Avenging Spider-Man #18
A few days ago, Electro returns to Earth after he was absorbed into Thor’s hammer and fired into the sky.[1] He vows to kill Thor before turning into lightning and shooting up into the sky again. The following day, Otto Octavius — now possessing the body of Peter Parker — scans the location and confirms that Electro is back. He then goes on patrol as Spider-Man to search for Electro. He thinks about his long history of working with Electro as Doctor Octopus but wonders if Max Dillon would be foolish enough to go after Thor.[2]
Meanwhile, Electro meets with AIM and asks if they can help him destroy Thor. After working out some equations on a white board, the rogue scientists agree that they can help him achieve his goals. While at that moment, Spider-Man has tracked down Thor to warn him about the threat of Electro. Thor laughs this off, much to Otto’s annoyance. Thor annoys him further by putting a hand on his shoulder. Spider-Man brushes it off and reminds Thor that the Sinister Six were able to defeat him previously and warns him that Electro is not a threat to take lightly.
“Peter Parker” returns to his apartment where he fumes over Thor’s arrogant attitude. He passes the time by monitoring a tracking system that instantly picks up Electro’s energy signature when he appears in the city. Dillon is at an AIM facility where a Quantum Field Generator is being constructed that will change the electrons into his body into protons, theoretically giving him the power needed to kill Thor. However, they warn Electro that in doing so he might also end up killing himself. Electro isn’t concerned with this as long as he gets to kill the thunder god. When Spider-Man arrives he is unsurprised to see that Electro is working with AIM.[3] As he fights the scientist, Electro straps himself into the generator and turns it on. The process jacks of Electro’s power and he shoots up into the air as a bolt of lightning to try and find Thor.
By this time, Thor has gone to McManus’ Irish Pub for some drinks. Spider-Man manages to reach Thor first, but when he tries to explain how Electro has boosted his powers the thunder god is dismisses the threat. That’s when a bolt of lightning arcs into the bar and strikes Thor, causing him to scream in pain. Electro then returns to human form and begins attacking Thor. As the battle rages, Spider-Man tries to convince Max that his power boost will lead to his death, but Electro refuses to listen. After taking a few blasts from Electro, Thor has had enough and is about to blast Electro with lightning from Mjolnir. Spider-Man stays his hand and warns Thor that Electro has been turned into anti-matter and to blast him with normal lightning could cause their utter annihilation.
Spider-Man convinces Thor to help him lure Electro back to the AIM lab where he got his power boost. There, Thor keeps Dillon pre-occupied while Spider-Man works to rig together a device that will restore Electro to normal. With the device ready, he tells Thor to blast Electro. The villain responds in kind and when the two blots of opposing energy types clash it begins to create an explosion. However, before the entire state can be wiped off the map, Spider-Man fires his device into the clashing power, nullifying its destructive force. In the aftermath of the battle, Spider-Man convinces Thor that when Electro was restored to normal his protons have been spread all over the globe. This satisfies the thunder god who heads off.
However, Spider-Man was lying and he managed to contain Electro in a battery pack. He then returns his one-time ally to the hideout where he already has Sandman held prisoner. With two of the former members of the Sinister Six locked away, Otto wonders how far he is wiling to go to get what he wants.
Recurring Characters
Spider-Man, Thor, Electro, Sandman, AIM
Continuity Notes
This happened during the Ends of the Earth story arc. See Amazing Spider-Man #682-687.
Otto mentions how he had worked alongside Electro on many occasions. They were both founding members of the Sinister Six, which Doctor Octopus first formed back in Amazing Spider-Man Annual #1.
Spider-Man states that Electro has worked with AIM in the past. However, there is no evidence that any prior Electro story had him working for AIM. One could assume that this is an untold tale or one could speculate that one of his previous schemes was for AIM.
