Amazing Spider-Man (vol. 2) #32
The Long, Dark Pizza of the Soul
Spider-Man intervenes in a high-speed police chase involving a hostage. The driver, a man covered with tattoos and piercings intends on using his female passenger as a hostage to get across the state line. However, Spider-Man yanks him out of the vehicle and pulls the vehicle to safety. He then chases the driver into a dark alley and leaves him webbed up for the police with the word “loser” spelled out for the authorities.
The following morning Peter Parker is giving his first lesson as a teacher at Midtown High. He is giving an interesting lecture about how math is the basic building block of everything in life. He notices that he’s getting through to some of the kids but all of them. He figures that these kids have lived harder lives than he has and as a result, their sense of wonder has been greatly diminished, but he promises himself that he’ll find a way to get through to them somehow. After the bell rings and the students clear out, Peter leaves the classroom and is stopped by Roger Harrington, the principal of Midtown. He’s surprised that Peter has such generous friends. At first, Peter has no idea what Harrington is talking about. In Harrington’s office, Peter finds Ezekiel waiting there and learns that he just donated a large sum of money to buy new science equipment for the school. When Peter sarcastically tells Ezekiel that it was so wonderful to see him and says they must catch up. Ezekiel says that’s a great idea and invites Peter out to pizza.
When they arrive at the restaurant, Peter demands some answers from Ezekiel as why he’s suddenly entered his life. Ezekiel tells Peter that he is in terrible danger and learning the full extent of his powers may be the key to saving his life. [1] When Peter asks if he can talk to spiders, Ezekiel suggests he try it. Spotting a spider, Peter tries talking to it, naturally, it doesn’t respond. Ezekiel explains that spiders — individually — are stupid creatures, however, collectively they form one singular though. When Peter doesn’t get what he means, Ezekiel says that this is not going to be easy to explain unless he starts reconsidering how he looks at his life.[2] He explains that Peter is the bridge between spider and man and he’s not the first. Ezekiel explains that there are totemistic powers that can be traced back to the dawn of man and traces of these powers remain in modern society. He points out how many myths involve powerful beings that walked the Earth that bridge the gap between man and beast. This still exists to this day as modern man has an almost cellular need to taste the totemistic forces that are out there. He then suggests that Peter should know this as he has fought so many.
Peter is finding this all very hard to believe and thinks that maybe Ezekiel has the wrong idea. However, Ezekiel isn’t finished explaining himself. He says that the best way to know a man is by his enemies. He draws comparisons between various heroes and their foes. Saying that they draw a specific kind of enemy. Again, suggesting Spider-Man’s powers are totemistic, he points out that many of his foes are pretenders, beings who take on animal aspects without even knowing it, whether it is Doctor Octopus, the Rhino, the Scorpion, or the Lizard. Peter then wonders what he is if his foes are all pretenders. Ezekiel says that Spider-Man is the real deal. This leads to Peter asking where Ezekiel fits in all of this and where he gets his powers. Thinking back to when he was younger, Ezekiel recalls how he explored an ancient temple where he ended up being tied to a spider altar and cut with knives so his blood bleeds into engravings.[3] He tells Peter that it’s a story for another time but quips that he’ll get a real kick out of it. Continuing his explanations, he tells Peter that the pretenders are not as much a threat as the real threat, the hunters who seek out those with totemistic power. One such hunter is now looking for him now and the only reason he hasn’t attacked Peter yet is that it is still busy undergoing their pre-hunt rituals.
When Peter asks what Sims has done with his spider-powers, he takes Peter to his office building and his business. He explains that he has used his powers to amass a fortune and is surprised Peter never did the same. Parker says he tried, remembering the night his Uncle Ben died, but it didn’t work out and says that’s another long story.[4] When Peter then says his age-old mantra “with great power comes great responsibility”, Ezekiel asks what happens after that. Once inside Ezekiel’s personal office, he shows Peter the reason why he bought him here. A secret shelter that will shield Peter from Morlun until he grows tired and leaves the city. However, Peter refuses to just hide from someone who is out to kill him. When Ezekiel presses the issue, he once again says his mantra, saying the thing that comes after great responsibility is the city. Seeing he is unable to dissuade Peter Parker, Ezekiel wishes him luck.
That evening, Morlun calls his assistant Dex into the hold below their ship and tells his servant that he is ready. A short time later, Peter Parker is watching the evening news when there is a report of a fire. He quickly changes into Spider-Man and swings to the scene of the inferno and begins helping fire crews save people trapped inside the buildings. That’s when he is given another massive jolt from his spider-sense. Unfortunately, before he can react he is struck by a blow so hard he is sent flying across the street and into a parked car. Spider-Man realizes that this isn’t going to be one of his usual battles as Morlun closes in on him.
Recurring Characters
Spider-Man, Ezekiel Simms, Morlun, Dex, Joey Gladstone, Jennifer Hardesty (unidentified), Roger Harrington
Continuity Notes
There is a lot about Ezekiel Simms and Morlun that is left a mystery here. It’s later revealed during the Spider-Verse event that Morlun is part of the Inheritors, interdimensional beings that go to various realities to feed on the animal totems of each reality, particularly spider totems. Ezekiel, on the other hand, gets Spider-Man involved to protect Cindy Moon, Morlun’s real target. See Superior Spider-Man #32-33, Edge of Spider-Verse #1-5, Amazing Spider-Man (vol. 3) #8-15, Spider-Man 2099 (vol. 2) #5-8, Spider-Verse #1-2, Spider-Verse Team-Up #1-3, Spider-Woman (vol. 5) #1-4, and Scarlet Spiders #1-3.
Ezekiel first made Spider-Man question his abilities in Amazing Spider-Man (vol. 2) #30.
The origin of Ezekiel’s powers are expanded in greater detail in Amazing Spider-Man (vol. 2) #48, and Amazing Spider-Man #507-508.
Peter originally used his spider-powers to get into show-biz but until his Uncle Ben was murdered by a burglar. You know the whole deal, it happened in Amazing Fantasy #15.
