Until the Stars Turn Cold

While trying to stop Doctor Octopus and his successor — a con-man named Carlyle — from tearing up a hotel, Spider-Man is trapped when the villains left the building to collapse on him. With air running out, the wall-crawler is able to find a hose that can feed him just enough oxygen to allow him to survive just a little longer.

Not far away, on the set of the Amazing Lobster-Man movie, Mary Jane prepares for shooting tests but the director has been held up due to the incident at the hotel. When Mary Jane gets uncomfortable with the number of crew members are around for this scene that requires her to wear lingerie. The producer assures her that only the necessary crew will be on set while they are filming. That’s when the scriptwriter enters the set to complain about the changes to the studio. He takes great issue that they changed Lobster-Man’s origin from being bitten by a radioactive lobster to getting his powers from a Lobster God. The producer dismisses the concern, especially the complaints from the online community, saying that the original origin is dated.[1] At that same moment, Carlyle has arrived on the set of the movie studio looking to take some high profile celebrities hostage.

While back under the tons of rubble, Spider-Man builds up the nerve to try and free himself. Taking one last breath from the hose that has been feeding him air, he begins trying to dig his way out. At that moment, Aunt May gets a moment to tell Mary Jane that Peter went out as Spider-Man and she is concerned about him. That’s when Carlyle comes crashing onto the sound stage and begins ordering his new hostages around. At that moment, Spider-Man is about to give up and surrender to the pain but remember that Mary Jane and Aunt May could be in danger he manages to get his second wind and push the last of the rubble off himself, much to the amazement of the fire crews arriving on the scene.

At that moment, Mary Jane is telling Carlyle that the LAPD doesn’t deal with hostage-takers. That’s when the producer offers his assistance. Carlyle says he just needs an escape vehicle and the guarantee that he won’t be pursed by the authorities. However, in order to prove how serious he is, he decides to kill one of them and decides that Aunt May would make a suitable victim. Mary Jane rushes to May’s side to plead for her life. That’s when someone rips open the side of the soundstage wall. At first, MJ and May think it’s Peter but it actually turns out to be the true Doctor Octopus. However, Octavius takes pause when he notices May Parker is in the crowd allowing Carlyle to take the first shot.[2] Ultimately, Doctor Octopus is overpowered but that’s when Spider-Man arrives and shoots webbing into Carlyle’s eyes. Spider-Man is quickly defeated because he is in rough shape after he escaped from the ruined hotel. Otto then tells him that he managed to crack the back of Carlyle’s armor leaving him potentially vulnerable. Spider-Man gets up and takes another pummeling while he clings to Carlyle’s back. After widening the crack begins feeling the inside of his foe’s armor until it bursts. With Carlyle incapacitated, Spider-Man turns to Doctor Octopus but he managed to escape in the confusing. Adding to his problems, Peter is upset to see Mary Jane helping her co-star, Rick Turk, to get medical help.

Later that day, Peter and Aunt May finally meet with Mary Jane to talk things over. Peter thinks he made a mistake coming, but Mary Jane points out that there is no way they could know what happened if Peter wasn’t there to stop Carlyle as Spider-Man. Mary Jane says their separation is less to do with Peter being Spider-Man and more to do with Mary Jane trying to figure out who she is and what her place in the world should be.[3] When Peter says that he always loves her and asks what he should do. Mary Jane tells him to wait and give her time to figure things out but doesn’t want to make any promises. When Peter says he’ll wait until the stars grow cold and fall out of the sky, this makes Mary Jane smile. That’s when May chimes in saying she was quiet because she was trying to compute the fact that not only is her son Spider-Man, but also the revelation that Otto Octavius was Doctor Octopus.[4] She then asks Mary Jane if she has a secret she’s been keeping. When Mary Jane tells her there isn’t anything, this comes as a relief to May who isn’t sure if she can handle anymore surprise revelations.

Recurring Characters

Spider-Man, Mary Jane Watson, Doctor Octopus, Doctor Octopus (Carlyle), Aunt May, Rick Turk

Continuity Notes

1. This is a thinly-veiled jab at the negative online reaction to the events of Amazing Spider-Man (vol. 2) #30-35 which suggested that Peter got his powers from the spider directly through mystical means and not the radiation that irradiated the spider, as has always been the going theory since Spider-Man first got his powers in Amazing Fantasy #15. I can’t blame J. Michael Straczynski either, online fan communities are dens for awful garbage people and Incel rejects.

2. Doctor Octopus first met May Parker way back in Amazing Spider-Man Annual #1. May was completely oblivious to Otto’s criminal dealings and at one point rented out a room to Otto in Amazing Spider-Man #53 and at another point, he attempted romancing her with the pair almost getting married in Amazing Spider-Man #131.

3. Peter and Mary Jane have been separated since Amazing Spider-Man Annual 2001, they will eventually get back together in Amazing Spider-Man (vol. 2) #51.