Amazing Spider-Man (Digital) #7
The Private Life of Peter Parker Part Seven
Spider-Man has come to the penthouse of Terri Hillman, a reality TV star, to confront her over co-opting the message of the Spider-Girls — three high school girls who have captured the media’s attention due to Spider-Man inspiring them to do charity work — Unfortunately, the web-slinger accidentally sets off the alarm and is confronted by two of Hillman’s security detail. However, when Teri sees that Spider-Man is the intruder, she sends her bodyguards away so they can talk in private. He gets right to business and asks what Hillman is doing co-opting the Spider-Girl’s message and Teri admits that she is doing it all for the publicity because that’s the only thing she lives for these days. When Spider-Man points out that is no way to live, she agrees and admits to her various shortcomings as an artist, that she made a lot of mistakes, and how her fame attracts the wrong kind of people. She also admits that she has become a prisoner of her image and the Spider-Girl thing is just another flavor of the month for her to run into the ground. She tries to change the subject by offering to sleep with Spider-Man.
However, the web-slinger ignores this offer and tells her that what she is doing is hurting three girls that are just trying to do the right thing. She tells him that they’ll get over it and once again offers herself to the web-slinger, telling him that he could try and change her mind. Spider-Man, once again, declines Teri’s advances and before leaving telling her that with great power comes great responsibility, and with her celebrity status she has a great deal of it. He then warns her that J. Jonah Jameson holds a grudge, particularly after the way she embarrassed him recently and swings off, ignoring all of Teri’s questions about his sex life. Since this recent attempt to help the Spider-Girls has failed, Peter Parker returns to his apartment and decides to give the girls the bad news in the morning.
The next day, the Spider-Girl are planning their legal strategy pay a visit to Mallory Book who has agreed to listen to their case, unaware that they are being followed by two members of the mayor’s Anti-Spider-Man Squad. However, as they meet with Book they realize that she only wants to represent them because of the money she can get from the case. They catch her trying to swindle them twice, first by saying she’ll take a 50% commission if they win, and later when she tries to get them to agree to a contract even though they are minors. They quickly tell her that they are running late for school and end their meeting. On their way to school, Peter decides to swing past them as Spider-Man and wave to give them some encouragement. This plan works, but it also convinces the Anti-Spider-Man Squad that the web-slinger has some kind of connection to the three teenagers. When they report back to Captain Gannon, he begins working on the next phase of his plan. When the girls arrive at school, Emma comes up for a plan for their press conference after they overhear Meg Ridgeway, the most popular girl in school, admit her jealousy over the Spider-Girl’s fame.
Later that afternoon, Peter Parker addresses the media that have gathered outside the FEAST Center to hear what the Spider-Girl’s have to say about Teri Hillman’s recent endorsement.[1] Norah Winters later asks Peter for a preview of what the Spider-Girls are going to say, but he doesn’t know what they have planned. That’s when Peter notices the two Anti-Spider-Man Squad members in the crowd poising as reporters. Unaware of who they really are, they raise his suspicions nonetheless. That’s when the Spider-Girls come to the podium to give their statement. They say that while they could try to sue Terri Hillman for selling Spider-Girl merchandise, they remind the press that they aren’t in it for lawsuits, fame, or money, and ask Hillman to do the right thing and donate all the merchandise money to charity. Their statement generates cheers from the crowd.
Meanwhile, this press conference is being watched by Lubeck, an assistant to Mayor J. Jonah Jameson, and tells Jonah that he has come up with an idea on how to nail Spider-Man.
Recurring Characters
Spider-Man, Norah Winters, Leila Goldberg, Becky, Emma Paley, Terri Hillman, Mallory Book, Meg Ridgeway
Continuity Notes
Peter refers to him as the temporary supervisor of the FEAST Center. This is because the usual supervisor, his Aunt May, is currently on her honeymoon after marrying Jay Jameson in Amazing Spider-Man #600.
