Fear Itself: Spider-Man #2
Day Two
Fear Itself continues from Fear Itself: The Home Front #4…
Hour Twenty-Five of the Fear.
On the Lower East Side, John Russel shoots another man who he thinks is trying to take his home. This man is not affiliated with the bank that controls Russel’s mortgage, just a hapless victim that was trying to find cover from the chaos of the streets. On Wall Street, Karen Anderson managed to finally find a taxi just as her water broke. However, along the way, the driver abandoned her and his taxi on Grand Street in order to get away from the chaos. In Times Square, Norah Winters covers the story for the Daily Bugle. She tries to convince herself that she’s not scared because fear is for other people.
On Yancy Street, as he is being eaten alive by rats, Spider-Man also succumbs to the fear. In his mind’s eye he sees his fear realized: Everyone he loves — from Carlie Cooper to Mary Jane Watson, to his Aunt May and her husband Jay Jameson — dead because he wasn’t there to protect them. For a brief moment, Spider-Man opens his eyes and sees a rat gnawing at his fingers. His body is suddenly washed with a new fear, the fear of being eaten alive. He fights the rodents off of his body and leaps up onto a nearby wall. That’s when he notices that Robert Christensen — a man he just saved — is trapped in a nearby dumpster.
That’s when Vermin ambushes Spider-Man from behind. Spider-Man fights back with the same savagery that he has been met with. The web-slinger tries to remind himself that Vermin is a victim himself,[1] but at this point, he could care less and sees himself getting to the point where he could kill his opponent. However, Spider-Man pauses when he sees the look of fear on the Vermin’s face. This allows the creature to strike him again. The fight suddenly comes to an abrupt end when Robert Christensen finds a golf club and uses it to hit Vermin upside the head, knocking him out.
Hour Twenty-Eight
John Russel pulls the trigger of his gun and doesn’t even realize it. The sound shocks him more than the man he has just shot. Karen Anderson continues to endure labor pains, wishing it would all end. In Times Square, another crowd approaches Norah Winters and her photographer, and even though she doesn’t see any Green Goblin tattoos is convinced that these are minions of Norman Osborn coming for revenge.[2] Elsewhere in the city, a hammer has fallen from the sky and waits for someone worthy enough to lift it.
Meanwhile, Spider-Man has gotten a fresh costume and some more web fluid. With Vermin sedated and dropped off at the Baxter Building, Spider-Man heads back out into the city. However, he still has no idea how he can stop a world that seems to have been completely abandoned by God.
Hour Thirty-One
At the mayor’s office, J. Jonah Jameson demands to speak to Steve Rogers, but he is unavailable. When one of his assistants informs him that his son, John, is still safe aboard the Horizon Labs space station, Jonah tells the aid to go home and be with his family.[3] That’s when Spider-Man arrives in the office. He is happy to see that Jonah is safe and asks if he's heard any word from his father, Jay. Jonah says he hasn’t heard and a thing and complains about Spider-Man not doing anything about the crisis at hand.[4] The web-head tries to explain that the heroes of the city don’t know what’s happening.
That’s when Spider-Man notices that Jonah isn’t afraid and asks how this can be. Jameson explains that he was afraid for the past two days until he learned his son was safe. He knew then that if his son was still alive and fighting so could he. He then orders Spider-Man to quit whining and get outside and do something.
So Spider-Man heads back out and sends the rest of os his time helping those in danger across the city. Sometimes acting alone, sometimes alongside allies like the New Avengers.[5]
Hour Thirty-Seven
Horrified that he took a life, John walks the streets of New York until he realizes there is only one way out. Meanwhile, Karen Anderson has lost too much blood while giving birth and begins to blackout. Norah Winters has fled Times Square and sees sanctuary at St. Mark’s Church. Elsewhere in the city, the Future Foundation has arrived at the fallen hammer and are beginning to examine it.[6]
Back at St. Mark’s, Norah Winters walks inside and is surprised to see that it is full of people praying for a miracle. When she asks the priest why they are bothering, he asks her how she can’t see this as the only rational response for what is happening outside. That’s when John Russel comes into the church, gun in hand. He tries to tell everyone that he had no choice but to kill in order to protect his home. That’s when Spider-Man comes crashing in through the stain-glassed window. Both he and the priest try to talk John out of doing anything stupid. Spider-Man tells him that the man he shot actually survived and was taken to a hospital by police. The priest then asks John to hand over his gun. Both Spider-Man and Norah are surprised when the man hands it over and then gets down on his knees and begs for forgiveness.
The scene was so intense both Spider-Man and Norah decide to go outside to get some fresh air. That’s when they find Karen Anderson passed out on the church steps. As Spider-Man rushes her to a hospital, the Thing reaches out and touches the hammer the Future Foundation has been examining and is transformed into Angrir, Breaker of Souls.
Recurring Characters
Spider-Man, Vermin, Angrir, Future Foundation (Mister Fantastic, Bently-23, Valeria Richards, Turg), J. Jonah Jameson, Norah Winters, Robert Christensen, Karen Anderson, John Russel, New Avengers (Luke Cage, Iron Fist, Ms. Marvel, Jessica Jones)
Continuity Notes
It is mentioned here that Vermin was abused and experimented upon. As a child, he was sexually abused and as an adult, he was transformed into the Vermin by Baron Zemo. See Spectacular Spider-Man #179-183 and Captain America #272.
Norah Winters was working on an exposé on Norman Osborn when he was still the top-cop of America. Her investigation into the American Son program came to a sudden halt when Osborn threatened her life. She buried the story and was afraid of Osborn ever since. See Amazing Spider-Man #595-599.
John Jameson is on an extended mission on the Horizon Labs space station. See Amazing Spider-Man #680-681.
Jonah states here that Spider-Man is a member of both the Avengers and the Future Foundation. Spider-Man has been a long-standing member of the Avengers since New Avengers #1. He joined the Future Foundation following the alleged death of the Human Torch in Fantastic Four #587. Spider-Man will remain on the team until Fantastic Four #609.
For more on Spider-Man’s activities with the New Avengers during Fear Itself see New Avengers (vol. 2) #14-16.
For more on the Future Foundation’s examination of the hammer see Fear Itself: FF #1.
