Marvel Knights: Spider-Man #18
Wild Blue Yonder Part Six
The Fantastic Four are desperately searching for the Skrull ship that brought Ethan Edwards — also known as Virtue — to Earth years ago.[1] Time is of the essence as Edwards was bombarded with memory implants of his Skrullian mission to take over the Earth, which are in direct conflict with the Christian upbringing of his adopted parents. Unfortunately, in an effort to stop this programming, the Thing punched the craft, sending it from the farmland of Iowa deep into the Louisiana swampland. As they locate the alien craft, the Thing makes the suggestion that they contact Spider-Man back in New York as they figure that’s where Virtue is probably heading.
Meanwhile, in New York, Spider-Man has confronted the Owl, who has been selling a new designer drug created out of the Absorbing Man which has the side-effect of giving those who ingest it the powers of the criminals. However, Spider-Man is having more trouble than usual dealing with the Owl thanks to his female assassin. However, the battle is abruptly ended when the Absorbing Man comes crashing through the wall looking for revenge against the Owl. When the woman who manipulated him this whole time tries to explain herself, Creel kills her with a single blow. The Owl decides to flee, leaving the Absorbing Man for Spider-Man to battle. However, Carl wants revenge and tries to rip his way through the secret passage the Owl escaped through. Unfortunately, Spider-Man won’t just sit back and let the Absorbing Man murder anyone. Before the two can come to blows, Ethan Edwards arrives in a brand new leather costume and begins attacking the Absorbing Man, using near-lethal force, deciding that — as a vigilante — he should be doing what the cops can’t do. Spider-Man tries to stop him and suddenly realizes that this newcomer is actually Ethan Edwards. He is surprised that Spider-Man almost didn’t recognize him but says that he has changed his look to match his new attitude and has decided to also give himself a new name, calling himself the Tiller. After explaining that the name is inspired by a verse in the Bible, Ethan takes off, telling Spider-Man that he has crimes to stop.
No sooner is the Tiller gone, Spider-Man discovers that the Absorbing Man is still alive. He reforms himself and explains then turns into water so he can escape and continue his hunt for the Owl. Finding the dead woman, Spider-Man wonders who she really was and if she told anyone his secret identity. That’s when the phone on the desk rings. Answering it, the web-slinger is surprised to discover that it’s the Owl calling. As Spider-Man informs him that the Absorbing Man is still on the loose, he gets a call on the other line. Answering it, he’s surprised to discover that it’s Mister Fantastic — whose tracking app allows him to find Spider-Man and call him from his nearest phone — and the pair compare notes on Ethan Edwards and what the Skrull programming has done to his mind. At that same moment, the Tiller has returned to the Daily Bugle, where he is using the computers to look up everything they have in their archives on the Skrulls. His work attracts the attention of Laurie Lynton, the Bugle’s science reporter, and publisher J. Jonah Jameson.[2]
At that same moment, the Owl is trying to get someone to protect him from the Absorbing Man. After Tombstone refuses his offer, the Owl begins considering heroes who can help him and decides that there is only really one person who could help him.[3] The Owl tries calling SHIELD for help, but only Spider-Man shows up, telling the mobster that’s all the help he is going to get. Soon, the Absorbing Man arrives on the scene. Spider-Man then lures the Absorbing Man into a warehouse where various chemicals are being stored. There, he tricks Creel into absorbing the properties of two volatile chemicals causing him to explode. Spider-Man is then pulled out of the river by Maria Hill and a SHIELD unit who then informs him about the Tiller going on a rampage. Spider-Man resigns to the fact that this is one of his issues but decides he’s not going to handle it alone. By this time, Edwards has arrived outside the Baxter Building and demands that Reed Richards comes out to talk to him. Since the Fantastic Four are still away, the building’s defenses keep him back. That’s when the Tiller is ambushed by Spider-Man and his teammates in the New Avengers.[4] The ensuing battle is broadcast on live television. Watching the coverage is Peter’s Aunt May who is deeply concerned. Jarvis, the Avengers butler, tries to console her.[5] The New Avengers are doing little as the Tiller is invulnerable to their attacks. Eventually, they slam into the side of the Baxter Building There, Aunt May comes out and convinces Ethan that he’s a good man. As his Skrull programming comes to the fore, he reverts to his true form and says he’s a monster. However, May and Spider-Man convince him that his past doesn’t define who he is and that he is a good man underneath it all. Spider-Man finally convinces Edwards to stop fighting by pointing out that he has the power to heal, a gift that has a lot of value to help.
In the aftermath of the battle, the New Avengers and Fantastic Four are comparing notes at the Baxter Building. While the Avengers refuse to reveal who the mystery woman who helped end the battle was, they assure Reed that Edwards is no longer a threat.[6] When Spider-Man says that Ethan went where his healing powers can do the most good, Reed points out that there is nothing about his Skrull physiology that would suggest that he had healing powers. As they try and figure out where these powers come from, Ethan Edwards has relocated to the Middle East where his healing powers have already given him a group of followers.
Recurring Characters
Spider-Man, the Tiller, Owl, Absorbing Man, Fantastic Four (Mister Fantastic, Invisible Woman, Human Torch, Thing), New Avengers (Captain America, Iron Man, Wolverine, “Spider-Woman”, Luke Cage), Aunt May, “Edwin Jarvis”, J. Jonah Jameson, Laurie Lynton, Tombstone
Continuity Notes
Edwards is a Skrull that was sent to Earth during the destruction of the Skrull homeworld which was destroyed in Fantastic Four #256.
The image on the computer screen Ethan is looking at is of a group of Skrulls restraining the Thing. This is from Fantastic Four #91. Didn’t know the Daily Bugle had photographers on the planet Kral IV.
The Owl mentions that the Absorbing Man has regularly fought Thor, the Hulk, and the Avengers. He mentions how Thor hasn’t been seen in a while and that the Avengers are no longer together. At the time of this story, Thor seemingly perished in Thor (vol. 2) #85. However, he’ll turn up alive again in Thor (vol. 3) #1. The Avengers, on the other hand, disbanded following the events of Avengers #500-503/Avengers Finale #1. The general public, at this point, is unaware that the New Avengers were formed in New Avengers #1-6.
The woman who appears to be Spider-Woman here is actually a Skrull spy as revealed in Secret Invasion #3. The spy replaced the real Spider-Woman during the events of Giant-Size Spider-Woman #1.
This isn’t the real Jarvis, but another Skrull spy as revealed in Secret Invasion #1. The real Jarvis was swapped out prior to New Avengers #1.
It’s weird that the Fantastic Four don’t know who May Parker is as Peter Parker has shared his secret identity with the FF in Spider-Man/Human Torch #5. I guess they didn’t recognize because, at this point, May hasn’t met any of the Fantastic Four.
Topical References
Ethan is depicted as using a computer with a CRT monitor. This is topical as those kinds of computer scenes are no longer used.
Spider-Man compares Ethan Edwards to the title character in the movie Shrek.
