- Looking for another article with the name Tombstone? Check out the Tombstone disambiguation page.
Tombstone is an albino gangster that has both worked as a henchman for various crimelords and has run his own gang. He is a former childhood friend of Joseph Robertson and an enemy of Spider-Man.
History[]
Early life[]
Childhood[]
As children, Lonnie Lincoln and Joseph Robertson were friends. Lonnie was a juvenile delinquent while Robbie was a good kid. This led to Lonnie giving Robbie the nickname Straight Arrow as a way to mock him.
Lonnie (left) with Robbie (right)
Once, Lonnie and Robbie walked to a grocery store to get some ice cream. However, when they arrived the store was closed. Lonnie blamed Robbie for them being late because he had to do his homework.
Lonnie got so angry that he threw his basketball and accidentally broke the window to the store. Lonnie was able to convince Robbie to give him a lift into the store so he could steal some ice cream. Robbie reluctantly helped Lonnie. However, the police quickly arrived. Robbie was able to get away. However, Lonnie was arrested and sent to a juvenile detention center.
The accident[]
As a teenager, Lonnie became a career criminal while Robbie was a cub reporter for a local newspaper.
One night, Robbie got a tip about a break in at the Spaulding Chemical Plant and went to investigate believing it could be his big break. As Robbie got there, he saw that Lonnie Lincoln was inside waiting for him.
Lonnie revealed that he was wearing gloves and wouldn't leave fingerprints while Robbie didn't wear gloves and his fingerprints would be all over the crime scene. Lonnie then revealed that he was framing Robbie as revenge for him getting sent to a juvenile detention center when they were kids. Lonnie also told Robbie that when he got out of prison they could be friends again and that he would let Robbie join his gang because no one else would hire a criminal.
Robbie chased after Lonnie on a scaffolding above a vat of chemicals. However, Lonnie tripped and fell over the side. Robbie was able to grab Lonnie's hand but Robbie lost his grip and Lonnie fell into the chemicals. Robbie believed that Lonnie had died and the people that worked at his newspaper told the police that Robbie did receive a tip about a break in and Robbie was not arrested.
Unknown to Robbie, Lonnie did survive his fall into the chemicals. The chemicals turned Lonnie's hair and skin white and his eyes red. The chemicals also caused Lonnie's teeth to become jagged. The chemicals also gave Lonnie superhuman strength.
As an adult, Lonnie took the name Tombstone and became an underworld hitman. Tombstone then found employment with the New York City crime lord, Silvermane.
Later life[]
Working for the Silvermane family[]
Hired by Silvermane[]
After Hammerhead failed to get the Tablet of Time for Silvermane, Silvermane fired Hammerhead and called in Tombstone whom he described as a "professional". When Tombstone met with Silvermane, he was told of the Tablet of Time and that it had already been stolen by the Kingpin and was ordered to steal it from him. Tombstone told Silvermane that getting the Tablet of Time from the Kingpin wouldn't be easy and that it would cost him. However, Silvermane was able to afford his price. Silvermane also told Tombstone that he would pay him more if he also brought him Curt Connors.
Knowing that Kingpin had the Tablet of Time, Tombstone cornered Kingpin's wife, Vanessa in an alley and kidnapped her. Later on, Spider-Man captured the Lizard and brought him to Empire State University and used the Neogenic Recombinator to turn him back into a human. As this happened, Tombstone burst through the wall and attacked Spider-Man. With his inhuman strength, Tombstone was able to drop a giant computer on top of Spider-Man and get away with Dr. Connors. Tombstone then brought Curt to Silvermane and Silvermane demanded him to use the Tablet of Time to make him young again.
When Kingpin learned that Vanessa had been kidnapped, he had Hammerhead, who was now working for him, kidnap Silvermane's daughter, Alisa Silvermane. Silvermane then contacted Kingpin and set up a meeting to trade Vanessa and the Tablet of Time for Alisa. Later on, Alistair Smythe, who was controlling the Mega-Slayer, arrived at the meeting place with Alisa and the Tablet of Time and Tombstone arrived with Vanessa. However, Smythe double-crossed Tombstone and tried to take back Alisa, Vanessa and the Tablet of Time. Tombstone expected a double-cross and pulled out a rocket launcher and used it to damage the Mega-Slayer. While this was going on, Hammerhead arrived and took Alisa, but Spider-Man was able to save her. However, Alisa shot Spider-Man with a laser, and then she and Tombstone captured Spider-Man and brought him to Silvermane.
As Silvermane got ready to use the Tablet of Time to make him young gain, Tombstone was about to unmask Spider-Man. However, he was stopped by Alisa who told him that unmasking Spider-Man was a privilege reserved for her father. As Silvermane was about to use the Tablet of Time on himself, they were attacked by the Mega-Slayer. After a brief fight, Tombstone was able to defeat the Mega-Slayer. After Silvermane used the Tablet of Time to make himself young, he continued to get younger and younger until he became a baby. Alisa then grabbed her father and ran out of the building. She then ordered Tombstone to blow up the building, which he did. However, Spider-Man was able to escape the explosion with Curt and Margaret Connors.
Hired by Alisa Silvermane[]
After Silvermane was turned into a baby by the Tablet of Time, Alisa Silvermane took over her father's criminal empire. However, the Daily Bugle gathered evidence and incriminating photos of Alisa and was preparing to run an exposé on her and her criminal organization. Alisa then hired Tombstone to kill the story.
Around this time, Tombstone also started to run a new gang in New York City called the Bandanna Gang. Robbie's son, Randy Robertson, started to believe that his parents didn't love him anymore and Tombstone was able to convince him to join the Bandanna Gang. Tombstone wanted Robbie to join his gang so he could get revenge on Robbie.
Tombstone knew that Robbie worked for the Daily Bugle and planned to use him to kill the Alisa Silvermane exposé. However, before confronting Robbie, Tombstone planned on getting the incriminating photos of Alisa Silvermane, which were at Peter Parker's house.
One night, Tombstone went to Peter's house, while Peter was not home, and began to tear apart the house looking for the photos. May Parker was there and was terrified by Tombstone. May attempted to call the police, but Tombstone ripped the phone out of the wall. Tombstone searched Peter's room and eventually found the photos, luckily not seeing a spare Spider-Man costume of Peter's on a hanger. Just as Tombstone was leaving, Spider-Man arrived and followed him.
Spider-Man followed Tombstone to the Queensboro Bridge and attacked him. However, Tombstone was able to get the upper hand and threw Spider-Man into the river below. Tombstone was then able to get away.
Later that night, Robbie discovered that Randy was in the Bandanna Gang and was furious at him. At that moment, Tombstone called Robbie and told him to meet him at the Vietnam Veterans Memorial Park. Robbie was surprised to hear from Tombstone because he had believed he had died after falling into the vat of chemicals. At that time, Spider-Man was outside Robbie's house listening to their conversation and Spider-Man decided to follow him.
When Robbie got to the Vietnam Veterans Memorial Park, he went into a mausoleum and Spider-Man secretly followed him. Robbie then met up with Tombstone and Tombstone attempted to get Robbie to cancel the Alisa Silvermane exposé. However, Robbie refused. Tombstone then threatened to harm Robbie. However, Spider-Man intervened and started to fight Tombstone. Spider-Man and Tombstone briefly fought. However, Tombstone was able to use his strength to bring down the mausoleum. Tombstone then managed to escape. However, Spider-Man and Robbie were able to get out as well.
Later that same night, Robbie got another call from Tombstone who told him to meet him at the Spaulding Chemical Plant or else he would make Randy take the fall for his crimes, similar to how Tombstone blamed Robbie for him being sent to a juvenile detention center when they were kids. Robbie then left for the Spaulding Chemical Plant. A short while later, Spider-Man arrived at Robbie's house in hopes that Robbie could help him track down Tombstone. However, Spider-Man learned from Martha Robertson that Robbie had gone to the Spaulding Chemical Plant.
When Robbie got to the Spaulding Chemical Plant, he confronted Tombstone in an office. Tombstone then revealed that he was recording Randy commit a robbery and was going to turn it over to the police. However, Tombstone told Robbie that he would destroy all evidence against Randy, but only if he stopped the Alisa Silvermane exposé. Robbie refused and revealed that he actually rushed the Alisa Silvermane exposé to print and that within a few hours everyone in New York City would know that Alisa had taken over her father's criminal empire. Despite this, Tombstone still planned on releasing the video of Randy committing a robbery so that he could see the Robertson name destroyed. Robbie then became enraged and attacked Tombstone.
At that moment, Spider-Man arrived and saw Randy helping the Bandanna Gang rob the Spaulding Chemical Plant and that he was not wearing gloves. Spider-Man grabbed Robbie and told him that Tombstone was setting him up and that his fingerprints must be all over the building. Randy didn't believe Spider-Man and said that the Bandanna Gang was more of a family to him then his real family. However, Spider-Man showed Randy that his father was there at the Spaulding Chemical Plant fighting Tombstone.
Tombstone then ran into the room with the chemical vats and Robbie followed Tombstone and tackled him. However, Tombstone was able to grab Robbie and throw him over the scaffolding and almost landed in a vat of chemicals. However, Spider-Man was able to save Robbie before he could fall into the chemicals. Spider-Man then fought Tombstone and after a brief fight Spider-Man tripped Tombstone and he nearly fell into the chemical vat again. However, Spider-Man attached a web line to Tombstone and was able to capture him. A short while later, the police arrived and arrested Tombstone.
Powers[]
Due to exposure to the chemicals he fell into Tombstone gained super strength.
Tombstone is able to lift about six tons.
Tombstone can also survive without oxygen.
In the comics[]
His full name is Alonzo Thompson Lincoln. Lonnie is a nickname.
Tombstone was born an albino. His skin was not turned white due to exposure to chemicals.
As a teenager, Tombstone bullied Joseph Robertson. They were never friends.
In the comics, Tombstone gained his strength when he was trapped in an airtight chamber and breathed in an experiential gas. In Spider-Man: The Animated Series, Tombstone gained his super strength and other powers after falling into a vat of chemicals.
Appearances[]
Trivia[]
- Though never directly stated, it is implied in a few episodes that Tombstone is a zombie.
- In Tablet of Time, Tombstone tells Spider-Man "I don't breathe".
- In the episode Tombstone, when Joseph Robertson meets up with Tombstone he says "I still can't believe you're alive." Tombstone then replies, "Am I?"
- In the episode, Tombstone, Joseph Robertson says, "I didn't think Lonnie survived, they told me he was-" and Spider-Man cuts Robbie off and replies "Maybe they really thought so. He sure looks it."
- Like in the comics, Tombstone has razor sharp teeth in Spider-Man: The Animated Series. In the comics Tombstone filed his teeth to be razor sharp. It is unknown if that is what Tombstone did in the series or if his razor-sharp teeth were a side effect of the chemicals he fell into.