The Punisher Strikes Twice!

A new costumed criminal known as the Jackal has appeared and has hired the Punisher -- a costumed vigilante that loves death -- to destroy Spider-Man. The wall-crawler, meanwhile, is web-slinging through the city; he stops to take some pictures of a robbery and busts it up as well. He takes the photos to the Bugle, where J. Jonah Jameson has a fit that Parker has not been able to get any photos of the Punisher, and that all the competition is snapping up photos of him in action.

Peter leaves and changes back to Spider-Man, and soon finds himself attacked by the Punisher, who thinks that Spider-Man is a common crook just like everyone else he kills. The vigilante doesn't have much of an upper hand against Spider-Man, and the Jackal (hiding near the battle) decides to strike out. When his claws rake the back of Spider-Man's head, the Punisher calls the Jackal on his "unjust" methods of killing Spider-Man. The wall-crawler manages to get away when he stumbles off the edge of the building they are fighting on, gain control, and swing away. When the Jackal and Punisher depart, Spider-Man returns to the scene and collects the Punisher's weapon that was left behind and sees that it was made by Reiss Armories.

As Spider-Man returns to his apartment, as Peter Parker, he mends his costume, unaware that Harry Osborn is listening and suspects that Peter may know that he's decided to become the Green Goblin. While at ESU, Miles Warren has sought out Mary Jane Watson to see if she can pass along an apology to Peter over their brief run-in while he was trying to get help for her when the Vulture had captured her. At the secret hideout of the Jackal, the Punisher lashes out at the Jackal over their methods of elimination. The Punisher leaves to go the Mechanic, his gun supplier, to resupply.

This brings him to Reiss Armories, where he finds Spider-Man, who just stumbled upon the Mechanic's dead body. Thinking that the wall-crawler had killed the Mechanic, the Punisher attacks him. During their fight, Spider-Man manages to get the upper hand and bind the Punisher. He then makes the vigilante see that the Jackal's trademark clawings were the cause of the Mechanic's death. Realizing that the Jackal had been manipulating him to do his dirty work and then intended to frame him for murder, the Punisher vows to get revenge against the Jackal and storms out. When Spider-Man hears police sirens he leaves as well. The Jackal, watching on, vows that he will eventually destroy Spider-Man.

Recurring Characters

Spider-Man, Punisher, Jackal, Mary Jane Watson, J. Jonah Jameson, Joe Robertson, Betty Brant

Continuity Notes

• Spider-Man recounts his current losses and troubles. They are as follows:

  • The death of his girlfriend Gwen Stacy, who died during a battle against the Green Goblin in Amazing Spider-Man #121.

  • The Green Goblin was seemingly killed in battle shortly thereafter in the following issue. However, Norman survived as explained in Spider-Man: The Osborn Journal #1. Norman resurfaces in Amazing Spider-Man #412.

  • Nobody knows that the Green Goblin and Norman Osborn are the same person because of his son, Harry, recovered his costume in Amazing Spider-Man #123, a fact that was revealed in Amazing Spider-Man #126. Public knowledge of Osborn's connection to the Green Goblin is not revealed until Spider-Man: Legacy of Evil #1.

• The newspaper coverage about the Punisher are details of events from Punisher Year One #1-4.

• Spider-Man mentions building his Spider-Mobile with the Human Torch. This has been an ongoing project between Amazing Spider-Man #126-128. The vehicle is finally completed in Amazing Spider-Man #130.

• Peter Parker worries about a notice he and Harry got from their landlord about outstanding rent. That happened in Amazing Spider-Man #127. In that same issue, Peter had his talk with Professor Warren about his grades that is mentioned in this story.