Amazing Spider-Man: Ends of the Earth #1
Ends of the Earth
This story takes place during the events of Amazing Spider-Man #685…..
Part One
Doctor Octopus is threatening to destroy the world’s ozone layer with a device he claims will save the world. With the Avengers captured, Spider-Man sends out the call to heroes from across the globe to shut down satellite launching stations that Octavius has set up. He reaches the UK’s Union Jack, the Kangaroo in Australia, Sabra in Israel, the team Big Hero Six from Japan, and lastly the Titanium Man in Russia.
Spider-Man tells them that the need to stop the 200 satellites needed to power this doomsday must not be launched. Spider-Man hasn’t even finished his speech before the contacted heroes head off on their missions. The Black Widow tells Spider-Man has done his best and the rest of left in the hands of those who answered his call.
In Australia, the Kangaroo arrives at the launch site which is located in the middle of the Outback. He is glad that Spider-Man didn’t remember him from his Legion of Losers days and looks forward to being seen as a hero.[1] When he enters the facility he is ambushed by Lady Deathstrike who has been hired by Doctor Octopus to protect the facility. Unfortunately, despite his bravado, the Kangaroo is no match for Lady Deathstrike and the satellite in Australia is launched.
Meanwhile, in Jerusalem, Sabra has found the launching site and is greeted by a swarm of octro-drones. She takes them out with an electromagnetic pulse. When she reports in to Spider-Man, he warns her to be careful. When she gets to the launch site Sabra’s guard is down making her an easy target for Crossbones and his sniper rifle.
In Siberia, the Titanium Man is being pummeled by the Scorpion and starting to regret not taking up an offer from Doctor Octopus instead. When the satellite begins to launch, Titanium Man tries to fly after it, but the Scorpion is able to pull him back down to Earth with an injured leg.
With this most recent failure, Spider-Man orders the Black Widow and Silver Sable to head to London to lend a hand there. At the same time, the Union Jack is arriving at the scene of the launch site hidden in the Olympic stadium. He is ambushed by the new Slaymaster who figures his arsenal is superior to the wartime relics that Union Jack uses.[2] Union Jack easily takes down Slaymaster. That’s when he is attacked by a massive octo-bot. When Spider-Man and his allies arrive they are surprised to see that Union Jack managed to take down the robot all on his own with nothing more than a pistol and a knife. With the threat over in London, Spider-Man invited Union Jack to help with the rest of the battle. Jack politely declines, saying that there aren’t many heroes in the UK and he needs to stay behind and defend his people.
Part Two
In Japan, Go-Go Tomago of Big Hero Six tries to get access to the launch site but it is protected by a force field. While she is being guided by her teammate Hiro Takachiho and the Giri Institute’s Mr. Oshima, they cannot get through. When Tomago tries touching the force field with a single finger she is knocked back by Everwraith, the psychic maelstrom created by the deaths of those who died in the nuclear bomb drops on Hiroshima and Nagasaki.
She is soon joined by the rest of Big Hero Six who keep Everwraith distracted while Honey Lemon reaches into her cosmic purse and draws a weapon that harnesses impossible energy that is being constructed by Mister Fantastic in the Andromeda Galaxy. With this weapon, Honey Lemon is able to shatter the force field allowing her teammates to get into the facility.
Although they disable the security and defeat Everwraith, they fail to stop the satellite from launching. That’s when Fredzilla tosses the robot Baymax at the rocket and, controlled by Hiro, the rocket is destroyed. The team believes that Baymax was destroyed in the blast, but their liaison Furi Wamu informs them that Baymax survived and hitched a ride on her plane.
… Ends of the Earth continues in Amazing Spider-Man #686
Recurring Characters
Spider-Man, Black Widow, Silver Sable, Doctor Octopus, Union Jack, Kangaroo, Sabra, Titanium Man, Big Hero Six (Go-Go Tomago, Hiro Takachiho, Fred, Honey Lemon, Wasabi-No Ginger, Baymax), Lady Deathstrike, Crossbones, Scorpion, Slaymaster, Everwraith, Furi Wamu, Mister Fantastic
Continuity Notes
The Legion of Losers, aka the Spider-Man Revenge Squad, was a group of d-list Spider-Man foes which included the Kangaroo, Grizzly, Gibbon, and the Spot. They were first formed in Spectacular Spider-Man #246. They had a brief reunion in Marvel Apes #1.
There are multiple references that this man is the second Slaymaster. The original was an unidentified man who first appeared in Super Spider-Man and Captain Britain #243 and died in Captain Britain (vol. 2) #13. Jasper Bateman took on the Slaymaster mantle in Deadpool Team-Up #893.
Topical References
Union Jack refers to the London Olympic Stadium as being under construction. When this story was published in 2012, construction was just about finished for the summer Olympics being held in London that year. This should be considered topical because the stadium has since been completed.
The President of the United States is depicted as Barack Obama in this story. This should be considered topical because he has since served two terms and left office.
Likewise, an appearance by physicist Stephen Hawkings in this story should be considered topical, particularly since he died in 2018.
