The Deadly Foes of Peter Parker Part Two

Peter Parker has tracked down Electro at the New York City Museum of Art. When confronted, Max Dillon tries to blast Parker with an electrical jolt but misses. [1] The two decide to drop pretenses and get into costume. When Electro asks how Parker found him, Spider-Man explains that his new costume can track anyone from his rogue’s gallery, and Electro’s energy signature was the easiest. As they fight it out, Spider-Man asks what Electro is up to, thinking that he must be working with Will O’ the Wisp and the Scarecrow, whom he fought a few blocks away the night before. Electro denies being involved with them but admits that he wouldn’t tell even if he was. Unfortunately for Electro, Spider-Man’s new costume allows him to fire a grounding wire at Electro that simultaneously drains him of his power and takes him out with the electrical feedback. Although he is victorious, Peter grimly thinks that it was all luck and wonders what other danger is lurking around since he publicly revealed his identity.[2]

Meanwhile, at a theater in Soho, Mary Jane Watson is rehearsing her lines in a production of Macbeth when suddenly she is stung by a bee. Hearing a massive amount of buzzing from overhead, she looks up and witnesses the Swarm and his army of bees descending down from the catwalk above. Mary Jane tells the other cast members to run for it. One of the crew, a man named Brain Sears, strikes the Swarm with a seventy-five-pound sandbag, but all this does is causes the bees that cover the Swarm’s skeleton to disburse. Quick thinking, Mary Jane has the Swarm chase her until she can reach a curtain. She then tosses it on her attacker then hits the fire alarm, kicking in the sprinkler system.[3] The rain drenches the bees, making them unable to fly leaving the Swarm’s skeleton exposed. It’s then smashed by Brain Sears who uses one of the prop clubs for the production. Mary Jane wonders if she has to look forward to this every day for the rest of her life and it’s suggested that they get her bodyguards into the room before the Swarm can reform himself.

Elsewhere, the Chameleon stands before a bunch of mirrors and thinks about how, once upon a time, he used to know Spider-Man’s secret identity. He remembers how after he first learned it, he went after Peter Parker’s wife,[4] Mary Jane and she humiliated him for it.[5] Then something happened, and he didn’t know the truth anymore.[6] Now that Peter Parker’s identity has become public knowledge, the Chameleon vows to kill his entire family before ending the web-slinger’s life once and for all.

By this time, Spider-Man has caught up with the Black Cat, who makes it known that she is upset over Peter revealing his identity to the public without telling her first.[7] Peter apologizes and tells Felicia that he needs her help. He tells her about the various villains who have been attacking him recently and the Swarm’s failed attempt on Mary Jane’s life. He asks Felicia to look into any possible conspiracies by his old foes, he’d do it himself, but since unmasking, he has become too high profile. That’s when he gets a call from Liz Osborn, who tells him that her step-brother, Mark Raxton the Molten Man, has kidnapped her son, Normie Osborn and has instructed her to get Peter to come to her home and wait for a phone call with instructions. Without any hesitation, Peter tells her that he’ll be right over. As he swings off, the Black Cat goes in the opposite direction to carry out his favor, but wonders how many of Peter’s ex-girlfriends are going to suffer for his decision to reveal his identity.[8] After Liz gets off the phone, she pleads with Mark — who is joined by the Scarecrow and Will O’ the Wisp — not to hurt her son.

Later, Aunt May is returning to Stark Tower after doing groceries and thinks the security detail that has been attached to her is overkill. She is greeted at the door by what appears to be Peter Parker. This is actually the Chameleon in disguise whose disguise manages to fool the security detail who departs when he asks. Taking the groceries from May, the Chameleon suggests that she use her key card to let them both in.

Recurring Characters

Spider-Man, Exterminators (Chameleon, Molten Man, Electro, Swarm, Will O’ the Wisp), Mary Jane Watson, Black Cat, Aunt May, Liz Osborn, Normie Osborn

Continuity Notes

1. The narrative of this story mentions how Elector used to be a telephone line repairman. This is on par with his origin as told in Amazing Spider-Man #9.

2. Peter Parker unmasked to show his support for the Super-Human Registration Act in Civil War #2

3. The narrative states that the Swarm used to be a Nazi scientist. This was his origins per Champions #14.

4. Mary Jane is referred to as Peter Parker’s wife here. However, not long after this, their marriage is erased from existence by Mephisto in Amazing Spider-Man #545. In the new timeline, the Chameleon would refer to Mary Jane as Peter’s fiancee instead of his wife.

5. The Chameleon discovered Peter Parker’s secret identity and went after Mary Jane through the course of Spectacular Spider-Man #241-245. This story suggests that Norman Osborn told him Peter Parker’s identity, however, this is not the least bit accurate. The Chameleon found out after capturing Spider-Man at Ravencroft and unmasking him.

6. This is a reference to the Chameleon last attempt to use Peter Parker’s identity against him in Webspinners: Tales of Spider-Man #10-11, which ended with the Chameleon taking a nose dive off the George Washington Bridge. This story confirms that he forgot Spider-Man’s identity after this incident explaining his ignorance in Get Kraven #1-6, and Marvel Knights: Spider-Man #10-11.

7. The Black Cat refers to herself as Peter’s ex-girlfriend. The pair dated from Peter Parker, the Spectacular Spider-Man #75 to 100. Peter revealed his identity to her in issue #87 of that series.

8. The Black Cat’s assessment that Liz Osborn once dated Peter is incorrect. Liz attended high school with Peter form Amazing Fantasy #15 until they graduated in Amazing Spider-Man #28. She developed an attraction to Peter in Amazing Spider-Man #12, but it was unrequited because — at the time — Peter was dating Betty Brant.

Topical References

• Black Cat quips that Peter is bigger than Brangelina. This was a nickname given to actors Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie while they were a couple. The couple dated from 2005 until they got married in 2014. They have since been divorced in 2019.