Spider-Man and the X-Men #3
Spider-Man and the X-Men’s special were captured by the Chameleon and brought to the Mojoverse. There they are forced to participate in Mojo’s twisted television shows that are made to entertain the people of his dimension. Spider-Man is forced to act as the host of a late-night talk-show with his students playing the role of the back-up band. However, as Spider-Man tells jokes he discovers that he will receive an electric shock if they are targeting Mojo’s regime. The jolts are given to him by Eye-Boy, who is forced to operate the camera.
Mojo is pleased with how things are going but orders his assistant, Major Domo, to keep Spider-Man in line. He doesn’t want the same trouble they have been having with No-Girl, whose telepathic powers keep burning out his mental slaves, and it requires four of them to keep her sedated at least for a little while.
Mojo begins growing bored with the talk show and decides that it needs more action. Throwing a switch, he summons the Sinister Sixty-Six which comprises of duplicates of many Spider-Man foes including the Scorpion, Venom, the Gibbon, the Vulture, the Ringer, Mysterio, Sandman, Carnage, the Green Goblin, Kraven the Hunter, the Rhino, the Shocker, the Grizzly, the Lizard, and Doctor Octopus, among others. As they all start swarming Spider-Man, the special class rush to the web-slinger’s aid. As Rockslide grapple with the Rhino, Shark-Girl takes out the Kingpin. Meanwhile, Hellion uses his powers to take down Jack O’Lantern, Demogoblin, Green Goblin, and Hobgoblin all in one blow. At the same time, Ernst’s abilities frighten away Hammerhead, the Puma, and the Lizard. While Spider-Man tackles both the Vulture and Carnage, he begins to wonder why they were even fighting to begin with. Eye-Boy tells them that all the criminals are trying to rule the New York underworld, an explanation that Spider-Man believes without question.
However, Mojo’s control on them is starting to slip as Ernst questions why they are on television. Spider-Man says they have always been on television, but realizes that what he says is contrary to what his mind is telling him. That’s when Spider-Man remembers what really happens. He leaps at one of the cameras and orders Mojo to let them go.[1] While Mojo is distracted by this insurrection, No-Girl manages to escape. Mojo then orders Eye-Boy to deal with them. Knowing that the kid wouldn’t have betrayed his friends, Spider-Man unmasks “Eye-Boy”, who is actually the Chameleon in disguise. The master spy manages to break free from Spider-Man’s grasp and reactivates the Sinister Sixty-Six. As the others are fending off their attacks, Hellion and Ernst punch a hole in a nearby wall by doing a Fastball Special, giving Spider-Man and his students a means of escape.[2]
As Mojo and Major Domo try to recapture No-Girl, they also stop paying attention to the real Eye-Boy, who they have been forcing to watch hours of terrible Mojoverse television. Luckily, he is saved when someone with three adamantium claws slashes the power chords. Seeing who it is, Eye-Boy can hardly believe his eyes.[3] Meanwhile, Spider-Man and his students are trying to figure out where to go, but Spider-Man has no idea how to navigate the Mojoverse because Mojo isn’t one of his enemies. Walking through an area that resembles New York’s Times Square, Spider-Man and his charges have to flee from a horde of Spineless Ones who want to take them apart for souvenirs. They are called into a building by a familiar cajun voice and seek cover inside.
However, Spider-Man quickly sees through the Chameleon’s Gambit disguise. Dropping it, the Chameleon takes Glob Herman hostage and threatens to shoot him in the head if they don’t get back to work. That’s when Eye-Boy comes crashing through one of the walls. This distracts the Chameleon long enough for Spider-Man to snatch his gun. When the web-slinger tries to nab the Chameleon, he teleports away using technology given to him by Mojo. Spider-Man and his young X-Men congratulate Eye-Boy for the save. He then reveals that he wasn’t alone and introduces them all to the X-Babies, pint-sized version of the X-Men created by Mojo.[4] Before they head off to fight Mojo, Spider-Man pulls the X-Baby version of Wolverine aside to tell him the bad news, that the real Wolverine is dead. This makes Wolvie cry, but he is also determined to show Mojo that there is still at least one Wolverine left to stop him. Spider-Man tells his students that once they defeated Mojo they can return home. When Ernst asks if their teachers back at the Jean Grey School are worried about them, Spider-Man assures her that they probably haven’t noticed they are gone yet.
Spider-Man is wrong, however. Back on Earth, Storm meets with the Beast, Iceman, and Marvel Girl. She is furious because Spider-Man and the special class have been missing for two days. Fearing that Spider-Man has kidnapped the children, Storm starts fielding ideas on how to get them back.
Back in the Mojoverse, Mojo has decided that the Chameleon’s programming idea is a complete bust and decides to cancel it. That’s when Spider-Man, the special class, and the X-Babies come crashing in. While the X-Men and X-Babies fight Mojo, Spider-Man has to fend off the Chameleon.[5] After Spider-Man webs the Chameleon to a wall, Eye-Boy has determined the weakness in Mojo’s mechanical walker. When Sugah of the X-Babies tries to knock Mojo out of the building to his death, Spider-Man saves their captor’s life because he won’t allow anyone to die, even the man who tortured them. In thanks for saving his life, Mojo agrees to send Spider-Man and his students back home. As a portal is opened, Spider-Man invites the X-Babies to come back with them. Wolvie declines because he and his team have to fight a rival team of X-Babies led by Cyke — a baby version of Cyclops.[6]
Spider-Man and his students appear back in the mansion where Storm is waiting for them and she is no pleased and tells Spider-Man that he better have a good explanation for where they have been.
Back in the Mojoverse, Mojo has cast himself and the Chameleon in a prison drama, which is ratings hit. While that evening, back on Earth, Rachel Grey wakes up in bed. Her mental powers have been able to divine that Spider-Man is Peter Parker and she vows to figure out why he is really at the Jean Grey School. Meanwhile, an unknown benefactor gets word that his collector has returned from the Mojoverse. He is pleased because he is just about to receive payment for his latest creation. With this genetic sample, the new body he is creating will now be complete.[7]
Recurring Characters
Spider-Man, X-Men (Hellion, Rockslide, Shark-Girl, Ernst, No-Girl, Glob Herman, Eye-Boy, Storm, Iceman, Beast, Marvel Girl), Mojo, Chameleon, Major Domo, X-Babies (Wolvie, Shower, Sugar, Iceboy, Cyke, Emma Frost, Magik, Magneato), Mister Sinister (unidentified)
Continuity Notes
Spider-Man knows who Mojo is because he previously encountered him in Longshot #4-5 and Astonishing Spider-Man and Wolverine #1-6.
The Fastball Special was a technique devised by Wolverine and Colossus in which Colossus would use his strength to throw Wolverine at an enemy. The technique was first executed in X-Men #100.
Eye-Boy is shocked to see someone who looks like Wolverine because at the time of this story Wolverine is dead, see Death of Wolverine #1-4. Logan will be resurrected again in Return of Wolverine #1-5.
Mojo after de-aging the real X-Men in Uncanny X-Men Annual #10, Mojo later created the X-Babies in Uncanny X-Men Annual #12.
The Chameleon points out that Spider-Man always wanted to be on television. The web-slinger retorts by saying he was 15 at the time. This is a reference to Amazing Fantasy #15, when Peter Parker first used his powers to become a celebrity. He switched to fighting crime when his inaction led to a burglar murdering his Uncle Ben. For more on Spider-Man’s career in showbiz see Spider-Man: With Great Power… #1-5, Amazing Fantasy #16-17, and Amazing Spider-Man (vol. 3) #1.1-1.5.
This is a nod to a growing divide between two groups of X-Men, one was led by Wolverine the other led by Cyclops. See X-Men: Schism #1-5.
This unidentified foe is later revealed to be Mister Sinister in issue #5 of this series.
