Norton G. Fester is a poorly skilled scientist who is considered a crackpot by his colleagues. One day, he finds an unusual
meteor that had crashed to Earth. Excited by his discovery, Fester searches for funding into a project, but his potential investors are more interested in commercial ventures. Fester decides to continue without funding, and while chiseling the meteor, he strikes a pocket of gas. Exposure to the gas gives him superhuman strength and agility. Fester decides to devote his time and new powers to crime. Calling himself the Looter, he attacks banks and offices. After attempting to steal another meteor to renew his powers, he is defeated by Spider-Man. Since then, the Looter has had little success as a criminal, even after a name change to the Meteor Man. He comes into conflict with
Nighthawk after stealing a meteor from Kyle Richmond's home. Meteor Man faces Nighthawk and Spider-Man and manages to escape.
Valkyrie from the
Defenders helps Spider-Man apprehend Meteor Man. Meteor Man tries to escape on his balloon, but Valkyrie throws her sword into the balloon, causing it to pop. Meteor Man crashes into the ground and is hospitalized for a few months. Meteor Man reappears at the
Empire State University campus, trying to find components from a microwave energy exhibit to increase his powers. This leads him into another conflict with Spider-Man and
Giant-Man. Meteor Man creates a transmitter that transmutes the energy in his meteors into microwave energy, which is then transmitted into his nervous system. However, his transmitter overloads and explodes, apparently killing him. Fester survives the explosion, but his mind is addled by his experiences and ends up as a homeless alcoholic. He robs Nathan Lubensky, but was beaten down by Spider-Man and forced to surrender to the police, who try to help Nathan. When
circumstances forced Spider-Man to adopt new identities, the Looter is the first foe Spider-Man battles as
Hornet when he attempts to raid the
Daily Bugle to steal the ransom that
Norman Osborn was offering for Spider-Man. Looter is portrayed as constantly talking to his original meteor after attaching it to a gun. Looter begins attending Supervillains Anonymous meetings at a church alongside
Boomerang,
Doctor Bong,
Grizzly,
Hippo,
Mirage,
Porcupine, and others. At a Supervillains Anonymous meeting, Looter and Grizzly discuss their violent run-ins with
Superior Spider-Man (Doctor Octopus' mind in Spider-Man's body). During the
Spider-Verse storyline, Spider-Man and
Silk run into Looter. He has stolen a Spider-Tank and Spiderling outfits from Spider-Island, the Superior Spider-Man's former base. Spider-Man and Silk defeat Looter while his fleeing henchmen are defeated by
Spider-UK,
MC2 Spider-Girl, and
Spider-Ham. ==Powers, abilities, and equipment==