Marvel Database
Register
Advertisement

Appearing in "The Love of a Woman"

Reprint of the 1st story from
Spider-Man #78

Featured Characters:

Supporting Characters:

Antagonists:

Other Characters:

Races and Species:

Locations:

Items:

Synopsis for "The Love of a Woman"

Reprint of the 1st story from
Spider-Man #78

Riding the subway home, Peter Parker rests his head on his wife, Mary Jane's lap.[Continuity 1] As her husband sleeps, Mary Jane thinks about how they have been through more than people twice their age due to the fact that Peter is secretly Spider-Man. She thinks how things weren't always this way, when they were carefree kids in love. How much simpler things were when it was just her, Peter, Flash Thompson, Harry Osborn, and Gwen Stacy. Before things got complicated with the constant threat of alien symbiotes, mechanically enhanced criminals, and goblins. Before the past came back to haunt them.[Error 1] Her thoughts are interrupted when three young men approach her and her husband, intent on starting something. However, when they see the look on Mary Jane's face, they decide she isn't going to be an easy mark and go to another subway car. That's when Peter reveals that he was awake as soon as there was danger, thanks to his spider-sense, and admits he was impressed with how Mary Jane handled the situation. Relieved that he was awake all along. When asked if he is still angry with her for agreeing to go to dinner with the Stacy's, Peter admits that he can't be mad after she covered for him when he passed out at the table and the couple make up.[Continuity 2]

As Peter and Mary Jane head back to Queens for the night, Morbius the Living Vampire continues to stalk the grounds of Empire State University.[Continuity 3] Catching his latest victim and feeding, Morbius continues to be concerned about his growing need to feed and wants this nightmare to end, increasing his need to find Doctor Andrea Janson.[Continuity 4] In Queens, Peter tosses and turns in his sleep, as he has a nightmare and deals with the side effects of being bitten by Morbius earlier that evening. Unable to sleep, Mary Jane listens to her husband toss and turn and worries because Peter refuses to go see a doctor, afraid that doing so might compromise his secret identity. That's when Peter wakes up screaming. Unable to rest while Morbius is still on the loose, Peter gets out of bed and changes into Spider-Man, despite the concerns expressed by Mary Jane. Peter insists that he can't see a doctor until Morbius has been captured and leaves. This time, Mary Jane refuses to sit around and wait and worry about her husband coming home safe so Mary Jane begins going through her dresser.

While at the New York University Medical Center, Betty Brant is getting stitches after getting injured while on an investigation. After she is discharged by her doctor, she discovers that Flash Thompson is waiting for her in the emergency room. He had heard she was injured and came to offer her a ride home. Betty tells Thompson that she already has a ride with a friend. Not wanting to make this awkward, Flash decides to leave, telling her to give him a call sometime. Back at Empire State University, Doctor Andrea Janson is working in the molecular biology lab. There she is thinking about her previous encounter with Morbius earlier that evening. She thinks about the accident that turned Michael into a living vampire and thinks how her expertise as a hematologist would be useful in trying to find a cure. However, she thinks about the danger she was in and was relieved that Spider-Man interfered. Despite what she could do for Morbius, she is deeply afraid and hopes to never see him again. She is then startled when Morbius enters her lab, having come for her help and begs her not to scream. By this time, Spider-Man has arrived at Empire State University when a dizzy spell hits throwing his aim off. With his balance off, the wall-crawler braces himself as he falls onto a nearby rooftop and just barely manages to stop himself from sliding off the icy surface and fall to the ground below. Arriving nearby in a cab is Mary Jane who sees Spider-Man struggling and thinks that it is ridiculous that her husband is risking his life when he is in no condition to do so. However, before Mary Jane can go to her husband, someone carrying a bat tells demands to know where she is going.

Back in the lab, Michael Morbius explains his increasing hunger and begs Doctor Jansen for his help. Unfortunately, they are interrupted by Spider-Man who intends to stop Morbius and end his killing spree. Outside, the men with bats turn out to be members of the racist group known as the Friends of Humanity. With a killer on the loose, the FOH have decided to patrol the campus and protect students, believing that a mutant is responsible for the murders.[Continuity 5] Mary Jane declines their offer of help, but they begin to insist. That's when Spider-Man and Morbius come crashing out of a nearby window. As the two battle it out, Morbius insists that he wants to be cured so he can stop his bloodlust. However, Spider-Man insists that Morbius likes killing, pointing out that if he needed to live off blood there are ways of getting it without resorting to murder. Morbius explains that he cannot control his compulsion and beat the sickly wall-crawler into submission. However, before Moribus can feed he is attacked by the members of the Friends of Humanity, who mistake him for a mutant. Their baseball bats break harmlessly against the vampire's body. As Morbius turns to deal with the bigots, Mary Jane tries to convince them to run. Unfortunately, Morbius manages to grab one of the Humanity members and begins feeding on him.

By this point, Spider-Man recovers and forces Morbius to stop feeding on the racist. Becoming frenzied from his hunger, Morbius tells the wall-crawler that he has given him no choice but to feast on the hero. However, Spider-Man is so weak he can barely stand on his own two feet. That's when Mary Jane gets between Spider-Man and Morbius. She then tries to convince the vampire to stop and let someone help him. She is joined by Doctor Jensen who has come with an IV bag full of blood. She offers to use her knowledge to help try and cure him, but will only do so if he resists his urge to kill. After a tense moment of silence, Morbius takes the IV of blood and goes with Andrea without further incident. Although he is still weak, Spider-Man insists on going after Morbius, but Mary Jane points out that the member of the Friends of Humanity is in need of medical attention. Realizing that he has no choice, the wall-crawler carries the young man to the emergency room. Joined by Mary Jane, she is proud to see that no matter what happens, her husband Peter always does the right thing, no matter the price.

The next edition of the Daily Bugle has a front page story about the incident. The headline screams "SPIDER-MAN AND VAMPIRE ATTACK E.S.U. STUDENT IS THERE A MUTANT CONNECTION?"

Appearing in "After the Fall"

Reprint of the 1st story from
Spider-Man #79

Featured Characters:

Supporting Characters:

Antagonists:

Other Characters:

Races and Species:

Locations:

Items:

Synopsis for "After the Fall"

Reprint of the 1st story from
Spider-Man #79

On a private Caribbean Island, Doctor Andrea Janson is running experiments on Morbius the Living Vampire, who thinks she is trying to cure him of his accelerated bloodlust.[Continuity 6] As super-heated blood courses through his veins, Morbius screams. Unphased by his scream, Andrea asks him if it is really called for. Morbius understands, but the pain and the hunger are too much for him to control. She finds this all mundane, recalling how she used to admired Michael for his work. However, after he turned himself into this abomination she was horrified and was plagued by nightmares so bad that she needed to get therapy. After this, her desire to help him is nothing more than he desire of solving a scientific puzzle that needs to solve. She is then interrupted by the mystery man named Crown who has come to tell her that their employer are in need of her talents immediately. Instead of reacting in fear, Andrea kisses Crown and tells him that she has done all that she can with Morbius and that he is ready. That's when both Crown and Andrea shout "Hail Hydra". Hearing this, and realizing what this means, Morbius begins to scream once more.

In New York City, Betty Brant is hard at work at the Daily Bugle. She thinks about how she is spending her evening burying herself in her work instead of going out on a date. She looks at a note informing her that Flash Thompson had called, but decides against calling him. It's hard enough for her to be treated as a serious reporter when she started her career as the publisher's secretary, the last thing she wants is to get back together with an old flame that has some serious emotional problems in his life.[Continuity 7] Her thoughts are interrupted by J. Jonah Jameson who asks Betty what she is doing at the office so late. Betty explains that she is investigating an old murder that happened a few years ago at Empire State University.[Continuity 8] Jameson reminds her that he told her to drop that story and focus on the Morbius. He then tells her to forget both stories, handing her a file and telling Betty that she should focus all of her attention on this instead. Reading the file she is surprised that Jonah is assigning her to this as it is the type of story usually reserved for Ben Urich. Jameson says that she is ready for it and to make travel arrangements with his secretary. As he walks out of the bullpen, Jonah asks Betty to be careful.

The following morning, Spider-Man is web-slinging across the city in a hurry as he is running late. Although he is complaining about how Spider-Man continues to interfere with his personal life, he wonders what his life would have been like if he hadn't been bitten by the radioactive spider that gave him his powers all those years ago.[Continuity 9] Suddenly, Spider-Man is struck by a powerful headache, an side-effect of being bitten by Morbius, and begins to fall.[Continuity 10] As he plummets to the street below, Spider-Man tries to fire a webline, but his hands are so shaky he ends up tangling himself up. Thankfully, he is saved when the hero SHOC flies by and catches the wall-crawler in midair. SHOC quickly gets Spider-Man up to the safety of a rooftop and abruptly leaves, telling the web-slinger that he can't stop and talk. As Spider-Man untangles himself he notices that SHOC is flying in the direction of Empire State University, the place where they first met.[Continuity 11] Meanwhile, on Long Island, Don Fortunado returns to his mansion and is pleased to see his Hydra agents have returned with Crown and Doctor Jansen. They both report that they believe they have been able to isolate the unique properties of Morbius' blood that will greatly benefit Hydra. He tells Jansen to continue focusing on her work. He then informs Crown that they have gotten closer to the son of Professor William Fields and that his mission to retrieve the boy. When Crown promises to do so, Fortunato reminds him that he has failed in the past, and that such failure will not be tolerated now. Inside, Don Fortunato finds his superior within Hydra waiting for him inside. When the Don assures this man that Crown will succeed, his master hopes that he does, for the sake of the Fortunado family.[Continuity 12]

When Peter Parker finally arrives at Empire State University, he is greeted by his wife Mary Jane and Betty Brant.[Continuity 13] Betty has been upset with Peter since he ran out on her while she was trying to talk about her complicated relationship with Flash Thompson. Peter humbly apologizes and Mary Jane forces Betty to accept it after explaining how Peter was being pressured into having dinner with the Stacy family, something that he wasn't very comfortable with doing.[Continuity 14] Betty also tells them that she is leaving down and needs them to look after her cat. That's when they ware joined by Neil Akin, who tells them that Doctor Lanning isn't in today and so the research team -- which includes Neil and Peter -- have the day off. That's when Paul Stacy arrives and reminds Peter that he still has to report for their tutoring station. He abrasively reminds Peter that if his marks aren't brought back up-to-snuff, he is finished.[Continuity 15]

After this stressful interaction, Peter suggest they all go for coffee. Soon, Mary Jane heads off leaving Peter in the company of Betty Brant and Neil Akin. Since Betty is researching a story about Professor Fields, she asks Neil to give her a tour of the research building some day soon. However, she tells them that she has to go, telling them that she is being sent to Latveria on assignment.[Continuity 16] When Peter and Neil later leave the coffee shop, Peter suddenly feels faint, causing Neil concern. With his spider-sense going off, Peter looks up in the sky and notices that that it has gotten really dark of a sudden. Both men suddenly come up with excuses to depart. As Peter tries to slip away and change into Spider-Man, he still feels dizzy. He is also interrupted by Abby Levin who asks him if he is okay. As Hydra agents come falling out of the sky, Peter suggests that they get off the street. The Hydra soldiers confront Peter and demand to know where Neil Akin went, threatening to kill Abby if he doesn't talk. With no other choice, Peter attacks the terrorists, telling Abby to make a run for it. Although Peter does his best to fight them off, his dizziness gets the better of him and they soon swarm him. However, before Peter can get seriously hurt, Neil comes to his rescue. As the Hydra agents open fire on Neil, Peter is astonished as Neil suddenly transforms into SHOC.

When the Hydra agents try to flee, SHOC enlagens his hands and grabs them and slams them into a nearby wall, burying them in rubble. Both Peter and Abby are surprised to see all of this. SHOC asks them to keep this their little secret, as he is trying to maintain a secret identity. That's when Crown falls out of the strange blackness in the sky. SHOC is looking forward to fighting Crown again as the black-clad terrorist was responsible for the death of his father. However, before SHOC can attack, Crown grabs Peter and threatens to kill him if SHOC doesn't power down and surrender. Peter tells him not to do it, hoping his strength will return fast enough for him to break free. However, SHOC has gotten to know Peter and can't bring himself to let Crown kill him and complies with the demands. Satisfied, Crown then teleports away with his Hydra minions as well as Neil and Peter Parker as his prisoners. When Peter wakes up, he is in a cell deep below Staten Island. As he wakes up the guards outside wish him luck with his cellmate who will likely be hungry when he wakes up. Just as Peter wonders how things could get any worse his cellmate -- Morbius the Living Vampire -- wakes up. Proclaiming that he is hungry, Moribus then breaks free from his shackles and advances on Peter Parker.

Appearing in "Choices!"

Reprint of the 1st story from
Amazing Spider-Man #423

Featured Characters:

Supporting Characters:

Antagonists:

Other Characters:

Races and Species:

Locations:

Items:

Synopsis for "Choices!"

Reprint of the 1st story from
Amazing Spider-Man #423

As Joe Robertson gets dressed for work, his with Martha tries to convince him that J. Jonah Jameson is exploiting him by having Joe work so many late hours. Joe tries to defend his old friend, telling her that the Daily Bugle has been having financial troubles and that they had to do a lot of lay-offs forcing him to pick up the slack.[Continuity 17] Martha tells Joe that the fate of the paper isn't his responsibility and he could always get another job. Joe brushes this off by checking to see if they are still on for lunch and promises that he will talk to Jameson, although he thinks to himself that trying to talk to Jameson will do little good.

Elsewhere in the city, Electro has been revitalized and feels more powerful and confident than ever before. After showing off his newly restored powers, he thanks the Rose and Delilah for making the arrangements to get him back into the game. While the Rose is happy for Electro, he reminds the villain that they had an agreement. In repayment for the restoration of his powers, Electro promised to eliminate the Black Tarantula. Unfortunately, with his new powers, Electro figures that an assassination like this is beneath him as he now feels as though he is as powerful as a god. Although Delilah takes this as an insult, the Rose orders her to stand down as he is certain that despite his sudden god-complex, Electro will follow through on his side of the deal. Meanwhile, Meiko Yin the Dragonfly of the True Believers continues her training under the supervision of Madame Qwa. Meiko wonders why the Black Tarantula would assign her to assassinate Joe Robertson when there are more worthy foes, like Spider-Man, out there to be crushed. This angers Madame Qwa, who asks if Meiko is questioning the Black Tarantula's orders. Meiko apologizes for offending her master, vowing that she will follow her orders. While at the Daily Bugle, J. Jonah Jameson has a meeting with Joe Robertson, where he admits that the current struggles of the Daily Bugle are his fault. He insists that he can turn things around one paper at a time by putting in more time and effort. Hearing this, Joe doesn't speak up about any of the issues his wife brought up with him earlier that day.

Meanwhile, at Empire State University, Peter Parker is busy tutoring Neil Aiken, who is struggling with his courses in bio-chemistry. The session is interrupted by Paul Stacy who comes by to tell Neil that he is tutoring Peter Parker in his studies as well and tells Neil that if he wants to get better assistance to look him up. When Neil asks if this is true, Peter doesn't deny it, prompting Aiken to wonder if he should take Paul up on his offer. After their session, Peter slips away to change into Spider-Man. As he checks his gear he wonders if he should give up tutoring Neil Aiken since he is having a hard time adjusting to his new classes. Webbing up his street clothes into a web-sack, Spider-Man swings away, wishing he could ease back into going to school as easily as his wife, Mary Jane.[Continuity 18] Web-slinging across the city, Spider-Man is hit with another headache, a residual effect of being bitten by Morbius the Living Vampire.[Continuity 19] He tries to get his mind off his worries as he has to find some crime to photograph and earn a living. While at the Daily Bugle, Joe Robertson checks in with Ben Urich's investigation into the Black Tarantula's attempts to enter the New York City underworld. Unfortunately, all Urich is able to learn about the Tarantula is rumor and innuendo. That's when photographer Angela Yin arrives for work and introduces Ben and Joe to her cousin Meiko. After exchanging pleasantries, Joe excuses himself so he can go meet his wife for lunch. As Joe packs up to leave, Meiko tells Angela that she too has to get going.

Soon, Meiko is stalking Joe Robertson from the rooftop. To psyche herself up to carry out her mission Yin tries to dehumanize Joe in her mind so she only sees him as a target. As she prepares to attack, Spider-Man happens by on his way to the Daily Bugle when Meiko's presence triggers his spider-sense. After his past encounter with Meiko, Spider-Man knew something was fishy about her and decides to follow, despite the fact that his migraine is pounding away at him. At that same moment, the rest of the True Believers begin an attack on another part of town. Learning this, the Rose sends Electro out to deal with them. When Delilah asks the Rose if he can trust Electro, the Rose reminds her that he doesn't trust anybody. At that moment, Dragonfly and the True Believers ambush Joe Robertson and his wife Martha. However, before Meiko can eliminate Joe, Spider-Man swings down to save him. Martha suggests that they get out of there, but Joe tells her to go to the Bugle and get a photographer as this could be the story that helps save the Daily Bugle. Martha does as she is told, but thinks her husband is out of his mind. Spider-Man continues to battle Meiko and the ninjas but his headache is starting to slow him down. To make matters worse, Electro arrives on the scene and ambushes the combatants. Electro is looking to repay Spider-Man for humiliating him. The wall-crawler is confused, reminding Electro that he helped save the villain's life months earlier.[Continuity 20] Before Electro can attack Spider-Man, the ninjas try to ambush him, but he blasts them away with a jolt of electricity.

By this time, J. Jonah Jameson has gotten a call from Martha Robertson and orders his staff to scramble and get the story. While down on the street, Martha Robertson has finished making calls to the police and the Bugle on a pay phone. The whole time she is wondering why her husband is willing to risk his life for a story and realizes to herself that she can't handle this anymore. While back at the scene of the battle, Meiko is blasted by Electro. While Spider-Man takes the attention off her, Joe Robertson drags her to safety. Because he saved Meiko's life, Joe is told that she now has a debt of honor to him. As such, Joe asks her to corroborate the information they have been compiling on the Black Tarantula. Meanwhile, Spider-Man is still on the defensive against Electro and smashes open a fire hydrant in the hopes that it will short his enemy out. However, Electro is too powerful and uses the heat created by his electrical charge to evaporate the water before it even strikes him. He then decides to try and something new and uses his powers to disrupt the electrical impulses in Spider-Man's brain, causing the wall-crawler extreme pain.

Electro continues to pour on the power, demanding that Spider-Man begs for mercy in order to spare his life. With no other choice, the wall-crawler begs for mercy much to Electro's satisfaction. This is sufficient for Electro who is proud that he finally defeated Spider-Man and departs. Once he recovers from the attack, the web-head learns that Joe allowed Meiko and the True Believers to escape. When Spider-Man asks why Joe didn't do something to stop them, he tells the wall-crawler that he had a story to follow and leaves to meet up with his wife.

Notes

  • The cover reprints the cover of Spider-Man #79.

Continuity Notes[]


Error Notes[]

See Also

Links and References

References


Cite error: <ref> tags exist for a group named "Continuity", but no corresponding <references group="Continuity"/> tag was found
Cite error: <ref> tags exist for a group named "Error", but no corresponding <references group="Error"/> tag was found

Advertisement