One More Day Part 1

With Aunt May checked into the hospital under a false name, Peter has a hard time dealing with the fact that without proper medical insurance, May will have to be put in the welfare wing of the hospital. Combined with the fact that she isn't likely to survive, Peter is wracked with guilt over putting his aunt in this condition that he will not allow her to die in some welfare ward.[1] Dr. Fine deduces Peter's true identity and is sympathetic to Peter's plight because Spider-Man once saved an uncle of his, and give Peter a chance to find the money.

With nowhere else to turn, Peter tries to appeal to Tony Stark, breaking into Avengers Tower to ask him for financial help. Instead, a heated battle between the two heroes, Iron Man determined to bring Peter in for going against the Super-Human Registration Act. However, Peter manages to incapacitate Iron Man with a fury of webbing. With Iron Man temporarily subdued, Tony refuses to help Peter because in doing so, he would be aiding and abetting a criminal. However, Peter's parting words about May's state strike a chord with Tony, who tells Peter to leave but next time he will bring him down.

Tony decides to help out in an unexpected way, giving Jarvis a large cash deposit, the Avengers butler and May's lover goes down to the hospital to ensure and pay for her medical treatment.[2] However, Dr. Fine tells Peter that May's condition is terminal and any treatment they give her will only be to help ease her suffering. Not wishing his aunt May to die Peter decides to appeal to those who may have the power to save May's life. Peter kisses Mary Jane goodbye and swings off on a quest to save May's life.

This story is continued in Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man #24…

Recurring Characters

Spider-Man, Mary Jane Watson, Aunt May, Iron Man, “Edwin Jarvis”

Continuity Notes

1. There’s a lot going on here. Let’s get down to it:

   • Peter Parker publicly revealed that he was Spider-Man in Civil War #2.

   • Peter renounced the Super-Human Registration Act in Amazing Spider-Man #535, making him an outlaw.

   • This resulted in the Kingpin ordering a hit on him and his family in Amazing Spider-Man #533.

   • Jake Martino, the sniper, shot Aunt May in Amazing Spider-Man #538.

2. This man isn’t the real Edwin Jarvis but a Skrull spy as we’ll learn in Secret Invasion #1. Jarvis was replaced prior to New Avengers #3 as revealed in New Avengers #42.