PESTER
Real Name: Pester
Identity/Class: Human/Mutant
Occupation: Homeless person
Group Membership: Morlocks
Affiliations: Anna Johnson, Spider-Man (Peter Parker)
Enemies: Firebrand (Broxtel), the Marauders
Known Relatives: unnamed son, Ent (husband), Mother Inferior (mother-in-law)
Aliases: None
Base of Operations: A homeless shantytown on the upper west side of Manhattan; formerly, the Poseidon Hotel; formerly, the Morlock Alley
First Appearance: Web of Spider-Man I#77 (June, 1991)
Powers/Abilities: Pester has superhumanly strong jaws and sharp teeth,
and is able to gnaw through rope, wood and even metal. She possesses tracking
abilities, hyper keen senses and the ability to sonically communicate with rats.
Weaknesses: Pester is extremely small and can speak only limited English.
History: (Web of Spider-Man#77)- After a series of bizarre
accidents at a homeless shelter in the old Poseidon Hotel, Spider-Man snuck
under the stage to investigate. He saw a small figure, Pester, heading deep
into the building accompanied by a horde of rats. Following the woman, he came
to the sub-basement, where Ent, Mother Inferior, Baby and Anna were. Thinking
Baby to be Anna’s, Spidey tried to “rescue” him, only to realize he had made a
mistake when Anna handed the baby to Pester. As Anna explained that these were just
Morlocks who had escaped from the Mutant Massacre, Firebrand attacked the fundraiser
above them, and the sub-basement ceiling started to come down.
(Web of Spider-Man#78)- As the ceiling started
to cave in, Ent and Spider-Man tried to hold it up. They realized that Mother
Inferior was too big to move, and they tried to go back for her, but, realizing
that there wasn't enough time, Mother Inferior sacrificed herself, using her rats
to push them from the collapsing room to safety. As the group looked for a way
out of the rapidly flooding room, Pester went to investigate a small hole in the
rubble, and it collapsed, only Spidey’s spider senses and speed saved her from
being crushed. Spider-Man recommended that Ent and Pester swim under the water
line and make a hole in the debris, which caused the water pressure to wash them
out of the flooding basement. They rode on a web-raft for a short time, until
Pester saw a light, and told Ent to stop the raft, “Stop…Stop! Light!”, which
the super-strong mutant does by digging into the wall with his bare hand. They
climbed up onto the dance floor, where the Daily Bugle staff and their families
were trapped, and Ent and Spider-Man brokd down a wall so that they could all escape.
After Spidey, Cloak and Dagger defeated Firebrand, who was promptly arrested, Ent,
Pester, and Baby found a new home and family among the local homeless “Home….”.
Comments: Created by Terry Kavanagh, Alex Saviuk, Keith Williams, Bud LaRosa, and Kevin Tinsley.
I certainly hope that Baby was smaller when he was born; he’s depicted as the same
size as his mother! Though he is not outright named, I believe that Ent and
Pester’s baby is named Baby, as that is how his mother refers to him. “Baby!
Baby!” This would not be an unusual name for a Morlock, they had, among others
Tar Baby, Ape, Chickenwings, Mole, even Pester and Mother Inferior are not standard human names.
by
CLARIFICATIONS: images: (without ads) Appearances: Last updated: 10/17/13
Any Additions/Corrections? please let me know.
Non-Marvel Copyright info
Pester should not be confused with:
Web of Spider-Man#77, p17, pan7 (w. baby and Anna)
Web of Spider-Man#77-78 (June-July, 1991) - Terry Kavanagh (writer), Alex Saviuk (pencils), Keith Williams (inks), Danny Fingeroth (editor)
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