Amazing Spider-Man Annual #38
Identity Wars Part Two
Now
The Amazing Spider swings into action to stop the latest scheme of Doctor Octopus. He enjoys every minute of it from the adoring fans on the street cheering him on, to how J. Jonah Jameson insists of promoting the Spider’s heroic feats on the front page of the Daily Bugle. Despite this world of difference, the man under the Amazing Spider is not the Peter Parker of this world, he’s only filling in for his counterpart in this reality.[1]
A Few Days Earlier…
Spider-Man had just returned the Amazing Spider to his home, which Peter is surprised to learn is a mansion with a secret cave laboratory underneath. There, the Amazing Spider tells Spider-Man that he needs a few days to recover from his injuries and asks Spider-Man to take his place while he is trapped on this world, as the Amazing Spider is the only hero around. Peter can’t refuse himself and so he agrees. He then thinks back to how he found himself in this situation…
Earlier Still…
Peter Parker was working late at Horizon Labs one night, telling one of his colleagues how his life has turned around and how lucky he is to have landed a job. That’s when it’s suggested they take a break and it’s suggested to Peter that if he’s going to drink to coffee he should switch to decalf.
That’s when Deadpool sneaks in and brags to his employer about all the death-defying traps to make it to the job on time. His employer is standing right behind him with his squad, reminds Deadpool that they aren’t using radios and how he’s actually late for their job.[2] They have come use a Electrostatic-Accellerated Quantum Powered Pan-Dimensional Translocator. The device uses the mind of a subject to find a similar parallel world. Unfortunately, the device is still in a prototype phase and anyone who has used it has had their brain fried. They have hired Deadpool on this mission because they can use him and his healing factor will regenerate his damaged brain. They plug it into Deadpool’s mind and tell him to try and locate a world where there is plenty of money and valuables to steal.[3]
That’s when Bruce Banner happens to walk in on the scene. As it turns out, Banner was secretly hired to do some consultation at Horizon at the time. Having a gun pointed to his head causes Banner to transform into the Hulk. The gunshots prompt Peter to race back and see what’s going on as Spider-Man and he comes upon the Hulk mopping the floor with the crooks. Spider-Man lends a helping hand, but the Hulk’s rampage has caused damage to the portal and an electrical feedback transports Spider-Man, the Hulk, and Deadpool to another dimension.
The trip reverts the Hulk back to Bruce Banner and as he and Spider-Man try to figure out where they are, the web-slinger is shocked to discover that on this world has Parker Technologies in the place of Horizon Labs. On the floor they find this world’s version of Deadpool, a green clad mercenary named Death Wish laying on the floor next to their own Merc With a Mouth. Also present is a seriously wounded Amazing Spider. Banner theorizes that the process that brought them to this world must have been due to similar events happening in this reality, but notes that there is no alternate version of himself present. Spider-Man helps his counterpart to his Spider-Car and is taken back to the Web, the cave headquarters of the Amazing Spider. That’s where Spider-Man replaced his double while he recovered.
Now
Earth-616’s Peter Parker goes back out on patrol as the Amazing Spider and happens upon the Rhino trying to rob a bank. However, after Spider-Man throws a safe at him the Rhino instantly surrenders. This is vastly different than the Rhino of his world who only would have gotten angry. As the Rhino surrenders to the authorities he tells the “Amazing Spider” that he didn’t want to tangle with the web-slinger because on this world the hero was able to take down both Thanos and Galactus all on his own.
When Peter returns to the Web he discovers that what the Rhino said is true and that the Amazing Spider is apparently far more powerful than he is. This world’s Peter Parker tells his Earth-616 counterpart that he needs more time to heal and reiterates that the Amazing Spider is the only hero in this world. To send this home, he shows Peter a photo of the Amazing Spider getting an award from this world’s Tony Stark, who is overweight. Seeing how weak and feable his counter-part it, Peter agrees to continue his masquerade since he’s trapped on this world anyway and the Amazing Spider promised to help get him home once he has fully recovered.
The following day, Peter arrives for work at Parker Technologies and is told by his secretary that he has two separate dates scheduled, one with Mary Jane Watson and another with Gwen Stacy. There was also a police report called in about Deadpool and Death Wish clashing with the authorities. Peter goes to his counterpart’s office and decides to spend his time reading up about the exploits of the Amazing Spider. As it turns out, his counterpart had a hands on involvement with the pan-dimensional portal on this world. He also appeared to be keeping a detailed dossier of Spider-Men from other realities. That’s when Peter makes another startling discovery, that on this Earth, Uncle Ben is still alive.
Peter pays a visit to this version of Ben Parker who is already well aware that this is a version of his nephew from an alternate reality. Peter learns that Ben survived the night the burglar shot him because the shot was a few inches off from being fatal.[4] However as he gets to know this version of Ben Parker, Peter quickly picks up on the fact that this man is much crueler man. This becomes apparent by how this world’s Aunt May cowers in his presence and the fact that he refers to both Mary Jane and Gwen money seeking whores. He also has on obsession with Peter using his power to dominate and to get what he wants. Unfortunately, this is all a trap as his tea was drugged but Peter only realizes this when it starts kicking in and he passes out on the floor.
He wakes up in the Web a prisoner of the Amazing Spider and this world’s Ben Parker. As it turns out, the reason why the Amazing Spider is so strong is that he has been luring alternate versions of Spider-Man to this world from elsewhere in the multiverse to steal their power to increase his own and there is a pit filled with dead Spider-Men who have already fallen victim to this process. Before the Amazing Spider can steal Spider-Man’s powers, Peter decides to play into his counterparts sense of guilt and shame and makes him angry enough to strike. This blow is more powerful than one Spider-Man could produce but it succeeds in knocking Peter free from his restraints. He then continues playing on the Amazing Spider’s continence. Ben Parker, power mad, tells his nephew not to listen and tries to attack Spider-Man with the spiked paddles that will rob him of his power and life life. However, the Amazing Spider doesn’t want this and pushes Spider-Man out of the way and falls victim of his own device. Horrified by what he has done, Ben Parker breaks down and cradles the lifeless body of his dead son.
After this experience, Spider-Man decides that as long as he is on this world he shouldn’t get involved with anyone else in the Amazing Spider’s life for fear of discovering that they are perverted versions of the people he knows and loves back home. Instead, he goes back to work at Parker Technologies to try and find a way to bring himself, Banner, and Deadpool back to their home reality. However as he tries to track them down, he discovers that Banner doesn’t want to return home because — for some reason — he does not turn into the Hulk here.[5] Deadpool also appears to be pretty content on this world having fun with Death Wish. As Spider-Man continues to masquerade as the Amazing Spider he is unaware that he is being watched by Death Mask, this world’s version of Doctor Doom. Peter admits being seen as a flawless hero has its perks but it is hardly a challenge and all he wants to do is get back home.
This story is continued in Deadpool Annual #1
Recurring Characters
Spider-Man, Hulk, Deadpool, Madcap (unidentified), The Amazing Spider, Deathwish, Ben Parker-11638, Death Mask
Continuity Notes
1. The majority of this story takes place in an alternate reality. The Spider-Geddon Handbook indexes it as Reality-11638.
2. At the time of this story, Deadpool’s internal monologue includes a separate voice. What that voice is and how it got in his head is as stupid as it sounds. As Deadpool Annual (vol. 2) #1 tells it, this voice is another fourth-wall breaking nuisance called Madcap. The pair were incinerated by Thor and when their mutual healing factors kicked in, only Deadpool’s body grew back with Madcap trapped in his mind. They get separated eventually ending this really stupid running gag.
3. Deadpool’s internal monologue makes a limp-dick joke about a CCG graded copy of New Mutants #98, which is the comic which features the first appearance of Deadpool. The joke being that this comic is worth a lot of money. At the time I’m writing this (September 2020) you can buy it online for $3, which is about the same capital you can get for such a shitty joke.
4. I shouldn’t have to remind you that the Earth-616 Uncle Ben died as a result of that bullet. Amazing Fantasy #15.
5. The reason why Bruce Banner can’t turn into the Hulk is because his Hulk persona is trapped in Hell for some reason. Don’t take my word for it, see Incredible Hulks Annual #1.
