Justin Hammer

The son of a self-made millionaire, Justin Hammer succeeded his father as CEO of Hammer Industries, parlaying his wealth into other ventures such as Hammer Towers and Hammer Casino. Powerful and influential, Hammer gained an audience with the President and complained about the recent outbreak of mutants, claiming it was bad for business. During this meeting, Hammer first met S.H.I.E.L.D. agents Woo and Carter. One of Oscorp's top competitors for government-sponsored super-soldier program, Hammer Industries would often perform illegal genetic enhancements on criminals and mentally unstable. An early success that became known as Electro was traded to crimelord Wilson Fisk in exchange for the construction permits for Hammer's dream, the Big Apple Energy Dome. Hammer paid Dr. Otto Octavius to act as a coporate spy inside Oscorp, which blew up in his face after a lab accident transformed Otto into the criminally insane Doctor Octopus, who blamed Hammer for the accident. After Doc Ock destroyed Hammer's office, S.H.I.E.L.D. agents Woo and Carter questioned Hammer while Spider-Man eavesdropped on their conversation.

Desperate for protection from Dr. Octopus, Hammer called Dr. John Skrtic, the head of his bioengineering program, who claimed none of their current experiments were ready. Hammer and his bodyguards were horrified when Skrtic showed them the current status of Flint Marko, the subject of the Sandman Project, who was having trouble adjusting to his powers. At the opening of the Big Apple Energy Dome, Hammer's big moments was ruined by Dr. Octopus, who attacked the dome during the press conference. Spider-Man arrived and battled Dr. Octopus, but was defeated and later blamed by Hammer for the attack.

Spider-Man confronted Hammer in his office over the accusations and Hammer attempted to bribe him, offering $50,000 to act as protection against Dr. Octopus. Spider-Man rejected the offer and left. Mere seconds after Spider-Man departed, Hammer received a call from Dr. Skrtic, but Dr. Octopus revealed that he had killed Skrtic and was destroying Hammer's genetic lab in New Jersey. Hammer agreed to meet Dr. Octopus and pay him off, but when Hammer arrived, he saw that Doc Ock had called the media as well. Hammer's chauffeur attempted to drive away, but Dr. Octopus hoisted the limousine off the ground. As Spider-Man intervened and battle Dr. Octopus, Hammer suffered a fatal heart attack in the commotion. Too terrified to emerge, several lab techs stayed behind in his partially destroyed genetic lab, where they watched over the Sandman Project until S.H.I.E.L.D. took them into custody.