Peter Parker: Spider-Man #28
Field of Dream
While investigating a series of power surges that have been terrorizing Manhattan, Spider-Man has tracked their source to the Shea Power Station where he has found the severed head of Mendel Stromm, aka the Robot Master, hooked into the machines. Stromm is glad to see Spider-Man, as he had been trying to send the web-slinger messages in the hopes that the masked hero could save him. He warns Spider-Man that lives are in danger if the machine he created is not stopped. He explains that after their last encounter he began working on a new machine that would destroy Spider-Man once and for all.[1] However, one day he awoke to discover that his machine had developed a mind of its own and coveting its creator built him into the machine itself. While he still maintains some control over his mind, the machine is in the process of totally assimilating his mind. With the machine slowly gaining ground, Stromm warns Spider-Man that after it takes over his mind it will then start reproducing itself and take over the world. The only way it can be stopped is if Spider-Man kills him.
Meanwhile, Randy Robertson has accompanied his girlfriend Glory Grant on a shoe shopping expedition and is bored out of his mind. When Glory notices that Randy isn’t paying attention she reminds him that he said he likes spending time with her. He then tries to get out of things by trying to convince her that he promised to take Peter out to a basketball game to help get his mind off Mary Jane.[2] However, Glory knows how independent Peter is and sees right through his excuse. Realizing he’s stuck Randy gives in to his plight.
Back at the power station, Spider-Man refuses to kill Mendel Stromm, telling the scientist that he will not take a human life. Stromm tries to convince Spider-Man that killing him will be for the greater good. First, he cites the Dali Lamas doctrine on rules, saying they exist so that one knows how to break them properly. He also points out that it’s not murder if Stromm is willing to sacrifice himself, especially when his death could save countless others. He then reminds him of all the important infrastructure the machine could impact once it gains full control and suggests that Spider-Man readjust his priorities. He then asks Spider-Man if he’s willing to take responsibility for all the lives the machine will kill because he refused to take a single life.
Unable to bring himself to do it, Spider-Man needs some advice and a short time later he is at his Aunt May’s house. There he asks her what he should do if one day she was sick and dying and in a lot of pain, what he should do. May is surprised by the question but warns Peter that he might not like the answer. She then relates to him a story that she has told nobody else, not even his Uncle Ben. When she was a little girl, her Uncle Horace became incredibly ill. She remembers one night she visited Horace in his room and he tearfully apologized to her, saying he was in a lot of pain. Before she could get him to explain what he was talking about, her father ushered her out of the room. Later that evening, Uncle Horace committed suicide with a gun because he couldn’t stand living in constant pain. She was too young to realize what happened at first and thought her Uncle had gone somewhere. She remembered that after the coroner left, she found her father crying outside on the porch. When she went to see what was wrong he asked to be left alone. It was later on in life that she realized that her Uncle Horace never owned a gun and that it was her father who gave him the gun.
Later that night, Peter uses Shea’s computer in order to connect with Stromm via an on-line chatroom. There he agrees to help Stromm in order to save the city. Stromm tells Spider-Man that a computer virus needs to be made to wipe out his database is the only way to stop the machine from taking control. After giving him these instructions, Stromm thanks Spider-Man for ensuring he dies with dignity. Peter then gets Shea to create the computer virus he needs to end Stromm’s life.[3] With the virus in hand, Spider-Man returns to the power station where the machine tries to keep Spider-Man at bay, but the web-slinger fights through the robots and defenses to get to the main control room. There, Stromm ‘s head is almost entirely converted to machinery and he tells Spider-Man to hurry before it is too late. Spider-Man quickly installs the virus, shutting down the machine before it can gain full control.
However, instead of kill Stromm, it puts the system on a constant standby loop. He tells the inert head of Mendel Stromm that he couldn’t bring himself to take a life no matter what and came up with this solution instead of in the hopes of developing a way to stop the machine and save Stromm’s life. As he leaves he promises Stromm that he’ll be back. While inside the computer, Mendel Stromm finds himself in a white void and starts creating his own digital world to live in.[4]
Recurring Characters
Spider-Man, Robot Master, Randy Robertson, Glory Grant, Aunt May, Shea Tinker
Continuity Notes
Stromm’s last battle with Spider-Man was in Spider-Man Unlimited #17.
Everyone thinks Mary Jane died in a plane crash in Amazing Spider-Man (vol. 2) #13. However she survived as we’ll learn in Amazing Spider-Man (vol. 2) #29.
Shea is depicted putting the virus on an old 3.5” floppy disc. This should be considered a topical reference as that form of digital storage is now obsolete.
Although Spider-Man promises to save Stromm he never does. Stromm resurfaces again in Penance: Relentless #2-3.
