Spider-Man #96
Web of Despair
At the Daily Bugle, Peter Parker works late using a computer to finish up some school work since his home computer’s hard drive crashed.[1] His work is interrupted by Mary Jane who has brought Peter some food.[2] She once again brings up concerns about money, particularly since her Aunt Anna is talking about going back to Florida.[3] When Peter suggests dropping out of school, Mary Jane says she is actually considering getting back into modelling. She tells him they need to make a decision soon and tells him to come home soon. Overhearing this whole conversation is Norman Osborn, who takes the time to mock Peter after Mary Jane has left. Peter isn’t in the mood for Osborn’s mind games, but Osborn tells Peter to shut up and listen. He gloats that he has used his position to make everyone love him and restore the reputation of the Osborn name.[4] He then tells Peter a disturbing story about what would happen if someone received a package that contained an unknown pathogen that causes everyone who comes into contact with it to dissolve into their basic biological components. Peter knows that this is no fictional wimsy and demands Norman tell him what he is up to. Osborn brushes this off, saying it is only a metaphore for how much control he has over Peter’s life and that nothing he can do to stop Norman now. As for his story about a killed patogen, Norman leaves Peter wondering if it is just a story after all.[5]
Elsewhere, Madame Web clings to life thanks to the intricate life-support system that keeps her alive. Asleep, se derams about he body withering further and eventually dying. However, this vision soon ends when she sees the image of Norman Osborn reaching out to her. When her dream self asks who he is, Osborn says that he is a friend. He shows the withered old woman her reflection and Web is surprised to see a youthful woman looking back at her. Madame Web asks how she can regain her youth. Norman — now in his Green Goblin costume — tells Cassandra that she must join the Gathering of Five, and eternal youth could be hers. All she has to do is find a missing piece of an ancient mystical spindle to allow them to carry it out. When she asks the Goblin where she can find this missing piece. When the Goblin tells her to look into herself, she realizes the answer to this mystery is somehow tied to Spider-Man.
Meanwhile, Peter Parker enters J. Jonah Jameson to thank him for being allowed to use the Bugle’s computers. Jonah tells Peter to check out this story about fifty people who were killed at a biological research facility. The CDC has closed off the facility, as the bodies melted away and no reporters are allowed near the facility. Remembering Norman’s story, this deeply disturbs Peter. That’s when Norman Osborn enters the office and tells Jameson not to print the story in the Bugle, as they will needlessly panic people. Jameson finds Norman’s reasoning since he uncovered that the research facility in question is a subsidary of Osborn Industries. Norman warns Jonah not to go there, reminding him of the danger it could mean for is family.[6] Seeing Jameson go silent gets to Peter and he soon runs to the roof and changes into Spider-Man. Watcing the wall-crawler swing away from his office window, Norman gloats over how easy it is to goad is foe. Spoiling for a fight, Spider-Man spots two tugs terrorizing a meak looking man with glasses. While swinging in for help, Spider-Man telepachally contacted by Madame Web who asks for the web-spinner’s help. After a less than graceful landing on the thugs, Spider-Man replies to Madame Web’s call for help.
Back at the Daily Bugle, J. Jonah Jameson has had enough of Norman Osborn’s manipulations and decides to do someting about it. Going through his desk, Jonah retrieves a gun intending to ends things this evening.[7] At that moment, in a rundown hotel on the Lower East Side, Alison Mongrane has been found by the Creep, an assassin hired by Norman Osborn to silence her.[8] She is saved by Joe Robertson who knocks the Creep out and tells Alison that if she wants to live, she will need to come with him.
Meanwhile, Spider-Man continues his telepathic conversation with Madame Web. She tells him that due to her frail health she has been slipping in and out of comas and her powers have been unreliable lately.[9] Hearing that there is someway she can be saved, Spider-Man agrees to go looking for the object she needs since he as a lot of pent up anger he needs to vent. Later, Madame Web dreams some more. She is young again and is told by Norman Osborn that her goal is soon at hand. However, things take a turn when J. Jonah Jameson enters the dream and shoots Norman Osborn in the back of the head. As Madame Web wakes up from this nightmare, Spider-Man arrives with the recovered artifact she sought. Taking the artifact, she then tells Spider-Man that she had a vision and warns him that J. Jonah Jameson is about to make the biggest mistake of his life.[10] At the Daily Bugle, Norman Osborn watches the storm raging outside and is pleased that everything is going according to plan. When Jonah comes knocking at his office door, Norman looks forward to start tying up loose ends. At that moment, Spider-Man swings toward the Daily Bugle to stop Jonah from killing Norman Osborn, cursing himself for saving Osborn again.[11] Unfortunately, the wall-crawler is delayed when a firebreathing creature suddenly appars and starts attacking people in the street. While Spider-Man is occupied, Norman goads Jonah into pulling his gun. However, when push comes ot shove, Jameson cannot bring himself to pull the trigger and drops the gun. This is exactly what Osborn expected and he picks up the gun. Before he can pull the trigger, Spider-Man comes crasing through the window and webs up Norman’s hand. Norman is delighted when Spider-Man won’t take the gun and end his life either, and that J. Jonah Jameson refuses Spider-Man’s help. Norman assures Spider-Man that is suffering will end soon enough.
Later that evening, Madame Web meets with Norman Osborn to hand over the recovered portion of the ancient spindel. When Norman Osborn kisses her hand, Cassandra has a mental flash sowing Osborn holding Spider-Man’s dead boy and gloating over a dead world. Seeing this makes Web wonder what she has done.
This story is continued in Spectacular Spider-Man #263…
Continuity Notes
Spider-Man, Madame Web, Norman Osborn, Mary Jane Watson, Alison Mongrain, J. Jonah Jameson, Joe Robertson, Mattie Franklin
Continuity Notes
The marrative mentions that the Bugle was recently damaged by Nitro. That happened in Spider-Man #95.
Peter and Mary Jane are referred to as husband and wife here. However, years later, their marriage was erased from existence by Mepisto in Amazing Spider-Man #545. As such they should be considered a common-law couple here.
Anna Watson moved in with Peter and Mary Jane in Web of Spider-Man #127. However, she has been considering moving back to Florida since Spider-Man #94.
Ben Urich wrote an expose revealing to the public that Norman Osborn was the Green Goblin in Spider-Man: Legacy of Evil #1. Since Spectacular Spider-Man #249, Norman bought the Daily Bugle and has been using his influence to convince the public that he was wrongly accused. During the Spiderhunt event he even engineered a new Green Goblin to further discredit Urich’s book.
The truth is, Norman as set up a number of DNA bombs containing this pathogen all over the world as part of an insane scheme as detailed in the Final Chapter story arc.
Norman Osborn hired Jack O’Lantern to treaten the Jameson family in Spectacular Spider-Man #241, this was to ensure Jonah’s compliance when he later bought the Bugle in Spectacular Spider-Man #249.
Jonah wishes Joe Robertson was there. Joe quit the Daily Bugle in Amazing Spider-Man #431 so he can investigate Norman Osborn without interference.
Alison Mongrane assisted Norman Osborn in ensuring that Mary Jane had a miscarriage during childbirth in Amazing Spider-Man #418. However, when Osborn reneged on paying her in Amazing Spider-Man #422, she threatened to tell the Parkers everything she knew. This led to Norman Osborn sending agents to try and assassinate her since Amazing Spider-Man #434.
Spider-Man and Madame Web mention they last time they worked together in Amazing Spider-Man #239.
Spider-Man jokingly tells Madame Web that the next time she needs a favor she should ask Thor, mentioning that he has recently returned to New York City. During Onslaught the Marvel Universe #1, Thor sacrificed his life to stop Onslaugt. However, instead of dying he and is fellow Avengers were sent to a pocket dimension where they lived alternate versions of their lives, as seen in Avengers Vol 2. They were all returned to their proper reality in Heroes Reborn: The Return #1-4. However, Thor did not become active in New York City again until Thor (Vol. 2) #1.
Peter Parker was forced to save Norman’s life in Spider-Man #95.
