Overdrive (character)

Overdrive (James Beverley) is a fictional villain, appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. The character is usually depicted as an enemy of Spider-Man.

Overdrive
Publication information
Publisher	Marvel Comics
First appearance	Free Comic Book Day: Spider-Man (July 2007)
Created by	Dan Slott Phil Jimenez
In-story information
Alter ego	James Beverley
Species	Human
Team affiliations	Sinister Six
Abilities	Ability to convert any vehicle into a high-powered one

Publication history

Created by Dan Slott and Phil Jimenez, Overdrive first appeared in Amazing Spider-Man: Swing Shift (May 2007), a Free Comic Book Day issue set after the events of the Spider-Man: One More Day storyline.^[1][2]

Something of a throwaway joke character, Overdrive made a few inconsequential appearances throughout Slott's run on The Amazing Spider-Man. Overdrive joined the Sinister Six during the Marvel Now! relaunch and featured as one of the main characters in The Superior Foes of Spider-Man.

Fictional character biography

James Beverley is a race car driver who had dreams of being a superhero. When every attempt failed and he ended up in an accident, he gained the assistance of Power Broker. Mister Negative approached him and offered him a job in his criminal organization.^[3]

Overdrive was hired by Mister Negative to steal an artifact from a museum, but was unable to deliver it because of interference from Spider-Man. Overdrive led Spider-Man on a high-speed chase through the streets of Manhattan. When Spider-Man smashed the windshield of Overdrive's car, it revealed dozens of pieces of Spider-Man-related merchandise such as bobble-heads, air-fresheners, and action figures. Overdrive declared that he was Spider-Man's "biggest fan", even asking for an autograph as Spider-Man was trying to stop him.^[4]

The chase finally culminated in a car-wreck that had Overdrive and his vehicle hanging from a bridge in New York by Spider-Man's webbing with Spider-Man's trademark note, "Courtesy of your friendly neighborhood Spider-Man". Overdrive asked the police who were on the scene to arrest him if he could keep the note. Overdrive was then sent by Mister Negative to steal the Sonic Pulse Generator from a laboratory but he failed again when he met Spider-Man once again. Negative told his men to dispose of Overdrive and they put him in the trunk of Negative's limo and Overdrive was able to escape them by converting the limo into one of his "tricked out" cars.^[5]

In Marvel Now!, Overdrive joins Boomerang's Sinister Six. Overdrive stole the original Big Wheel vehicle and upgraded it through his powers. However, the Superior Spider-Man defeats Overdrive and the rest of the Sinister Six using a power-dampening field.^[6]

Overdrive later worked for Mister Negative again and became a getaway driver for his henchmen. Following a bank heist, Overdrive drives the Inner Demons away from the police.^[3] He is attacked and killed by the Sin-Eater, but mysteriously comes back to life.^{[7][8][9][2][10]}

Following Sin-Eater's suicide, which caused those that he purged of their sins to regain them, James Beverley encounters Carlie Cooper and reveals that he is considering reforming.^[11]

Powers and abilities

Overdrive can generate nanites which transform vehicles to his will, improving its physical abilities. These changes will revert if Overdrive is away from the vehicle for too long.^{[1][12][13][14]}

In other media

• An original, Marvel 2099-inspired incarnation of Overdrive appears in the Nintendo DS version of Spider-Man: Edge of Time, voiced by Kari Wahlgren.^[15]
• Overdrive appears in the Spider-Man episode "Bring on the Bad Guys", voiced by Ryan Blaney.^[15][16]