Spectacular Spider-Man #154
Claws
With a gang war looming, Spider-Man gets the latest edition of the Daily Bugle to catch up on the news. He reads J. Jonah Jameson's account of his rescue from captivity after being the prisoner of the Chameleon. Spider-Man is unsurprised that the Jameson kept Spider-Man's involvement out of the paper. Suddenly, the wall-crawlers spider-sense begins to go off, warning him of a limo that is driving by. Deciding to check this out, Spider-Man follows the limo all the way to the New York offices of Fireheart Industries. He then witnesses Thomas Fireheart emerge from the limo, and laments he is going to have to give up his dinner date with Mary Jane to find out why the Puma is back in town.
Meanwhile, at their Long Island mansion, Hammerhead loses his temper, smashing a table with his bare hands. His partner, the Chameleon, tells Hammerhead to calm down as they are only dealing with a minor setback. Still, Hammerhead is furious that their plans to set the Kingpin against the Lobo Brothers at each other's throats and it was all ruined thanks to Spider-Man, who also managed to free J. Jonah Jameson. However, the Chameleon assures him that it's not quite over with yet. Before Hammerhead can find out what his partner has in mind, they are interrupted by the arrival of Vermicelli, one of the Kingpin's top lieutenants. By this point, the Chameleon has disguised himself as the Arranger. He inquires as to where the Kingpin could have disappeared, but Vermicelli has no leads. He tells the lieutenant that any news should be communicated to him any new developments. After Vermicelli is gone, the Chameleon drops his disguise, explaining to Hammerhead that his adoption of the Arranger's identity has more than made up for the loss of Jameson.
Later, that the Daily Bugle, J. Jonah Jameson orders Kate Cushing to get him Nick Katzenberg. He also sends Glory Grant out to get him a fresh box of cigars. Glory bumps into Katzenberg on her way out. Nick is worried that his job at the Bugle is in jeopardy now that the real J. Jonah Jameson is back in charge. Kate is concerned about how skittish Glory is behaving, and wonders if it has anything to do with her new boyfriend. She puts these thoughts aside to sit in on Jameson's meeting with Katzenberg. Jameson is furious at the quality of Nick Katzenberg's photos, except for the fact that they captured Spider-Man clinging to a blood splattered window outside of the Kingpin's office. Much to Cushing's surprise, Jameson intends to keep Katzenberg on, as he will help boost circulation. After sending Kate and Nick away, Jameson turns his attention to a letter from his broker advising him that unknown overseas accounts are buying into the Daily Bugle, in what appears to be a hostile take over of the newspaper. Jameson considers this and vows that whoever is responsible will not be getting his newspaper without a fight.
At that moment, at a woman's gym, Mary Jane and her friend Regina are exercising. When Regina learns that Mary Jane is having a trouble finding a job. When they head out, Mary Jane explains that her modeling career was derailed by Jonathan Caeser. Hearing Mary Jane's story, Regina thinks that her friend is just being paranoid and offers her the number of a therapist. Heading home alone, Mary Jane reflects on the troubles that she and Peter have been having recently. Namely having to move in with Peter's Aunt May and the discovery that his cousin Kristy has an eating disorder. At least she is looking forward to having dinner with her husband. However, that's when Spider-Man appears and gives her a "message" from her husband, telling her that something has come up. Mary Jane resigns to this, and watches as Spider-Man swings away.
Spider-Man then swings over to Fireheart Industries and breaks into Thomas' office in order to find out why he is in New York City. As he begins looking through Fireheart's files but is caught in the act by the Puma. His sometime foe is furious that the hero is interfering in his affairs again. Spider-Man explains that he just wants to talk, but the Puma decides to attack. Spider-Man tries to reason with the Puma, but the man-beast isn't willing to listen. The wall-crawler doesn't understand the Puma's code of honor, which doesn't surprise the Puma. The feral warrior isn't surprised, considering how Caucasians took over the land of his people and have no concept of honor. Spider-Man hopes to keep the Puma talking as his foe is much stronger than him. Meanwhile, elsewhere in Manhattan, the Arranger is at a gun shop where he has procured some silver bullets, which he hopes he can use against the Lobo Brothers. Testing out one of the bullets, the Arranger is satisfied with his purchase. Elsewhere, Glory Grant is walking the street, lost in thought over her feelings toward Eduardo Lobo. Her thoughts are interrupted by Eduardo himself. She begs him to swear off this gang war against the Kingpin. He assures her that soon it will all be over and they will then be able to focus only on their love for each other.
Back at Fireheart Industries, the Puma knocks Spider-Man out the window. Spider-Man struggles with the Puma as he desperately shoots a web-line and saves them from the fatal flaw. At the last moment, Spider-Man manages to swing them onto a nearby rooftop, but the fall is rough for the wall-crawler. Spider-Man asks Puma why he has returned to New York. The Puma explains that he had come to repay a debt of honor following their last encounter. However, now that Spider-Man has intruded on his property, he is no longer willing to be so generous. The two begin fighting again, but the wall-crawler eventually turns things around on the Puma, by attaching a web-line onto his foe's chest and then jumping over the edge of the building. Spider-Man then threatens to pull Puma over the edge. Again, he demands to know why the Puma is back. All Puma will say is that it is a matter of honor, and leaps away and ducks into the night. Racked with pain, Spider-Man climbs back up to the roof and regrets this battle, thinking he should have went to dinner with his wife as planned.
Twenty minutes later, Peter Parker goes to the hospital to check on Mary Jane's cousin Kristy. There he finds Kristy's doctor with Aunt May, but there is no sign of Mary Jane. Doctor Ransom tells Peter that although Kristy is recovering well, she refuses to admit that she is bulimic, and until she accepts her condition they can't help her. They go into see Kristy, and she dismisses her condition, pointing out that a model needs to be thin. Aunt May can't listen to this anymore and leaves the room in tears. This worries Peter as he fears that his Aunt May's health. Peter tells Kristy that he needs to go, and leaves her alone, telling her to listen to her doctor. After Peter is gone, Kristy removes her IV so she can get some candy bars out of the vending machine. She intends binge and purge again, convinced that nobody will find out. Peter returns to Aunt May's where he waits up for his wife. Mary Jane eventually returns home at midnight. She tells Peter that she and Regina went dancing as she needed to blow off some steam. She tells her husband that she feels so overwhelmed and asks him say he loves her and that everything is going to be okay. Peter does so, however, on the nearby coffee table rests the latest edition of the Daily Bugle with a front-page story about the mob war.
This story continues in Web of Spider-Man #55...
Recurring Characters
Spider-Man, Puma, Glory Grant, Mary Jane Watson, Aunt May, Chameleon, Hammerhead, Arranger, J. Jonah Jameson, Kate Cushing, Nick Katzenberg, Eduardo Lobo, Kristy Watson
Continuity Notes
A gang war has been looming since the Arranger sent the Punisher to try and kill the Lobo Brothers in Spectacular Spider-Man #143.
The Chameleon kidnapped and took the place of J. Jonah Jameson in Web of Spider-Man #50, he was eventually exposed in Web of Spider-Man #54.
The Kingpin disappeared in Web of Spider-Man #54, he will return in Web of Spider-Man #55.
Nick Katzenberg was hired by the Chameleon in Web of Spider-Man #50 while he was disguised as Jameson. This was part of a scheme to demonize Spider-Man in the press.
This photo was taken shortly after the Lobo Brothers made a failed attempt on the Kingpin's life in Web of Spider-Man #54.
Ceaser kidnapped Mary Jane from Amazing Spider-Man #307-309. Even though he is in prison, Ceaser has been using his influence to make Mary Jane's life a living hell, going so far as getting her and Peter evicted from their condo in Amazing Spider-Man #314.
Kristy's eating disorder was discovered in Web of Spider-Man #53.
Peter and Mary Jane are referred to as husband and wife here. However, years later, their marriage is erased from history by the demon Mephisto in Amazing Spider-Man #545. As such, instead of being husband and wife here, they should be considered a common-law couple.
This was when the Puma misjudged Spider-Man during their last clash in Web of Spider-Man #50.
