Another Return of the Sinister Six Part 2

This story continues from Amazing Spider-Man (vol. 2) #12…

When an explosion goes off in the basement of the building where Peter and Mary Jane live, the security detail that has been hired quickly rush Mary Jane out of bed and on to a safe location. From his secret hideout, Mary Jane’s stalker then places a call to the Daily Bugle and tells them why the explosions are happening around the city and how they can be stopped. This causes Mary Jane to be brought in by the FBI for questioning. They want to know whatever Mary Jane can tell them about her stalker. When they asks what Spider-Man’s involvement is in all of this, she says that he only saved her when the first bomb went off.[1] When they ask where her husband Peter Parker is, she tells them that he is taking case of personal business but she doesn’t know where he is.[2]

At that moment, Spider-Man is being choked out by Venom. The lunatic pauses when the Sandman and the Sinister Six interrupt him. Sandman tells Venom that he can kill Spider-Man if they want, just as long as he doesn’t get in the way of their attempts to get Doctor Octopus and Senator Stewart Ward. Unfortunately, Mysterio’s mist has unintentially obscured their quarry from view. Suddenly a grenade lands near Venom, the resulting flames from the blast harm Venom’s symbiote allowing Spider-Man to break free. This was thanks to Arthur Stacy who is also hunting for Stewart Ward. Spider-Man demands to know what sort of threat the Senator makes. Stacy won’t explain himself and insists that Ward must die. Spider-Man doesn’t want Arthur to ruin his life by committing murder and webs his duffle bag full of guns.

Meanwhile, the Sandman douses the flames so they stop harming Venom and the rest of the Sinister Six mock him for having such a silly weakness. Venom and Sandman start trading blows until they are separated by Electro. Mysterio reminds them that they are all together to get Stewart Ward. Venom is still confused how this could be Mysterio, as he had heard that Quentin Beck committed suicide recently.[3] Mysterio doesn’t reveal the truth and tells Venom to either join them or leave. Sandman protests this since he brought the Sinister Six back together. However, he allows for the idea if Venom gets paid with Mysterio’s cut of the money they could make. Venom agrees to join the Sinister Six, but tells them that if Spider-Man interferes again the wall-crawler is his. Examining the scene, Kraven discovers that one of his spears cut Doctor Octopus as he was making his escape with Stewart Ward and they can follow the trail of blood to their prey, assuring the others that Octavius won’t get far.

Back at the FBI, the agents continue to question Mary Jane about her stalker when there is a sudden explosion outside the window. When the agents look outside the window they find a banner reading “She’s Mine” hanging outside. While they are distracted, Mary Jane has fled the building and manages to get into a taxi cab, unaware that the driver is the man who has been stalking her this whole time.

Elsewhere in the city, Doctor Octopus continues to flee from the Sinister Six with Stewart Ward. Unfortunately, he has lost too much blood from his wound and begins to black out. Thankfully, Spider-Man is there to prevent the two men from falling to their deaths. When Spider-Man asks why Otto’s old team is after him.[4] Octaivus explains that they are not comrades and his former teammates will work for the highest bidder even if it means killing one of their own. When the wall-crawler asks why Senator Ward is so important, Doctor Octopus refuses to answer. As Spider-Man questions Doctor Octopus, the Sinister Six is hot on his trail. Along the way, Sandman begins assessing his teammates. He considers Kraven his pointman since he is a hunter, first and foremost. He considers the Vulture the most dangerous of them all, despite his old age. He can’t bring himself to trust Mysterio who doesn’t seem like the same man he knew in the past and he is also suspicious about how he has Electro under his wing. He decides his best course of action is to watch and wait and hope that Venom, the wildcard of the bunch, doesn’t get them all killer.

By this time, Spider-Man is lowering Doctor Octopus and Ward down to another building with his webbing. On the way down he overhears a radio report about Mary Jane’s stalker setting off bombs in the city and how Mary Jane has fled authorities. Spider-Man finds himself torn between wanting to save his wife and dealing with Doc Ock and Senator Ward. However, he is forced to stay behind when Arthur Stacy catches up to them and attempts to shoot Ward. Unable to explain himself, Arthur insists that Stewart is a threat that must die. Ward has no idea what he’s talking about, making Arthur realize that the Senator doesn’t remember what happened all those years ago. Unfortunately, before explanations can be made, the Sinister Six surround them all. Sandman tells Spider-Man that he can take Stacy and go since their only concern is Doctor Octopus and the Senator. This angers Venom who wanted Spider-Man for himself. That’s when Doctor Octopus tells Spider-Man that the only way they can get out of this alive is to play against the Sinister Six’s mistrust in one another. Spider-Man finds himself conflicted again, he really wants to find Mary Jane, but can’t leave the current situation like this either. At that same moment, Mary Jane orders the cab driver to let her off at the Daily Bugle. However when she tries to open the door she discovers it is locked. That’s when the cabbie reveals that he has a detonator hidden under his sun visor. He tells her that this is where he is going to prove to the world how much he loves her. That’s when Mary Jane realizes that the driver is her stalker.

Back at the scene of the battle, Spider-Man evades attacks from the Sinister Six, trying to figure out how to get out of this mess so he can figure out how to salvage his marriage and keep his job.[5] Stewart is furious that Doctor Octopus has failed to protect him when he suddenly feels strange. That’s when Ward begins immiting powerful bolts of energy that take down the Sinister Six and Doctor Octopus. Spider-Man has no clue what’s going on and tries to stop Ward, but he is knocked back along with the villains by a massive energy jolt. That’s when Electro, under orders from Mysterio, fires a massive jolt of electricity at the Senator. Just before impact, Ward begins to remember something when there is a sudden blding flash of light.[6] Once everthing clears, there is no sign of Stewart Ward. With their mission over, the Sinister Six retreat with Doctor Octopus trailing not far behind. Before he goes, Octavius vows to make Spider-Man pay for this. After checking if Arthur is okay, Spider-Man then departs to look for Mary Jane. From the shadows Venom watches Spider-Man flees and vows to get his revenge soon enough.

Outside the Daily Bugle, the stalker reaches into the back of the cab to grab Mary Jane but she manages to spray him with mace. She then kicks the passenger window hard enough to shatter it and get free. She then yells at people in the street to run for cover because there is a bomb somewhere. Watching from his cab, the stalker presses the button on the detonator, but the only thing that explodes is the taxi cab he is sitting in. That’s when Spider-Man arrives on the scene to help but it is already too late. Furious at Peter for not being there when she needed him most, she tells him not to bother with excuses and walks away. While elsewhere in the city, Mysterio tells Electro that they succeeded in their plan. Looking at the Stewart Ward, whose body now crackles with strange energy, Electro asks Mysterio what it was they did. However, all Mysterio says is that they — and the rest of the world — will know soon enough.

Recurring Characters

Spider-Man, Doctor Octopus, Sinister Six (Mysterio, Vulture, Kraven the Hunter, Sandman, Vulture, Venom), Stewart Ward, Arthur Stacy, Mary Jane Watson, Stalker

Continuity Notes

1. Mary Jane’s stalker started making obscene phone calls in Peter Paker: Spider-Man #6. He escillated to setting off bombs in Amazing Spider-Man (vol. 2) #11, that’s when Spider-Man rescued her.

2. Peter and Mary Jane are referred to as husband and wife here. However, years later, their marriage is erased from existence by Mephisto in Amazing Spider-Man #545. As such they should be considered a common-law couple here.

3. Quentin Beck, the original Mysterio, did indeed commit suicide at the end of Daredevil (vol. 2) #7. The man in the Mysterio costume here is later revealed to be Danny Burkhart in Spider-Man: The Mysterio Manifesto #1-3.

4. The Sinister Six is referred to as Doctor Octopus’ team because he was the one who founded the group back in Amazing Spider-Man Annual #1.

5. The job Peter is worried about is his research job at TriCorp which he got in Amazing Spider-Man (vol. 2) #1. He has been neglecting this job due to his double life and in Amazing Spider-Man (vol. 2) #12 was warned that his job is in jeopardy due to his frequent absences.

6. Stewart Ward’s amnesia and sudden powers all have to do with the fact that, year ago, he was infected with a Z’Nox pathogen. This is all explained in Amazing Spider-Man (vol. 2) #23.

Each Day a Grain of Sand Through Life’s Hourglass

A short time ago, the Sandman leaves the Symkarian Embassy where he works as a member of Silver Sable’s Wild Pack.[1] As soon as he is outside it begins to rain and so the Sandman tries to get a cab. While he is arguing with the cab driver, the Baker is unaware that his old associate the Wizard is sneaking up behind him. The Wizard blasts him with a device that knocks the Sandman out and tells the cab driver that he’ll take care of his friend from here on out.

When the Sandman wakes up he finds himself strapped to a machine inside the Wizard’s hideout. The Wizard welcomes the Sandman and explains to his one-time ally that he has been strapped into the ID-Machine he created to turn the Thing against the Fantastic Four.[3] The Wizard says that he intends to revert the Sandman back to his criminal ways, changing William Baker back to Flint Marko. He reminds the Sandman how he was a career criminal even before he got his powers, as well as his early battles with Spider-Man.[3] The Wizard then recounts how he had recruited the Sandman in his original incarnation of the Frightful Four, the polar opposite of his foes the Fantastic Four.[4] The Sandman had a fairly stead career as a criminal until one day he accidentally collided with Hydro-Man turning them into the Mud-Thing for a time.[5] After he was separted, the Sandman was very truamatized by the experience and a chance meeting with the thing helped convince the Sandman to go straight.[6] From there, the Sandman entered into the employ of Silver Sable eventually earning him a place on her Wold Pack and even became a member of the Avengers.[7]

The Wizard goes on to say that while he was satisfied to leave things as they are, a business opportunity has come up where the Sandman’s connections with the Wild Pack could prove useful. With that, the Wizard activates the ID-Machine to make the Sandman evil again. Although the Sandman struggles to stop this process and eventually destroys the ID-Machine, the process is a success. Although the Sandman is evil again, he is none too happy with how the Wizard manipulated him and warns his old friend to watch his step. As the Sandman escapes, the Wizard welcomes back Flint Marko. When the Sandman returns to the Symkarian embassy, the man at the gate is surprised to see him back so soon. The Sandman quips that he had a change of mind before entering the building.

Recurring Characters

Sandman, Wizard

Continuity Notes

1. This story takes place before the events of Amazing Spider-Man (vol. 2) #4.

2. The Wizard created and first used his ID-Machine in Fantastic Four #41-43.

3. The Sandman got his powers when he was exposed to radiation while hiding from the authorities on a beach. His origins and his first battle with Spider-Man were chronicled in Amazing Spider-Man #4.

4. The Frightful Four were first formed in Fantastic Four #36. The Sandman was a minstay on the team for years.

5. Sandman and Hydro-Man were merged into the Mud-Thing in Amazing Spider-Man #217-218.

6. The Thing convinced the Sandman to go straight in Marvel Two-In-One #86.

7. The Sandman was hired by Silver Sable back in Amazing Spider-Man #281. He became a part of the Wild Pack team in Silver Sable and the Wildpack #1. The Sandman earned reserve status on the Avengers in Avengers #329.