Amazing Spider-Man Annual #24

Feb 14

Feb 14 Amazing Spider-Man Annual #24

Quark Enterprises! or Honey, I Shrunk the Non-Mutant Super Hero!

Peter Parker is covering the Tomorrow Exhibition for the Daily Bugle, which showcases new scientific advancements and inventions. There he is a volunteer for a demonstration of an anti-gravity device using Quark technology.[1] The inventor, a representative of Cordco, says that unfortunately this prototype uses up enough electricity that could power New York City for a week. Peter finds the entire exposition to be fascinating due to his natural interest in science. He later watches a demonstration of a flying pest removal device as well as a robotic guard dog for home security. Peter looks at the time and realizes that he needs to call his wife Mary Jane to tell her that he will be running late.[2]

At the same time, scientist Scott Lang arrives late to the convention, having flown out from California on a fact-finding mission for his electronics store. Unfortunately, he arrives five minutes before closing time and the Quark exhibit had already been taken down. However, Lang is unconcerned since he can still take a look around as Ant-Man. Meanwhile, in the rear of the expo building, a group of armed terrorists has pulled up into the loading docks. There they knock out the guards with chloroform. Inside, their leader tells them that they are going to steal the Quark machine and sell it to the highest bidder. Meanwhile, Peter Parker has called Mary Jane to tell her that he'll be running late because he has to drop his film off at the Daily Bugle. Leaving the phone booth, Peter decides it will be faster to get around as Spider-Man and goes to find somewhere to change. At the same time, Scott Lang is doing just the same thing. Incidentally, the pair is changing into costume around the corner from each other. When Ant-Man activates his shrinking gas, some of it passes through a fan and is blown over to Spider-Man's side. The wall-crawler is shocked to suddenly shrink down to insect size. At this time, the terrorists have gotten into the showroom and begin knocking out the remaining guards.

At that moment, Spider-Man is trying to make sense of his sudden size change. As he wanders around, the wall-crawler is confronted by a real spider. When the arachnid tries to attack him, Spider-Man strikes back and is surprised to discover that he still has his normal strength while in this tiny size. When the spider recovers and lunges at him again, Spider-Man webs up the arachnid. Suspecting that the Quark machine may have had something to do with his sudden change in size and decides to go and find it. Meanwhile, Ant-Man has arrived at the machine and is marveling at its design. His investigation is interrupted when the terrorists begin dismantling it. Leaping into action, Ant-Man bowls one of the thieves over with a bio-electric jolt from his helmet. Deciding to resume normal size, Ant-Man realizes he is outnumbered and outgunned. At that moment, Spider-Man is still making his way to the device when he is suddenly chased by the flying pest control unit. Despite his small size, the wall-crawler manages to destroy the device. However, from within the shattered hull comes tiny robotic flying devices that begin firing projectiles at him. Back at the Quark machine, Ant-Man uses his size-changing powers to confuse and overpower his attackers. He recovers the stolen circuit board that was stolen by the device. Unfortunately for Ant-Man, he is then blinded by a magnesium flare.

Meanwhile, Spider-Man lures the tiny drones into the whirling blades of a fan. Continuing his way toward the machine, Spider-Man is then attacked by the mechanical guard dog. By this point, Ant-Man shrinks in size again in order to protect himself and summons an army of ants to swarm the terrorists. Their leader threatens to destroy the circuit board, and orders Ant-Man to surrender. Not wishing to see a scientific marvel like the Quark machine get destroyed, Ant-Man surrenders, but wonders if this invention is worth his life. Soon, Spider-Man destroys the robotic guard dog. The wall-crawler then notices the situation that Ant-Man has gotten into. With the help of Spider-Man, Ant-Man is able to round up the crooks. Spider-Man wants to talk and so Ant-Man shrinks down in size and they fly elsewhere on the back of a flying ant. They soon deduce that Ant-Man's shrinking gas must have filtered through the vent between Ant-Man and Spider-Man, causing the web-slinger to shrink. Restoring himself to normal size, Ant-Man sprays the wall-crawler with his growing gas, however, it has no effect, leaving them to wonder what to do next.[3]

This story is continued in The Spectacular Spider-Man Annual #10...

Recurring Characters

Spider-Man, Ant-Man, Mary Jane Watson

Continuity Notes

Peter thinks about how this reminded him of his ability to fly when he had the power of Captain Universe. Spider-Man had these powers in The Spectacular Spider-Man #158-160, Web of Spider-Man #59-60, and Amazing Spider-Man #327-Amazing Spider-Man #329
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, as opposed to husband and wife.
The real reason Spider-Man has shrunk was due to the machinations of the Psycho-Man as revealed in The Spectacular Spider-Man Annual #10.

The Mercy Bomb

A bomb has gone off in a train station in Barcelona, killing many. Investigating the scene, the authorities deduce that this is the work of a terrorist by the name of Toro Mendoza, a member of the Cascan Separatist movement. A mysterious man in a hat and trench coat asks one of the officers how they know this and is informed that Mendoza had called to warn them of the bombing. The authorities are stymied because Toro Mendoza hides out in his fortress, called El Brujo, and can easily escape through the many secret tunnels hidden below. Realizing that this man is not authorized to be on the scene, the officer demands his subordinates to arrest him. However, before they can act the mysterious strange vanishes in a flash of light. The mystery man is soon in a cab headed for the airport in a hurry. The taxi driver can understand given Mendoza's recent bombing and wishes someone should do something about it. The mystery man agrees that someone should.

This mystery man is the anti-terrorist mercenary known as Solo. Arriving at El Brujo, Solo begins takes out one of the guards so he can sneak inside the castle. In a motor pool, Solo finds a Red Cross ambulance and wonders why the terrorists have it. Suddenly, he is ambushed by a young boy carrying a gun. Solo scoffs at the boy's age, thinking he is too young to fight for a cause. The boy is angered by this and reveals that the Red Cross vehicle is loaded with explosives. Solo surrenders and convinces the boy to take him to Toro Mendoza. However, when they arrive, Solo knocks the boy out. When the guards run after him, Solo teleports into Mendoza's office. Toro Mendoza is shocked by this ability but vows that the mercenary cannot kill an idea. Solo agrees that might not be possible, however, he can still kill Toro Mendoza and mows the terrorist down.

Fleeing the guards, Solo finds himself trapped in the motor pool again. With his teleportation powers nearly recharged, Solo jumps into the Red Cross vehicle. Pulling the pin from a grenade and shouts his slogan, "While I live, terror dies!" before dropping the grenade. Solo manages to teleport outside the castle just as the grenade goes off. At this time, the Italian authorities storm El Brujo. Wounded and tired, Solo is ambushed by the boy and some of the escaped terrorists. However, before the boy can shoot Solo, one of his elders suggests that they flee before they are captured. The boy vows that he will one day track down Solo and kill him for what he has done. Spared, Solo believes that the kid will be true to his word if he survives that long. This saddens Solo, as regardless if they are caught in explosions or indoctrinated into organizations, children are the suffer the most by acts of terrorism.

Recurring Characters

Solo

A Time to Choose

Exiting the subway, the Sandman is spotted by authorities who try to arrest him. However, they are unable to capture the crook who manages to escape. Soon, at Madison Square Gardens, Sandman meets up with the Thing in order to watch a hockey game together. As the two watch the hockey game, Ben Grimm can't believe that the Sandman had decided to go straight.[1] When Grimm offers to get Reed Richards to talk to the Governor to get Sandman a pardon, Marko declines, telling Ben that if he is going to succeed at going straight he will need to do it himself.

After the game, the Sandman takes a bus back to Coney Island where he rents an apartment. He finds it amazing that he is friend with the Thing, after all the years they have fought together. He thinks about the only other person who had a sympathetic ear for him was his mother. Flint feels sorry for his mother, who was left alone to raise him and he didn't make life any easier for her.[2] He then thinks about the nuclear explosion that turned him into the Sandman and his early criminal career battling Spider-Man.[3] He then thinks of all the failed incarnations of the Frightful Four he was involved with.[4] Lastly, the Sandman thinks of the traumatic experience of being merged with Hydro-Man and was the Mud-Thing, the catalyst that convinced him to go straight.[5] Still, despite all his trials and tribulations, the Sandman is proud of himself for going straight.

Meanwhile, at Ryker's Island, the Wizard is being imprisoned next to his old partner the Trapster. However, the Wizard has come prepared to make an escape. He peels back a layer of fake skin on his hand revealing a micro-computer and uses it to summon his hovercraft. At the same moment, the Trapster wraps his chemically treated shirt around the bars of his cell. It suddenly bursts into flames and blows the lock. The two villains then escape, intending to reform the Frightful Four once more. At that moment, the Sandman returns to the Cassada home where he has been renting a room under an assumed name. Outside the front door, he overhears Carlos and Rosa arguing over their failing candy store business. This upsets their elder son Carlos who is on the phone. His mother tells him to hang up because their phone bill is too high. Angry, Carlos storms out the door. Watching from the side of the house, the Sandman is reminded of his younger self. Using his powers to get up to his room unseen, the Sandman wonders if he made a mistake trying to go straight if the Cassada's home life is any indicator. However, he refuses to give up. However, Sandman may not have a choice in the matter, as at that moment, the Wizard and Trapster arrive at their hideout. The Wizard then reveals that their next goal is to recruit the Sandman back into the Frightful Four.

Recurring Characters

Sandman, Thing, The Cassada family (Rosa, Roberto, Michael, Carlos), Wizard, Trapster

Continuity Notes

The Sandman decided to give up his criminal career in Marvel Two-In-One #86. The Sandman became friends with the Thing and even came to his defense when he was recovering in hospital in Marvel Two-In-One #96.
The Sandman's troubled childhood has been explored in Marvel Two-In-One #86 and Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man Annual #1.
The Sandman got his powers and first fought Spider-Man in Amazing Spider-Man #4. The cause of the explosion that gave Sandman his powers has changed over the years. Amazing Spider-Man #4 states that it was caused by nuclear bomb testing, An exploding nuclear device was cited in Marvel Two-In-One #86, while Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man Annual #1 states it was a nuclear reactor, and finally Giant-Size Spider-Man Vol 2 #1 stated he was exposed to radioactive waste. That said, what caused the nuclear explosion that gave Sandman's powers should be considered a topical reference per the Sliding Timescale of Earth-616.
Sandman and Hydro-Man were merged together in Amazing Spider-Man #217-218.
Sandman was a founding member of the Frightful Four with the Wizard, Trapster, and Medusa in Fantastic Four #36. At the time of this story, he had also been involved in the rosters that included Thundra (Fantastic Four #130), the Brute (Fantastic Four #177), Electro in Peter Parker, The Spectacular Spider-Man #40), and Llyra (Amazing Spider-Man #214). Omitted from this recollection are the incarnations that included the Beetle seen in a flashback in Amazing Spider-Man #657, and Blastaar in Fantastic Four: World's Greatest Comics Magazine #10. In the case of Blastaar, as seen in Fantastic Four: World's Greatest Comics Magazine #12, memories of this encounter were erased by Reed Richards. The omission of the Beetle team is a technicality as Amazing Spider-Man #657 was published years after this story.

Amazing Fantasy

Scientist Henry Pym has been detecting strange signals from the surrounding ants for the past few days. Wanting someone to look into it, Pym calls Scott Lang, his successor as Ant-Man.[1] However, Lang has other plans as he is going to New York for the Tomorrow Exposition, but promises Henry that he will look into it when he gets back. Exhausted, Scott decides to go to bed, intending to finish backing the following day.

In the middle of the night, Scott Lang is awoken by the telepathic commands of someone who needs the assistance of Ant-Man. Changing into his costume, Ant-Man shrinks down in size and is instantly accosted by two ants. With his helmet removed, Ant-Man is helpless as the ants carry him below the ground. He is brought before the hyper-intelligent Scarlet Beetle, a long time foe of the original Ant-Man.[2] The Beetle explains that it will use Ant-Man's helmet to amplify his powers enough to enslave the entire human race. Unwilling to let this happen, Scott leaps for his helmet. Although the Scarlet Beetle slashes Ant-Man's chest, he manages to get his helmet back. He then commands the ants to defend him. The Scarlet Beetle also sends a conflicting mental signal for the ants to attack Lang. This confuses the ants to the point where they start attacking each other. The carnage destabilizes the tunnel causing it to cave in.

Fearing that he may get buried alive, Ant-Man rushes to the surface but he is seemingly buried alive. Suddenly, Scott Lang springs upward in bed and thinks that the entire ordeal was a nightmare. Unable to go back to sleep, Scott decides to finish packing his bags. When he notices a slash in his Ant-Man costume it leaves Scott wondering if the whole thing was a dream after all.