Stingy Jack [1] is a dreg who outsmarted The Devil numerous times but was eventually doomed to roam the world.
History[]
Once upon a time as far as it goes, Stingy Jack was a bit of a scoundrel. Eventually, the Devil himself came to claim Jack. Jack relied on his wits to trick the Devil twice. At a pub, he fooled the Devil into turning into a silver coin to pay his tab and years later, into scaling a tree, lined with crucifixes, to get an apple for a last meal. The Devil agreed to never claim Stingy Jack. Not fearing damnation, Jack never mended his ways. After a time, Jack passed on. He was not granted access to Heaven. Desperate, Jack went to Hell but was not granted passage either. The Devil gleefully reminded Jack he was to keep his word, especially if it meant Jack would be denied an eternal rest. To put Jack to further shame, the Devil gave him an ember from the Pit to light his way as he wandered the world, forever, seeking a rest he would never find.
In the present, Stingy Jack arrived in New York City during the Halloween season. On October 29, Jack followed and observed Peter Venkman and Kylie Griffin for two hours. Disregarding their bickering, they did capture several of "the restless" without any religious rites nor banishment. He quickly realized that the Ghostbusters would serve as a legitimate loophole to his curse, as being captured by them would allow him to find eternal rest on earth instead of heaven or hell. As Halloween drew near, Stingy Jack went to Central Park. The Ghostbusters were soon called upon the manifestation of a Ghost Fire Wall. Hours later, the Ghostbusters responded. They punched a hole into the wall with positively charged Psychomagnotheric Slime and explored the park. Stingy Jack showed himself but the Devil intervened and blocked any Proton Stream fired at Jack with flames. Not to be outsmarted, Jack jumped onto Winston Zeddemore. Since Winston wore a crucifix and/or was the truest of true believers, the Devil could not approach him but only encircle the pair in flames. Jack activated Winston's Trap and allowed himself to be captured. The Devil reached up from the ground and claimed Jack's turnip. Ray Stantz realized the entity was Stingy Jack but Egon Spengler was sure it was just a simulacrum at best.
A year and half or so later, the Ghostbusters found themselves in Hell with Loftur Þorsteinsson after Jenny Moran cast a spell from the Rauoskinna. Hell's Demons descended on Loftur and destroyed his body. The Devil approached the remains and recognized the Ghostbusters from their earlier encounter. He declared that transgression was balanced by them bringing him Loftur, a warlock who cheated death for nearly 300 years. He pulled Loftur's soul from the corpse and gave the Ghostbusters permission to leave.
Personality[]
In life, Stingy Jack was a drunkard infamous for being a deceiver and manipulator. He was witty enough to outsmart and trap the Devil twice before his death and once as a ghost.
Trivia[]
- On page six of Ghostbusters Volume 2 Issue #11, Stingy Jack is written on a Post-It Note on Tobin's Spirit Guide.
- In the Ghostbusters: Mass Hysteria hard cover collection, on page four, Jack appears in the upper center of the background.
- On page 18 of Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles/Ghostbusters Volume 2 Issue #5, Luis Antonio Delgado's 15 easter egg is on the pipe to the right of Stingy Jack.
Appearances[]
- Ongoing Series
- Volume 2
- Volume 3
- Ghostbusters International #11
- Mentioned on page 10 by The Devil [2]
- Ghostbusters International #11
- Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles/Ghostbusters Volume 2
References[]
- ↑ Egon Spengler (2013). IDW Comics- "Ghostbusters Volume 2 Issue #9" (2013) (Comic p.16). Egon says: "Ray, do you remember the legend of Stingy Jack?"
- ↑ The Devil (2016). IDW Comics- "Ghostbusters International #11" (2016) (Comic p.10). The Devil says: "I remember you, Ghostbusters, you once gave aid to a spirit I'd cursed, named Jack... but your delivery of this one who has eluded me for so long balances the scales."
