Deadlier Than the Male

This story takes place during the events of Amazing Spider-Man #667…

Shang Chi wakes up from the same nightmare that has haunted him for all week. In it, he is a spider hunting down and consuming people. Once finished he wraps up their exsanguinated corpses in webbing. Each time he has this nightmare, each victim is one of the Immortal Weapons.

Meditating on this in the morning, Shang Chi wonders if these dreams are a product of working so close to Spider-Man.[1] He also has gained similar spider-powers and when he goes out into the world, he does so climbing the walls. He meets with Madame Web on 42nd St & 5th Avenue to discuss these dreams. However, there are more pressing concerns as Shang Chi is not the only one who woke up with spider-powers. Before them, the heroes of New York are trying to contain a gang of Spider-Men who are running amok in the city.[2] Unfortunately, this current crisis has clouded Madame Web’s ability to see the future. However, she is able to give him a cryptic glimpse of his own future. It contains two women who dwell in darkness, one shines while the other one fades. He will also encounter a man who is not a man and a spider who is not a spider.

Looking at the battle down below, Shang Chi sees his ally Iron Fist among the others. He also see the reporter Peter Parker risking his own life. Unaware that Parker is actually Spider-Man, he decides to leap down and lend a hand. Shang quickly fights through the swarm of Spider-Men until he reaches Iron FIst. As the two fight together, both men admit to each other that they have been having troubling dreams. As they fight off their attackers they compare notes and discover that their dreams were identical. However, things are too chaotic so they decide to deal with the fight, agreeing to discuss things further once things have died down.

In the middle of the battle, the Bride of Nine Spiders arrives to assist in the battle. Unlike the other Immortal Weapons, she appears to be unaffected by the spider-plague that is affecting everyone else. She reaches Iron Fist and after a brief discussion, the two immediately depart the battle without so much as a goodbye. Shang Chi decides to follow them, telling Peter Parker that he hopes to return soon.

By the time Shang Chi has caught up to them, they are on an isolated rooftop. Iron Fist is asking the Bride about her own nightmares when she suddenly attacks him. She then swarms Iron Fist with a horde of spiders that instantly begin weaving a cocoon around Iron FIst. Before she can harm his friend any further, Shang Chi ambushes the Bride and tells her that if she is going to threaten his friend then they shall fight as enemies. However, despite his best efforts, Shang Chi is ultimately knocked out by his opponent. The Bride of Nine Spiders then picks up the cocooned Iron Fist and muses that he will make a fine meal and that her master will be pleased.

Recurring Characters

Shang Chi, Bride of Nine Spiders, New Avengers (Iron Fist, Ms. Marvel, Wolverine), Hawkeye, Madame Web, Mister Fantastic, Cloak, Peter Parker

Continuity Notes

1. When Spider-Man lost his spider-sense in Amazing Spider-Man #654, he began learning martial arts from Shang Chi. See Free Comic Book Day: Spider-Man 2011.

2. For more on this fight against the Spider-Men see Amazing Spider-Man #667.