Spectacular Spider-Man #128
Spider Hunt
Upon hearing that she was being used by the Foreigner, the Black Cat is furious. She recalls how her apartment was recently blown up and the Foreigner told them who was responsible, a villain calling himself Blaze. However, it turned out that Blaze was under the employ of the Foreigner. Peter also recently learned from the Kingpin that the Foreigner was responsible for the death of Ned Leeds, who was secretly the Hobgoblin. The Black Cat insists on going after the Foreigner, but Spider-Man tells her that he wants to go after him alone, as he was recently framed for Blaze's murder. Surprisingly, the Black Cat allows him to do so and soon after the wall-crawler leaves, the Cat uses the opportunity to develop some film.
Meanwhile, at the Symkarian Embassy, J. Jonah Jameson has come to see Silver Sable. As she undergoes a training session, Jameson tells her that she wishes to hire Sable to capture Spider-Man. Sable isn't sure she wants to take the job as Spider-Man has been a useful ally in the past. However, she decides to take the job when Jonah agrees to double the price he was offering. Later, at the Empire State University library, Spider-Man confronts Ashley Cranford and his friend Barry about selling the Blaze identity to the Foreigner. However, they insist that they never met the Foreigner and that they destroyed the Blaze equipment after their scheme was foiled. He believes them and leaves the scene. On his way out, he is ordered to surrender by a police officer. However, Spider-Man refuses to surrender and web-slings away. When news of Spider-Man's escape reaches the 12th Precinct, Kris Keating is angry to learn that the officers allowed Spider-Man to get away. Overhearing this is Sargent Francis Tork can understand Keating's anger after Blaze was killed in custody, however he can't help but think that Kris has been acting uncharacteristic of late. Before he can think about this further, he is approached by Stan Carter, the disgraced detective who murdered Jean DeWolff as the Sin Eater.
Carter, speaking with a distinct stutter and walking with a cane, tells Tork that he has been undergoing treatment at the hospital and is feeling much better, mentally. He has come to explain that he doesn't believe Spider-Man is responsible for Blaze's murder. After Carter leaves, the other officers ask Turk why he listened to Carter. Tork explains that even though Stan is a murderer, he is still a cop and was obliged to listen. However, he tells his officers that he doesn't need the help of Stan Carter to investigate the Blaze murder, as he is still angry at Stan for murdering Jean DeWolff. Meanwhile, Spider-Man continues to travel across the city when he is confronted by Daredevil. Daredevil offers his help. However, Spider-Man is still angry with Daredevil after he interfered with his attempts to bring down the Kingpin, and isn't sure he can trust him. Daredevil tells the hero that if he decides to change his mind to call. After the Man Without Fear has left, the wall-crawler considers who else he can turn to for help. However, he decides against it, and decides that he will clear his name on his own. As Spider-Man swings away, he is unaware that his movements are being tracked by the Wild Pack.
Meanwhile, Flash Thompson is still recovering in the hospital after helping Spider-Man battle the Hobgoblin. The press has finally stopped calling, and he decides to call Betty to see how she is doing. He is disturbed when Betty says she is cleaning up her home for her late husband, Ned Leeds and invites Flash and his ex-girlfriend Sha Shan over to visit. When Flash tries to leave the hospital, his doctors convince him to stay as he still needs time to recover. Stuck in his hospital room, Flash decides to call Peter Parker and ask him to check in on Betty. At that very moment, Spider-Man is suddenly ambushed by Silver Sable's Wild Pack. Although they have the element of surprise, the members of the Wild Pack are knocked off their flying platforms. On a nearby rooftop, Spider-Man is swarmed by Silver Sable's mercenaries. Back at the hospital, Flash tries to call Peter at home, but his line is busy. That's because the Black Cat is on the phone with Kris Keating, who confirms that the frame job on Spider-Man is solid. The Cat assures Keating that she has Spider-Man under control.
By this time, Spider-Man has defeated all of Silver Sable's men. Grabbing their leader, he demands to know why he was attacked. He recognises the man as the SHIELD agent who shot Alexander Woolcot. Learning that Silver Sable was responsible for the attack. As revenge for killing Alexander, Spider-Man trips the agent of his clothing and webs him up from head to toe, making the process of removing the webbing a painful endeavour. Heading back home, Spider-Man is annoyed that his neighbours, Bambi, Candi, and Randi are on the roof working on their tan again. This forces Peter to go down into the nearby alley to get the clothing he stashed there for such occasions. As he goes up to his apartment, Peter considers contacting Silver Sable to learn why she has been hired to take him down. When he enters his apartment, he overhears the Black Cat on the phone with the Foreigner. Unaware that Peter has returned home, she tells the Foreigner that the frame on Spider-Man is solid and that she has successfully manipulated Spider-Man into trusting her.
Recurring Characters
Spider-Man, Black Cat, J. Jonah Jameson, Francis Tork, Flash Thompson, Betty Brant, Silver Sable, Wild Pack, “Kris Keating”, Daredevil, Bambi Modica, Randi Cooper, Candi Muggins
Continuity Notes
The Black Cat's apartment was blown up in Peter Parker, The Spectacular Spider-Man #123. This was also when they battled Blaze.
Ned Leeds was murdered in Spider-Man Versus Wolverine #1. Spider-Man learned that the Foreigner was responsible in Amazing Spider-Man #289. However, Leeds was not the real Hobgoblin. He was brainwashed into thinking he was the villain by Roderick Kingsley, the real Hobgoblin, as revealed in Spider-Man: Hobgoblin Lives #1-3. Years later, a man claiming to be Ned Leeds resurfaced claiming to have survived this attempt on his life. However, at the time of this writing (December, 2021) this has yet to be verified. See Amazing Spider-Man (vol. 5) #67-69.
Spider-Man mentions how the Black Cat used to be a cat burglar until she was recently pardoned by the police. That happened in Amazing Spider-Man #227.
Blaze was originally a fabrication created by Ashley and Barry as a means of trying to outsmart Spider-Man in Peter Parker, The Spectacular Spider-Man #103.
Stan Carter, as the Sin Eater, killed Jean DeWolff and went on a murder spree until he was captured by Spider-Man. His stutter and limp are a rersult of the beating he received from the wall-crawler. These events played out in Spectacular Spider-Man #107-110.
Daredevil asks Spider-Man if he would hit a blind man with glasses. This is alluding to the fact that he is blind lawyer Matt Murdock. Daredevil and Spider-Man have been aware of their true identities since Peter Parker, The Spectacular Spider-Man #110. Spider-Man comments that Murdock had "ditched the specs for good". Matt decided to stop wearing glasses during the course of Daredevil #227-231
Daredevil disguised himself as the Kingpin to distract Spider-Man while the real master criminal reclaimed his position as head of the New York mobs in Amazing Spider-Man #287.
Spider-Man mentions that he has re-dedicated himself to his costumed identity. He decided to retire as Spider-Man in Amazing Spider-Man #275. However, when Flash Thompson was framed for the Hobgoblin's crimes in Amazing Spider-Man #276, he continued operating as the wall-crawler, intending to retire after he cleared Thompson's name. However, Peter decided to continue being Spider-Man following the events of Amazing Spider-Man #289.
Flash and Betty started an affair back in Spectacular Spider-Man #109. His ex-girlfriend Sha Shan broke up with him after the affair was revealed and Thompson was framed for the Hobgoblin's crimes in Amazing Spider-Man #280. Betty has been mentally disturbed after hearing about the death of her husband Ned Leeds. She has blocked out everything that happened during Betty's affair with Flash, as seen in Amazing Spider-Man #289.
Spider-Man recognises the leader of Sable's Wild Pack unit as the same SHIELD agent who seemingly killed Alexander Woolcot in Peter Parker, The Spectacular Spider-Man #118.
Peter stashed a set of clothes in this alley during another one of the neighbors tanning sessions in Amazing Spider-Man #276.
