Skin Deep Part Three

Now

After an explosion has fused metal to Charlie Weiderman’s skin. Blaming Peter Parker, Charlie has come to him and demanded his help, threatening to kill him and his family if he refuses. Charlie figures he still has time to write a cheque for the rest of the investment money given to him at Stark Industries. He tells Peter to meet him at the bank in a few hours to cash it as they’ll need money to cure Charlie. He warns Peter once more, threatening the safety of his family if he does anything to betray him. After Charlie has left, Peter chances into Spider-Man and heads off to the theater where Mary Jane is rehearsing a play. Along the way, he thinks about how he gets himself into these messes with Charlie. His mind conjures up the imaginary image of J. Jonah Jameson as a fairy godmother who tells him that he gets into the same situation is because Charlie never takes responsibility for his actions. When he arrives at the theater he tells Mary Jane that when she is done for the day to go get Aunt May and check into a motel because things with Charlie Weiderman got very bad and he wants to make sure they’re safe.

By this time, Charlie has sneaked back into his apartment and has the news on as he searches for his cheque book.. There’s a news report about the lab explosion and some of his old classmates were tracked down to answer questions about him. He is furious to see that two of the interviewees were his regular tormentor, Rich, and his wife Shiela. This causes bitter old memory to bubble up in his mind…

Then[1]

Charlie was just leaving the changing room during gym class when he stops to catch a look at Shiela, who was a cheerleader for Midtown High at the time. Rich had noticed Charlie oggling at his then-girlfriend and brings him up to meet her. When Shiela asks which one of her cheerleading moves Charlie likes best, he says they are all great and admits he thinks she is beautiful. She says that her boyfriend does as well and kisses Rich in front of Charlie. Before Weiderman could leave, Rich then decided to heap humiliation on top of heartbreak by pinning Charlie to the ground and ripping off his shorts. Charlie then fled back to the locker room in tears with all the others laughing at him.

Now

Even though Rich and Sheila are genuinely sympathetic by the news and hope Charlie is okay, all Charlie can see is their old taunts and teasing and vows to get revenge. He then breaks into Rich and Sheila’s home where he confronts Rich as he is getting out of the shower. He then murders Rich by ramming his open hand through Rich’s body. Thanks to the Vibranium coating on his skin, his hand slices right through with no resistance. Later, Spider-Man is waiting outside the bank waiting for Charlie to show up wondering what’s keeping him. When Weiderman finally shows up, Spider-Man uses his webbing to pull off Charlie’s hat. When people see his gold skin makes people run from him in fear. Spider-Man tries to subdue Charlie with his webbing, but it slides harmlessly off Charlie’s skin. Weiderman realizes that the wall-crawler must have been tipped off by Peter Parker and decides to deal with him. He distracts Spider-Man by throwing an SUV at a crowd of people. When Spider-Man stops it from landing on them, Charlie makes his escape. Spider-Man then notices that Charlie has taken off and begins scouring the city to find him.

A short while later, Charlie arrives at the old Parker home and forces himself inside intending to teach Peter Parker a lesson for betraying him.

Recurring Characters

Spider-Man, Mary Jane Watson, Charlie Weiderman

Continuity Notes

1. This story only states that this takes place before Peter was bitten by the radioactive spider that gave him his powers in Amazing Fantasy #15. Per Civil War #2, Peter was 15 years ago. According to Amazing Fantasy #17, Peter started going to Midtown High when he was 13 years old. So this story takes place in the 2-year span in-between. Peter first became Spider-Man during the first year of the modern age so these flashbacks take place a year or two before the beginning of the modern age, making them take place 12 or 13 years prior to this story.