Who is Electro?

The theatrical release of The Amazing Spider-Man 2 is an year away. But in what is turning out to be a decade of superhero movies, the period from now till the release date of The Amazing Spider-Man 2 is likely to be filled with photos, videos and stories of Spider-Man, Electro, Rhino, more Spider-Man, Gwen Stacy, Mary Jane Watson, some more Spider-Man, Harry Osborn, Norman Osborn and a few others. Lot of characters bunched together! While the news on Electro has been around for quite some time with Jamie Foxx cast as the bad guy, it is finally today's on-set pictures of him, which have made me beg the most important question that a non-voracious reader of the comics should have asked... Who is Electro after all?  

To update those who have been perplexed about the character and yet have applauded the casting of Foxx in it, here is a brief that should help you get along well when the group chats on this movie start picking up pace (just don't forget what you read today for the next one year).

Real Name (he was not born Electro, duh!): Maxwell Dillon

Family Issues: Father abandoned the family; Dillon was raised by an overprotective mother

Earlier profession: A lineman for an electric company

Powers: Can generate electrostatic energy upto 1,000 Volts per minute; Can emit lightning arcs from his fingertips; Can override electrically powered devices and manipulate them mentally; Can travel along conductive surfaces like power lines

How he got his powers?: Got struck by lightning during work when in contact with power lines which were connected to their spool

Arch nemesis: Of course, Spider-Man, though he has battled with Daredevil at times too

Group Affiliation: Mainly part of Sinister Six (and is versions) which was setup to bring down Spider-Man  

Love Life: Haha! Well he did have a wife, Norma Lynn, before his Electro days, but she did not stick around much 

Interesting Trivia: J. Jonah Jameson, editor of the Daily Bugle, initially believed Electro to be an alter-ego of Spider-Man and launched a smear campaign against Spidey (that guy will never give up!) which made Spidey battle Electro 

A background check always helps!