Amazing Spider-Man (vol. 3) #19.1
Spiral Part Four
Spider-Man thinks about how some of the moments in one’s life are a fulcrum. That when tragedy happens it can cause your life to tilt and who you were before and who you became after are two different people. There are parallels between the life of Peter Parker and Yuri Watanabe, Spider-Man, and the Wraith. For Peter Parker his life tilted the first time when his Uncle Ben was murdered, leading to Peter using his newfound spider-powers to fight crime.[1] For Yuri, it was when her grandfather, Sergeant Kenneth Watanabe was awarded the NYPD’s medal of honor. This moment would inspire Yuri to become a police officer.
The next time Peter Parker’s life shifted was when he failed to save the life of Gwen Stacy.[2] Yuri suffered a similar tragedy when her father, John Watanabe, was convicted of accepting bribes, tarnishing the reputation of the Watanabe family, which had three different generations who served in the police force. More recently, Spider-Man was witness to his greatest foe — Doctor Octopus — give up control of Peter’s body so that Parker could save his one true love, Anna Maria Marconi.[3] Most recently, Yuri suffered a loss when her mentor Detective Teddy Rangel was fatally shot while on a bust.
Now, Spider-Man finds himself in the cell block at Ryker’s Island. Tombstone has been shot in the shoulder and the Wraith is standing outside his cell with a gun in her hand. Spider-Man demands to know what she did just as the police arrive and order them to surrender. The Wraith swears to Spider-Man that she didn’t shoot Tombstone. In reality, it was the Crime-Master who was apparently in league with Mister Negative. The Wraith ignores Spider-Man when he tells her not to do anything and quickly floods the cell block with her fear gas. As she flees the prison, Spider-Man follows after her. As much as he wants to believe her, he wonders if she was telling the truth or if it matters.
Meanwhile, in Chinatown, Mister Negative meets with the Ringmaster and his Circus of Crime. Negative has called this meeting to suggest an alliance since the Black Cat, Tombstone, and Hammerhead sidelined. However, the Ringmaster declines the offer, telling Negative that he doesn’t make truces and leaves.[4] That’s when the Wraith confronts Mister Negative. He surprises her when he reveals that he knows that she is actually Yuri Watanabe and tells her to take off her mask. He points out the obvious fact that whenever he fed Watanabe information, Spider-Man and the Wraith showed up to investigate. Yuri accuses him of setting her up. He mocks her, by saying that he was able to corrupt her without even touching her, saying that it runs in the family. When Yuri tries to rush him, the Inner Demons restrain her. When Watanabe asks what Mister Negative really wants, he hands her a pamphlet for the New York Techfair and tells her to do what she has always done, fight crime.
By the time Spider-Man catches up to Yuri, she is back at her apartment. There she is visited by the chief of police, who tells her that Judge Howell died in prison. She blames Watanabe for this happening, saying that she didn’t listen to advice and made it personal. The chief then tells Yuri that while she still has her job, her career is over as she will never see another promotion for as long as she is on the force. With the chief gone, Spider-Man makes his presence known and asks if they can talk. Yuri meets him up on the roof of her building. He get Yuri to admit that she made a mistake. Watanabe tells Spider-Man that she knows what she did and that she will be able to live with whatever happens next.
Later that night, Spider-Man meets up with the Wraith and they head down to the convention center where they catch the Circus of Crime clashing with security. The pair quickly take down the members of the Circus of Crime. They are then approached by the Ringmaster who explains that they came to steal a watch made out of gold and diamond valued at ten million dollars, unaware that one of Mister Negative’s Inner Demons has snatched it. The Ringmaster then uses his hypnotic powers to make the guards attack Spider-Man. While SpiderMan fights off these attackers, the Wraith spots the Inner Demon and kills him from stealing the watch. Spider-Man then takes out the Ringmaster and it is only then that he notices the Wraith is gone. Up on the rooftops, the Wraith blames Mister Negative for playing her. Since her career is on the rocks she decides that Yuri Watanabe is dead and all that remains is the Wraith, and the Wraith is going to get justice.
Recurring Characters
Spider-Man, the Wraith, Mister Negative, Circus of Crime (Ringmaster, Clown, Princess Python, the Great Gambonnos, Bruto the Strongman, Fire-Eater, Teena the Fat Lady), Tombstone
Continuity Notes
Uncle Ben was murdered by a burglar in Amazing Fantasy #15, as if I needed to tell you that.
Gwen Stacy was murdered by the Green Goblin back in Amazing Spider-Man #121.
Doctor Octopus stole Peter Parker’s life from Amazing Spider-Man #698 until Superior Spider-Man #31. He sacrificed his life so that Peter could save Anna Maria from the Goblin Nation.
It is mentioned here that the Ringmaster was blinded recently and that he recently got his vision back through black-market technology. He was blinded by Katie Bishop, the female Hawkeye in Hawkeye (vol. 4) #2.
