Invincible Iron Man #7
The Five Nightmares, Epilogue: Clifton Pollard
At the offices of the Front Line newspaper, Ben Urich calls a staff meeting to find out who wants to cover the Stark Industries story.[1] Since nobody wants to take the job, Urich decides to cover the story himself, since he has been feeling cagy of late. He assigns Peter Parker — who showed up late — to take photos.
As the drive out to Stark Industries out on Long Island, Ben decides to tell Peter about Clifton Pollard. Pollard was the grave digger who buried President John F. Kennedy after he was assassinated. The only reason why Ben knows this is because Pollard was interviewed by a reporter named Jimmy Breslin, apparently the only person to think to interview Clifton. Ben explains that it is his favorite pieces of journalism. When they arrive at Stark Industries, Ben tells them that their job here is to find their Clifton Pollard.
They arrive in time to catch a press conference being held by Tony Stark himself, who informs the media of the damage done to Stark Industry properties across the globe. It’s here that Ben Urich learns that Peter Parker briefly worked for Tony Stark, although Peter is pretty coy about it.[2]
That evening Peter returns to Stark Industries as Spider-Man to get his “Clifton Pollard” photo for the Front Line. He observes Iron Man and staff going through the ruins of the facility. When a piece of falling debris threatens the life of one of the workers, Spider-Man swings in and pulls him to safety. Iron Man then pulls the wall-crawler aside and demands to know why he has come. Unable to come up with a convincing excuse, Spider-Man admits that he came to take pictures. Unaware that the web-slinger is secretly a news photographer, Iron Man is unimpressed by this admission. Tony explains how destroying his business was essential to shut down super-terrorists from using his technology to take human lives.[3] He used pieces of Starktech in order to lure Stane into a trap and now he is going to shut down the black market network that put his technology in the hands of terrorists. Spider-Man wants to invite himself along, but Tony says that is out of the question unless Spider-Man wants to register with the government. When Spider-Man refuses, Iron Man takes off at full speed so the web-slinger won’t follow him. What he doesn’t know is that Spidey tagged him with a spider-tracer and can follow him with ease.
Iron Man’s first stop is the apartment where Phineas Mason — aka the Tinkerer — is currently operating from. When Iron Man knocks at his door, the Tinkerer activates some rockets hidden in his wheelchair in an effort to escape out the window. However, Spider-Man is there and catches the criminal inventor in some webbing. Realizing that Spider-Man isn’t going to take no for an answer, Stark resigns to allowing the outlaw hero tag along.
They next pay a visit to Jackson Weele, aka Big Wheel. Spider-Man can’t believe Jackson has returned to a life of crime because last he knew the former villain was getting his life back together.[4] When the two heroes arrive, Big Wheel tries to make a run for it in the giant device that is his namesake. However, he is quickly stopped and taken into police custody.
The last stop on their round-up is the home of Ed Gross, a collector of superhero memorabilia. Since Stark was invited to a party being thrown by Gross’ daughter. Changing into a tux, Tony heads into the party and learns that Ed is down in his trophy room. Tony goes down to tell Ed that his collection is going to be confiscated. When he finds Ed, he discovers that Gross dresses up in the various costumes that he buys.[5]
By the time Iron Man and Spider-Man return to Stark Industries, the sun is already beginning to rise. Spider-Man had a great time, but Iron Man admits to the web-slinger that after Stane’s attack he isn’t sure if he can keep up with the type of threats that are coming out of the woodwork. Spider-Man reminds Tony that he’s a smart guy and he’ll figure it out. The webslinger takes off so he can change back into Peter Parker and catch up with Ben Urich. Looking back he sees his shot and takes the picture. Later, when he and Ben are driving into the city, Peter shows his photo and Ben is so amazed he almost crashed the car because he’s not watching the road. Peter’s photo — a picture of Stark sitting in the rubble of his business — makes the front page of the Front Line.
Recurring Characters
Iron Man, Spider-Man, Tinkerer, Big Wheel, Ben Urich, Joe Robertson, Ed Gross
Continuity Notes
Ben Urich mentions how he used to be a reporter at the Daily Bugle, how he founded the Front Line, and the Bugle has changed since. Urich quit the Bugle and formed his own paper when publisher J. Jonah Jameson tried to kill a story as seen in Civil War: Front Line #11. The Bugle was purchased by Dexter Bennett in Amazing Spider-Man #548. He turned the Bugle into a tabloid called The DB! The DB will be destroyed in Amazing Spider-Man #614 and written off as a lost, leading to the Front Line becoming the Daily Bugle again in Amazing Spider-Man #648.
Peter started “working” for Tony Stark to cover for the fact that he — as Spider-Man — was a member of the New Avengers and to explain why he and his wife Mary Jane were now living in Stark Tower as seen in Amazing Spider-Man #519-524. Peter was on the outs when he turned on Stark during the superhero Civil War, as seen in Civil War #1-7. It should also be noted that Tony no longer knows Peter Parker and Spider-Man are the same person after all knowledge of Spider-Man’s true identity was erased in Amazing Spider-Man #545.
This was a plot enacted by Ezekiel Stane as seen in Invincible Iron Man #1-6.
Jackson joined Vil-Anon, a support group for reforming super-villains, as seen in Spider-Man Unlimited (vol. 3) #12. However, we’ve seen that he has relapsed in Civil War: Front Line #8.
Gross helped Tony leak Iron Man tech onto the black market in Invincible Iron Man #4. Its mentioned here that his daughter was saved from the Wrecker. Ths happened in New Avengers #7.
