Nick Peron

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Spectacular Spider-Man #146

Nick Peron

Demon Night

Credits

On the roof of his condo at Bedford Towers, Spider-Man is in a good mood. He thinks about how he has returned to classes at Empire State University, his growing relationship with his wife Mary Jane, and how J. Jonah Jameson paid him well for photos of Spider-Man's capture of Mysterio. Even though his luck has been good, Spider-Man wonders when the old Parker bad luck will return. Deciding to shower before Mary Jane returns home with her cousin Kristy, Spider-Man is suddenly caught off guard when one of fan vent on the roof comes to life and tries to attack him. Remembering a similar incident happening during his battle with Mysterio, Spider-Man wonders if this is yet another attack from his foe. However, after he smashes the vent, he finds no traces of mechanical parts that would identify it as something Mysterio had put together. Spider-Man finds this unnerving and heads back into his condo. Inside, he finds that Mary Jane and Kristy aren't back yet, which saves him the trouble of having to sneak around. He is still bothered by the vent that attacked him, and thinks about the air feel strangely electric. Finding a note from MJ telling him that she and Kristy went out to buy groceries, he decides to take the shower he was thinking about earlier.

Meanwhile, on Columbus Avenue, Mary Jane and Kristy have finished their shopping. Watching Kristy eating some fruit, she remarks about how much the young girl eats and not gain any weight. Kristy responds by saying she must be lucky before changing the subject to Mary Jane's modeling career. After a barrage of questions, she realizes that she is getting carried away and admits that she is excited to be visiting her cousin while her parents are traveling in Europe. As they enter Bedford Towers, they are unaware that a lamp post behind them has suddenly come to life. At that moment in Jackson Heights in Queens, Joe Robertson returns home after a walk around the block, a new record since he was released from the hospital. Although his wife, Martha, is proud of him, she is upset to have learned from J. Jonah Jameson that Joe intends to plead guilty before a grand jury on the charge of accessory to murder. The two argue over Joe's decision, ultimately ending when Martha goes back inside the house and slams the door behind her, leaving Joe to brood over his decision.

Later that evening in Hicksville, Long Island, Harry Osborn awakens from a nightmare. He tells his wife Liz that it's the same as before, he sees his father's face in a mirror and then it turns into some kind of monster. Liz points out that these nightmares began since they moved into the old Osborn family home. Before they can discuss things further, their son Normie wakes up crying. Thinking that Normie had a nightmare as well, Harry decides that Liz is right and that they should move back to their home in New Jersey. This gives Liz a sigh of relief, knowing Harry's past history with his father, she fears what the place is doing to him and feels as though something is watching them. Liz's fears are justified, as above the Osborn home the Hobgoblin hovers briefly before flying away.

The following day, Peter is taking his morning shower. When he is finished he gets soap in his eye and calls out to Mary Jane to get him a towel. He realizes, much to his embarrassment, that it is Kristy who brought him the towel, particularly when she makes a comment about how cute he looks. Outside the bathroom, Kristy asks Mary Jane if she can make some breakfast. Mary Jane allows it, but jokingly warns her to stop flirting with her man. Finally given some privacy, Peter gets dressed, thinking about how uncomfortable having Kristy around makes him feel. His thoughts are interrupted when his phone begins to ring. It's Harry Osborn who is disturbed by something happening at one of the Osborn chemical plants in Manhattan and asks if Peter can come out and see it for himself. Hearing Harry's voice, Peter worries that he might become the Green Goblin again. He assures Harry he will get out to the plant as soon as possible. Later, at the Starlight Room in Midtown Manhattan, Ben Urich is on the scene of yet another murder of members of the Kingpin's mob. The slaughter of a room full of people is a grisly sight for the otherwise hardboiled reporter. Lieutenant Frank Farrow shows him a message written in blood on one of the tablecloths. It reads "Kingpin, Wolves Kill". That's when the Arranger arrives demanding to know who is in charge of the situation. When Farrow demands answers from the Arranger, he insists that his employer is a respectable businessman, and refuses to talk even if there is a looming gang war on the horizon.

Ben Urich calls this into the Daily Bugle, telling Joy Mercado the whole story. As they are talking Glory Grant approaches Joy and tells her to pass along the message that J. Jonah Jameson is looking for Ben. She explains that since Joe is away on leave, Jameson is taking a more active role in running the Daily Bugle. Just then, Jameson comes out of his office demanding to speak with Kate Cushing. He is upset that she allowed the paper to feature a front-page story about the apparent poltergeist plaguing the city. Jameson doesn't buy into the reports of supernatural activity across the city and shows her a more responsible headline changing "Poltergeist!" to "Poltergeist?" and leaves. Kate is furious but admits to herself that Jonah is right. Glory tells Kate not to worry about Jonah, pointing out that after working with him all these years she has learned that he is more bark than bite. Glory then goes on her lunch break and in the lobby of the Bugle Building she bumps into Eduardo Lobo. Unaware of his criminal background, she is instantly taken by his charm and agrees to allow him to take her out for lunch.

Meanwhile, at the Osborn Chemical Plant, Harry Osborn tells Peter about the strange nightmares he has been having recently. Peter asks why Harry would move back into his old family home. Harry isn't sure, but feels like there is unfinished business there. This worries Peter, as it gives credibility to his concerns that Harry might turn into the Green Goblin again. When he suggests that Harry move himself and his family back to their home in New Jersey. Peter is relieved to hear that Osborn plans to do just that. As Peter tells Harry to take it easy, his spider-sense begins going off. Suddenly, the pipes around the chemical plant come to life. One of the pipes wraps itself around Harry and begins squeezing him. Peter slips away so he can change into Spider-Man. The wall-crawler goes to Harry aid and pulls him free. As he smashes the rest of the animated pipes, the confused hero wonders what the cause of this situation.

With the other workers fleeing to safety, Spider-Man carries the unconscious body of Harry off the property which has just caught fire. As he rests Harry onto the ground, he hears Harry mutter about the "face in the mirror" and how it does not look like him. Wondering what caused the chaos at the chemical plant, Spider-Man happens to spy the Hobgoblin flying away. Spider-Man then slips away to change back into Peter Parker before Harry wakes up. As fire crews arrive at the scene, Harry recalls how his father left the company in his care and is furious to see it in flames. When Peter tries to convince Harry to calm down, but Osborn storms away. Peter is disturbed to see Harry is starting to act like his late father, and has a really bad feeling about what might happen next. That evening, Harry Osborn wakes up from another nightmare and decides that his going to move his family back to New Jersey in the morning. Getting up to get a glass of water, and is horrified to see the image of his father -- dressed as the Green Goblin -- appear in the mirror. The Goblin tells Harry that he will be his always and forever.

Recurring Characters

Spider-Man, Mary Jane Watson, Harry Osborn, J. Jonah Jameson, Joe Robertson, Ben Urich, Glory Grant, Kate Cushing, Arranger, Hobgoblin, Kristy Watson, Martha Robertson, Liz Osborn, Normie Osborn, Joy Mercado, Eduardo Lobo, Frank Farrow

Continuity Notes

  • Peter took a leave of absence from his studies back in Amazing Spider-Man #242, but has recently resumed studies as seen in Amazing Spider-Man #301.

  • Peter and Mary Jane are referred to as husband and wife here. However, years later, their marriage was erased from existence by the demon Mephisto in Amazing Spider-Man #545. As such they should be considered a common-law couple as opposed to husband and wife.

  • Spider-Man had recently battled Mysterio in Amazing Spider-Man #311.

  • Kristy avoids the subject of her weight because she secretly has an eating disorder, as revealed in Web of Spider-Man #54.

  • Mary Jane thinks that Kristy's parents sent her. However, Kristy came on her own, unknown to her parents, as revealed in Web of Spider-Man #58.

  • Joe's back was injured by Tombstone in the Spectacular Spider-Man #139. That same issue details how Joe failed to report a murder committed by Tombstone over 20 years ago.

  • Harry and Liz Osborn moved into the Osborn family home in Amazing Spider-Man #311.

  • Norman Osborn was incredibly strict with his son Harry, until his apparent death in Amazing Spider-Man #122. Osborn survived, however, as explained in Spider-Man: The Osborn Journal #1. He will resurface again in Amazing Spider-Man #412. The appearance of Norman’s “spirit” in this story is more than likely the product of Harry’s deteriorating mental health.

  • Following Norman Osborn's “death”, which Harry witnessed, he became mentally unhinged along the course of Amazing Spider-Man #123-137. This led to Harry discovering Peter's double identity and briefly becoming the Green Goblin. However, he forgot about these memories after getting professional help.

  • This slaughter was carried out by the Lobo Brothers. The pair are getting revenge against the Kingpin after his assistant the Arranger sent the Punisher to try and kill them in the Spectacular Spider-Man #143.

  • J. Jonah Jameson willingly stepped down from the position of editor-in-chief of the Bugle in Amazing Spider-Man #251 after he publicly revealed his involvement in the creation of the Scorpion. Since then, Joe Robertson filled the role until he was injured by Tombstone.

  • These reports are the center of the Inferno event. The primary events of this saga occur in Uncanny X-Men #239-243 and X-Factor #36-39.

  • Peter mentions Harry's drug addiction. He had an overdose in Amazing Spider-Man #96-98. He relapsed again in Amazing Spider-Man #121, one of the contributing factors that led to Harry adopting the guise of the Green Goblin.

Inferno Reading Order