# Steven Mark Levins

Steven Mark Levins is a fictional character appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics.

## Publication history

The Steven Mark Levins version of Jack O'Lantern first appeared in Captain America #396 (January 1992).

## Fictional character biography

The second version of Jack O'Lantern was introduced as an enemy of Captain America and Spider-Man.
This version of the character was subjected to much controversy, due to the fact that several years after his introduction he was rebranded "Mad Jack" and was heavily featured in the pages of The Spectacular Spider-Man during the late 1990s. Mad Jack was ultimately revealed to be the duo of Daniel Berkhart (ex-Mysterio) and Maguire Beck (Mysterio's cousin). It was not until the one-shot New Avengers Most Wanted (a character compendium) that the second iteration was confirmed as a separate entity: Steven Mark Levins. However, the character's name would not be used in-story until Ghost Rider vol. 5 #10 (2007).
This incarnation was a professional criminal, and a partner of Blackwing. Alongside Blackwing, he searched Skullhouse and first battled Captain America. With Blackwing, he was then admitted as a provisional member of the loosely knit band of the Red Skull's operatives called the Skeleton Crew.
Soon after that, Jack O'Lantern fought Crossbones and Diamondback, and captured Diamondback. Diamondback tried to escape, and Jack O'Lantern fought Diamondback in mid-air. He was ultimately defeated in combat by the Falcon, and taken to the Vault.
He also worked as an enforcer of the Golem and in this capacity, fought the Hood when he interfered in Golem's machinations.
Jack O'Lantern later fought Union Jack alongside Shockwave and Jackhammer to attack the Thames Tunnel.
Following his defeat, Levins was recruited to serve as part of the Thunderbolts hero-hunting squad during the "Civil War" storyline. While pursuing Spider-Man through the Manhattan sewers alongside the Jester, Levins was killed when the Punisher shot Levins in the head, killing him instantly. However, death would not be the end of Levins's story. His headless corpse was reanimated and possessed by a fragment of Lucifer's soul. He now exhibits the ability to detach, levitate and explode his head (now replaced with a real life pumpkin) among other powers. However, the Ghost Rider was able to exorcise him by ripping his heart from his chest, setting it aflame and putting it back in his chest, causing it to explode inside.
During the "Dark Reign" storyline, Levins was among the dead characters seen in Erebus by Hercules. He was later seen on Pluto's jury (alongside Abomination, Armless Tiger Man, Artume, Heinrich Zemo, Commander Kraken, Iron Monger, Kyknos, Nessus, Orka, Scourge of the Underworld, and Veranke) for Zeus' trial.
During the "Dead No More: The Clone Conspiracy" storyline, Levins's Jack O'Lantern form was among the characters that were cloned by the Jackal. He got involved in a fight with the other cloned villains, causing the Prowler's clone to break it up.
Jack O'Lantern later battled Deadpool after stealing 20 million dollars from the Queen Kathleen gambling ship owned by Tombstone.
Jack O'Lantern later led a similar gang called the Jack O'Lanterns. When four of the Jack O'Lanterns turned out to be sleeper agents working for Finisher and Chameleon, Levins helped to contain the rampage by fighting the Jack O'Lanterns.
During the "Sinister War" storyline, Jack O'Lantern was with Foreigner, Taskmaster, Black Ant, Chance, and Slyde when they are sent by Kindred to attack Spider-Man after Kindred had disrupted their armored car robbery.