Sensational Spider-Man #17

Feb 24

Feb 24 Sensational Spider-Man #17

Helpless!

Witnessing the new Prowler terrorizing a construction site, Peter Parker wants to slip away and change into Spider-Man, but can't get away from Billy Walters -- the newest freelancer for the Daily Bugle -- who has been assigned to learn from Parker. As Peter Parker wonders what to do next, the Prowler harasses a construction foreman named Frank Rizzo. He is furious at Rizzo for firing him from his construction job knowing full well that the Prowler -- a man named Lawson -- needed the money to pay his way through med school. Fearing for his life, Frank accidentally backs off the side of a girder and is only saved from the fatal fall thanks to his safety line. However, the Prowler won't let him cheat death so easily, and intends to cut the line to make the man fall. By this time, everyone is so distracted by the unfolding drama that Peter manages to slip away and change into Spider-Man and interrupt the Prowler. The wall-crawler demands that the Prowler stop what he is doing and return his costume to its rightful owner. Instead, the Prowler tries to flee the scene, prompting Spider-Man to follow after him. However, when Spider-Man catches up with the Prowler, the would-be thief is standing on a girder suspended over the crowd and threatens to cut the cable and make it fall on the people below. While Spider-Man scrambles to web up the falling girder, the Prowler manages to escape once again.

With everyone safe, Spider-Man slips away to change back into Peter Parker so he can explain his absence to Billy. Still, Peter spotted the Vulture nearby during the fight and knows that there is more trouble ahead.[1] As he and Billy head back to the Daily Bugle, Peter begins to get annoyed by the young man's enthusiasm up until he starts praising Spider-Man for his heroism. Meanwhile, the Prowler returns to his home, revealing over his escape from Spider-Man. Running late for work, he begins stripping off his costume, unaware that the Vulture is watching from the building across the street, allowing the villain a good look at the Prowler's true identity. At that moment, Spider-Man returns to the hospital where Hobie Brown is recovering from recent injuries. Since he last saw the wall-crawler, Hobie has been thinking about who might have learned his secret identity. He recalls how, when he was first injured, he was brought to the hospital by Robbie Farrell -- the Rocket Racer. Although Robbie removed most of Hobie's Prowler costume, he wasn't able to take it entirely off due to Brown's back injuries. Hobie theorizes that whoever stole his costume must have discovered the remaining part of his costume and put two-and-two together. To help Spider-Man determine who that person might be, Hobie and his wife Mindy compiled the names of the staff that were working the emergency room that night. Before the wall-crawler can leave, Hobie thanks Spider-Man for helping him out, as he feels so helpless and can't handle the guilt if someone were to get hurt because of his impostor.

Later that evening, the Prowler returns home from another robbery to find the Vulture waiting in his apartment.[2] At that same moment, Spider-Man has narrowed his search to the apartment of Rick Lawson. Before he can swing in, he suddenly is stricken with a headache and dizziness -- a side effect from being bitten by Morbius the Living Vampire recently.[3] Still, he swings in, interrupting the Vulture before he can attack the Prowler. As the wall-crawler knocks down the Vulture with a blow the Prowler tries to flee the scene. However, the Prowler is stopped dead in his tracks when Spider-Man webs him to the wall. Unfortunately for the web-slinger, a wave of dizziness strikes leaving him open to attack from the Vulture. When he recovers from the blow, he finds that both he and the Prowler are now at the mercy of the Vulture.

Recurring Characters

Spider-Man, Vulture, Billy Walters, Prowler, Hobie Brown, Frank Rzzo, Robert Farrell

Continuity Notes

Although he is unaware that it is someone new in the costume, the Vulture wants revenge against the Prowler following the events of Prowler #1-4.
The Vulture makes a comment about being old once. Recently, the Vulture was de-aged during the events of Amazing Spider-Man #388.
Moribus bit Spider-Man in Spider-Man #77.

Brother's Keeper, Too

Asked to come to Ravencroft Institute to convince the mutated man known as DK to stay and complete his treatment, Spider-Man finds himself having to stop the creature from escaping after it killed two the facility guards. Narrowly avoiding an ambush from the creature, the wall-crawler tries to convince DK to surrender and get help. However, DK refuses to do so, having given up on a cure for himself. Seeing the dissolved bodies of the guards briefly distracts Spider-Man as these men died in a similar fashion as his clone, Ben Reilly.[1] Refocusing his attention, Spider-Man tries to empathize with DK, who is suffering from survivors’ guilt as the explosion that turned DK into a monster also killed his brother. Unfortunately, the mention of DK's brother, Hank, only upsets the man-monster even more. As he attacks Spider-Man, he questions if the wall-crawler knows what it is like to lose a brother.

However, Spider-Man tells DK that he does know what he is going through and tells him about the death of his own "brother", Ben. Hearing the sincerity in the wall-crawler's voice is enough to convince DK that he is speaking the truth. That's when Doctor Kafka and the security team arrive, but Spider-Man tells them the danger is over. Losing the desire to fight, DK finally realizes that he killed two of the guards and is horrified by what he has done. Soon, Ashley has DK placed back in his cell, and fears that DK's recovery is going to be difficult, especially since he will now be facing criminal charges for the two murders he just committed.