In the Midst of Wolves Part Two

While trying to defend Aracely, the Scarlet Spider has been viciously wounded and left for dead by Carlos and Esme Lobo, the laders of the Lobo Cartel. Aracely now flees down the street with the two werewolves on her tail. Her ability to project her thoughts and feelings bleeds out into the crowd who begin to feel her fear and sadness. When the two monsters finally catch up to her, Aracely tries to project her fear onto them. This works on Carlos, who fears he will die like his brother.[1] However, this doesn’t work on Esme who continues the chase. Aracely flees into a taxi cab and tells the driver to step on it.

Meanwhile, as Kaine clings to life, he begins to dream. He is saying his last rites when he suddenly becomes aware that he is in some kind of church. He looks around for someone and a priest invites him into the confessional to reveal his sins. Once inside, the priest tells Kaine to tell him about the woman he murdered before taking on the form of Louise Kennedy.[2] As Kaine apologizes for killing her the priest then asks about the brother Kaine tortured and assumes the form of Ben Reilly, then asks about the father he betrayed and turns into the Jackal.[3] Kaine has had enough of this and smashes the confessional. Confronting the priest he demands to know what he really is. The priest tells Kaine the real question is, who is he? Suddenly, Kaine doesn’t feel well and suddenly his wounds appear on his body. The priest continues, saying that he keeps on trying to be a human when he’s not really a man to begin with. Suddenly, the priest transforms yet again, this time into a mass of spiders in human form. It says Kaine’s real problem is that he still thinks he is alive.

Kaine tries to fight back against this apparition but it continues to grow in size. It tells him that he is not a man but a spider, not one, but the other. The Other grabs Kaine and explains that it was once rejected, that it had chosen Spider-Man to be its host, but the web-slinger became afraid of what he would become and rejected it.[4] Instead it found Kaine, a being biologically identical to Peter Parker but different, one who could embrace the power it has to give. It explained that when Kaine died it brought him back to life.[5] In the waking world, a horde of spiders has appeared and being webbing up Kaine’s body in a cocoon.

By this time, Aracely has had the taxi drop her off in the Third Ward where she continues to flee on foot. Unfortunately, the Lobos have been able to track her down and resume their attack. She tries to force them away by projecting a sense of fear on them but the Lobos are prepared for her tricks. At their mercy, Aracely asks them why they are after her because she doesn’t remember her past. Esme indulges the girl telling her that her full name is Maria Aracely Josefina Penalba de Las Heras. However, the people who have hired them to eliminate her also believe that she is the reincarnation of the goddess Huitzilopochtli. Carlos tells his sister to stop fooling with the girl and suggests they eliminate her. However, before they can carry out their task, Carlos is shot. They are then confronted by the Sharks, a local street gang who are not happy that the Lobos are on their turf. As it turns out, Aracely led them here intentionally.

Meanwhile, Kaine continues to dream and he is now caught in the Other’s web. It tells him that unlike Peter Parker he is not a man who dreams of being a spider, but a spider who dreams of being a man, and that he has always been a spider. It then offers Kaine undreamt of power that will help him survive the coming days, all he has to do is accept the Other. However, Kaine already thinks of himself as a monster and does not accept the Other’s invitation. Cutting himself loose with his wrist stingers, Kaine then launches a savage attack at the Other.

Back in the waking world, the Sharks are keeping the Lobos busy, allowing Aracely to escape, but not before Carlos manages to rake her with his claws.

In the dream, Kaine continues to fight the Other, who takes on the form of a massive spider. Kaine continues to resist its offer until he remembers that Aracely is still out there and in danger and reluctantly accepts the entity. With the fight over, the Other begins wrapping Kaine up in its web.

Suddenly, Kaine wakes up and bursts free from the cocoon that surrounds his body. What emerges is no longer human. It is a humanoid spider with multiple eyes and spiny hairs sticking out of its body. Kaine finally accepts that he is no longer a man, but a spider. Not one, but the other.

Recurring Character

Scarlet Spider, Lobo Cartel (Carlos Lobo, Esme Lobo), Aracely Penalba, The Other

Continuity Notes

1. Carlos had a twin brother named Eduardo Lobo. He was fatally shot by Glory Grant during a battle with Spider-Man back in Web of Spider-Man #55.

2. Louise Kennedy was a former lover that Kaine had back in the day when he relentlessly hunted Ben Reilly, another Spider-Man clone. When he discovered that Louise betrayed him, Kaine murdered her in a rage. See Spider-Man: The Lost Years #1-3.

3. There is a lot of history here. The Jackal created both Kaine and Ben Reilly. Kaine was an imperfect clone and spent his years hounding Ben Reilly. Just read the Clone Saga which ran from Web of Spider-Man #116 until Spider-Man #75.

4. Peter Parker was the original chosen to become the spider-totem and for a time he became a host for the Other, gaining new powers. See The Other: Evolve or Die storyline (Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man #1-4, Marvel Knights: Spider-Man #19-22, and Amazing Spider-Man #525-528) Ultimately, Peter rejected the Other in Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man #21-22 and eventually lost his enhanced abilities post Amazing Spider-Man #545.

5. Kaine was murdered by the Kravinoff family as part of a sacrifice to bring Kraven the Hunter back from the dead. Although he was killed he miraculously came back to life. See Amazing Spider-Man #634-637.