—Spider-Woman (Jess Drew)You-- you really think Fisk is going to let you free after this?
Appearing in "The Devil You Know"
Featured Characters:
Supporting Characters:
- Captain Marvel (Carol Danvers) (Impersonated by Veranke)
Antagonists:
- Thunderbolt Units
- Thunderbolts Officer (First appearance)
- Veranke (Impersonates Iron Man (Tony Stark) and Ronin (Clint Barton))
Other Characters:
- Mayor Wilson Fisk (Mentioned)
- Lindsay McCabe (Impersonated by Veranke)
- Norman Osborn (Mentioned)
- God (Yahweh) (Invoked)
- Gerry Drew (Impersonated by Veranke)
- Night Nurse (Linda Carter)
- Spider-Man (Ben Reilly)
- God (Invoked)
- Anti-Arach9 (First appearance as Anti-Arach9)
- Octavia Vermis
- Mister O'Nay (Voice only)
- Rose Roché
- Aeturnum (Michael Marchand)
- Krazy Goat (Shadow only)
- Los Espadas Gemelas De Toledo
- Ray
- Luis
- Chonky (First appearance)
Races and Species:
Locations:
- Earth
- United States of America
- New York
- New York City
- Westchester County (Referenced)
- Ravencroft Institute (Referenced)
- New York
- United States of America
- Hell (Referenced)
Items:
- Spider-Woman's Suit
- Iron Man Armor (Disguise)
Synopsis for "The Devil You Know"
As Gerry can tell Veranke's impersonation isn't his mother, her odd behavior leads a suspicious Linda to ask about the arm cast that Jess was supposed to be wearing. Breaking character to strike her, Spider-Woman arrives to attack Veranke but the Thunderbolt Units truck escapes with Gerry. As Jess starts to run after the truck, telling Linda about helping Lindsay in hospital, Veranke attempts to keep her around. But while Veranke can still use Jess's powers when in her form, she's out of practice and form having been in a cell since Norman originally killed her.[1]
With the truck stuck in gridlock, Jess instead finds the back is empty when Iron Man arrives to help. But Jess easily deduces it was Veranke playing mind games, as the real Tony would have made an insult upon arrival. She drops the act remembering how much her friends 'hate' her, even bringing up making out with Tony when impersonating Jess. When Veranke battles Jess in the back of the truck, her powers only mimic the armor as she's still flesh and Jess stuns her as the truck goes over the bridge.
Moments earlier, Gerry wall-crawled and venom blasted the driver, crashing the truck over into a garbage scow. Getting out, Jess blasts Spider-Man believing him another Veranke play, but it was really him sent by Linda. Halfheartedly apologizing as she races to Gerry, she finds Carol holding him still thinking it is Veranke until another Carol shows up. Confused and willing to zap both, Gerry asks "bad Cawol?" and Jess asks he blast the bad one, with Gerry shooting the correct Veranke.
Although willing to help, Jess demands Carol flee with Gerry while she fights to resolve Veranke alone. While Veranke taunts that she "honored" Jess by impersonating her, she rages at regretting ever having done so not knowing why she ever saw leadership material in Jess. Ambivalent to Veranke's madness and humiliation, Jess counters the Skrull as she changes faces in failed psych attacks playing as people Jess cares for. The unfazed Jess venom blasts Veranke point blank on her skull until she's unconscious.
Worried for Lindsay, Carol updates Jess that Linda got her somewhere safe in time, and she hugs her baby in relief. However, with their situation hard pressed for time with Fisk's play,[2] Carol asks what to do about Veranke and Jess convinces her to stuff her somewhere secure on the garbage scow. At the hospital, Jess updates and apologizes to Lindsay, who reassures Jess she's fine. As Lindsay brings up having been in plenty of trouble before, Jess is wager to discuss the Irish Ninjas with her soon.
Across the stress, a sniper named Mr. O'Nay calls Octavia Vermis having Jess in his crosshairs, willing to kill her immediately. However, Vermis refutes his request finding it unsporting to attack Jess now after such a challenging day. As Vermis wants Spider-Woman to feel safe again, before she faces her new foes: The Anti-Arachnine. Among whom include Aeturnum with Rose Roché, and the brothers Los Espadas Gemelas De Toledo.
Solicit Synopsis
A DEVIL’S REIGN TIE-IN!
• SPIDER-WOMAN VS. SPIDER-WOMAN?!
• But HOW?! Jessica Drew must question everything. Starting with whether she is the true Jessica Drew!!!