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Appearing in "The Gift"

Reprint of the 1st story from
Amazing Spider-Man #400

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Synopsis for "The Gift"

Reprint of the 1st story from
Amazing Spider-Man #400

This story continues from Web of Spider-Man #123...

Spider-Man rushes to the hospital in Forest Hills where his Aunt May has been since she suffered a stroke.[Continuity 1] Quickly changing into Peter Parker, the hero meets with May's doctor and is brought into her room. There, Peter is surprised to see that his aunt has woken up from her coma. Although he knew May would snap out of her coma, Peter is brought to tears because he has so much to tell her. May wants to hear every word of it and is ready to go. However, Doctor Captuo insists that May remains in the hospital until they can run some more tests. No matter what the doctor and Peter say, May insists on going home. As this debate goes on, the Scarlet Spider listens from outside. When Peter catches a glimpse of the Spider outside, he gets annoyed. The Scarlet Spider gets the message loud and clear and leaves. However, Ben Reilly wonders what would happen if May did see him. However, he recalls how Aunt May used to hate Spider-Man whenever she saw him on television. As he thinks out in the rain, the Scarlet Spider catches a glimpse of Kaine watching from the shadows, but he quickly disappears.[Continuity 2] Meanwhile, at Ravencroft Institute, the Jackal rants and raves in his cell, attracting the attention of one of his guards. When he has succeeded, the Jackal drops the façade and explains that he was putting on a show. After explaining this, the Jackal goes back to ranting and raving like a lunatic.

The following morning, Peter brings Aunt May back to her home. After so much time away the place feels like a museum to May. She is greeted by Peter's wife Mary Jane who has been cooking breakfast in the kitchen.[Continuity 3] May is able to tell that Mary Jane is pregnant without them telling her, and congratulates them.[Continuity 4] The says that it is intuition, remembering how she was able to tell when Peter's mother Mary was pregnant with him. She is delighted that they are soon to be parents, telling them that she learned that this is the greatest responsibility when she and her late husband Ben Parker raised Peter after his parents died.[Continuity 5] That's when May begins to feel faint and decides to lay down for a bit. As Mary Jane helps May upstairs, Peter can't bring himself to be totally happy.

That's when the Scarlet Spider enters the room and tells Peter that they need to talk. Peter agrees, and the pair go out into the backyard. Thinking they are going out web-slinging, Peter changes into Spider-Man and insists they get going before someone spots them. After reminiscing about their childhood, the Scarlet Spider then tells Peter that he is leaving. This comes as a shock to Peter, as there are so many unanswered questions they need to get from the Jackal.[Continuity 6] However, the Scarlet Spider doesn't care, pointing out that it doesn't' matter for two reasons: The first is that with his Aunt May back and a baby on the way, Peter deserves some happiness. The other is the fact that Ben has been away for so long, that Peter Parker deserves to have this life. With that, Spider-Man bids the Scarlet Spider farewell and tells him to keep in touch. However, the Scarlet Spider insists that Peter will never see him again and leaps away.

Meanwhile, up in Aunt May's room, she and Mary Jane remains on how long it too May and Anna Watson to set the pair up on a date.[Continuity 7] Mary Jane remarks how long it took her and Peter to fall in love when their aunts both clearly knew that it was bound to happen. As she falls asleep, May once more expresses how much she is proud of them, and the fact that the child will be blessed to have them as parents. However, Mary Janes say that they are blessed as they have her in their lives. Later, Peter and Mary Jane are watching old family movies.[Continuity 8] Peter remarks that if it wasn't for these old movies, he wouldn't have any memory of this time at all. This gets him thinking about Ben Reilly, and wonders if they are exactly the same person. Mary Jane points out that Ben Reilly is an imitation, and that nobody can clone Peter Parker's heart and nobody can take that away from him.

Outside the Parker house, Mister Nacht who is observing these developments. He is contacted to his master, Judas Traveller and informs him of these recent developments and will give him full details when he returns. When Medea asks Judas if they are going into action, however, Judas wants more time to study Mister Nacht's report before he decides their next move. While at his apartment, Ben Reilly packs his few possessions. He is having second thoughts about leaving New York City. This reminds him of what a woman named Janie told him, about leaving the past dead. However, he reminds himself that Janie is dead.[Continuity 9] Looking at his old Spider-Man mask, Ben realizes that the past cannot be left behind. Elsewhere in the city, yet another Peter Parker tries to sleep on a park bench.[Continuity 10] He is confused and can't remember much about his past. He is woken up by a police officer who tells him he cannot sleep on the bench. When this other Peter Parker explains that he can't remember where his home is, he is accused of being drunk. When the officer tries to bring him in, his spider-sense goes off. Not understanding what's going on, this Parker skitters up the side of a building in order to get away.

A week passes, and Aunt May seems to be on the mend, but Peter still worries about her health. He takes her to the top of the Empire State Building, her favorite place in all of Manhattan.[Continuity 11] May tells Peter that she and her husband used to go here all the time.[Continuity 12] After a moment of reflective silence, May asks Peter what it's like to web-sling across the city. Peter is shocked that May knows that he is Spider-Man. She explains that she has known for years and kept it secret, but she is very proud of him. Suddenly, May grows weak and Peter has to catch her. Peter rushes May back home and gets her to bed, but she refuses his offer to call her doctor. She tells Peter that it is her time to pass on and that she is grateful that she had this time to reconnect with him.

As May begins to fade away, the Scarlet Spider watches from the window. Inside, Peter is joined by Mary Jane and her Aunt Anna. Peter tells May about the dream he had recently where he thought he was dying and May guided him into the light.[Continuity 13] When May finally passes away, Mary Jane and Anna comfort Peter. While on the roof, Ben Reilly cries by himself. Days later, a funeral is held for May and many of Peter and Mary Jane's friends are in attendance. Watching from the distance is Detective Jacob Raven, who has been very interested in Peter Parker.[Continuity 14] After May's body has been unturned to the ground and the mourners have left, Ben Reilly comes to pay his respects as well. The Parkers return home where a small wake is held in May's memory. After all the guest has left, Peter and Mary Jane are interrupted by a knock on the door. When they answer it, Peter is arrested by Detective Raven and his NYPD associate Detective Connor Trevane. Mary Jane is horrified that they would do this on the day they buried Peter's aunt, but the officers explain they had no choice and recommend she get her husband a lawyer. As Peter is loaded into a squad car, he sees the Scarlet Spider watching from the rooftops above.

After the police take Peter away, Mary Jane begins to panic over what to do next. She is then interrupted by the Scarlet Spider. He introduces himself as Ben Reilly, and after he takes his mask off, he tells her that it is about time they meet face-to-face.

... This story continues in Spider-Man #57

Appearing in "Aftershocks, Part One"

Reprint of the 1st story from
Spider-Man #57

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Synopsis for "Aftershocks, Part One"

Reprint of the 1st story from
Spider-Man #57

This story continues from Amazing Spider-Man #400...

Following the arrest of Peter Parker, the Scarlet Spider has come to Mary Jane to offer his help in freeing husband.[Continuity 15] In response to this, Mary Jane slaps Ben Reilly across the face. This is the first time she has met the Scarlet Spider, the clone of Peter Parker, and she blames him for Peter's arrest and tells him to get out of her home. Putting his mask back on, Ben tells Mary Jane that he is going to help free Peter with or without her help and leaves. Meanwhile, Peter Parker finds himself before an arrangement hearing. He cannot hear what the woman is saying, because he can't help but think about how he got himself into this situation. He remembers how he was arrested shortly after Aunt May's funeral.[Continuity 16] According to the arresting officers, Peter has been accused of murdering a police detective in Salt Lake City.[Continuity 17] Unfortunately, instead of paying bail and going back home to Mary Jane, Peter Parker is remanded into custody until trial.

Later, in a cell, Peter is confronted by Jacob Raven, who is confused why "Ben Reilly" didn't run from Raven when he showed up at his door. Peter legitimately doesn't know who Raven is, or who his partner was, as he has never been to Salt Lake City in his life. However, Raven isn't buying this but assures Peter that he will get Parker familiar with his "crimes" when he is shipped back to Utah to answer for his crimes. Peter Parker isn't the only person who finds this recent development impossible to believe. The staff at the Daily Bugle is reeling from the news that Peter has been arrested for murder. As Peter has been a freelance photographer at the Daily Bugle for many years, Joe Robertson sits down for a private meeting with J. Jonah Jameson to determine how the Bugle will report this story.[Continuity 18] Jonah callously says they are going to do nothing about it, pointing out to Joe that if Peter is guilty, he will get what he deserves. After sending Joe out of his office, Jonah answers a phone call the lawyer representing Peter Parker. After being reassured that Peter is going to get the best legal representation possible, Jameson reminds the lawyer that the legal fees are not coming from the Daily Bugle, but his own pockets.

Time passes....

A man who resembles Peter Parker walks through Queens trying to determine why this neighborhood seems so familiar.[Continuity 19] While at One Police Plaza, Peter Parker, and Mary Jane meet with Peter's lawyer in the hopes that he help prove that Peter is innocent. While at the hotel room of Jacob Raven, the seasoned police detective finally finds himself doubting himself. After confronting Peter Parker face-to-face, he wonders if he arrested the right man. While elsewhere in the city, Kaine is haunted by another precognitive vision of Mary Jane getting murdered by some unseen assailant.[Continuity 20] To get his mind off the pain of these visions, he uses his wall-crawling abilities to rip down the side of a building. Later, back at the Parker home, Mary Jane cries over her recent miseries. She suddenly begins to worry about the baby growing inside her.[Continuity 21] For the first time, she considers what Peter's radioactive blood may have done to their unborn child. Starting to panic, Mary Jane runs out into the rain in order to get some fresh air and clear her mind. While at Ravencroft Institute, the Jackal is in a session with Doctor Ashley Kafka.[Continuity 22] After talking about Gwen Stacy for a moment, John Jameson and the security forces come in and tell Ashley that the session is over.[Continuity 23] He wants to get the Jackal back to his cell, wanting to avoid yet another break out at the facility.

Back in Queens, the man who looks like Peter Parker happens upon a thief running away with a briefcase he stole from a man on the street. Finding this familiar, this Peter Parker leaps in the way and stops the thief, knocking him out and giving back the stolen responsibility. Fleeing the scene, something this Parker said to the thief about having power and using it responsibly also strikes a chord in him.[Continuity 24] While in Manhattan, Mary Jane runs down the street trying to get her mind off of the thoughts in her head. She is unaware that the Scarlet Spider is swinging overhead keeping an eye on her. While wondering how to convince Mary Jane to accept his help, the Spider spots Judas Traveller and his minions lurking in a nearby alley. Judas tells his Host to wait in the alley and he approaches Mary Jane. He tries to convince her to talk to him as he is curious about how she views Spider-Man. Before he can get any answers out of Mary Jane, Judas Traveller is ambushed by the Scarlet Spider.

At that same moment, Jacob Raven has arrived outside the Parker home only to discover that Mary Jane is not home. Before he can leave, he is ambushed by Kaine who tells Raven that he has arrested the wrong person. Jacob refuses to believe a costumed madman without proof. Deciding to give Jacob the proof he needs, Kaine gives him a non-lethal version of his Mark of Kaine, leaving a horrible burn pattern on the side of Jacob's face.[Continuity 25] At that moment, Judas Traveller keeps the Scarlet Spider at bay by appearing to will the very streets around him to explode. This comes as a surprise to the Scarlet Spider who didn't realize how powerful Traveller was during their last encounter.[Continuity 26] Watching as the Scarlet Spider dodges all of the dangers put in his path by Traveller, she begins to wonder if he truly does care about the fate of her husband. When the Scarlet Spider makes it to Mary Jane, Judas is satisfied with the results of his latest test and leaves without further incident.

In the aftermath of the battle, Mary Jane decides to take the Spider's offer for aid but asks him to leave his mask off because the most unsettling thing about him to her is his face. At that same moment, Peter Parker's nightmare continues as he is being transferred to a new prison cell on Ryker's Island. While at Ravencroft, the Jackal is alone in his cell gloating about how his plan is going smoothly. While in Queens, the other Peter Parker sits on a rooftop vows to find out who he is and thinks he knows where to start looking.

... Aftershocks concludes in Spectacular Spider-Man #223.

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