Spider-Man #31
Trust
Following his battle against Brainstorm, Spider-Man was dumped into a cement mixer with a mind flooded with fear response images. Unable to pull himself out, Spider-Man managed to fire some web-lines as the cement was poured into a foundation of a construction site. Holding his breath, the web-slinger waits until his mind returns to normal. Finding it becoming hard to breathe, he wonders how deep he is and what happened to Maggie and Brainstorm.
At that time, Brainstorm had captured reporter Maggie Lorca, who had been asking too many questions about his creator, Doctor Hope. Climbing up the side of a building, the man-monster is pelted with knock out gas from arriving police officers. Although the gas knocks out Maggie, it has no effect on Brainstorm. Watching this on their monitors at the city hospital, those responsible are impressed with Brainstorm's performance. Doctor Hope, who has been pretending he was insane this whole time, decides to run this treatment on himself so that he can effect his escape. While the others are distracted, Doctor Hope slips away. At that same moment, Spider-Man struggles to free himself from the cement.
While uptown, Captain Zero is walking around looking for crimes that are being committed. He is mocked by some local kids who tell him that they should fight the monster that has appeared on Fifth Avenue. Taking them seriously, Zero thanks the kids for their help and heads in that direction. While at the Parker home, Mary Jane wonders why her husband has been hanging out with Maggie Lorca, unaware that she is a co-worker.[1] Suddenly, the phone rings and she hopes that it is her husband Peter. It is not, but it is the Stilwell Adoption Agency, who tells Mary Jane that they have found a suitable person who is willing to adopt Daniel, a strange homeless boy that Mary Jane has been trying to find a home for. They ask her to come down right away.
As Spider-Man continues to pull himself out of the cement, Captain Zero catches up to Brainstorm and remembers him from their time in the Mad Dog Ward.[2] Brainstorm tries to stagger Captain Zero with a mental blast but after all the treatments he received at the Mad Dog Ward have made him immune to Brainstorm's attack. Meanwhile, Mary Jane meets with Mr. Hernendez the man who is looking to adopt Daniel. As they get to talking, Mary Jane can't help but find him handsome and is interested when he learns that he is currently single. Back at the scene of the battle, Captain Zero and Brainstorm continue to trade blows but are equally matched. As Spider-Man continues to struggle to free himself, his web-line snaps. Refusing to give up and die, Spider-Man begins to dig himself the rest of the way out. Unwilling to die, he focuses on thoughts of his wife to give himself the strength to keep on going. While at the abandoned warehouse where Daniel lives, Mary Jane tries to convince him to come with her. However, he refuses, insisting that his father is an alien from outer space that will come to him in a spaceship. When she tries to talk sense into the African-American man who has been caring for the boy, he tells her that the kid has his own mind. He then shows her a massive mock-up of a spaceship he built. When Mary Jane questions their sanity, the elderly man says that she needs to have faith.
Back at the scene of the battle, Captain Zero manages to stun Brainstorm with some live wires. When Mary Jane gets home, the old man's words have finally made sense to her and Mary Jane decides to have faith in her husband, and that he will come home to her. As she is thinking these thoughts, the wall-crawler finally frees himself from his concrete tomb. Suddenly getting some inspiration, Mary Jane calls Mister Hernendez and tells him to meet with her as she has a plan. She then calls one of her writers at "Secret Hospital" and demands he starts writing her charge to be more intelligent. While on the rooftop, Captain Zero continues to electrocute Brainstorm. By this point, Maggie Lorca has recovered from the gas and tells Zero to stop otherwise he will murder Brainstorm. Not wanting to kill anybody, Captain Zero struggles to try and figure out how to stop. That's when Spider-Man comes swinging in, striking Brianstorm with a powerful blow that knocks him free from the live wire. He tells Maggie to run, and as he lectures Zero on not become as hard as the villains he fights, Brainstorm recovers and attacks anew. Spider-Man tries to fight off his foe, but Brainstorm is too strong and fast for the web-slinger.
Wondering what he can do to help, Captain Zero remembers the spray bottle of soapy water he carries in his pouch. He sprays it in Brainstorm's eyes, blinding the man-monster long enough for Spider-Man to break free from his grip and make some knock-out blows. After the authorities take Brainstorm away, Maggie reports everything that happened. Doctor Hope is taken away to a new facility, where he intends to begin his research anew. When Peter returns home, he is happily reunited with his wife. Later, with the help of Mr. Hernandez, Spider-Man and the mock-up spaceship to convince Daniel that he is his long lost alien father. When Mister Hernandez asks Mary Jane if he will be Daniel adopted mother, she tells him that she is already taken.
Recurring Characters
Spider-Man, Mary Jane Watson, Maggie Lorca, Captain Zero, Brainstorm, Doctor Hope
Continuity Notes
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.
This previous encounter was chronicled during the Life in the Mad Dog Ward event.
