J. Jonah Jameson

John Jonah Jameson Jr. is a fictional character appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics, most commonly in association with the superhero Spider-Man. The character was created by writer Stan Lee and artist Steve Ditko, and he first appeared in The Amazing Spider-Man issue #1 (March 1963).

Jameson is typically depicted as the publisher or editor-in-chief of the Daily Bugle, a fictional New York City newspaper. Recognizable by his toothbrush moustache, flattop haircut, and ever-present cigar, he carries out a smear campaign against Spider-Man (and to a lesser extent other superheroes such as Daredevil), frequently referring to him as a "menace" and a criminal, but occasionally and reluctantly allying with him. This usually stems from his deep-seated belief in law enforcement and government agencies, and thus despises superheroes for working outside the system. In the early comics he employs photojournalist Peter Parker to take pictures of Spider-Man in the hopes of catching him in the middle of wrongdoing, unaware that Peter is the superhero himself. Over the course of the comics, Jameson has done various other jobs, most notably being the Mayor of New York City for several years before resigning. Jameson eventually learned of Peter's identity twice: the first during the "Civil War" event, which led him to increase his attacks and was undone by the events of the "One More Day"; and the second years later, which caused him to finally give up his crusade on Spider-Man.

Portrayals of Jameson have varied throughout the years. Sometimes he is shown as a foolishly grumpy, stubborn and pompous skinflint who micromanages his employees and whose resentment of Spider-Man is actually a thinly-veiled exercise in envy. Other writers have portrayed him more empathetically, as a humorously obnoxious yet caring boss and family man who nevertheless has shown great bravery and integrity in the face of the assorted villains with which the Bugle comes into contact, and whose campaign against Spider-Man comes more from the aforementioned political motivations. In either case, he has remained an important part of the Spider-Man mythos.

He and Peter Parker are related by marriage as a result of his father's wedding to May Parker. Jameson's son John Jameson is a Marvel Universe supporting character who, in addition to his job as a famous astronaut, has become Man-Wolf and Star-God and also married She-Hulk, making Jonah her father-in-law before she and John divorced.

The character has appeared in numerous media adaptations related to Spider-Man; he usually assumes his early role as Peter's employer, but this has lessened in recent years as depictions of Spider-Man focused around his science and superhero careers, with Jameson simply being Spider-Man's tormentor. J. K. Simmons portrayed the character in Sam Raimi's Spider-Man trilogy (2002–2007), in the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) films Spider-Man: Far From Home (2019) and Spider-Man: No Way Home (2021), also appearing in the web series The Daily Bugle (2019‐present) and an uncredited cameo appearance in the Sony's Spider-Man Universe film Venom: Let There Be Carnage (also 2021). Simmons also voices him in various additional works, such as Ultimate Spider-Man.

Appearances in Idea Wiki

 * Jameson appears in Marvel's Spider-Man: Webbed Champion, voiced by Bob Joles. His story in the show is the same as in the canon version's second season until episode "Between Ock and a Hard Place". Also in this show, Jameson is less sympathetic, and has a more antagonistic role compared to the original incarnation. He makes his official appearance in "On the Tiger's Claws" where he hires Scorpion to retrieve Peter Parker (after he quits the Bugle following a heated argument with a jealous Eddie Brock) and dispose of Spider-Man for good. After Venom and Scorpion are defeated by Spider-Man and Mary Jane Watson / Tigra, Jameson is exposed by Skrull general Talos and his young scouts Amon and Jade for involvement with the incident and arrested. During the "City of Heroes" arc, it is shown that he was replaced in the Bugle with Betty Brant and Robbie Robertson (who are more supportive to Spider-Man), as Jameson's arrest soon inspires other young heroes to act freely in New York and exposes the Wake Riders (whom Jameson wrongly pointed as heroes) as true villains and accomplices of the Vulture and the Shadow Council. In "The Parker Errand", he is brought to the court to stand trial, with She-Hulk being assigned by her superiors to seek evidences to prolong Jameson's prison sentence. It is also revealed that Jameson also played a role in Richard and Mary Parker's death by Red Skull's hands by covering the truth about their demise as a "tragic, unexplainable accident", until Spider-Man, Mockingbird and She-Hulk find and collect evidences from Truman Marsh which lead Jameson to be declared guilty in his trial and given a life sentence in prison, while Jameson grows shocked to learn of Peter's parentage, and more remorseful than ever. In "Mother Focus", Jameson is revealed to have had a daughter named Joanna, whom he disowned and abandoned along with her mentally-ill mother years ago. In present, Jameson is killed in his cell by the grown-up Joanna (now the mercenary Red Goblin) in revenge for their past.
 * The same version appears briefly in A Marvel Christmas Carol, voiced again by Joles. During Spider-Man's plan to reform Franklin Todd at Christmas Eve, Jameson appears as a ghost (similar to the ghost of Jacob Marley in A Christmas Carol) summoned by Cloak and Dagger with Doctor Strange's magic to haunt Todd. As part of the act, Jameson's ghost recalls his sinfulness, and tells Todd that because of his cruelty in life, he is doomed to wear heavy chains for eternity ("maybe even longer"). He warns that a similar fate, if not worse, will befall Todd unless he changes his ways. After advising Todd that three spirits will come visit him at night, and show him the error of his ways, Jameson's ghost is taken away by the "Soul Chain" (Dagger's alias in the act) to be consumed by the Fire Demon Surtur.
 * Jameson appears in Marvel: All New, All Different Chronicles, voiced by John DiMaggio. He first appeared in "Living Brainstorm", on which he interrupted Annabelle Brady's interview with Peter Parker about Baxter Institute by greedily demanding him answers of Spider-Man’s identity, consequently getting in a fight with Flash Thompson and causing Peter to dismiss them all. After an angered Anna dropped out of Midtown High accusing Jameson and Thompson for the incident, Jameson was given a restraining order to keep him away from Peter and any Baxter Institute student. Later after another hostile encounter with Thompson, Jameson witnessed Spider-Man fighting the Living Brain until he and Thompson were accidentally hit by the robot’s Neuro-beams. At first, the beam had no apparent effect until it transferred Jameson’s mind into Thompson’s body, causing Jameson to incriminate Thompson by getting in a fight against the jocks dressed as Spider-Man and insulting the teachers and cheerleaders until he envisioned himself (actually Thompson in his body) attacking his own employees, and set out out to confront Thompson, stealing Warren’s car and causing some havoc on streets in the progress. The two had a fist fight until the body swap was reverted. Despite being his former self again, Jameson eventually got fired from the Daily Bugle and arrested after Thompson (in Jameson's body) incriminated him by beating up the Daily Bugle employees and trashing their work places. In "Family Comes First", it is revealed that Jameson also played a role in the deaths of Peter's parents by covering their deaths as a "unexplained, but inevitable accident" for money protection. Once the truth about their deaths was exposed, it is mentioned that Jameson's prison sentences were prolonged: he was now incarcerated for life.
 * Jameson appears in Spider-Man: The Web-Swinging Years, voiced by John DiMaggio.
 * Despite not appearing in Marvel Superhero Adventures: Intergalactic Grand Prix, Jameson is mentioned in the game's story mode. Interactions with Robbie Robertson in the game's hub areas reveal that he took Jameson's place as chief executive after Jameson was fired in shame of the incident with his son John "J.J." Jameson, who was transformed into the Man-Wolf.
 * Appearing in the Prelude, comic, it is revealed in "Menace and Bookworm No More" that Jameson (back when he was still chief editor of the Daily Bugle) was also obsessed with naming his son J.J. a hero by giving him all the credit for Spider-Man's heroic activities, although this also hastened the amount of controversy on the Bugle, and strained J.J.'s relatioship with his classmates from Midtown High School, including Peter Parker (whom Jameson had repeatedly invited for an internship at the Bugle, but Peter rejected every time out of distrust in him). It is also revealed that he was verbally and emotionally abusive to his younger son Reginald "Reggie" Jameson (becoming indirectly responsible for Reggie's madness and supervillain life as Arcade), and once kept Green Goblin's identity of Norman Osborn in secret in exchange for resources to cure J.J. from his Man-Wolf condition. Later after J.J. was transformed into the Man-Wolf out of rage from both his father and from bully Flash Thompson (resulting in Harry Osborn's death) and subsequently defeated by Spider-Man, Jameson and Osborn ungratefully blamed Spider-Man for their sons' conditions until Kamala Khan and Betty Brant exposed Jameson's felonies, and Osborn's identity of Green Goblin to the city. Jameson was condemned by the citizens and students for his selfishness and lies about his son and Spider-Man, fired from the Bugle, and given a life sentence in prison.