Anybody Here Know a Guy Named Meteor Man?

When returning home, Nighthawk finds that his apartment is being robbed by the Looter, who steals a meteor fragment from Nighthawk's private safe before fleeing. Reviewing his private library, Nighthawk learns of the Looter's past and of his previous battle with Spider-Man.

Coincidentally, as Nighthawk searches the city for the Looter, he comes across Spider-Man, who is out trying to find the Scorpion. After an accidental collision, Spider-Man agrees to help Nighthawk find the Looter. As Nighthawk goes to the prison to learn how the Looter managed to escape from jail, Spider-Man scours the city to find their quarry.

Nighthawk learns that Norton Fester was a model prisoner, until one of his fellow inmates jeering about Fester being a loser caused him to lose his temper, reactivating his super-strength and allowing him to escape. Spider-Man, however, doesn't find much more than a strange religious cult that worships a man named Jeramiah in his searches. However, the Looter gets the drop on him soon enough.

During Spider-Man's fight with the Looter, the Looter manages to get the best of him and escape, and the arriving Nighthawk saves Spider-Man. Angered that the Looter got away, Spider-Man lashes out at Nighthawk and calls him a coward, upon which Nighthawk strikes Spider-Man. The two part on bad terms, and Spider-Man leaves to continue his hunt for the Scorpion. While the two heroes depart, the cult's leader Jeramiah arrives to his followers and tell them that Spider-Man is a symbol of modern-day evil that must be destroyed.

Recurring Characters

Spider-Man, Nighthawk, Meteor Man, Innocents of God (Jeremiah), Ivan Carmichael

Continuity Notes

• The events in this issue happen between the events of Amazing Spider-Man #145, during his hunt for the Scorpion.

• Nighthawk recounts how he survived a bomb blast in recently, referring to the events of Giant-Size Defenders #4.

• Richmond looks up news reports about the Looter, he finds record of his past battle with Spider-Man from Amazing Spider-Man #36. This story depicts Nighthawk using a microfilm reader. This should be considered a topical reference per the Sliding Timescale of Earth-616.

• The shock that Spider-Man is "reeling from" in this story is the apparent return of Gwen Stacy in Amazing Spider-Man #144. Gwen had been killed during a battle between Spider-Man and the Green Goblin in Amazing Spider-Man #121-122. The woman in question is not the real Gwen Stacy, but a clone, as revealed in Amazing Spider-Man #148.

• Spider-Man recognizes Nighthawk from a description that Daredevil gave him. Daredevil first encountered Nighthawk while he was a super-villain during the events of Daredevil #62. Daredevil more recently encountered Nighthawk (now a hero) in Giant-Size Defenders #3. Daredevil possibly told Spider-Man behind the scenes during their last encounter Marvel Team-Up #25.