Appearing in "Beware...The Black Widow!"
Amazing Spider-Man #86
Featured Characters:
Supporting Characters:
Antagonists:
- Black Widow (Natasha Romanoff) (Main story and recap) (See chronology)
Other Characters:
- Iron Man (Tony Stark) (Only in recap)
- Hawkeye (Clint Barton) (Only in recap)
- Crimson Dynamo (Boris Turgenov) (Only in recap)
- Nick Fury (Only in recap)
- Red Guardian (Alexei Shostakov) (Only in recap)
- Nikita Khrushchev (Only in recap) (Topical Reference)
- Kingpin (Wilson Fisk) (Mentioned)
- Avengers (Mentioned)
- S.H.I.E.L.D. (Supreme Headquarters, International Espionage, Law-enforcement Division) (Mentioned)
- Woody Allen (Mentioned) (Topical Reference)
Races and Species:
Locations:
- Earth
- North America
- United States of America
- New York State
- New York City
- Manhattan
- Murray Hill
- Peter and Harry's Apartment
- Queens
- Manhattan
- New York City
- Missouri (Mentioned)
- New York State
- United States of America
- North America
Items:
- Spider-Man's Suit and Web-Shooters
- Black Widow's Gauntlets (First Appearance of New Model)
- Iron Man Armor Model 2 (Only in recap)
- Crimson Dynamo Armor Mark I (Only in recap)
- Hawkeye's Suit, Bow and Trick Arrows (Only in recap)
Synopsis for "Beware...The Black Widow!"
Amazing Spider-Man #86
Meanwhile, Spidey is about to enter his apartment when he spies Harry Osborn, Gwen and George Stacy waiting for him. Sneaking some clothing, Spidey changes back into Peter Parker and enters the apartment. When Gwen sees the bruises on his face, she demands to know what sort of trouble he's in. When Peter isn't forthcoming with answers, she tells him not to call her until he can promise not to get involved with Spider-Man ever again, and leaves with her father.
As the Black Widow prepares to go out searching for Spider-Man to prove who is the better, Peter can't study because he feels as though he's getting groggy. He goes out web-slinging, but has to pause to rest and has the poor fortune to take a breather on the Daily Bugle building and trades barbs with Jameson. Checking in on his Aunt May, he accidentally startles her when she sees Spider-Man in the window.
Returning to the city, Spider-Man is attacked by the Black Widow, they have a brief battle where the Widow gains the upper hand and ropes up Spider-Man. However, Spider-Man manages to break free and gum up her venom-sting bracelets with his webbing. However, before he can do anything else she flees the fight. Later she decides that she was wrong to try and get the secrets to Spider-Man's powers, and that her own abilities are unique to her and that she should forge her own destiny.
Finally, Spider-Man begins to get very ill and returns home. There he takes a look at his blood in a microscope. His research finds that his spider-powers are once more beginning to fade. Now posed with what he's always wanted: A life free of the responsibility that comes with being Spider-Man, is this what he truly wants?Appearing in "Crescendo!"
Tales of Suspense #78
Featured Characters:
Antagonists:
- Ultimo (Apparent death)
- Mandarin
- Mandarin's Guards
- Numerous unnamed guards
- People's Liberation Army
- Two unnamed soldiers
Other Characters:
- Hertz (Mentioned)
- Happy Hogan (Mentioned)
- United States Senate (Mentioned)
- Senator Harrington Byrd (Mentioned)
- United States Air Force
- "Sloppy Joe"
- "Ravin' Rooster"
- Avengers (Mentioned)
- Stark Industries (Referenced)
- Unnamed Plant Manager (Mentioned)
- Stark Industries Security (Mentioned)
- Daily Bugle (Named only)
- United States Government (Named only)
Races and Species:
Locations:
- Earth
- Asia
- China
- Okinawa, Japan (Mentioned)
- Formosa (Mentioned)
- Pacific Ocean (Mentioned)
- North America
- Asia
Items:
Synopsis for "Crescendo!"
Tales of Suspense #78
Appearing in "To Rise Again!"
Thor #151
Featured Characters:
Supporting Characters:
Antagonists:
Locations:
Items:
Synopsis for "To Rise Again!"
Thor #151
Thor, still powerless since Odin stripped him of his godly might, charges at the coming Destroyer -- completely unaware that it houses the soul of his lover, Sif, who agreed to pilot the armor to save Thor from the Wrecker. Until this point, Sif has managed to keep the Destroyer's natural inclination to destroy any God's in it's path in check. But she begins to lose control of the mystic armor's baser instincts as Thor increases the fury of his attacks. The Destroyer pitches into full control just when Thor smashes a car over the armors head, sending it into a full battle fury.
Watching from her castle is Karnilla and Loki, who have orchestrated these events in the hopes that the Destroyer will kill Thor once and for all. Karnilla calls for the recently captured Balder to be brought before her to witness the destruction of Thor, and also tries to win Balder's affections. Her flirtations are interrupted when Ulik storms the room and throws a sword at them to announce the fact that he intends to kill them all.
Back on Earth, Thor continues his fight against the Destroyer, while inside the armor, Sif tries desperately to regain control and stop the fight, but finds that her will is not powerful enough to seize control of the rampaging armor. As the battle rages on in the Destroyer's favor, back in Asgard, Odin's trusted wizard manages to create a new mystic crystal for Odin to be able to view the Earth. Witnessing Thor's losing battle against the Destroyer and unaware of the machinations of Loki and Karnilla, Odin restores Thor's full strength and godly might.
Thor realizes his full power has been restored when his hammer suddenly pulls out of the Destroyer's grasp and returns to him. Rejoicing at having his full power back, Thor resumes his fight against the Destroyer with his most powerful blows. At a distinct physical disadvantage, the Destroyer then (much to Sif's horror) activates it's disintegratior and fires a beam toward Thor.
Back in the land of the Norns, Ulik tells Karnilla that his master Geirrodur has ordered her death, prompting Balder to come to her protection, in exchange for his and Sif's freedom. This is a request that Karnilla complies with at least freeing Balder who begins a battle with Ulik. While back on Earth, Thor manages to dodge the disintegrator blast and duck into a dead end alleyway, with nowhere to go he is cornered against a nearly unstoppable foe.
This story is continued next issue...