Amazing Spider-Man #350
Doom Service!
While trying to catch the Black Fox at an abandoned resort on Long Island, Spider-Man is interrupted by the arrival of Doctor Doom. Doom is after the Black Fox. When the wall-crawler demands to know why the monarch of Latveria would want with a cat burglar like the Black Fox, Doom refuses to explain himself and blasts Spider-Man away. He then corners the Black Fox and demands that he turn over the diamond known as the Dragon's Egg. The Black Fox plays dumb, but Doctor Doom knows that the Black Fox stole the emerald while it was on loan to the Monaco Museum. The Black Fox then tries to explain to Doom that he already sold the diamond. Before Doom can harm the old man, Spider-Man ambushes him from behind. While the wall-crawler is busy deflecting Doctor Doom's finger blasts, the Black Fox manages to escape. Spider-Man, meanwhile, is knocked out. When he regains consciousness he finds that Doctor Doom has been waiting for him to wake up. Doom tells Spider-Man that he is going to die because the Dragon's Egg was a powerful emerald owned by his mother, a powerful sorceress. Doom goes on to say that this treasured heirloom from his mother was kept with the Latverian crown jewels and it's inclusion at the Monaco display was an error. Since Spider-Man interfered with his attempt to regain the stolen jewel, the monarch of Latveria intends to see the masked hero dead. His opening salvo strikes a gas operated stove causing a massive explosion. Disorientated by the blast, Spider-Man tries to get to safety, but Doom easily catches up to him. Realizing that he is no match for Doom, Spider-Man tries to flee and takes more of a beating.
Managing to get outside, Spider-Man hears police sirens arriving on the scene. Knowing that Doom wants to keep the recovery of the jewel a personal affair, the wall-crawler convinces him that it will become incredibly public when the authorities and the press have arrived on the scene. He then convinces Doom to give him 24 hours to recover the diamond. Although Spider-Man is grateful to have survived the experience, he wonders if this is merely a stay of execution. Meanwhile, the Black Fox returns to his hideout and decides the past course of action is to use the Trask Diamond in order to recover the Dragon's Egg, but decides to get some rest first. The next morning, Peter Parker wakes up dazed and confused. Mary Jane is worried about him, but Peter assures her that she should go to work and he'll be fine.[1] When Mary Jane is gone, Peter gets out of bed to get on with his day, however, he feels incredibly dizzy and decides against going out as Spider-Man. Meanwhile, uptown, the Black Fox arrives at his fence's office and discovers that he has already sold the Dragon's Egg. The fence refuses to reveal who he sold it too, until the Black Fox agrees to give all the money he has on him.
Later, Peter Parker gets off the bus on his way to Empire State University. He is shocked to discover his Uncle Ben is standing there waiting for him. When Peter points out that his Uncle is dead, Ben tells him that he can't let something like death keep him from being there for Peter. Peter admits that he needs advice because he keeps on letting the Black Fox get away because the elderly thief somehow reminds him of his uncle. Ben reminds Peter of how he and Peter's Aunt May raised him after Peter's parents died.[2] He then recounts how Peter was bitten by a radioactive spider, and let fame get to his head. By allowing a burglar to run free, Peter signed the death warrant for Ben when that same burglar later tried to rob the Parker home.[3] Ben explains that since then he has worked to atone for the death of Uncle Ben. Ben also points out that this also has made Peter seek the approval to elderly men like the Black Fox and Dominic Fortune.[4] Ben concludes by reminding Peter that the Black Fox is a crook and he has no reason to get his approval. When Peter arrives at Empire State University, he is convinced that he is really talking to hus Uncle Ben and tries to introduce his "uncle" to Professor Swann and his assistant before suddenly passing out.
Meanwhile, at the Latverian Embassy, Doctor Doom waits in his office counting down the hours Spider-Man has left to recover the Dragon's Egg. Later, at the Blessing Hospital, Peter Parker wakes up and is told by the doctors that he has suffered a concussion. Although the doctor and Mary Jane insist that Peter stay overnight for observation, Peter refuses, telling them that he has so much to do. When Peter and Mary Jane return home, he insists that he has to bring the Black Fox to justice, explaining that even though the appearance of Uncle Ben was probably a hallucination, what it had to say made sense. Mary Jane tries to understand, but after his injury, she thinks that he is committing suicide. Later, the Black Fox floors it over to New Jersey after spending the day to get the equipment he needs to get the Dragon's Egg back, unaware that Spider-Man has hitched a ride on the back of his car. He soon arrives at the mansion owned by reclusive millionaire Andrew Carpathian. As Black Fox sneaks past the guards and security system he continues to remain unaware that he is also clearing a way for Spider-Man as well.
Unknown to them at this time, Andrew Carpathian is a direct descendant of Ambros Carpathian, an occultist who attempted to mystically control a swarm of carnivorous insects. He tells his followers, the Arcane Order of the Night, how the swarm was released and disposed of recently by Spider-Man, the Avengers and the Outlaws.[5] However, using the Dragon's Egg as a power source, they have developed a device to bring the swarm back to Earth. Both Spider-Man and the Black Fox overhear this and agree to work together to prevent this from happening. The pair leap through the skylight. While they are busy fighting the cultists, Andrew activates the device. Suddenly, Doctor Doom comes crashing through the wall, coming to recover his jewel and nothing more. Dodging the flying bullet, Spider-Man manages to swing up and snatch the Dragon's Egg from the device, saving the Earth. With the cultists fleeing the scene, Spider-Man returns the Dragon's Egg to Doctor Doom. Still, the monarch of Latveria demands a suitable punishment for the Black Fox. Since he has agreed to spare the thief's life, he takes the Trask Diamond and crushes it to worthless powder. After Doctor Doom leaves, the Black Fox once again tries to convince Spider-Man to let him go. However, Spider-Man is not falling for it this time, thinking of the advice given to him earlier by "Uncle Ben", Spider-Man takes the Black Fox into custody.
Recurring Characters
Spider-Man, Mary Jane Watson, Doctor Doom, Black Fox, Andrew Carpathian, Evan Swann, Anne-Marie Baker
Continuity Notes
Peter and Mary Jane are referred to as husband and wife here. However, years later, their marriage is erased from existence by the demon Mephisto in Amazing Spider-Man #545. As such they should be considered a common-law couple here.
Peter's parents were secret agents who were killed in the line of duty, as revealed in Amazing Spider-Man Annual #5.
Peter got his spider powers in Amazing Fantasy #15, this was also when Uncle Ben was murdered.
Peter has helped Dominic Fortune on a number of occasions in Marvel Team-Up #120 and Web of Spider-Man #10, and Web of Spider-Man #71-72.
Spider-Man and his allies banished Ambros Carpathian's insect swarm in The Spectacular Spider-Man #169-170.
