Spectacular Spider-Man #116
102 Uses for a Dead Cat
While attempting to steal from the Foreigner, the Black Cat was interrupted by his hired muscle. Unfortunately for her, something has stripped her of her bad luck powers, leaving her at the mercy of her attackers. With her nose broken and in a state of shock, the Black Cat thinks that it is Spider-Man talking to her when the Foreigner's minion gloats about how tough he is. Meanwhile, Spider-Man is leaving Doctor Strange's Sanctum Sanctrum where he had the bad luck hex removed from him. He gets to thinking about what the Black Cat has been up to since they had broken up. This leads to thoughts about Flash Thompson, who Spider-Man can't believe is the Hobgoblin. Passing by Mary Jane's apartment, Peter decides to pay her a visit to talk about his troubles. As he changed into Peter Parker, he recalls how their friendship has been strained of late because she revealed that she knows that he is really Spider-Man.
As he arrives at Mary Jane's building, he spots Roderick Kingsley exiting the building. He wonders what the fashion designer is doing there, remembering how he has been a pain in his neck in the past. When Peter learns that Roderick was visiting Mary Jane, the two start to argue over his visit. Mary Jane points out that Roderick likes the way she looks in his clothing designs and it was money she earned from Kingsley that helped pay for repairs to Peter's apartment. This cuts deep and Peter angrily storms out, slamming her apartment door behind him. Mary Jane thinks about what just happened and realizes that they have just had a lovers quarrel.
Elsewhere, the Foreigner is meeting with the mutant assassin known as Sabretooth while practicing his archery skills. Sabretooth has come looking for his old mentor, and tells him of all the trouble he had finding the Foreigner. After killing numerous members of the international law enforcement community, Sabretooth was surprised to learn the Foreigner's current address from a homeless drunk. That's when the Foreigner reveals that "drunk" was himself in disguise. Sabretooth gets down to business, explaining that he has come looking for work as his old partner has bugged out on him, and his old foes have vanished. However, the Foreigner explains that Sabretooth stands out too much to be hired for his typically subtle operations.
Meanwhile, the Black Cat snaps out of her dazed state when the man who attacked her tires to make out with her. Furious, the Cat relies on her natural abilities to fight back against her attackers. Much to their surprise, she is skillful enough to stop them all. At that moment, Peter Parker is pacing his apartment trying to make up his mind to visit Felicia and see how Doctor Strange's spells may have affected her powers. However, Peter doesn't want to see her because of the potential grief. Later, at the new apartment of the Woolcoot family, Alex is hasstled by his father who is angry at the boy for talking about the abuse he gets at home, forcing them to move to another district to avoid an investigation. Fritz's wife Evelyne begs her husband to leave their son alone and he leaves. Suddenly, Alex's new powers flare out of control and the boy worries about being able to control his new abilities.
At that moment, the Foreigner returns to his penthouse with Sabretooth, intending to show off the solid gold notebook he recently purchased. There he finds his men, who are still recovering from the beating they took from the Black Cat. After hearing what happened, Sabretooth offers to track her down and recover his stolen property. Even though the Foreigner wants to handle the Black Cat on his own, Sabretooth insists on handling it. After geting her spoor from the Cat's blood, Sabretooth leaps out the window to begin his hunt. Later, at the Black Cat's apartment, Felicia bandages up her broken nose, and complains about the "worthless" junk she stole from the Foreigner. She is interrupted by Spider-Man, who has come to see her. The Cat is glad to see him, however he tells her that he hasn't come to rekindle their romance. He then explains how her bad luck hex had stuck to him and he had it removed by Doctor Strange, and came by to see how it may have effected her powers.
Hearing this, Felicia becomes furious and strikes Spider-Man. She accuses him of acting without consulting her first, but refuses to explain how she broke her nose. Spider-Man gets fed up and leaves, telling her that her need for secrets is the reason why their relationship was doomed from the start. As soon as Spider-Man is gone, Sabretooth comes into the apartment to kill the Black Cat. As she prepares to strike him, the feral mutant is ambushed by Spider-Man who has swung back to help Felicia against this intruder. Felicia tells Spider-Man to butt out, however Sabretooth becomes more interested in the wall-crawler since he is a friend of his old foes Power Man and Iron Fist. Spider-Man lures Sabretooth out into the street below, where he has set up his automatic camera to take photos of the fight. However, Spider-Man is not fast enough to avoid the claws of his foe, which are raked across his side. Spider-Man quickly ends the fight by webbing up Sabretooth's face. No familiar with the strength of the adhesive, Sabretooth rips the webbing off, horribly scarring his face. The agony of the act takes all the fight out of Sabretooth. With the battle over, Felicia goes out onto her balcony and tells Spider-Man that she doesn't need his help and vows to get even with him. Spider-Man tells her to do that and heads off.
Watching everything unfold on the news, the Foreigner decides that he will have to deal with the Black Cat on his own after all. While back at the Woolcot house, Fritz enters his son's room to complain about the mess it's in. When Fritz tries to punch his son, Alex manages to block the blow with his hand. Suddenly, his powers flare up again, incinerating his father into a pile of ash.
Recurring Characters
Spider-Man, Black Cat, Foriegner, Sabretooth, Alex Woolcot, Fritz Woolcot, Evelyn Woolcot, Roderick Kingsley
Continuity Notes
The Black Cat got her bad luck powers from the Kingpin in Peter Parker, The Spectacular Spider-Man #89. She and Spider-Man discovered that her powers were starting to affect him leading to their breakup in issue #100.
The real Hobgoblin framed Flash for his crimes in Amazing Spider-Man #276. Flash is eventually cleared of the Hobgoblin's crimes in Amazing Spider-Man #286.
Mary Jane recently revealed that she knows Peter's double identity in Amazing Spider-Man #257.
Peter has had run-ins with Roderick Kingsley much earlier as Spider-Man, as seen in Peter Parker, The Spectacular Spider-Man #43 and 48 when he saved Kingsley from Belladonna. At the time of this story, Peter is unaware that Kingsley is also his foe the Hobgoblin, as revealed in Spider-Man: Hobgoblin Lives #1-3.
Peter's apartment was set on fire by some thugs in Web of Spider-Man #11.
Sabretooth's old partner was the Constrictor who teamed up with the mutant to battle Power Man and Iron Fist in Power Man and Iron Fist #66-67 and 84. The "old foes" that Sabretooth is referring to are Power Man and Iron Fist. Their partnership ended when Power Man seemingly beat Iron Fist to death in Power Man and Iron Fist #125. However, this was an elaborate hoax perpetuated by Master Kahn, as revealed in Namor the Sub-Mariner #25.
Peter mentions how his Aunt May has been arguing with her fiancee Nathan Lubinsky. Their relationship has become strained after Nathan's actions led to a home invader getting killed by a police sniper in Peter Parker, The Spectacular Spider-Man #113.
The abuse in the Woolcot house has been developing since Spectacular Spider-Man #112.
Alex gained his powers when he was exposed to the energies of his father's experimental disintigration ray in issue #113.
This golden notebook was created when the Beyonder turned an office building into gold in Secret Wars II #2. Spider-Man took possession of the notebook in Amazing Spider-Man #268. The notebook was stolen by Elmo Twig in Web of Spider-Man #15 and sold to the Foreigner last issue.
Spider-Man mentions how the Black Cat doesn't like his alterego, Peter Parker, this has been an issue since he revealed his identity to Felicia back in issue #87.
