Appearing in "Son of the Hunter! Part 2"
Spectacular Spider-Man #252
Featured Characters:
Supporting Characters:
Antagonists:
Other Characters:
- Doctor Angst (Jonas Mueller) (First appearance)
- Grizzly (Maxwell Markham)
- Gibbon (Martin Blank)
- Kraven the Hunter (Sergei Kravinov) (Photo)
- Chameleon (Dmitri Smerdyakov) (Mentioned)
- Vladimir Kravinov (Mentioned)
- Daily Bugle (Mentioned)
- Vermin (Edward Whelan) (Mentioned)
- Captain America (Steve Rogers) (Mentioned)
Races and Species:
Locations:
- Earth
- North America
- Europe (Mentioned)
- Africa (Mentioned)
Items:
Vehicles:
- Bearmobile (First appearance) (Destroyed)
Synopsis for "Son of the Hunter! Part 2"
Spectacular Spider-Man #252
Drugged, Spider-Man was attacked by a man he thought was his foe, Kraven the Hunter, back from the dead. However, at his attacker's mercy, the wall-crawler learns that this is Alyosha Kravinov, the son of his old foe.[Continuity 1] He tells the Spider-Man that, unlike his father, he uses real bullets in his rifle then pulls the trigger. Thankfully, Spider-Man's spider-sense kicks in and allows him to leap to safety. When Spider-Man tries to fight back, he is then restrained by Kraven's elephant. Instead of trying to kill his enemy again, Kraven decides to have a talk with him, so Kraven can learn everything the masked hero knows about his father. As he approaches Spider-Man, the drugs coursing through the wall-crawler's system causes him to blackout.
Meanwhile, Norman Osborn has summoned his colleague Doctor Jonas Mueller, a leading expert in psychology. Norman wants to put his expertise to work on an experiment. Spotting a spider crawling by, Norman plucks it up and begins pulling its legs off one at a time, telling Mueller that this experiment will not only further his theories but also provide them both with a little fun. By this time, Spider-Man has awoken from his drug-induced coma and discovers that Kraven has patched up his wounds. Kraven explains that he only wishes to talk and hands him a jungle brew to undo the lasting effects of the drugs. Since his spider-sense isn't going off, Spider-Man is convinced to drink the brew. Spider-Man then asks what Alyosha wants if he doesn't want to kill him. Kraven explains that he has come to try and understand the kind of man his father was. He goes on to say that he was born in the jungles of Africa some twenty-one years earlier.[Continuity 2] Unlike his brother Vladimir, who was raised in civilization, he was raised in the jungle. Although he was taught to be a man, Alyosha believes that his father saw him only as some kind of beast. For a moment, Spider-Man tenses up a Kraven begins howling like an animal, but he eventually composes himself. Kraven continues, explaining that his father was only part of his life on a periodic basis, making Sergei mostly a mystery. Although he spent some time with other humans, he spent a lot of time in the wild. As he grew older, he learned about his family heritage and wanted to learn more and so he decided to seek out Spider-Man, his father's greatest obsession and the reason why Sergei committed suicide. He wanted to get into Spider-Man's head and know all about him. When Spider-Man tells Alyosha that he would have done anything to prevent Sergei's death, Kraven believes him. However, all he knows of his father are the mad ravings in his diaries and he demands that Spider-Man tell him the truth about his father.
Spider-Man doesn't even know where to begin but decides that he needs to try and tell Kraven what he wants to know. The wall-crawler starts by saying that when he first met the original Kraven, he almost admired him.[Continuity 3] However, after numerous battles, Spider-Man began thinking of Kraven as a bit of a joke. That all changed during their last encounter, madness had consumed Sergei and he drugged Spider-Man into a death-like coma and buried him alive. For two weeks, Sergei terrorized New York dressed as Spider-Man to try and prove to the world that he was somehow better than his old foe. Remembering all this brings up all the old horrors of that experience. Two weeks spent buried underground, with his friends and family thinking he was dead. Spider-Man remembers how, when he finally came back, all he wanted to do was tear Sergei apart. However, when he finally confronted Kraven, he unleashed the creature known as Vermin. When given a choice between vengeance and duty, he chose duty. Still, he admits that he had been haunted by Alyosha's father ever since. That's when Spider-Man's spider-sense begins going off, warning him that there is trouble, that there are people surrounding the building. Alyosha can sense it as well, and the pair brace themselves for attack.
That's when a bomb goes off, and once Spider-Man recovers from the blast, he sees Kraven is all right, but his pet gorilla was killed in the blast. While the wall-crawler insists they need to get moving, Kraven becomes furious and demands to know who is responsible for this attack. That's when they are surrounded by armed men under the command of Calypso. Angered at being manipulated by Alyosha and now seeing him conspiring with her lover's greatest foe, she has come to eliminate them both.[Continuity 4] During the battle, Calypso tosses some dust into Kraven's face, putting him in a trance. Holding him at knifepoint, she orders Spider-Man to surrender. With no other choice, the wall-crawler surrenders and has the same dust thrown into his face. Elsewhere in the city, the Grizzly and Gibbon are joyriding in their newly modified car. The two are about to embark on the start of their new lives as superheroes.[Continuity 5] While the two begin thinking about how they can monetize their new roles, the Grizzly decides to check out their car's aqua-gear. Unfortunately, they remember that the car doesn't have aquatic capabilities only after they drive it off a pier.
While back at the Parker home, Mary Jane and her Aunt Anna are in the kitchen, avoiding conversation. This drives Mary Jane crazy, because her Aunt knows that something is bothering her and that she is waiting for the right moment to start asking questions and prying into her business. Anna starts by asking where Peter is, and Mary Jane explains that her husband is on a photo assignment for the Bugle.[Continuity 6] This strikes Anna as odd since he was saying that he doesn't want to work for the Bugle anymore now that it is owned by Norman Osborn.[Continuity 7] This leads to an argument, and Mary Jane eventually apologizes for snapping, saying that she is under a lot of stress. Anna refuses to buy Mary Jane's excuses about classes and exams and tells her niece to tell her the truth, since Anna has already figured it out. This shocks Mary Jane, who wonders if her aunt has finally figured out that Peter Parker is Spider-Man.
Meanwhile, Spider-Man and Alyosha wake up in cages that have been brought out to the grave of Sergei Kravinoff. Calypso has decided to bring them here so she can kill Spider-Man, her lover's greatest enemy, and Alyosha who she believes has betrayed his family legacy. As her followers bang drums, she begins dancing, using her voodoo powers to bring out the animialistic sides of both Spider-Man and Kraven in order to force them to fight each other to the death.
Appearing in "Son of the Hunter! Part 3"
Spectacular Spider-Man #253
Featured Characters:
Supporting Characters:
Antagonists:
Other Characters:
- Grizzly (Maxwell Markham)
- Gibbon (Martin Blank)
- White Rabbit (Lorina Dodson)
- Doctor Angst (Jonas Mueller)
- Sir (Martha Paterson)
- Dr. Garrison (First appearance)
- Kraven the Hunter (Sergei Kravinov) (Mentioned)
- Daily Bugle (Mentioned)
- Grim Hunter (Vladimir Kravinov) (Mentioned)
- Dr. Ashley Kafka (Mentioned)
- Dr. Leonard Samson (Mentioned)
- Senator Roeberg (Mentioned)
- Norman Osborn (Mentioned)
Races and Species:
Locations:
Items:
Vehicles:
Synopsis for "Son of the Hunter! Part 3"
Spectacular Spider-Man #253
Calypso has unleashed the primal savagery in both Kraven the Hunter and Spider-Man in the hopes that both will battle each other to the death. As the two fight it out, Calypso's followers begin beating drums to increase Spider-Man's fighting frenzy. She then goads Kraven to do what his father, the original Kraven, failed to do and kill Spider-Man.[Continuity 8]
Meanwhile, in Queens, Mary Jane's Aunt Anna has confronted her with the fact that she has figured out her husband, Peter Parker's, secret.[Continuity 9] Mary Jane is afraid for a moment, fearing that Anna has figured out that Peter is secretly Spider-Man. However, when Anna suggests that Peter is having an affair, Mary Jane bursts out in laughter. She explains that Peter is always ducking out because he is juggling his classes at Empire State University and his job at the Daily Bugle, and that he is a very loyal husband. However, Anna refuses to be convinced, wondering how her niece could be so naive. She then storms out of the room telling Mary Jane that she will have to learn the hard way, just like she did. Mary Jane is suddenly very confused by what her aunt could mean. While in Lower Manhattan, the Grizzly and Gibbon's first foray into super-heroics has taken a turn when they accidentally drove their new crime-fighting vehicle into the harbor. Adding insult to injury, it will cost them $300 just to have a tow truck pull the car out of the water. Unfortunately, neither have the money to pay the towing fee and watch helplessly as their car is towed away. That's when they hear an explosion coming from a nearby bank and rush to investigate. There they witness as the White Rabbit and her goons are staging a bank heist.
Back in the cemetery, the battle between Spider-Man and Kraven rages on. As Spider-Man gains the upper hand, he webs up Kraven and grabs a spear from one of the nearby warriors. However, when Calypso goads him to kill Kraven, Spider-Man instead turns and tosses the spear at her, striking the voodoo priestess in the shoulder. Both free from the influence of the beating drums, Spider-Man frees Kraven and they take down Calypso's minions. When she tries to flee, Kraven's lion, Gulyadkin, tries to take her down but Kraven orders the beast to stand down. In the aftermath of the battle, Kraven apologizes to going after Spider-Man instead of going to her to learn about his heritage and asks her for forgiveness. However, he has learned that Spider-Man had nothing to do with his father's death and refuses to give into a lust for revenge like his brother, the Grim-Hunter, before him.[Continuity 10] Since Kraven and Calypso have ended their feud with Spider-Man, the wall-crawler decides to let them go, glad that the Kraven's legacy of madness may have come to an end.
Meanwhile, at Ravencroft Institute, the Doctor Jonas Mueller is allowed entry into the facility. His guide, Doctor Garrison, apologizes for the delay in getting Mueller security cleared after Leonard Samson took over the facility from Ashley Kafka.[Continuity 11] He is then allowed to see his patient, prisoner 758. This prisoner turns out to be the powerhouse known as Sir. Mueller reminds Sir that he helped create Sir, but he escaped before he could finish his experiments. Mueller, calling himself Doctor Angst, assures Sir that he will finish what he started making Sir greater than ever before, but first Sir has to do a job for his new employer, Norman Osborn.
By this time, Spider-Man has returned home and climbs into the bedroom window. As he strips off his soaking costume, Peter tells Mary Jane of his encounter with Kraven and Calypso. Famished, he then goes downstairs to get some leftovers out of the fridge. There he is confronted by Aunt Anna, who wants to talk to him. She angrily confronts him about his alleged infidelity, confusing Peter. Mary Jane comes downstairs and explains to her husband that her aunt thinks that Peter is cheating on their marriage. However, despite Peter and Mary Jane's assurances that this is not the case, Anna refuses to believe them. Having had enough of this nonsense, Mary Jane decides to tell Aunt Anna the truth, that Peter is really Spider-Man. While at that moment, at the Kravenoff estate, Kraven the Hunter has repaid Calypso for her treachery by slaughtering her and her followers. He now believes he is worthy of the title of Kraven the Hunter, and vows that the slaughter has only just begun.
Appearing in "The Price!"
Amazing Spider-Man #429
Featured Characters:
Supporting Characters:
Antagonists:
Other Characters:
- Martha Robertson
- X-Man (Nathan Grey)
- Doctor Octopus (Otto Octavius)
- Doctor Octopus (Carolyn Trainer)
- Foggy Nelson
- Wolverine (James Howlett)
- Beast (Hank McCoy)
- Professor Mark Howard
- NYPD
- Thunderbolts (Photo)
- Citizen V (Helmut Zemo) (Photo)
- Meteorite (Karla Sofen) (Photo)
- Atlas (Erik Josten) (Photo)
- Fixer (Norbert Ebersol) (Photo)
- Mach-1 (Abner Jenkins) (Photo)
- Songbird (Melissa Gold) (Photo)
- Juggernaut (Cain Marko) (Mentioned)
- New World Order (Mentioned)
- Liz Osborn (Referenced)
- Kraven the Hunter (Alexei Kravinoff) (Referenced)
- Robot Master (Mendel Stromm) (Referenced)
- Puma (Thomas Fireheart) (Referenced)
- Thor (Thor Odinson) (Mentioned)
- Hulk (Bruce Banner) (Mentioned)
Races and Species:
Locations:
Items:
Synopsis for "The Price!"
Amazing Spider-Man #429
Reading the newspaper, the Absorbing Man tells his wife Titania about the front page story which shows Spider-Man punching Norman Osborn.[Continuity 12] After getting stiffed by the Juggernaut and the New World Order, he is looking for a new plan to earn them some fast cash and suggests that they try to cash in on the million dollar reward that is being offered for the wall-crawler's capture.[Continuity 13] Although they both hold a grudge against Spider-Man, Titania points out that -- as criminals -- they could never claim the reward.[Continuity 14] However, Carl Creel has an idea to get around this. He shows her a photo of the new super-heroes calling themselves the Thunderbolts and explains that they have given him a great deal of inspiration.
A few nights later, Spider-Man stops a pair of crooks from committing a break and enter. Due to the wall-crawler's bad press, the crooks run in fear from Spider-Man alerting a police office. Instead of helping to capture the crooks, the officer tries to arrest Spider-Man instead, forcing the web-slinger to make a hasty retreat. When Peter returns home and tells his wife Mary Jane about what happened, she reminds him that she told him so.[Continuity 15] She points out that the million dollar reward will make anyone try to capture him for the money.[Continuity 16] She also points out that Norman Osborn knows Peter's secret identity and is using this to work against him.[Continuity 17] She is concerned with his safety, especially after what has recently happened to Daredevil, and reminds him he promised her that he would stop being Spider-Man for a while unless it was absolutely necessary.[Continuity 18]
While at the Robertson apartment, Joe tells his wife Martha that he can't understand why J. Jonah Jameson would sell half of the Daily Bugle to Norman Osborn. This on top of how Osborn has been using it as a platform to promote vigilantism doesn't sit well with him.[Continuity 19] This leads to Martha reminding Joe that he only works for the Bugle and he should stop letting it run his entire life. While across New York, members of the super-powered community read about Spider-Man's current troubles. While the X-Man doesn't understand why Spider-Man would intentionally attack an innocent man, Doctor Octopus and Carolyn Trainer gloat over the wall-crawler's misfortune, while Wolverine and Beast of the X-Men are too busy fighting over the funnies to concern themselves with Spider-Man's plight. While at the home of Matt Murdock, the blind lawyer assures his business partner Foggy Nelson that he will take it easy. However, when he is alone he changes into Daredevil so he can go out and learn Spider-Man's side of the whole Osborn assault, despite the fact that he is still recovering from a recent gunshot wound.
At the Daily Bugle, Joe Robertson tries to talk sense into J. Jonah Jameson who is unwilling to listen. That's when Norman Osborn tells the two men to meet him out in the bullpen. There he introduces Jonah and Joe to two new costumed heroes Thunder Girl and Lightningbolt who have recently announced their intentions to capture Spider-Man. Unknown to everyone gathered is that these "new heroes" are actually Titania and Absorbing Man in disguise. By this time, Peter has finished walking Mary Jane to her classes at Empire State University where she once more reminds him that he promised not to be Spider-Man. Peter can understand Mary Jane's position since it seems that his old villains seem to be coming back with no end in sight.[Continuity 20] That's when his spider-sense detects someone leaping across some nearby rooftops. Unable to identify who it was, Peter rushes off to change into Spider-Man to investigate, slipping away from his bio-chem teacher Professor Mark Howards in the process.
Up on the rooftops, Peter quickly changes into Spider-Man, worrying that his wife will be angry with him if she finds out that he went into costume so soon. He soon finds the man who has been trailing him and it turns out to be Daredevil who wants to hear Spider-Man's side of the story regarding the attack on Norman Osborn. Since Daredevil knows that Peter Parker is Spider-Man and tells his ally that Norman Osborn knows this as well and that he was also the original Green Goblin.[Continuity 21] Although Spider-Man has no proof that Osborn is the Goblin, and hearing why he attacked Osborn, Daredevil believes him due to the fact his powers allow him to detect if someone is lying or not. That's when the pair are spotted by a traffic helicopter. Back at the Daily Bugle, "Lightning Bolt" gloats over how easily his sceme to fool people into thinking he and "Thunder Girl" are heroes. He explains that the recent loss of the Avengers and the Fantastic Four and the public's instant acceptance of the newly formed Thunderbolts gave him the idea.[Continuity 22] That's when Norman Osborn enters the room and tells the two "heroes" that Spider-Man has been spotted near Empire State University. After the pair rush off to face the wall-crawler, Norman Osborn tells J. Jonah Jameson that he saw through Absorbing Man and Titania's pitiful disguises and alerts the authorities that they are back in town.
Back on campus, Spider-Man uses the public's fear of him to force the helicopter pilot to explain why he has been following the wall-crawler. After the interrogation is done, the pair are ambushed by "Lightning Bolt" and "Thunder Girl". As Spider-Man and Daredevil defend themselves from their attackers the pair quickly deduces that they are really facing Absorbing Man and Titania. With their disguises blown, Absorbing Man drops all pretenses and begins using his powers to boost his strength. As the battle rages, Professor Howard tries to clear out the hallways of the school. When news of the battle reaches the radio, the broadcast is overheard by Joe Robertson who realizes that this battle was instigated by the Daily Bugle. Fearing fallout against the newspaper, Joe tries to rush off to do damage control. However, he is stopped by Martha who asks Joe when he will stop allowing himself being pulled into the madness created by the paper. As the battle rages on, Mary Jane learns that Spider-Man is involved and is not happy to hear it. While back at the Bugle, J. Jonah Jameson is happy to see Joe arrive with his wife Martha. However, Joe informs Jonah that he has only come by to tell him that he is taking the rest of the day off so he can reflect on working for the Daily Bugle in the future.
By this time, Spider-Man's fight with Absorbing Man has been taken outside, where the villain damages the traffic helicopter. This prompts Spider-Man to leap up and rescue the pilot before the helicopter can crash. Inside, Titania tries to lunge at Daredevil, but he is able to sense her movements and leap out of the way. This sends Titania crashing through a window and puts her directly under the crashing helicopter which explodes on impact. Seeing this happen, the Absorbing Man fears for his wife's life and tries to rush into the flames to save her even though his body has taken on the properties of wood. To make matters worse, he starts taking on the property of the fire, making it impossible for him to save Titania. Seeing that a life is on the line, Spider-Man webs up his body and leaps into the flames. Daredevil watches this from nearby and fear for their safety but is relieved when Spider-Man emerges unscathed with Titania in his arms. With Titania needing immediate medical attention, Absorbing Man surrenders to the authorities. Meanwhile, Spider-Man slips away to change back into Peter Parker and find his wife. When he does find Mary Jane, she tells Peter that she is angry and very disappointed in him and walks away before he can get in another word.
Notes
Continuity Notes[]
See Also
Links and References
References
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