Nick Peron

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Amazing Spider-Man #190

Nick Peron

In Search of the Man-Wolf

Credits

The Man-Wolf has been sent to capture J. Jonah Jameson, and Spider-Man was unable to stop him. Recovering from a blow, Spidey goes after the Man-Wolf. While over in Westchester, the mystery villain trying to kill both Spider-Man and Jameson turns out to be Spencer Smythe. Smythe is dying due to years of exposure to the various radioactive isotopes used to build the various Spider-Slayer robots that he built for Jameson. Blaming Jameson for his terminal health condition, he has orchestrated this whole event as a means to get revenge against Jameson, and to succeed at what he always failed to do: destroy Spider-Man.

Back in the city, Spider-Man causes the Man-Wolf and Jameson to crash into a car show, where Spider-Man tries to take the Man-Wolf down and Jameson attempts to talk sense into his transformed son. During the fight, Jameson picks up a pistol that was pulled out of the hands off a security guard at the auto show. He is grabbed once more by the Man-Wolf who tries to flee and Spider-Man and the Man-Wolf end up fighting in the streets.

Meanwhile, at the offices of the Daily Globe, a rival New York newspaper, it's owner K.J. Clayton demands that the editor Barney Buskin try to find a way to hire Peter Parker on as one of their photographers. While back on the streets, Jameson decides contemplates shooting his son, but can't bring himself to it when the Man-Wolf approaches and recaptures him. Taking Jonah to the Brooklyn Bridge, whereupon Smythe's commands -- the Man-Wolf intends to throw Jameson into the water below.

Spider-Man arrives on the bridge just as Jameson manages to get through to John's subconscious mind. As Spider-Man fights the Man-Wolf, the creature reverts back to John Jameson. Furious over another failure, Smyth activates his ace in the hole: A bomb implanted inside John Jameson, that will kill his pawn. This causes John to recoil in pain and fall of the bridge. Spider-Man goes after him and manages to grab John and save him from the deadly fall. However, John figures that there is nothing to do to save himself, and tells Spider-Man to tell his father that he loves him before letting go. Spider-Man watches in horror as John plunges to the water below, but disappears in a flash before he impacts with the water.

When Spider-Man tries to explain what happened to John to his father, J. Jonah Jameson refuses to believe it, figuring that Spider-Man let his son die as some vendetta against the publisher, and demands that the "murderer" leave him alone.

Recurring Characters

Spider-Man, J. Jonah Jameson, Man-Wolf, Spencer Smythe, K.J Clayton, Barney Bushkin, Marla Madison, Joan Jameson (corpse in a flasback)

Continuity Notes

  • Spencer Smyth seeks revenge against Jameson and Spider-Man because the isotopes used to make his Spider-Slayers gave him terminal cancer. These Spider-Slayers were made in Amazing Spider-Man #28, 58, and 105-107.

  • The flashback where John is put in cryogenic suspension happens shortly after John's exile from the moon that occurred in Marvel Premiere #45-46 and his last battle with Spider-Man in Marvel Team-Up #36-37.

  • The cover stories in the Daily Bugle being read by J.K. Clayton are his battle with Jigsaw (Amazing Spider-Man #188).

  • The flashback showing a young John Jameson, the boy is wearing a t-shirt that says "I Like Ike". This should be considered a topical reference per the Sliding Timescale of Earth-616. Generally speaking, this reference is meant to signify that this flashback happens roughly 27 years prior to this story. This would make John Jameson between the ages of 30 and 35 during this story.

  • Although Jonah mentions how his wife died, he states that she "passed on". In reality, as explained in Marvel Holiday Special 2004, she was actually killed by a mugger.