body from Styx's touch.

Stone wears two large weapons on his shoulders. These weapons can fire energy blasts, a blinding flash, a sticky resin to immobilize opponents and knockout gas. The duo often uses a flying platform of Stone's design.

Other versions

A teenage version of Styx and Stone appears in the Ultimate Marvel universe as a street punk and a member of the Serpent Skulls gang.

External links

• http://www.spiderfan.org/comics/reviews/spiderman_amazing/333.html