Robbie Robertson (character)

Lore & Background

Robbie Robertson was born in Harlem. He is married to Martha and they have had two sons. Their first son, Patrick Henry Robertson, died when he was only six months old. Their second son, Randy, is divorced. Growing up in a working-class family and being a member of a racial minority, Robertson seemed to sympathize with the downtrodden, including Marvel Comics' mutants, and he preached tolerance. He was forced to practice what he preached when his son came home from college with his white Jewish wife, Amanda. Robertson is the editor-in-chief of the Daily Bugle, the newspaper at which Peter Parker works and sells his photographs of Spider-Man. Unlike the Bugle's volatile publisher, J. Jonah Jameson, Robbie tries his best to remain objective towards Spider-Man. Robbie is also the only Bugle employee who does not fear the wrath of his boss and is ready to stand up to him on editorial matters. Robbie serves as publisher when Jameson temporarily steps down. Robbie was a close personal friend of Captain George Stacy, and it has been implied, although not outright stated, that Robbie has deduced Spider-Man's secret identity, as Stacy did. Robbie's son Randy is also a close friend of Peter Parker, and the two briefly share an apartment when Mary Jane is presumed dead and Peter had been evicted.

Reader's Guide

Robbie Robertson's significance lies in his role as one of the first black characters in mainstream comics to occupy a serious, non-stereotypical supporting role. As the editor-in-chief of the Daily Bugle, he provided a calm, ethical counterbalance to J. Jonah Jameson's anti-Spider-Man crusade, often acting as a voice of reason. His backstory, explored in the 1980s, revealed a past conflict with the supervillain Tombstone, with whom he attended high school. These stories were well received by readers and contributed to greater interest in his character. Gerry Conway's run on The Spectacular Spider-Man and Web of Spider-Man expanded Robertson's backstory with a dark history involving the hit man Tombstone which continues to haunt Robertson in the present. The stories drew an exceptionally intense level of reader interest. Editor Jim Salicrup recalled that "some of the most jaded, seen-it-all before guys – namely the guys in Marvel's production department – got hooked on the Tombstone/Joe Robertson soap opera. They'd actually come into my office concerned about what was going to happen to Robbie next. 'He's not going to jail, is he?' they'd ask." Robertson's legacy endures through his appearances in films, animated series, and video games, including portrayals by Bill Nunn in Sam Raimi's Spider-Man film trilogy and Lamorne Morris in the television series Spider-Noir.

Did You Know?

• Robbie Robertson was one of the first black characters in comics to play a serious supporting role, rather than act as comic relief.
• Actor Bill Nunn played Robbie Robertson in Sam Raimi's Spider-Man film trilogy (2002-2007).
• In the Ultimate Universe version, Robbie Robertson is revealed to be a Mysterio.