Spectacular Spider-Man #218
When Monsters Roam!
This story continues from Amazing Spider-Man #395...
Spider-Man has followed Nocturne and the Puma to Inwood Park where his feral foe turned on the wall-crawler. Nocturne got between Puma and the wall-crawler, getting slashed in the face for her troubles. Spider-Man evades the Puma's subsequent attacks and sends the beast fleeing with a single blow. At first, Spider-Man wants to go after the Puma, encouraging himself to be the spider but decides to stop and help Nocturne first.[1] He picks up Nocturne and begins web-slinging across the city to get help for her. He is worried about the Puma being on the loose, wishing that he could be in two places at once. Ironically, as Spider-Man thinks this, he just misses crossing paths with his clone who is active swinging by as the Scarlet Spider. Needing to get Nocturne somewhere warm and dry, he decides to try and bring her back to the apartment she had as Angela Cairn. Elsewhere in the city, the Puma happens upon a gang of muggers who have cornered a woman in an alley. He savagely attacks the muggers, saving the woman's life. However, she is horrified by the feral creature, the Puma regards her for a second before darting off into the night again.
By this point, Spider-Man has arrived outside the former apartment of Angela Cairn. Unfortunately, new tenants have moved in since she left her to transform into Nocturne. As he climbs up to the roof, the web-slinger finally comes to realize that no matter how hard they try to deny their civilian identities, life goes on without them. That those they loved will eventually adjust to their absence and move on with their lives. Meanwhile, at the Forest Hill's Hospital, Anna Watson watches over the bed of her friend, May Parker, who is still in a coma.[2] She tells May that she is her best, most compassionate friend. She rmarks how she admires May's strength, how she looked after Peter when his parents died.[3] How she became like a mother to Peter, especially after her husband Ben died.[4] She tells May that she has been a strong as she needs to be and it is okay if she lets go. Elsewhere in the city, Nocturne is sheltered by the rain by Spider-Man's webbing. When she wakes up, her first concern is toward Puma, even though he almost clawed your face off. Watching her fly away, the rain begins to clear and Spider-Man begins to feel the same sympathy that Nocturne feels toward the Puma and wonders if maybe his foe deserves a second chance.
Meanwhile, in Pittsburgh, Mary Jane is having a long-awaited talk about their family and upbringing. Mary Jane has come to make amends with her sister after abandoning her years earlier. Since Gayle has been willing to forgive their father, Mary Jane hopes they can be family again.[5] Surprisingly, Gayle is very understanding as to why Mary Jane ran off and tells her that he never stopped loving her. While back in New York City, Spider-Man follows Nocturne as she searches for the Puma. Along the way, Spider-Man's spider-sense alerts him of the new Daredevil that has been active in the city following the death of Matt Murdock.[6] It makes him think how Matt Murdock allowed his double-life completely consume him. Soon, the pair arrive at the warehouse where Angela was first turned into Nocturne.[7] There they find the Puma, who savagely attacks the wall-crawler.
Back in Pittsburgh, Mary Jane and Gayle's discussion is interrupted when her son, Kevin, wakes up after a nightmare. He tells his mother and his aunt that his mother left just like their father did and left Kevin all alone. The two women then comfort the boy, telling him that they will always be there. While in New York, Nocturne gets between Spider-Man and the Puma and place her hands on both of their brows. She then uses her empathic powers to transfer the pain both men feel to one another. This takes all the fight out of both, and miraculously, the Puma finally reverts back to his human form. Without a single word, Thomas Fireheart gets up and walks out of the warehouse. Spider-Man then tells Nocturne that she doesn't need to be alone and she can get help from Ashley Kafka. Nocturne refuses, and when the wall-crawler asks her why, she asks the wall-crawler the same thing and flies away.
This story is continued in Amazing Spider-Man #396...
Recurring Characters
Spider-Man, Nocturne, Anna Watson, Aunt May (imposter), Mary Jane Watson, Gayle Byrnes, Puma, Daredevil, Kevin Byrnes, Ben Reilly
Continuity Notes
Spider-Man has been trying to abandon his identity of Peter Parker following the Pursuit story arc.
May Parker suffered a stroke in Amazing Spider-Man #391. Unknown to all, she was replaced with an impostor at some point in Amazing Spider-Man #392. This is not revealed until Spider-Man #97.
Richard and Mary Parker died on a government mission 2 decades earlier, as revealed in Amazing Spider-Man Annual #5.
Ben Parker was murdered by a burglar in Amazing Fantasy #15.
Mary Jane and Gayle had an abusive childhood. Ultimately, after their mother left their father and died of cancer, Mary Jane abandoned her sister. This was all detailed in Amazing Spider-Man #289.
Matt Murdock actually faked his death, as seen in Daredevil #325. Spider-Man has known Daredevil's secret identity since Peter Parker, The Spectacular Spider-Man #107.
Angela Cairn was turned into Nocturne in The Spectacular Spider-Man Annual #13.
Although he is wearing the Scarlet Spider costume here. Ben Reilly isn't officially given this name until Spider-Man#52
