Amazing Spider-Man #642
Origins of the Species Part One
Doctor Octopus has gathered an army of super-villains at the abandoned Kravinoff Estate. After Electro and Hammerhead, the final two invitees arrive, Doctor Octopus tells them that he has gathered them all together to collect an important package. He tells them that whoever brings it to him will not only receive a huge cash reward but also the secrets behind the package — saying it will give them what they desire. He tells them not to worry about the package itself, saying that what is inside is all that matter. He then dismisses them, telling the gathered group of villains that he doesn’t care if they work individually or as teams, only that they bring him what he seeks out.
Meanwhile, Peter Parker and Betty Brant are at the annual Camera-Con where Peter is trying to sell the last of his camera equipment. When a dealer tries to lowball him, Betty refuses to let Peter sell his camera, telling him that he’ll be in demand again soon enough. However, when two patrons make fun of Peter’s getting fired from the mayor’s office, Peter doesn’t think that’ll happen anytime soon.[1] Besides, he is behind on his rent and needs the money right away. Worse, he is supposed to meet up with Carlie Cooper for a date and he doesn’t have any money. Betty then loans him fifty dollars and tells him to go to it.
As Peter takes the bus, he goes through the classifieds in the paper thinking about how hopeless his situation is.[2] He really needs money and can’t ask people to bail him out, least of all Aunt May.[3] This reminds him to call her he is told his phone is out of minutes. When Peter returns to his apartment he is angered to discover that his roommate, Michele Gonzales, is selling his clothes to cover his half of the rent. Storming into his room, he is relieved that she didn’t find the Spider-Man costume he hides in his room. Unfortunately, the only clothing left is an ugly sweater, the most impractical thing to wear on a hot day like today. With no other choice, Peter puts it on and rushes to the Coffee Bean to meet with Carlie Cooper. When he arrives he apologizes for being later. Carlie tells him its okay, as she had Harry Osborn and Mary Jane Watson to keep her company. The realization that they are both here to see him like this is mortifying.
Peter has to sit through what seems like six years of Harry and Mary Jane telling Carlie embarassing stories about Peter. Carlie soon excuses herself to go to the washroom. When Peter and Mary Jane are alone, Peter asks what the hell is wrong with her, reminding Mary Jane that she said she wanted Peter to move on. Mary Jane then admits that she likes Carlie and thinks she is a good fit for Peter. That’s when Peter’s spider-sense begins going off. As Carlie is coming out of the washroom he spots someone flying toward the Coffee Bean on a Goblin Glider and tells her to duck for cover. That’s when a very pregnant Lily Hollister come crashing in through the storefront window.[4] While everyone is trying to make sense of what’s going on, Peter slips away to change into Spider-Man.
He arrives just in time to save Harry from falling debris cause by Lily flying around the coffee spot wildly. He then stops her and Mary Jane points out that Lily is going into labor. Before Spider-Man can do anything, the Shocker and Tombstone arrive to kidnap her. As Spider-Man fights these foes, Mary Jane and the others pull Lily to safety and try to help her giving birth. That’s when Doctor Octopus arrives and tells them to get aside as he can help deliver the baby, quipping that he’s a doctor. When they try to stop him, Doctor Octopus restrains Harry, Mary Jane and Carlie with is mechanical arms. By this time, Spider-Man has finished off Shocker and Tombstone and tries to attack Doc Ock, but gets pinned by a mechanical arm as well. That’s when Octavius delivers the baby and uses one of his free mechanical arms. Holding the baby up, Otto congratulates Lily, telling her that that she has given birth to a healthy baby boy.[5]
Recurring Characters
Spider-Man, Harry Osborn, Lily Hollister, Stanley Osborn, Betty Brant, Mary Jane Watson, Carlie Cooper, Michele Gonzales, Diablo, Doctor Octopus, Electro, Hammerhead, Hippo, Lizard, Mister Negative, Morbius the Living Vampire, Mysterio, Overdrive, Sandman, Shocker, the Spot, Tombstone, Vermin, Stanley Osborn (unnamed)
Continuity Notes
Peter was fired from his job as a photographer for the mayor’s office after he doctored a photo of J. Jonah Jameson fighting the Vulture in an attempt to prove Jonah wasn’t involved with the creature. That happened in Amazing Spider-Man #624.
Peter thinks about how his job interviews keep getting botched. Recalling his recent battle with the Absorbing Man. That was in Amazing Spider-Man #628.
He also recalls how Aunt May was acting cruel for a couple of weeks until she snapped out of it and returned to her old self. Unknown to Peter at this time, May was corrupted by Mister Negative in Amazing Spider-Man #618. This lasted until Amazing Spider-Man #633.
Harry states here that Lily disappeared after his father was sent to prison. There’s a lot going on here so let’s break it down:
Harry and Lily Hollister were dating from Amazing Spider-Man #545. During this period, Lily came across one of Norman Osborn’s caches of weapons and exposed herself to a new form of the Goblin formula. Starting in Amazing Spider-Man #549, Lily masqueraded as the Menace to try and help her father get elected as mayor.
Later, Harry proposed to Lily in Amazing Spider-Man #583-584.
Lily was exposed as the Menace during the course of Amazing Spider-Man #584-588, leading to her becoming incarcerated.
She turned up again in Amazing Spider-Man #595-599 when it was revealed that Lily was pregnant. Although Harry was led to believe that the baby was Norman’s child, not his. This is proven false in Amazing Spider-Man #646.
Norman was made America’s top cop and head of SHIELD (later rennamed HAMMER) after he killed the leader of a Skrull invasion of Earth in Secret Invasion #8. However, Osborn fell from grace after launching a failed invasion of Asgard leading to his incarceration. See Siege #1-4.
The Osborn baby will be named Stanley in Amazing Spider-Man #647.
Topical References
This story is stated as happening in the year 2010. This should be considered a topical reference.
Outdated technology: Peter is depicted using a Blackberry. These phones are obscolete, particularly since Blackberry stop making cellular phones in 2016 as they were no longer to compete with Android and Apple smartphones.
Spidey Sundays Part Nine
Spider-Man has webbed up Brain and demands to know why he and his thug, Bull, have been following him. When Bull tries to attack the web-slinger, Spider-Man knocks him out with a single punch. This distraction allows Brain to cut himself free with a knife. He then takes Bull hostage, threatening to murder his partner if Spider-Man refuses to hand over his newly invented time machine. Spider-Man agrees to show the device to Brain, but warns him that he may live to regret this.
Recurring Characters
Spider-Man, Bull, Brain
Continuity Notes
Although unclear here, the universe that Bull and Brain travel to is not the Earth-616 universe which becomes clear when you see how fast and loose writer Stan Lee is with continuity, the silly plot, and not to mention how Spider-Man is self-aware of the fact that he is a comic book character. As I write this (September 2020) the reality Bull and Brain come from and the one they visit have yet to be designated a reality number.
