...And the Jackal Cries, 'Death!'

Maximum Clonage continues from New Warriors #61...

Springville, Pennsylvania

The clone of Peter Parker sits on a park bench holding a metal canister. After a moment, he opens it, unleashing a virus that seemingly wipes out the entire population.[1] The Jackal soon arrives, marveling the effects of his newly modified Carrion virus. This Parker clone doesn't share the same sense of humor that the Jackal does. However, the Jackal explains that they are doing this for the greater good, as he intends to replace all the people killed here with clones of his own creation as part of a scheme to replace every living being on Earth with a clone. He tells the clone that he will be his true "son" as Peter Parker and Ben Reilly wouldn't understand.[2] As they pass a nearby alley, they are unaware that one of their victims wakes up alive and well.

New York

Peter Parker sits high above the city trying to process the recent revelation that he was a clone of the real Peter Parker.[3] He thinks about all the recent anguish he endured in recent history. It all started with the appearance of people claiming to be his parents.[4] However, he later learned that they were artificial constructs created by the Chameleon as part of a revenge scheme.[5] This was followed by his Aunt May, who suffered a stroke and enter a coma.[6] After learning this, Peter suffered a breakdown and attempted to renounce his human identity, and totally embrace the spider.[7] This was followed by the return of Ben Reilly, turning his life upside down. This was followed in rapid succession by Ben becoming the Scarlet Spider, the return of the Jackal, and how Doctor Octopus saved him from a deadly virus.[8] Although he thought things were going well when his wife Mary Jane told him that she was pregnant.[9] This is followed by thoughts of Kaine who told Peter he was the real Spider-Man, causing Peter to doubt his own identity for the first time.[10] This was followed by the death of his Aunt May and his arrest for murder.[11] Peter's thoughts then recall his battle against "Freakface" a twisted Spider-Clone, catching Kaine and bringing him to justice, and the recent tests that proved that Peter was the clone and Ben Reilly was the real Spider-Man this whole time.[12] Even after all of the deceptions, Peter knows that the revelation that he is a clone must be true.

Elsewhere, the Scarlet Spider is searching for Peter after he away. As he hunts for Peter, Ben thinks about he too had been manipulated by the Jackal and his minions. He soon becomes angry when the fact that he was robbed of five years of his life.[13] Losing control of his emotions, he shatters a rooftop sending debris showing down on the street below. Realizing what he as done, the Scarlet Spider webs up the debris before someone can get hurt then returns his search for Peter. Meanwhile, Mary Jane goes through a number of books on genetics in the hopes of learning some clue what Peter's status of a clone may have on their unborn child. However, the material is far too complicated and she is too worried about her husband to focus. When she hears someone coming in from the skylight, she hopes that it is Peter. Instead, it is Ben, and for a moment she convinces herself that Reilly has come to take Peter's place in her life. Brought to hysterics, she accuses Ben of trying to replace Peter and denounces his presence in her home. The Scarlet Spider calms Mary Jane by explaining that while he envies the life that Peter has, he doesn't want it for himself. He then tells Mary Jane that he has been looking for her spouse and see if he can help in some way, then he intends to go after the Jackal once and for all.

Springville

By this time, the Center for Disease Control has arrived in Springville and begin examining the dead bodies. They are horrified by how quickly the virus acted and fear what might happen if this is an epidemic.

Miles away, the Jackal and his Parker clone are driving back to their base. The Jackal amusingly listens to radio chatter regarding the virus. However, he is shocked when he learns that the CDC has managed to find a survivor.

Long Island

The New Warriors have returned to the Genetech Research Facility to confront Walter Rosen, who withheld important information when he sent the Warriors out to recover a stolen nanocontainer.[14] As a result, the Warriors were ill-prepared for their mission and failed, and are very upset with Rosen.[15] The group has already made a connection with this nanocontagen and the situation in Springville. Learning that the lone survivor has begun exhibiting strange powers, the Warriors demand to know everything Walter knows before they go to investigate.

New York

Ben is picking up Mary Jane's books while she checks the mail. She is surprised to find a letter addressed to Ben among the other mail. It is from Springville, and when Ben opens it, it contains an anonymous letter wishing the Scarlet Spider could be there. Reading it, Reilly easily deduces who this letter must be from.

While at a maximum security facility on the Lower East Side, Kaine is being transported to his cell. Suddenly, he is struck with yet another vision of someone murdering Mary Jane.[16] Realizing that she is in danger, Kaine breaks free from his restraints and escapes into the city.

Springville

At a CDC mobile research base, scientists tries to examine the man who survived the Carrion virus. When they try to inject him with a sedative, the needle breaks as the survivor's skin becomes rock hard. Suddenly, he breaks free and flees into the night. Watching this is the evil Peter Parker clone who has come to deal with this survivor for his master. Because the Jackal told him to be subtle about this, this Parker clone uses his shapeshifting powers to create a costume for himself. As he stalks after the survivor, he decides to accept the name given to him by his creator and starts calling himself Spidercide.[17] That's when he notices a helicopter landing nearby. Spidercide is amused to see the New Warriors emerging from the vehicle, looking forward to clashing with them again.[18] At that same moment, the Scarlet Spider has arrived in Springville and begins looking around himself. He spots the survivor and is surprised when the man's skin turns into stone to protect him from the branches of the forest. As the wall-crawler tries to go in for a closer look, he is ambushed by the New Warriors who mistakenly think he is in league with Spidercide.

New York

Mary Jane grows tired of waiting for her husband to return home. With so much to think about, she decides to go out for a walk. Not long after, Peter returns home but thinks that he doesn't deserve this life. After pausing to smell his wife's pillow and think about how much he loves her, Peter then takes their savings and his Spider-Man costume and leaves. As he web-slings across the city he decides, despite all else, he earned the right to call himself Spider-Man.

Springville

As the Scarlet Spider holds his own against the New Warriors, the survivor continues to flee through the woods. He is then confronted by Spidercide, and his screams are heard by the Spider and the New Warriors.

New York

His mind reeling with thoughts of being a clone, Spider-Man decides to go to the last place he spent time with Aunt May before she died. Climbing up the Empire State Building, the web-slinger hopes that he can find some clarity in this special place. Elsewhere in the city, the Punisher overhears a news report about Spider-Man being sighted climbing the Empire State Building. Also hearing this report is the Jackal, who decides to go and pay Peter a surprise visit.

Springville

By this time, the Scarlet Spider and the Warriors have reached Spidercide who decides to toss his would-be victim into the air. When the members of the Warriors who can fly to try and rescue the survivor, they are surprised when he suddenly grows wings in order to save himself. Seeing that this man is about to attack him, Speedball, Turbo, and Powerpax incapacitate him. Meanwhile, the Scarlet Spider, Justice, and Firestar face off against Spidercide. As he clashes with the Spider, Spidercide reveals that he is the clone the web-slinger fought earlier and called Freakface. Spidercide surprises them by turning into water, and departs leaving them with a clue as to the Jackal's whereabouts: He tells the Scarlet Spider that the Jackal has gone back to where it all began.[19]

New York

Spider-Man sits atop of the Empire State Building and thinks about the last time he was here with his Aunt May. Before she collapsed in his arms, she told him that she knew he was really Spider-Man and how proud she was of him. Now that he believes himself to be a clone, he thinks he doesn't deserve this praise and that he was nothing. His thoughts are interrupted by the Jackal, prompting Spider-Man to lash out in anger. The Jackal defends himself, blocking the web-spinner's blows. He explains that, with the revelation that Peter Parker is really a clone, he has come back to claim what is his.

Springville

As the Genetech takes the virus survivor into custody, the New Warriors apologize for attacking the Scarlet Spider. He accepts their apology, as he understands that it was a case of mistaken identity. With the battle over, he fears what happened to Spidercide, now that he is free of the Jackal's control and can assume any shape he wants, the Spider fears where this new threat may appear next. His fears are very warranted, as Spidercide has taken the place of one of the pilots about to ship the survivor back to Genetech.

New York

The Jackal, confident that he can defeat a clone that he created overpowers Spider-Man. He then tells Parker that they needn't fight and offers the wall-crawler a chance to join him and they can work together on perfecting his cloning technology. With nothing else to live for, Spider-Man accepts the Jackal's outstretched hand.

... Maximum Clonage continues in Web of Spider-Man #127.

Recurring Characters

Spider-Man, Scarlet Spider, Jackal, Mary Jane Watson, New Warriors (Justice, Firestar, Turbo, Powerpax, Speedball), Kaine, Spidercide, Helix, Walter Rosen, Punisher

Continuity Notes

1. The narrative states that the population of Springville is 2601 people. As Springville is a real city, this population number should be considered a topical reference per the Sliding Timescale of Earth-616 as that number reflects the population of this city in 1995.

2. The Jackal thinks that Ben Reilly is the real Peter Parker and that Peter Parker is the clone he created in Amazing Spider-Man #149. As revealed in Spider-Man: The Osborn Journal #1, agents of the Green Goblin tricked the Jackal into thinking that he successfully that he fooled Peter Parker into thinking he was the clone and the Spider-Clone was the real deal, unaware that his swap was interfered with.

3. Peter Parker was told by Seward Trainer was actually a clone in The Spectacular Spider-Man #226. However, this was also a deception. As revealed in Spider-Man: The Osborn Journals #1, Trainer was forced to change the test results run on Peter Parker and Ben Reilly by the Green Goblin.

4. Peter's parents were killed in action roughly 20 years prior to this story as explained in Amazing Spider-Man Annual #5. These impostors appeared claiming to be Peter's parents in Amazing Spider-Man #365.↑ The impostors were ultimately exposed in Amazing Spider-Man #388. As explained in the Pursuit storyline, the Chameleon blamed Spider-Man for the death of his brother Kraven the Hunter, who committed suicide during his "Last Hunt".

5. May Parker suffered her stroke in Amazing Spider-Man #391.

6. The flashback of Peter webbed up in a cocoon in his bedroom is from Amazing Spider-Man #392.

7. Peter recaps a number of early chapters of the Clone Saga. These include the return of Ben Reilly during the Power and Responsibility arc.Ben Reilly becoming the Scarlet Spider in the The Exile Returns arc.Peter's brush with death thanks to a virus during the Back From the Edge and Web of Death arc.Followed by the return of the Jackal in the Smoke and Mirrors arc.

8. Mary Jane announced she was pregnant in The Spectacular Spider-Man #220. 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.

9. Peter first met Kaine in the Smoke and Mirrors story arc listed above.

10. Both of these events occurred in Amazing Spider-Man #400. However, the woman who died here was not the real Aunt May, but an impostor who took May's place time sometime circa Amazing Spider-Man #392. This is not revealed until Spider-Man #97. Peter was accused of murdering Lousie Kennedy three years earlier. However, as revealed in Spider-Man: The Lost Years #1-3, the real killer was Kaine.

11. Peter's battle against "Freakface" during the Mark of Kaine arc and Peter Parker clearing his name and the clone deception during The Trial of Peter Parker.↑ Per the Sliding Timescale of Earth-616 it has been roughly five years between Amazing Spider-Man #149 and this story.

12. The New Warriors were hired by Genetch in New Warriors #61.↑ There is an impostor in the midst of the New Warriors here. Everyone thinks that this Speedball is Robbie Baldwin, however, this is an impostor taking his place as revealed in New Warriors #68-69. He took Speedball's place in New Warriors #50.

13. Kaine has been having these visions since Spider-Man #55. The identity of her would be killed is revealed in The Spectacular Spider-Man #228.

14. The Jackal first dubbed this Peter Parker clone "Spidercide" in Spider-Man: The Jackal Files #1.

15. Spidercide battled the New Warriors in New Warriors #61.

16. Spidercide is referring to the place where Spider-Man dumped the body of his clone in Amazing Spider-Man #151. This is the location of the Jackal's new lab as revealed in Spider-Man #61.