Out of Reach Part Five

Spider-Man and Doctor Octopus have found themselves dealing with Brigham Fontaine, a young inventor whose first foray into super-villainy has led to his magnetic energy harness to go out of control. Now the pair are trying to convince the boy to come to them for help. At first, it appears the Brigham is going to go to Spider-Man, but this is all a ruse to lower the web-slinger’s defenses so Fontaine can blast him with magnetic energy. Doctor Octopus congratulates the boy on passing his first test and tells him to turn off the harness. However, Brigham refuses to do so saying he can control it after all and asks Otto to teach him how to better harness his newfound powers. When Octavius asks Brigham what he has in mind, he tells his mentor that by absorbing energy from the city power grid into his harness he has begun the first step in the permanent alteration of his biology. He asks for Otto’s help, likening his own transformation as the same as the one that made Doctor Octopus and tells Octavius that he’d be like a father if he helps. The idea of having a “son”, an heir to his legacy, makes Otto smile. They decide to spare Spider-Man and flee the scene to move on to the next step in Brigham’s transformation. Moments later, Spider-Man gets up just as security is arriving on the scene. Having overheard most of what Brigham and Doctor Octopus were talking about he knows that he has to hurry to stop them before it is too late.

With the city in a complete blackout, looters are taking advantage of the situation. While at the South Shore Chemical Processing Plant, Doctor Octopus and Brigham Fontaine. Easily fighting their way past security, Brigham puts aside his fear and leaps into a vat of chemicals that will trigger the next step of his evolution. Unfortunately for him, Spider-Man arrives just in time to spin a web-net over the tank, catching the boy before he can fall into the chemicals. However, in the ensuing clash with Doctor Octopus, Spider-Man’s foe cuts Brigham loose, making him fall into the chemicals. Otto then smashes a tank of radioactive waste in the hopes of exposing the web-slinger to the toxic chemicals. Luckily, Spider-Man is able to whip up a web shield that causes the toxic waste to splash back at Doctor Octopus. Unfortunately, Otto is saved by Brigham who uses his newly boosted powers to erect a protective shield of energy around his mentor. The follow-up blast of energy then buries Spider-Man under tons of rubble. Brigham is disturbed by the idea that he killed Spider-Man, but Otto tells the boy that they need to get to a nearby nuclear power plant to complete Brigham’s transformation, telling the boy that innocence is unnecessary baggage in one’s quest for power.

However, Spider-Man survived and after pulling himself out of the rubble, continues his pursuit of Doc Ock and Brigham. By this time, Doctor Octopus and his protege have arrived at the power plant. Fontaine enters the reactor and waits for Otto to turn it on so they can complete his transformation. However, when Doctor Octopus hesitates, Brigham accuses him of being jealous over the fact that Brigham will become more powerful than he is. While the pair are bickering, Spider-Man rips the wires connecting the control panel to the reactor. Brigham then comes out to attack his mentor, but Spider-Man swings in and knocks the boy out. The two long time enemies then begin engaging in combat and while they are occupied, Brigham wakes up and reconnects the control panel then re-enters the reactor. However, the transfer of energy is incredibly painful and the boy screams in agony. Spider-Man pleads for Otto to do something, reminding him that Brigham is just a boy. Remembering the pain of his own transformation into Doctor Octopus, Otto decides that Fontaine doesn’t deserve a similar fate and smashes the control panel in order to stop the transfer of energy.[1] Otto then rushes into the reactor and gives the boy CPR until he begins breathing on his own again, that’s when Spider-Man leaps in and knocks out Doctor Octopus with a single blow.

In the aftermath of the battle, Brigham is taken to the hospital where he answers questions from the media, telling them that Spider-Man saved his life and he realizes that the web-slinger is a real hero after all. Watching this from home with Mary Jane, Peter is pleased to hear this. While Doctor Octopus overhears the news coming out of the guard station outside of his maximum-security cell and weeps.

Recurring Characters

Spider-Man, Doctor Octopus, Mary Jane Watson, Brigham Fontaine

Continuity Notes

1. Doctor Octopus recounts the explosion that turned him into Doctor Octopus from Amazing Spider-Man #3.

Topical References

• Outdated technology: CRT television

• Outdated pop-culture references: The New York Mets poor batting averages.