Marvel Team-Up (vol. 3) #14
Spider-Man Meets Invincible
Spider-Man is fighting Doctor Octopus in an alley when suddenly a trans-dimensional portal opens behind the villain. Another masked individual comes flying out of the portal and crashes into Doctor Octopus, freeing Spider-Man from his grasp. Spider-Man follows after them wondering who saved him.[1] The pair have crashed into the side of a building and the newcomer is deeply apologetic, trying to explain how he’s not from this dimension.[2] When Spider-Man arrives he realizes that he hasn’t seen this costumed individual before and as he explains how Doctor Octopus was trying to kill him a moment earlier, Otto comes around and attacks both Spider-Man and the mysterious stranger. The newcomer quickly recovers and send Doctor Octopus flying with a single punch. When the police arrive and attempt to arrest Spider-Man and the stranger, the web-slingers new ally flies them both away. Spider-Man scolds this obvious novice about possibly killing Doctor Octopus and letting him get away.
However, Spider-Man stops his scolding when he notices that this new comer is now crying and asks him what’s wrong. This young hero, who calls himself Invincible, explains that he is worried about his mother. He explains that he is from another dimension and that he was thrown through a portal while fighting a villain named Angstrom Levy. Invincible explains that he inherited his powers from his father and after coming of age his father taught him how to be a hero. Then, sudenly, his father killed a bunch of other heroes on his world and revealed his intention to take over the planet. Invincible was able to stop him, but his father left the planet after telling his wife that he saw her as nothing but a pet. A devoted wife, this devastated Invincible’s mother and it was about this time that Invincible was attacked by Angstrom Levy. He explains that the villain used his access to dimensional portals to find out Invincible’s secret identity and go after him and has been attempting to wear him down by tossing him through different dimensions. Now he’s stuck in this one until Levy comes for him.[3]
Spider-Man can relate to Invincible’s plight, and offers to stick by him while he is trapped in this dimension.[4] When they formally introduce each other, Invincible remarks that Spider-Man’s name sounds kind of lame, but the web-slinger points out that Invincible’s isn’t any better. After some back-and-forth the two decide to drop the subject of names and decide to work together to try and track down Doctor Octopus. He takes Invincible to Avengers Tower to begin their search, telling Invincible that he should meet the New Avengers since they are one of the biggest team of heroes in this reality. When they arrive, Spider-Man is met by his Aunt May who greets Peter by his real name. At first, Spider-Man is concerned, but Invincible reminds the wall-crawler that he comes from another dimension and then, to even the score, takes off his own mask and tells Peter that he’s real name is Mark Grayson. That’s when Mary Jane arrives to remind Peter that they have a date to the movies that evening, but quickly deduces that he’s going to cancel after seeing the costumed newcomer. Mary Jane decides to go with Aunt May instead, and Peter tells Invincible that his aunt and wife live with him at Avengers Tower.[5] When Invincible asks where the Avengers are, Spider-Man says that they are right behind him. When he turns around, Invincible is introduced to Captain America, Iron Man, Wolverine, Spider-Woman, the Sentry, and Luke Cage.[6] Captain America demands to know who this stranger is, Spider-Man offers a quick explanation. That’s when Cap tells him that they just heard radio reports about Doctor Octopus going on a rampage. When Cap offers his assistance, Spider-Man tells his teammates that he and Invincible have this.[7]
They soon find Doctor Octopus on the water front and when the villain threatens to kill Invincible, the young hero flies into him, pushing them both into the water. After Spider-Man ensures the cops on the scene won’t shoot at them, he joins the battle. Eventually, Invincible gets fed up with the threats being made by Doctor Octopus and he overpowers the villain and dismantles Otto’s mechanical arms with his bare hands. With the battle over, Spider-Man spots a new dimensional portal opening up. Invincible decides to take a running start, hoping to catch Angstrom Levy off guard. Spider-Man offers to go with him even going so far as trying to hitch a ride on a web-line. However, the portal closes the moment Invincible passes through the portal, cutting the web-line. Spider-Man then swings away, considering the move crazy telling himself he could have found himself stranded in another dimension. He decides to go home and catch a movie with his wife, wishing Invincible the best of luck, wherever he is.
Recurring Characters
Spider-Man, Doctor Octopus, Mary Jane Watson, Aunt May, New Avengers (Captain America, Iron Man, “Spider-Woman, Luke Cage, Wolverine, Sentry)
Continuity Notes
1. Spider-Man wonders if it was Thor since he hasn’t seen the thunder god in a while. That’s because at the time of this story, Thor had died in Thor (vol. 2) #85. He will be revived again in Thor (vol. 3) #1.
2. Spider-Man quips that not even Cyclops doesn’t wear a costume that shows off his hair any more. This is a reference to the fact that, for a period of time starting in X-Factor #63 until he started wearing a hooded costume again in Astonishing X-Men (vol. 3) #1.
3. There is a lot of exposition here related to Invisible so let’s break it down:
Invincibles origins, early beginnings as a super-hero and the betrayal of his father, Omni-Man, covers Invincible #1-13.
Armstrong Levy started his quest to defeat Invincible in Invincible #24. Levy sent Invincible on his trip through different dimensions in Invincible #33. What happenes to Invincible after this story is also revealed in the same issue.
In most cases the dimensions in which other comic books characters not owned by Marvel are typically not given a universe designation because they are not part of the Marvel Multiverse but as part of the “Omniverse” which refers to the collective multiverses that exist in fiction in which the Marvel Multiverse co-exists with. On the flip side of things, Image doesn’t really have any distinctive identifiers like Marvel or DC do.
4. Here’s a reference to Uncle Ben getting shot. Amazing Fantasy #15.
5. Some facts here about Peter’s living situation and family
First off, this story takes place not long after Aunt May learned Peter was Spider-Man in Amazing Spider-Man (vol. 2) #35.
Mary Jane is referred to as Peter’s wife here. However, not long after this story their marriage is erased from existence by Mephisto in Amazing Spider-Man #545. As such, in the new timeline, Peter would refer to her as his fiancee instead of his wife.
Lastly, at this time Peter and his family had just recently moved into Avengers Tower after their home was destroyed by Charlie Weiderman in Amazing Spider-Man #518.
When Invincible quips that Spider-Man hit the jackpot, Spider-Man finds it amusing because these were the first words Mary Jane said to him when they first met in Amazing Spider-Man #42.
6. The woman who appears to be Spider-Woman here is actually a Skrull spy as we’ll learn in Secret Invasion #3. She took the real Spider-Woman’s place during the events of Giant-Size Spider-Woman #1.
7. When Spider-Man quips that the rest of the Avengers should wait for the cosmic stuff, Iron Man points out that they don’t face cosmic threats all the time and has a hard time remembering when the last time the Avengers fought such a menace thinking it was the last time they fought Kang. Iron Man wouldn’t be wrong, as they fought Kang back in Avengers (vol. 3) #41-54 and Annual 2001.
