Amazing Spider-Man #433
The Long Farewell
The Identity Crisis Prologue continues from Spider-Man #90...
After being his last encounter with the Hulk, Mister Hide has returned to New York City. Breaking into a clothing store, Hyde reverts back to his civilian identity of Calvin Zabo. He then steals a number of outfits and escapes before the authorities arrive. With some new clothes, Zabo intends to reevaluate things as well as attempt to collect from the so-called New World Order for his going up against the Hulk.
Meanwhile, Peter Parker, his wife Mary Jane, and Shantal Wilsk pay a visit to Jill Stacy in the hospital. Although they are all making jokes, Peter still feels bad that Jill was shot while in their home. This is just one of the many concerns that Peter has, including his alter-ego being wanted for murder, his recent battle with the Black Tarantula, and an injured ankle. Suddenly, Peter's spider-sense begins going off as Marina Caches -- Mary Jane's criminology professor -- and her boyfriend Dante Rigoletto enter the room, and wonders why they would do that. The last name sounds familiar, but Peter can't quite place it. However, when Peter tries to strike up a conversation, Rigoletto doesn't know who Peter is. The information gathering is cut short when Mary Jane reminds Peter that they have to get ready for a party. As they leave, Peter and Mary Jane wonder what Marina sees in Dante. Mary Jane soon changes the subject, reminding Peter that she doesn't want him going into action as Spider-Man not only because of his injured ankle but also because of the bounty on his head. As they leave, they are unaware that Chesbro, the Black Tarantula's assistant, is watching them as they go.
Meanwhile, Joe Robertson fusses as his wife tries to put a tie on him for the goodbye party being thrown in Joe's honor after he resigned from his position at the Daily Bugle. Later, Peter and Mary Jane arrive at the Hotel Roosevelt for Joe's going away party where they are greeted by Billy Walters. As they are talking, Peter's spider-sense goes off warning him of a man checking at the front desk. When the man introduces himself as Calvin Zabo, Peter once more finds himself hearing a familiar name that he cannot quite place. When Peter tries to slip away to investigate, he is stopped by Mary Jane who reminds him that they are here to celebrate Joe Robertson. Pulled back into the party where he is happy to see Phil Urich and Meredith Campbell. When they spot Joe and Martha talking to Ben Urich and his wife Doris, the Parkers note that they are having a heated discussion about Joe's departure and figure they should hold off on talking to him. Things become tense when J. Jonah Jameson and his wife approach Joe to give their fond wishes. Jameson tells Joe that Norman Osborn won't be attending due to a prior obligation and tries to hand Robertson a check. There is a tense moment between the two that Martha smooths over by taking the check and thanking Jonah for the money, saying that they could use the money to go on a second honeymoon. The women find this romantic and Martha tells them that they are planning on going to the Aegean Sea in Greece.
Peter has stepped aside from this awkward scene to talk to Ben Urich. Urich sets Peter right on why Joe is quitting the Bugle, pointing out that it is not a stable workplace anymore. Peter decides to ask Phil if he knows anyone named Calvin Zabo, and Urich tells him that is the civilian name for the villain known as Mister Hyde. This confirms to Peter that he needs to do something about this, but he left his Spider-Man costume at home. Not willing to call the authorities for fear a police officer might get hurt, Peter steals Phil Urich's hooded sweatshirt from the coat check in order to conceal his identity. Going up to the rooftop, the sweatshirt reminds Peter of the one worn by his clone Ben Reilly, making him once again mourn the loss of the man he grew to consider a brother. Using the hood to conceal his face, Peter takes off his shoes and starts scaling down the side of the building to look for Zalbo, taking care not to put too much weight on his injured ankle. In his hotel room, Calvin tries to call his contacts with the New World Order and discovers that their phone number has been disconnected and wonders what he should do next. Thinking he saw someone looking in through his window, Calvin decides to change into Mister Hyde and narrowly avoids striking Peter with a desk when he tosses it out the window.
As Mister Hyde tries to flee the scene, Peter follows after him even though he knows he should probably leave something like this to the Avengers. Leaping into the elevator with his foe, Peter is able to dodge Mister Hyde's blows in the tight space thanks to his spider-agility. The fight soon spills out into the lobby where it is witnessed by the attendees of Joe Robertson's going away party. As they fight, Mary Jane realizes that one of the combatants is her husband while Phil Urich recognizes his hooded sweatshirt and begins to wonder who is wearing it. As the attendees begin trying to get to cover, Mister Hide incorrectly thinks that his attacker is his old partner the Cobra. When Hyde tosses a piano at the Robertsons, Peter quickly knocks it out of the way with his strength. He then continues to battle Mister Hyde, but the villain is too strong. Thankfully, Peter has kept Mister Hyde distracted long enough for the authorities arrive. They pelt the madman with knock out gas and take him into custody, prompting Peter to slip away before anyone notices that he was missing during the entire fracas. With the danger over, Martha is glad that they can finally get away from this sort of madness from now on. Meanwhile, J. Jonah Jameson is complaining about how there was not a photographer present to take photos of the battle. That's when Peter tosses Jonah a roll of film, telling him that he photographed the whole thing.
Later, as they walk home, Mary Jane realizes that she cannot stop Peter from doing what is right due to his sense of responsibility. When Mary Jane reminds him that there is still a bounty on Spider-Man's head, Peter suggests that he change his costumed identity. This idea gets Mary Jane to start brainstorming, intending to use her experience in the fashion industry to design him an appropriate costume.
... Identity Crisis begins in Sensational Spider-Man #27.
Recurring Characters
Spider-Man, Mary Jane Watson, Jill Stacy, Joe Robertson, J. Jonah Jameson, Billy Walters, Ben Urich, Martha Robertson, Mister Hyde, Shantal Wilsk, Marina Caches, Dante Rigoletto, Phil Urich, Meredith Campbell, Doris Urich, Marla Madison, Chesbro
Continuity Notes
Hyde was unceremoniously ejected out of an airplane by the Hulk in Incredible Hulk #458.
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's concerns all happened in the following:
Jill was shot by an assassin trying to kill Jimmy-6 in Spider-Man #87.
Spider-Man was framed from the murder of a crook named Joey-Z in Spider-Man #88.
Norman Osborn has had a bounty on Spider-Man's head since he tricked the wall-crawler into attacking him in The Spectacular Spider-Man #250.
Spider-Man was defeated in battle against the Black Tarantula last issue.
Peter twisted his ankle in Sensational Spider-Man #26.
Admist jokes about eligible doctors, Jill asks Mary Jane if she watches the television series ER. At the time this story was published, this medical drama was particularly popular among women as actor George Cloony was among the cast. References to ER still being aired on television should be considered a topical reference per the Sliding Timescale of Earth-616 particularly since the series ended in 2009. Likewise, references to the women being attracted to George Cloony should be considered topical as well.
Some facts about Joe Robertson's departure from the Bugle:
The Daily Bugle has having financial troubles since Amazing Spider-Man #417 until Norman Osborn forced J. Jonah Jameson to sell him half ownership of the paper in The Spectacular Spider-Man #249.
Martha's arm is bandaged here because she was attacked by Carnage in Amazing Spider-Man #420.
Unable to understand why Jameson sold part ownership of the Bugle, Joe quit the paper at Amazing Spider-Man #431.
Mention is made to the fact that Phil and Meredith used to be interns at the Daily Bugle. They were both let go in Green Goblin #13 when the Bugle was going through financial problems.
Ben Reilly adopted a hooded sweatshirt as part of his costume when he first became the Scarlet Spider in Web of Spider-Man #118. At the time of this story, Ben Reilly had just recently died in Spider-Man #75.
Mary Jane states "she knew what she was getting into when she got married". In the original timeline, Peter and Mary Jane got married in Amazing Spider-Man Annual #21. As explained in Amazing Spider-Man #638-639, in the new timeline created by Mephisto, Peter and Mary Jane are not married, but are still engaged.
