Amazing Spider-Man #556
The Last Nameless Day
At Mount Sinai Hospital, J. Jonah Jameson promises his nurse that he is now okay with the fact that his wife sold the Daily Bugle to Dexter Bennett. However, when he is left alone, Jameson tries to leave the hospital even though there is a powerful blizzard outside. Thankfully, he is stopped by the hospital staff when it is noticed that he has left his room.[1]
Meanwhile, Spider-Man is trudging across the snow-covered streets. He is looking for a group of missing mathematicians that were working on an ancient Mayan equation with Benjamin Rabin before they were allegedly attacked by some Mayan extremists. Back at the 5th Precinct, Vin Gonzalez takes Benjamin Rabin’s statement about the Mayans who attacked him. Rabin insists that Spider-Man saved him and not, as Vin insists, an accomplice to the men they have in custody. That’s when Carlie Cooper enters the room after working late on the Freak case.[2] Rabin insists to Carlie that Spider-Man wasn’t responsible for the attack. Rabin gets her interest when he starts to explain how he was targeted by the Mayan extremists when he and his team started deciphering an ancient Mayan equation. He explains that the equation could help them create a computational operating system that can see things in 10 dimensions instead of the four that humans can perceive. After a brief explanation, he says that these equations are made using abstract symbols and shapes. When he draws some on a piece of paper, Vin notices that the Mayans in the holding cell have tattoos on their bodies that are similar to Rabin’s diagrams. He concludes by saying that after they started publishing their findings, the Mayan extremists started sending threats to them to stop and a text from the Popul Voh, an ancient Mayan text.[3]
As lightning begins crashing outside, Benjamin continues his explanation. He says Mayans believe that the equations were sacred glyphs that allowed communication with the Gods, that today is the fifth day of a cycle they call Uayep. Uayep is a period where the barriers between the mortal realm and that of the Gods is thinnest and the deities are able of crossing between worlds. It is believed that such a diety would come searching for a “God-King” who would purchase the diety’s service with a blood sacrifice. Benjamin concludes that the Mayans thought that this offering should be made by shedding his own blood. Although Carlie thinks this is all ridiculous, Rabin points out that innocent people have been hurt none-the-less.
By this time, the cold is starting to get to Spider-Man and with his web-shooters frozen up, he decides to find someplace to warm up. He finds a paranoid homeless man named Vern, who is keeping warm with a fire in a trash barrel. When Vern says Spider-Man should be wearing layers, the wall-crawler admits that he lost his winter clothes when his web-sack dissolved in the blizzard. That’s when he notices that Vern is wearing his jacket, Spider-Man asks for it back but has second thoughts when he sees that Vern is could use something warm to wear. Back at the police station, Vin checks on Carlie Cooper to tell her that Rabin’s story checked out and that the scientist is staying at the station until the storm lets up and then he is free to go. Changing the subject, Vin says that he’s looking a new roommate and begins subtly suggesting that she move in with him. Instead, she recommends her friend Peter Parker, who has been looking for a place in the city to live.[4]
Back on the street, Spider-Man has warmed up sufficiently to keep looking. Vern has suffered Spider-Man’s costume with old newspaper, saying that it’s an old homeless trick to add layers to fend off the cold. Vern decides to tag along and the two come across a massive creature dressed in bones calling itself Wayep. After saying that the world will worship it in blood, Spider-Man suggests Vern make a run for it. When Wayep asks if Spider-Man is his sacrifice, the web-slinger is swatted across the street with a single blow. Spider-Man prepares to fight back, using a parking meter as a make-shift club. Wayep counters this by impaling a dump truck on the end of his spear and dropping it on the wall-crawler. Thankfully, Spider-Man is able to shield himself. When Wayep grabs him and asks he is a priest, Spider-Man lies and says yes before the creature crushes his skull. Wayep appears to leave. However, as Spider-Man resumes his search for the other mathematicians unaware that Wayep is following him from the buildings above. When Spider-Man finds the other mathematicians he discovers one of them is still alive. He is shocked to discover that the Mayans weren’t the ones who murdered everyone, but Rabin himself.
At that moment, Carlie Cooper enters the holding area and is horrified to see Benjamin Rabin, now shirtless with Mayam symbols drawn all over his body, has just murdered one of the Mayan prisoners.
Recurring Characters
Spider-Man, Benjamin Rabin, Wayep, J. Jonah Jameson, Vin Gonzalez, Carlie Cooper, Alan O’Neil
Continuity Notes
J. Jonah Jameson has been in the hospital since suffering a heart attack in Amazing Spider-Man #546. His wife later sold the Daily Bugle to Dexter Bennett in the following issue. Jameson only found out in Amazing Spider-Man #554 and suffered a second heart attack as a result.
Carlee Cooper has been investigating the Freak, an drug addict with freakish evolutionary powers, since Amazing Spider-Man #552.
Popul Voh appears to be based on Popul Vuh, one of the few texts that exist of Mayan culture prior to the Spanish conquest of Central America. Everything Rabin says here and the creature called Wayep are all fictional creations and have no connection to any real-world Mayan mythology. At least, insofar as I can find with a quick skim of Wikipedia. I’m summarizing comic books, not researching Mayan history. Do that on your own time.
Peter Parker has been living with his Aunt May since Amazing Spider-Man #545 after Mary Jane broke up with him.
