America. He is freed from prison by agents of Egghead, who wants him to join the third Masters of Evil alongside Whirlwind and Moonstone. The team fight the Avengers but are defeated. Scorpion kidnaps Jameson's bride Marla Madison on their wedding day but she is rescued by Spider-Man. Jonah publicly confesses to his role in creating the Scorpion when the Hobgoblin tries to use that secret to blackmail him. Despite his encounters with other foes, Scorpion has always had a special hatred for Spider-Man and Jameson, which extends to when he attempts to become a mercenary for Justin Hammer, who has the Scorpion's battlesuit modified. He ruins his prospects on his first mission, to capture a war hero, when he cannot resist creating a hostage situation simply to bring Jameson to him for revenge. In reaction, while Spider-Man in cooperation with the police are dealing with Gargan, Hammer sends Blacklash and Rhino to subdue Gargan and confiscate the tail enhancement equipment for abrogating his contract. During the "Acts of Vengeance," he tries to enter Canada to avoid the Super Power Registration Act. The Tinkerer meets him at the airport and provides him with a modified scorpion tail for his costume. He, Asp, Nekra, and Owl (who are under the control of Llan the Sorcerer) are repelled by Alpha Flight and Gamma Flight. He is then hired by the Chameleon to kill a depowered Spider-Man. He is defeated by the Black Cat. The Scorpion's constant defeats at the hands of Spider-Man drive him to depression. He wanders the sewers, his mind becoming clearer than it had been since his transformation, and decides to quit being the Scorpion. He encounters a depressed and crisis-ridden Spider-Man. Ignoring Gargan's plea that he is a changed man, Spider-Man beats him savagely. In his next appearance, Gargan is back to being psychopathic. He battles and is defeated by Spider-Man's clone Ben Reilly. Scorpion temporarily works for Roxxon and helps them in their phony "rehabilitation therapy". Roxxon updates the Scorpion's powers and costume and promises he will get back at his enemies. Spider-Man convinces Scorpion that he is only being used. Scorpion then turns on Roxxon and is then defeated by Spider-Man. Gargan reappears in the aftermath of the Secret War that was organized by Nick Fury against Latveria. He is among the supervillains who were supplied with enhanced technology by Latverian dictator Lucia von Bardas and