Spectacular Spider-Man (vol. 2) #13

Jun 17

Jun 17 Spectacular Spider-Man (vol. 2) #13

The Lizard’s Tale Part 3

Following the destruction of the Richardson Institute, Spider-Man and Peter Parker have been trying to help Curt Connors, who insisted that the Lizard wasn’t responsible for the blast. Now being attacked by the Lizard, Spider-Man quickly realizes that Curt Connors has been lying to him. The Lizard tries to apologize for the deception, but Spider-Man doesn’t buy it, telling him that Curt Connors and the Lizard are the same person and Connors uses the Lizard as an excuse to deflect responsibility for his crimes. As the two battle it out, the Lizard tells Spider-Man that he doesn’t know what it’s like living in his skin, being a one-armed man in a two-armed world. When the Lizard takes off, Spider-Man follows after him. As he goes, the web-slinger realizes that Curt Connors has been in full control this whole time and was taking him for a ride. The Lizard lures Spider-Man into a dead-end sewer tunnel where he smashes up to the street above. This forces Spider-Man to hang back to web up the falling debris so none of the people on the street above fall into the sewer and get hurt.

Later that evening, the Lizard arrives at the home of Curt Connor’s sister, where his son Billy has been staying since the death of his wife, Martha.[1] When his brother-in-law tries to get in his way, the Lizard easily swats him aside and nabs Billy. The Lizard then tells his son that they are going on a grand adventure together. When Spider-Man catches up to the Lizard as he is climbing up the side of a building with Billy wrapped up in his tail. When Spider-Man tries to stop him, the Lizard warns the web-slinger to keep back as his presence is putting Billy’s life in jeopardy. Spider-Man asks the Lizard what he is planning on doing with Billy and tells him to hand Billy over. The Lizard finds this all amusing but soon loses his temper with Billy who has been crying in fear this whole time. Telling the boy to be quiet, the Lizard tightens the grip on his tail until BIlly passes out. When Spider-Man points out that the Curt Connors he knows would never harm his son, the Lizard grows more agitated and tries to flee. Spider-Man doesn’t let up, and the Lizard is forced to let go of Billy in order to try and attack Spider-Man with his tail. When the Lizard then tosses Billy into a pile of trash, Spider-Man points out how he is harming his son yet again. When Spider-Man suggests that this has everything to do with the loss of Martha, the Lizard tells him to stop perverting her memory for his own goals. The Lizard then decides to fight Spider-Man to the death, thinking that the web-slinger will try to poison his son’s mind and turn Billy against his father. However, when Billy begins to wake up, the Lizard flees the scene without the boy. That’s when the police arrive on the scene and after Spider-Man hands Billy over to the officers he goes after the Lizard. Unfortunately, but this point, the Lizard has disappeared without a trace.

The following afternoon, Curt Connors is at the Captial Bank of Manhattan, telling himself to keep calm. Taking a bunch of sedatives to keep himself from turning into the Lizard he steps inside and attempts to rob the bank at gunpoint. When the bank guard pulls his gun and orders Connors to freeze, Curt surrenders without incident. He is soon arrested and brought to the 51st Precinct. That evening, Curt is visited by Peter Parker who wants to know why Curt didn’t just turn himself in to the police. Connors explains that he made the failed robbery attempt to prevent a bleeding-heart lawyer to get him off on technicalities. He then admits that after the death of Martha, he felt relieved that he now had an excuse to become the Lizard. He said up until he heard his son call out for him during his battle with Spider-Man did he realize how he had been lying to himself this whole time and that the lies needed to stop. He admits that Spider-Man was right earlier when he accused Curt Connors for being lazy and blaming all of his shortcomings on the Lizard. He then asks Peter to deliver a note to his son, even though he feels as though Billy will hate him now. Peter agrees, but he reminds Curt that life in jail isn’t going to be easy and that he’ll become a target once the other inmates know who he is. As Peter leaves, Curt’s eyes turn reptilian and he hopes that his fellow inmates learn the hard way.