Amazing Spider-Man #415
Siege
Onslaught continues from Green Goblin #12…
Taking a cab out of Manhattan with his wife Mary Jane, Peter Parker thought his life was complicated enough already, little knowing how much worse it can get. The 59th Street Bridge has just been blocked by a Sentinel robot. It tells all the motorists that the island of Manhattan is under martial law under orders of a being called Onslaught and that all mutants and enhanced humans are ordered to surrender immediately. Detecting Peter's spider-powers, the Sentinel attempts to eliminate him. However, Parker grabs his wife and leap out of the Sentinel's sensor range. From their safe vantage point, they spot a young child in the path of a panic mob that is at risk of being trampled. Quick thinking, Peter leaps down and saves the girl. After getting the girl back to her parents, Peter decides to take his wife and get to safety.
Meanwhile, at the Daily Bugle, Joe Robertson updates J. Jonah Jameson of what is going on the outside. When Jonah asks where the Fantastic Four are during this crisis, Robertson informs him that a group of heroes are having a summit atop the Four Freedoms Plaza. That's when the Bugle building begins to shake. Looking out the window the staff discovers a Sentinel attacking the outside of the building. As it cuts the power off to the building, Jonah realizes that the mutant-hunting robots are attempting to shut the newspaper down. While uptown at the Daily Grind, Ben Reilly ushers his co-workers and patrons down into the basement before looters attack the coffee shop. Abandoned by her friends, Ben convinces Desiree Winthrop to hide in the basement with Shirley Washington and the others. Ben refuses Shirley's suggestion that he gets undercover as well, telling her that someone needs to protect the store and he has elected himself to do it. After locking up the shop from the outside, Ben leaps up onto the rooftops and changes into Spider-Man, putting aside all of his personal issues aside to focus on defending the city. Down in the basement of the Daily Grind, Devon Lewis asks his mother if Ben will be okay. She has faith that he will be, recalling how this is very similar to a time she participated in emergency drills and how she assured herself no matter what the crisis guardians angels would look over her and ensure that she stayed safe.
At that same moment, Peter is leaping across the rooftops with his wife in his arms. He keeps Mary Jane calm about talking about the future of their unborn daughter, trying to keep his mind off the fact that his powers could fade at any moment. That's when his spider-sense goes off warning him of a Sentinel that has just locked onto his genetic signature. Putting Mary Jane down, Peter then tries to lure the Sentinel away. However, that's when the robot picks up the genetic anomalies in the unborn baby growing inside Mary Jane. However, it ignores her in order to deal with Peter. Just then, Peter's powers shut off, and he just barely manages to grab onto the side oa building. No longer detecting Peter's enhanced abilities, the Sentinel leaves to look for other superhumans who may pose as a threat against its master. While at the Daily Bugle, the backup generators have kicked in. Jonah then calls all the staff together for a meeting. He tells them that they can go home to be with their families, but he intends to stay behind and make sure the Daily Bugle is still printing and invites anyone who wants to help to stay. That's when one of the other staffers notices that someone is fighting the Sentinel standing outside the building. At first Jonah thinks it's Spider-Man, but is surprised to discover that it is the new Green Goblin. He tells those who are staying to get to work because they have a newspaper to get out.
Uptown, Spider-Man stops looters from attacking the various shops until he is detected by a Sentinel that begins to attack him. While back at the Daily Bugle, the remaining staff begins learning what they can about the mysterious being known as Onslaught. After checking on their respective families, both Jonah and Joe are proud to see how inspired the remaining staff are to report on this story. That's when Peter Parker and Mary Jane arrive to lend a hand. With Mary Jane safe, Peter tells them that he is going back out in the city to get photos for the Daily Bugle, and secretly see what he can do to help people even though his powers have not fully returned. Meanwhile, Spider-Man continues his battle with the Sentinel that has attacked him. The wall-crawler blinds the mutant-hunting robot with his impact webbing. After slicing the Sentinel's head open with a manhole cover, Spider-Man rips it apart. Although this took a lot out of him, Spider-Man is determined to take down any Sentinels that threaten the people of New York City.
… Onslaught continues in Spider-Man #72.
Recurring Characters
Spider-Man, Peter Parker, Mary Jane Watson, Sentinels, Devon Lewis, Shirley Washington, Buzz, Desiree Winthrop, Green Goblin, J. Jonah Jameson, Joe Robertson, Glory Grant
Continuity Notes
The opening narrative of this story mentions a lot of what is going on in the Spider-Books at the time of this story. These elements are:
The increasingly complicated Clone Saga
Originally, the Jackal created a clone of Spider-Man in Amazing Spider-Man #149. That battle ended with Spider-Man seemingly killing his clone and he later disposed of the body in a smokestack in Amazing Spider-Man #151.
The supposed clone survived and left New York on a five-year self-imposed exile as seen during the Parker Legacy story arc.
The alleged clone returned in Web of Spider-Man #117, calling himself Ben Reilly. This turned Spider-Man's life upside down.
After running some tests, it was revealed that Ben Reilly was the real Spider-Man and that the man calling himself Peter Parker all these years was actually the clone. That happened in Spectacular Spider-Man #226.
The truth is far, far more complicated than all of this. As revealed in Spider-Man: The Osborn Journal #1, this was all part of an elaborate manipulation created by the Green Goblin.
The current situation with Peter Parker's life:
Peter and Mary Jane are referred to as husband and wife here. However, years later, their marriage is erased from existence by Mephisto in Amazing Spider-Man #545. As such they should be considered a common-law couple here.
Peter and Mary Jane have been expecting a child since The Spectacular Spider-Man #220.
Peter recently lost his spider-powers in Spider-Man: The Final Adventure #4.
Peter was in critical condition starting in Spider-Man #70. He almost died but pulled through in Spectacular Spider-Man #237, discovering that his spider-powers were slowly returning.
Onslaught took over Manhattan by seizing control of an army of Sentinels in X-Men (vol. 2) #55.
Joe is referring to a meeting between the X-Men, the Fantastic Four, and the Avengers which occurred in X-Men (vol. 2) #55.
Ben makes mention of the fact that he had been in exile for five years before he returned to New York City. Per the Sliding Timesacle of Earth-616 this is roughly the amount of time that has passed between Amazing Spider-Man #149 and now.
Shirley specifically states that she was involved in emergency drills during the Cold War. This should be considered a topical reference per the Sliding Timescale of Earth-616.
Although Peter's powers have been coming back they have been erratic and prone to suddenly shut off as seen in Spectacular Spider-Man #237.
One of the staffers mentions a battle at the Four Freedoms Plaza. This is in reference to Onslaughts attack on the building in Fantastic Four #416.
Onslaught Reading Order
Onslaught: X-Men #1, Uncanny X-Men #335, X-Factor #125, Excalibur #99-100, Cable #34, Incredible Hulk #444, Wolverine (vol. 2) #104, X-Men Unlimited #11, Avengers #401, Fantastic Four #415, Generation X #18, X-Men Unlimited #12, X-Men (vol. 2) #55, Green Goblin #12, Amazing Spider-Man #415, Spider-Man #72, X-Man #18, X-Force #57, Excalibur #101, X-Factor #126, Uncanny X-Men #336, Cable #35, X-Force #58, Generation X #19, X-Man #19, Punisher (vol. 3) #11, Incredible Hulk #445, Iron Man #332, Avengers #402, Fantastic Four #416, Wolverine (vol. 2) #105, Thor #502, X-Men (vol. 2) #56, Onslaught: Marvel Universe #1
