Son of the Hunter!

After being tricked into attacking Norman Osborn on camera, Spider-Man has become a social pariah in the eyes of the media. Watching the news reports about the attack are Peter Parker, his wife Mary Jane, and her Aunt Anna.[1] Released from the hospital after the attack, Norman Osborn then gave an interview further spinning the attack to gain public support, by saying the attack proves his claims that Spider-Man is a threat to his own life. Crying crocodile tears, Osborn expresses concern for the safety of his daughter-in-law Liz Osborn, and his grandson Normie. Turning off the television, Peter finds the whole spectacle despicable. Aunt Anna agrees although she thinks that Peter is talking about Spider-Man. Mary Jane tries to convince her Aunt that there are two sides to every story, saying that both she and Peter know that Norman Osborn is an evil man. Anna points out that, even if this is true, it doesn't give Spider-Man the right to act above the law. When Peter suggests they not argue about the subject, Anna agrees, saying that this is Spider-Man's problem to deal with.

At the editorial offices of the Daily Bugle, J. Jonah Jameson and Joe Robertson go over the front page of the next edition with Norman Osborn.[2] Jonah feels the cover story about Spider-Man seems overly melodramatic, which Joe Robertson finds ironic considering all the years of anti-Spider-Man rants that Jonah has written in the past. Norman suggests they can kill the story if they want, as he is only concerned about the safety of his family. After giving Jonah a stern look, the publisher suddenly changes his opinion, saying the story is great just the way it is and that it will allow them to finally deal with Spider-Man once and for all, much to Osborn's satisfaction. Once Norman is gone, Joe demands to know what's going on as he thinks that giving Norman part-ownership of the Daily Bugle is akin to making a deal with the devil. When Joe asks what Osborn has on Jonah, the publisher gets defensive, reminding Robertson that Spider-Man is the real enemy, blaming the wall-crawler for the recent attempt on his life.[3] Seeing that he isn't getting through to Jonah, Joe gives up and leaves the publisher to think over what has done.

By this time, Peter and Mary Jane have arrived on the campus of Empire State University. Peter can't believe how easily Norman Osborn manipulated him to twist public opinion of Spider-Man. However, Mary Jane points out that they'll get through it as they have been through worse in their lives. Still, Peter is concerned about being able to protect Mary Jane and Anna if Norman tries to go after them. Mary Jane points out that Norman won't be willing to play the victim for very long and she has faith that Spider-Man will get the opportunity to take him down. This gives Peter a lot of confidence and he tells her that he feels like the luckiest man in the world. Realizing that he is running late for class, Peter rushes off. As he goes, Mary Jane tells Peter not to worry about things so much, and once he is out of earshot she admits to herself that she will do all the worrying for the both of them. While at the Chase Manhattan Bank in midtown, there is a bank robbery in process. The thieves manage to get into their getaway car, but they have to swerve out of the way of someone who darts into the middle of the road. This man is Kraven the Hunter, who forces them to crash and easily disarms, incapacitates, and rounds up the crooks with the authorities. Once the thieves have been strung up in a net, Kraven addresses the crowds and news media, that this is a gift from Kraven the Hunter and disappears.

Back at the Daily Bugle, Flash Thompson pays another visit to his ex-girlfriend, Betty Brant. When Betty tries to tell him that she is busy with deadlines, he won't let her brush him off again. Realizing that he needs someone to talk to, Betty agrees to take a break and listen to what he has to say. Outside, Flash wants to know why she started ghosting him after saying that she wanted to help him through his problems. Betty admits that she got scared because of her past experiences with her brother, and her late husband Ned, she got scared of being a support for Flash and his drinking problems.[4] She is afraid because every time she tried to help the men in her life, she ended up getting hurt and losing them. That's when Flash tells her that he has decided that he can't rely on the help of others to get him through his problems. He then fully admits that he is an alcoholic and that he is going to get into a program to help him get over his addiction. Hearing this makes Betty proud and she tells Flash that she loves him. Flash still feels the same way, and with everything out in the open, he decides to go and tells her that he will call her soon. As Betty wipes her tears away, she is approached by Norman Osborn, who overheard the whole exchange. He comments on how Flash Thompson is a strong-willed man that will be able to beat his demons, something that he finds very interesting.

Back at Empire State University, Peter and Mary Jane are spending time between classes talking about the Spider-Man news with their friend, Jill Stacy. Jill also thinks that Spider-Man is a menace, but before they can discuss it further they catch a news report about how Kraven the Hunter stopped a bank robbery.[5] Peter is shocked to see Kraven the Hunter on television and makes an excuse to take photos for the Daily Bugle so he can go into action as Spider-Man.[6] As the wall-crawler swings across the city, he wonders if this is Kraven back from the dead, something that is not so impossible considering that Norman Osborn has also managed to cheat death in recent history.[7] He later concludes that this new Kraven the Hunter must be the Chameleon who claimed that he was Kraven's brother during their last encounter.[8] Still, the idea of his old foes coming back from the dead deeply disturbs him, as his loved ones die and remain dead.[9] This also makes him think about the strange experience he had recently where he helped Kraven's soul find peace, although the whole experience could have been a hallucination like Mary Jane believes.[10] None of this answers the real question: if Kraven is somehow back from the dead.[11] That's when his spider-sense goes off allowing him to snatch a drug-tipped dart before it strikes him.

That's when Kraven ambushed him while riding on the back of an elephant. The pair end up crashing through the roof of a warehouse. There, Kraven admits that he is a Kravinoff but not the Chameleon. That's when the drugs -- which were absorbed through the skin -- being to affect Spider-Man. As he begins to hallucinate, Kraven begins asking the hero to consider what it must have been like for his father to commit suicide. Growing angrier, Spider-Man lunges at Kraven and begins throttling him, refusing to allow another one of his foes to come back from the dead. Although the wall-crawler overpowers Kraven, he cannot bring himself to kill his enemy and begins to cower. Finding this pathetic, Kraven picks up his hunting rifle and reveals that one thing that separates him from his coward of a father: He uses real bullets in his gun. Just as he finished saying this, Kraven pulls the trigger.

Recurring Characters

Spider-Man, Mary Jane Watson, Anna Watson, J. Jonah Jameson, Joe Robertson, Betty Brant, Flash Thompson, Kraven the Hunter, Norman Osborn, Jill Stacy

Continuity Notes

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

2. One of the stories in this newspaper is about Daredevil getting shot. That happened in Daredevil #368.

3. In reality, Jonah was almost killed by his son, who was under the hypnotic control of Mad Jack, who is in the employ of Osborn in The Spectacular Spider-Man #247. The threats on Jameson and his family is the hold that Osborn has on him.

4. At the time of this story, Betty believed that her brother Bennett (a chronic gambler) died during a fight between Spider-Man Doctor Octopus in Amazing Spider-Man #11. Meanwhile, her husband Ned was murdered by the Foreigner's men in Spider-Man Versus Wolverine #1 when it was believed he was the villain known as the Hobgoblin.

5. Before they are interrupted by the news report, Mary Jane is about to mention how the Stacy family has some history with Spider-Man. Namely, that Jill's Uncle George was killed during a battle between Spider-Man and Doctor Octopus in Amazing Spider-Man #90 and her cousin, Gwen, was murdered by the Green Goblin in Amazing Spider-Man #121.

6. At this moment, Peter thinks that this is Sergei Kravinoff the original Kraven the Hunter, who had committed suicide during Kraven's Last Hunt. In reality, this is Kraven's son Alexi as revealed last issue.

7. For a long time, everyone believed that Norman Osborn is dead following a battle against Spider-Man in Amazing Spider-Man #122. His survival is explained in Spider-Man: The Osborn Journal #1. He will resurface again in Amazing Spider-Man #412. Peter became aware that Norman was still alive in Spider-Man #75.

8. Spider-Man's recent clash with the Chameleon ran from The Spectacular Spider-Man #242-245 when the villain revealed that he was the brother of Kraven.

9. The list of loved ones that Spider-Man mentions here include:

   • His Uncle Ben was murdered by a burglar in Amazing Fantasy #15.

   • Peter believes his Aunt May had died in Amazing Spider-Man #400. However, it is later revealed that that woman was an impostor in Spider-Man #97.

   • He also mentions his clone, Ben Reilly, who was murdered by the Green Goblin in Spider-Man #75.

10. Spider-Man helped Kraven's spirit find peace in Amazing Spider-Man: Soul of the Hunter #1.

11. Spider-Man also mentions the recent return of Doctor Octopus. Not long ago, Octavius was murdered by Kaine in The Spectacular Spider-Man #221. At the time of this story, Otto was recently resurrected in Amazing Spider-Man #427.