Lethal Foes of Spider-Man #4
Re-Disunited
As a group of villains fight over control of an atomic blaster, the Swarm has arrived to eliminate Spider-Man, who was knocked unconscious while trying to stop Doctor Octopus. Meanwhile, Hardshell watches as Strikeback battles Stegron the Dinosaur Man. She thinks she recognizes who Strikeback is and knows who side she must fight on. At the same time, Doctor Octopus recovers and tries to gather up the remains of his old pairs of mechanical arms. Needing to deal with the Answer, disappointed that he couldn't be the one to destroy Spider-Man, but he has other concerns. Watching Otto flee is his cousin, Elias Hargrove, who is tired of being forever indebted to Octavius and decides to take the law into his own hands. By this time, Hardshell decides to assist Strikeback in his battle against Stegron, when he suddenly teleports away. Strikeback reappears in from of the Vulture, who is trying to escape with the atomic blaster again.
Deciding to confirm her theory, she calls Strikeback by the name of her husband, Anthony Davis. Strikeback confirms that he was her husband and he is very much alive.[1] Hardshell decides to side with her husband and get control of the atomic blaster for him. This leads to conflict from both Boomerang and the Beetle, both of whom Strikeback easily incapacitates. Strikeback explains that he barely survived his encounter with Scourge and was rescued by AIM and remade into a cyborg. After completing a few missions for the organization, he is now a free agent. However, when Hardshell tries to kill the Beetle, Strikeback stops him. He explains that after his near death experience he realizes that revenge is pointless and that they should work as a force for good from now on. Hearing this is disheartening for Hardshell, who wonders if her quest to avenge the death of her husband was all for nothing.
Meanwhile, Spider-Man revives and manages to dodge the Swarm's army of bees. When Strikeback asks Hardshell to join his cause, he is ambushed by Stegron before she can answer. With the atomic blaster in hand, Hardshell wonders if she should leave with the weapon, or use it to save the man who was once her husband. At that moment, Doctor Octopus has finished restoring his original mechanical arms. Satisfied with the work, he is in the process of disposing of the make-shift ones he created after escaping from the Vault. Suddenly, the Answer comes crashing through one of the windows, seeking to get revenge against Octavius for trying to enslave him. The Answer has developed a field of interference to sever the telepathic link he shares with Doctor Octopus so they can finally fight on even terms. However, as the Answer approaches for battle, he is unaware that Doctor Octopus is now mentally commanding his original mechanical arms to attack him from behind.
While back at the battle scene, Hardshell decides to use the atomic blaster to save Strikeback. Before she can pull the trigger, the Vulture swoops in and takes it from her. However, he doesn't get very far before the Rhino slams into him and recovers the weapon for himself. That's when Spider-Man swings by, catching the Rhino off guard. He pulls the trigger of the atomic blaster, and it's beam strikes the Swarm, severing his telepathic connection to his bees. As a result, the Swarm crumbles to a harmless pile of bones.[2] Back at Otto's hideout, the Doctor manages to snare the Answer in his mechanical arms. Before he can squeeze the life out of the Answer, Otto's cousin Hargrove enters the room with a gun in an attempt to redeem himself. However, Doctor Octopus is more than a match for Elias and easily disarms him. Before he can kill his cousin, the police begin arriving on the scene. Having formulated a new plan, Doctor Octopus leaves his cousin and the Answer to the authorities and flees the scene.[3]
At that moment, Strikeback manages to finally take down Stegron and tries to convince Hardshell to return the atomic blaster so they can live a new life together. The woman is conflicted until Spider-Man leaps in to try and subdue both. This convinces her to continue down her path of vengeance and she tries to shoot the wall-crawler. Unfortunately, the atomic blaster is out of power and it doesn't work. Strikeback is touched by the love his wife still holds for him but is disappointed that she continues to choose the path of vengeance. However, he believes that he can still convince her to become a force for good and teleports away with her. In the aftermath of the battle, Spider-Man is exhausted but is glad the battle is over. He considers his lot in life and considers himself better off than his foes thanks to the life he shares with his wife Mary Jane and his Aunt May.[4]
Recurring Characters
Doctor Octopus, Strikeback, Answer, Sinister Syndicate (Hardshell, Boomerang, Rhino, Vulture), Spider-Man, Swarm, Stegron, Beetle, Elias Hargrove
Continuity Notes
Anthony, as the Ringer, was seemingly killed by the Scourge of the Underworld in Captain America #319-320.
Although the Swarm is seemingly killed here, he will return in Sensational Spider-Man #9.
Doctor Octopus's plans are revealed in Spider-Man Unlimited #3.
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.
