Spectacular Spider-Man (vol. 2) #10
Countdown Part 5
After kidnapping Hayyan Zarour, the Palestinian Foreign Minister, Doctor Octopus has threatened to create a world war unless Spider-Man agreed to appear in Time Square and unmask before the media. Sure enough, Doctor Octopus couldn’t help but be there in person. As the whole world watches, Spider-Man removes his mask to reveal he’s…. wearing another mask underneath. Doctor Octopus is furious that Spider-Man would deny him his ultimate victory and tells everyone gathered that Hayyan Zarour will die and when the world is plunged into war it will be Spider-Man’s fault. He then presses a button on a device he says is rigged to a bomb that will kill the Foreign Minister.
After this dramatic speech, Spider-Man directs everyone to look up at one of the digital billboards hanging in Times Square. That’s when police cut to a feed coming out of a camera being operated by John Anderson — Peter Parker’s upstairs neighbor — dressed in his Kiwi Kid costume, Anderson directs viewers to watch as Detective Neil Garratt emerging from the old Octavius family home with Zarour. Hanging back in the shadows of the house are members of the Israeli Mossad army. As Garratt exits the building with Zarour, the leader of the Mossad reminds Neil to keep knowledge of their involvement a secret due to strained relations between his country and Palestine.
Back in Times Square, Doctor Octopus is furious that Spider-Man has ruined his carefully laid plans. All Spider-Man can do is laugh in Otto’s face, pointing out how he was able to play him this whole time. As Spider-Man unleashes a flurry of octopus themed jokes, the captain of police orders her men to go in an arrest Octavius. Seeing the police making their move, Spider-Man tells them to stay back, but as the officers begin opening fire Doctor Octopus deflects their bullets with his mechanical arms and then begins throwing parked cars at law enforcement. Spider-Man then leaps in to stop him from attacking the crowd. Doc Ock easily tosses Spider-Man aside and tries to retreat into the sewers. Spider-Man follows after him and the two resume their battle in the tepid waters below Times Square. However, the situation turns when a uniformed police officer tries to get the drop on Doctor Octopus. Otto grabs the office and snaps his neck, telling the web-slinger that the officer’s death is his fault. Otto then threatens to kill a different person each year unless Spider-Man surrenders to defeat. Realizing that he’s dealing with an increasingly unhinged foe, Spider-Man allows Doctor Octopus to pummel him. Pretending to be knocked out, Spider-Man waits for Otto to scoop him up in his mechanical arms and draw him close enough to strike. Spider-Man head-butts him and as Otto’s struggles an enraged wall-crawler rips off his mechanical arms. He then punches Doctor Octopus over and over until his enemy pleads with the wall-crawler to spare his life. By the time the police arrive on the scene, Doctor Octopus has been webbed up by Spider-Man who has left a note recommending him a low-calorie diet while in prison.
That evening, Peter Parker is back at his apartment having his wounds patched up by Mary Jane. Mary Jane is having a good laugh over how Spider-Man manages to make a full of Doctor Octopus in front of the whole world and is proud of Peter for saving Zarour and preventing an international incident. The most hilarious moment for her was having John Anderson dress up as the Kiwi Kid. Hearing John’s name reminds Peter that he forgot to pick him up. At that moment, John Anderson is thumbing a ride home in the pouring rain.
Recurring Characters
Spider-Man, Doctor Octopus, Mary Jane Watson, Neil Garratt, John Anderson, Hayyan Zarour, Aunt May
Topical References
This story was written not long after 911 and during a period when relations between the states of Israel and Palestine were quite tense and the political themes in this story are reflective of that period of time. They should be considered topical to modern readers.
Errors
At the end of this story, Peter says left John Anderson in Brooklyn. Which can’t be correct. As established in issue #7 of this series, the family home once owned by the Octavius family was located in Queens, not Brooklyn.
