Sudden Sacrifices

Martha Connors wakes up to discover that her husband, Curt Connors, is not in bed with her. As she begins to wonder where he husband is, she hears a loud crash from outside. Outside, she sees Spider-Man battling the Lizard, with her son Billy caught in the middle. As the wall-crawler dodges the Lizard's attacks, he is surprised that his foe is more savage than ever before. He thinks back to the events that led to this battle, how Curt Connors had recently come to New York to examine Peter Parker when his health was failing.[1] With the return of Connors, the Lizard wasn't too far behind. However, while the wall-crawler believed that it Connors as the Lizard. He followed Connors back to Florida where he discovered that the Lizard he fought in New York was a different creature and that Connors became the Lizard once more to kill the man-monster.[2] Although Curt became the Lizard again to protect his son, Billy, this has made Curt a threat again.

With both Martha and Billy in danger, Spider-Man uses his webbing to snare the corpse of the creature and use it to trip up the Lizard. This angers the Lizard but focuses its attention on the wall-crawler. As the two brawls, the fight takes them out into the swamps. This works against the web-slinger as the Lizard uses its ability to communicate with other reptiles and summons a horde of snakes, alligators, and other creatures from the swamp. The Lizard explains that it will make reptiles the dominant race on Earth and then orders the reptiles to swarm Spider-Man. As the web-head struggles to get free, he is bitten by one of the snakes and starts feeling the effects of the reptile's venom. That's when Billy Connors rushes to the scene of the battle, begging his father not to kill Spider-Man. At first, the Lizard refuses to acknowledge the boy as his own son, but when a falling tree threatens the boy, Curt Connor's mind takes control of the Lizard's body and leaps in to save Billy. The Lizard is pinned under the tree across a nearby stream and the water is rising, at the risk of drowning the creature. Although he is slowed by the snake venom coursing through his system, Spider-Man tries to lift the tree off of the Lizard, but can't get a good grasp due to the mud.

Since it is the Lizard's arm that is keeping the creature trapped, Spider-Man tries to convince it to revert back to Curt Connors, as his human form would be able to wiggle free. However, the Lizard would rather drown then allow itself to become Connors again. When this fails, Spider-Man then tries to speak to Connor's mind, pointing out that Billy is in danger and that his death will free the reptiles from his control and that they will likely attack the boy. This gets through to Curt Connors who takes control and changes back to human form. This saves Billy's life, and Curt manages to pull free from under the tree. By this point, the venom in Spider-Man's system has caused the hero to pass out. After making sure his son is okay, Curt quickly administers the anti-venom that saves the wall-crawler's life. Taking the flight back home, Ben Reilly thinks about how Curt Connors is a selfless man who will do whatever he can for the benefit of humanity. While back in Florida, Curt Connors ponders a newspaper article warning of a grim future in the forecast. He begins looking out the window, the shadow the Lizard looming heavily on his shoulders.

Recurring Characters

Spider-Man, Lizard (Connors), Martha Connors, Billy Connors, Lizard (creature, corpse), Peter Parker (flasback), Mary Jane Watson (flashback)

Continuity Notes

1. Connors came to New York in Amazing Spider-Man #414.

2. These events were chronicled in The Spectacular Spider-Man #237-238.