Outcasts!

This story continues from The Spectacular Spider-Man #217...

Clifford White, a drug dealer, is making an early morning deal when suddenly, the sale is interrupted by the sound of a massive growl. When he opens the door, he is horrified to see the feral form of the Puma waiting on the other side. Turning to get reinforcements, he is shocked to see that they have been incapacitated by the vigilante calling herself Nocturne. With the armed guards knocked out, the Puma is about to attack White, but Nocturne manages to convince him to stop. Instead of physically harming Clifford, Nocturne uses her empathic powers to make him feel the agony of those of the drug addicts he preys upon them. Screaming in agony, Clifford White's last thoughts are wishing that the Puma had killed him after all.

Meanwhile, in Forest Hills, Spider-Man returns to the home owned by his Aunt May. He wonders why he has come here since he has abandoned the identity of Peter Parker and embracing the spider. He wonders why he has come back to this place, part of Peter Parker's past, especially since he is embracing the spider. After his recent ordeal at Ravencroft, he isn't too sure on that anymore. Sitting in May's bedroom, Spider-Man pulls off his mask. Although he can't deal with Peter Parker's life right now, the wall-crawler figures he can at least reminisce on the past. He thinks about his childhood growing up here with his Aunt May and Uncle Ben, and how he felt safe back in those days. However, as soon as he thinks this, Peter snuffs out the memory and quickly leaves the house, swinging off into the rainy night.

At that moment in Pittsburg, Mary Jane is standing outside her sister Gayle's house in the pouring rain. She has come here to try and reconcile her past. Finally gathering up the courage, Mary Jane knocks on her sister's front door. When Gayle answers, Mary Jane is at a loss for words and asks if she can come in. Gayle is happy to see her sister and welcomes her in with open arms.

Back in Manhattan, Nocturne and Puma are prowling the city until Nocturne can no longer ignore the anguish that is calling out to her. In Queens, Spider-Man has arrived at Midtown High, where he once more thinks about the past. He remembers his teenage years before he became Spider-Man. He remembers Principal Davis, who had such high hopes for Parker. He also remembers how he was bullied by Flash Thompson, the school jock. Lastly, he remembers Liz Allan, his first high school crush and how he only discovered that she had feelings for him until the day they graduated, and by then it was too late. He thinks about all his struggles during those years, being bullied, his Aunt May's constant frailties, and his work for the Daily Bugle. Back then, he couldn't even begin to imagine how cold the world could be. His thoughts are suddenly interrupted by a loud growl. His spider-sense warns him of Puma's ambush before the feral creature can land an attack. Spider-Man evades the Puma's blows, and becomes furious that this is yet another villain who has come back from the dead.

After fighting off the Puma, Spider-Man is approached by Nocturne, who asks the wall-crawler to follow her. After a moment's thought, the web-slinger agrees to follow her. She takes Spider-Man and the Puma Inwood Park. There she explains to Spider-Man for the first time how she was transformed by one of Baron Zemo's inventions. She then engages in a mind link to show Spider-Man how she came upon the Puma living in an alley, having completely shed his human identity, leaving only the animal behind. As she explains this, the Puma finally begins to remember Spider-Man and their longtime feud. Before he can attack, Nocturne gets in the way and is slashed across the face. With his friend down, Spider-Man leaps at the Puma prepared to attack.

... This story continues in The Spectacular Spider-Man #218.

Recurring Characters

Spider-Man, Nocturne, Mary Jane Watson, Gayle Byrnes, Puma

Continuity Notes

• Spider-Man decided to abandon his identity of Peter Parker after two recent tragedies. The first was the revelation that the people who claimed to be Peter's parents in Amazing Spider-Man #365 turned out to be imposters in Amazing Spider-Man #388. The real Richard and Mary Parker had died years ago on a government mission, as revealed in Amazing Spider-Man Annual #5. The second tragedy was when his Aunt May suffered a stroke in Amazing Spider-Man #391. It should be clarified that the woman who Peter thinks in the hospital presently is actually an impostor, as revealed in Spider-Man #97, the Green Goblin had kidnapped May and replaced her with an imposter sometime during Amazing Spider-Man #392.

• This story takes place immediately after the Power and Responsibility story arc.

• Mary Jane's troubled upbringing was previously detailed in Amazing Spider-Man #259.

• Peter Parker first got his powers in Amazing Fantasy #15 while he was still in high school.

• Peter graduated from high school in Amazing Spider-Man #28.

• Spider-Man recalls how he last saw the Puma getting gunned down and fall from a building. That was in The Spectacular Spider-Man #193.

• This happened in The Spectacular Spider-Man Annual #13. Nocturne couldn't tell Spider-Man this at the time because she initially incapable of speech after her transformation.

• Of the memories that the Puma has he remembers: His first battle against Spider-Man in Amazing Spider-Man #256-257, the time he and Spider-Man went on a vision quest in The Spectacular Spider-Man #171-172 and their last battle in The Spectacular Spider-Man #191-192.