Marvel’s Kingpin is known as one of Daredevil’s most formidable opponents and the corrupt mayor of New York, but in fact he is surprisingly successful in political affairs. Wilson Fisk uses his cunning mind and brute force to work his way to political office and take control of others who find themselves at work. But in Devil’s Reign: Omega #1, Marvel shows that, despite his villainous tactics, Fisk is very effective in his work and is one of the best mayors of New York in the Marvel universe.
Fisk has always been the enemy of Daredevil, both during one-on-one battles and in the daylight streets. Wilson Fisk used his considerable influence to buy or threaten himself on his way to the top, until finally becoming mayor of New York City in Daredevil #595. When Daredevil used the Purple Man’s children to erase Fisk’s memory of his secret identity, Kingpin became even more furious and directly interfered with New York law, effectively outlawing superheroes on city streets and leaving work to his Thunderbolts (a group of villains). who, as part of their duties, track down heroes who evade the law). This became the Devil’s Reign crossover.
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At the end of the event, Kingpin was defeated by Daredevil, but he managed to escape, leaving his son in charge of day-to-day operations, but with the departure of the mayor, Luke Cage won his mayoral campaign by default. This leads to Devil’s Reign: Omegea #1, written by Jim Tooth with art by Luciano Vecchio, in which Luke Cage officially becomes the new mayor of New York. The newscast reveals the truth about New York: Without Fisk, “the bigger problem plaguing the city is a huge spike in crime. Violent crime is at an all-time high and there is no end in sight.”
This revelation is very instructive, especially after Kingpin’s tenure as mayor. Despite his brutal methods, he did manage to curb other violent crimes. While many superheroes in the Marvel universe call New York their home, crime doesn’t seem to stop in the Big Apple. The fact that Kingpin eradicated violent crimes, as well as actively suppressed other superheroes of the city, speaks volumes about his ability to control the territory.
As the new mayor, Luke Cage has something to prove. He must convince Kingpin’s remaining supporters that he can root out violent crime as effectively as his predecessor. Given the rate at which crime skyrocketed after Kingpin left town, Wilson Fisk was arguably the most effective mayor of New York City in the Marvel universe.
