A Hero's Welcome

Spider-Man is web-slinging across the city when he spots a spider-signal being projected on the side of a city. Going to check it out he finds it was set up by two British men who represent a popular television show in the United Kingdom. They tell Spider-Man that he has a huge fan base in Britain and want him to appear on their show and offer to pay for his travel and expenses for a week visit. The wall-crawler tells the two men that he has to think it over and takes their business card. As Spider-Man swings away, he finds it almost unimaginable that he has fans anywhere and finds it a refreshing idea to the abuse he faces in New York City. However, the idea of being on television stirs up old memories of when he tried showbiz when he first got his spider-powers and how his arrogance led to his Uncle Ben being shot by a burglar he could have stopped days earlier.

Hearing gunshots, Spider-Man spots a gang of thieves fleeing from the police in a van. Swinging down to the street, the web-slinger forces the crooks to crash their van. The thugs come out of their wrecked vehicle spoiling for a fight. During the battle, a new costumed hero calling himself Thunderpunch arrives on the scene and offers unsolicited assistance. Clapping his hands together he causes a massive sonic book that not only incapacitates the crooks but shatters windows all over the street. Spider-Man scolds Thunderclap for causing so much property damage to stop a bunch of petty thieves. With the police arriving on the scene, Spider-Man leaves Thunderclap to explain what happened. Complaining about the number of super-heroes who have appeared in New York over the years, Spider-Man wearily returns to his apartment and goes to sleep. Sleeping, Peter Parker has a nightmare where he is sinking in his bed. He is surrounded by people from his life. The skeletal remains of himself, a tearful Mary Jane, Frog Man making romantic advances on the Black Cat, a newspaper announcing Spider-Man's death, as well as the laughing visages of Thunderclap, the Hobgoblin, and J. Jonah Jameson. Among them is the Dark Man, whose glowing eyes and taunting voice warns Spider-Man that he will meet his end. The dream ends when Spider-Man is swarmed by serpents and dragons.

The next day, Peter Parker arrives at the Daily Bugle where Betty Leeds shows him the latest newspaper. The front page story blames Spider-Man for being in league with the crooks he busted the night before. Going into J. Jonah Jameson's office, Peter demands to know where Jameson got that account from. Jonah explains that Thunderclap was the one who made the statement, much to Peter's chagrin. That's when they are joined by Joe Robertson who tells them that he received news that Spider-Man is being courted to appear on British television. Suspecting that Spider-Man will do something illegal there, Jonah assigns Peter to go to the United Kingdom to cover the story for the Daily Bugle. Peter accepts, telling them that he will be on the first flight out tomorrow.

Meanwhile, at a pub in London, cyborg Andrew Booth meets with the Dark Man who reveals that he knows of Booth became the cybernetic warrior known as Assassin-8. He projects an image showing Booth's tragic encounter with a landmine while a soldier of fortune in Angola. The Dark Man then convinces Andrew Booth that the one responsible for placing the landmine is Spider-Man and asks Assassin-8 to kill the wall-crawler. Taking these claims at face value, Andrew Booth agrees to eliminate the person he believes was responsible for making him more machine than man. Back in the United States, Spider-Man pays a visit to the British television producers and agrees to appear on their show. While Peter Parker travels to the UK, both the Dark Man and Assassin-8 prepare for the wall-crawler's appearance in their country. The next morning, Peter wakes up in his hotel room after another fitful night full of nightmares. He brushes them off as nothing more than the product of being jet lagged and puts on his Spider-Man costume. Soon, Spider-Man is swinging toward the television studio. Seeing the crowds that have gathered, Spider-Man looks forward to the television appearance, unaware that there are forces working against him.

Recurring Characters

Spider-Man, J. Jonah Jameson, Joe Robertson, Betty Brant, Assassin-8, Dark Man, Thunderclap

Continuity Notes

• The show in question is identified as Saturday Starship. This should be considered a topical reference per the Sliding Timescale of Earth-616 as Saturday Starship only aired between the 1984-85 television season.

• Spider-Man's tragic origins were first depicted in Amazing Fantasy #15.

• Although not specifically identified as the Dark Man in this story. This mysterious figure is identified as such in Marvel Fact Files #97.

• Joe states he got the report from a Telex machine. This should also be considered a topical reference per the Sliding Timescale of Earth-616. Since this technology is obsolete.