Crashing

Learning that someone is trying to eliminate the Foreigner and take over his organization, Spider-Man had agreed to help the assassin prevent this from happening. That's when they are ambushed in Central Park by the mercenary known as Dead Aim. With the Foreigner knocked out by one of their attacker's energy weapons, Spider-Man has to face the high tech assassin alone. This gives the Foreigner time to recover and open fire on their mutual foe. This stuns Dead Aim long enough for Spider-Man to swing in and carry the Foreigner away. The Foreigner suggests that they retreat and form a strategy. The wall-crawler refuses to leave Dead Aim running amok in the city, but the Foreigner assures him that the assassin will not do anything except hunting them down. As they make their escape, Dead Aim scans their aura signature and transmits the information to his master.[1] The mastermind behind the coup of Foreigner's organization has discovered a satellite that is the source of his powers and taken control of it.

Meanwhile, Spider-Man and the Foreigner have arrived at an abandoned storage facility. There, as the Foreigner prepares his weapons, they go over Spider-Man's conditions for helping once again. The assassin agrees that, so long as they are working together, he will not kill anybody and that after they stop Dead Aim and his conspirators he agrees to turn himself into the authorities. As they head back out into the city, they are witnessed by J. Jonah Jameson from his office. He curses Spider-Man as nothing more as a glory seeker. He is upset that his newspaper is still struggling despite the change in an editorial stance.[2] His thoughts are interrupted by his wife, Marla. Jonah is furious that she has come to his office after telling him he wanted a divorce. She points out Jonah's obsession with his newspaper has been affecting their marriage and that he has been neglecting it for quite some time. She tells him that she doesn't want to get a divorce, but threatening one was the only way to get him to have a serious talk with her. She tells Jonah that she wants to work through their problems, but needs him to be present.

Meanwhile, Spider-Man and the Foreigner arrive at an abandoned subway station, the location of Dead Aim and his conspirators. As they arrive, the mastermind behind this coup activates the self-destruct sequence on the Foreigner's satellite. This sets off a signal on the Foreigner's costume, much to his upset. Hearing this, Spider-Man grabs the Foreigner and demands answers. However, he doesn't get them as they are confronted by Dead Aim and his allies Warzone and Battlescar. While Dead Aim restraints Spider-Man, his two allies gang up on the Foreigner. Battlescar manages to get close enough to slash open the Foreigner's arm with his claws. Meanwhile, the wall-crawler manages to break free from Daed Aim's grip by head-butting his attacker, smashing his visor and leaving the assassin blind. He then assists the Foreigner ins battling Warzone and Battlescar. During the battle, Spider-Man's spider-sense goes off, warning him of something up in the sky. He turns their attention to the Foreigner's satellite as it enters the atmosphere falling toward them. The Foreigner points out that the satellite is nuclear powered. If it strikes, it will atomize all of New York City. The Foreigner explains that he could have deactivated the device, but their master shorted out the controls in his costume. When Spider-Man demands to know how to stop it, the Foreigner tells him of a manual disarming device that was put on the satellite as an engineering joke.

While Spider-Man detonates the outer satellite and grabs the miniature nuclear reactor, the Foreigner knocks out his attacker and tries to flee. When the police arrive on the scene, Spider-Man watches as the Foreigner surrenders to the police, admitting to committing many murders.[3] Satisfied, Spider-Man swings off, figuring that the Foreigner will get the punishment he deserves. However, the Foreigner intends to tell them the truth, as his various murders are so spectacular the authorities will think he is a crackpot and release him. While back at the Daily Bugle, J. Jonah Jameson and his wife Marla are on their way out of the building. She is thankful that he took the time to listen to her concerns. He tells her that it is difficult to put the Daily Bugle second in his life. That's when Betty Brant comes rushing into the lobby. She tells Jonah that she cracked a huge story and they need to work on it right away. Since Joe Robertson is not around, to help. Thinking this is the big thing that can put his paper back on the map, Jonah tells Marla that he has to stay. She tells him he understands, because she knows what love is and leaves the building alone.

Recurring Characters

Spider-Man, Foreigner, J. Jonah Jameson, Marla Madison, Betty Brant, Dead Aim, Justin Hammer

Continuity Notes

1. The identity of the Death Squad's master is revealed in The Spectacular Spider-Man Annual #14.

2. Jonah has changed the editorial direction of the Bugle, putting a moratorium on Spider-Man related stories following the events of The Spectacular Spider-Man #205-207.

3. The Foreigner implies that he was involved in the assassination of President John F. Kennedy in 1963. This should be considered a topical reference per the Sliding Timescale of Earth-616.

Truth and Consequences

After asking Flash Thompson to marry her, the Black Cat waits outside his apartment waiting for him to return home from the hospital.[1] Seeing his cab arriving outside, the Cat slips into Thompson's apartment and changes into her street clothes. When Flash enters his home, he is surprised to find Felicia waiting for him there.

When he asks what she is doing in his apartment, she says she wants one more chance to convince him to accept her marriage proposal. When he refuses again, she demands to know why. Flash confuses her when he says that he isn't sure if his love is genuine. When she asks what he is talking about, he reveals that he has always known that she was the Black Cat and only dated her because he thought it would bring him closer to his hero, Spider-Man. Hearing this makes Felicia furious because he never told her that he knew. Thompson points out that her identity was never a secret and that she never told him who she really was either. He suddenly begins to feel dizzy and Felicia helps him to the couch. Getting his bearings again, Flash explains that another reason why he doesn't want to marry her is that he is just a normal guy and his normal life would eventually make her resent that lifestyle and leave.

When she can't deny this to herself, let alone him, and kisses him one final time. She reminds him that she was willing to love him forever, and Eugene admits that he knew that. When she leaves, Flash begins to cry, realizing that he just passed up on the love of his life. Downstairs, Felicia gets into a cab and pauses to look up at Flash's apartment one last time. When the cabbie gets annoyed and asks her where she is going, he tells her that she wishes she knew.

Recurring Characters

Black Cat, Flash Thomspon

Continuity Notes

1. Flash Thompson has been in the hospital since being seriously beaten by Tombstone in The Spectacular Spider-Man #206.