Amends

Spider-Man is web-slinging when he happens upon Stilt-Man as he is emerging from an upper story window. Spider-Man figures this is going to be an easy victory, but Stilt-Man manages to slam Spider-Man into the side of a building, causing him to fall to the ground. However, before Stilt-Man can crush the wall-crawler, Big Wheel comes to stop him, proclaiming that he now fights on the side of the law. Despite Big-Wheel’s efforts to stop Stilt-Man, the villain still manages to get away when he knocks over Big-Wheel’s gyroscopic vehicle. Spider-Man is forced to let Stilt-Man getaway in order to make sure Big-Wheel isn’t injured.[1]

When Spider-Man asks what this is all about, Jackson Weele explains that he is trying to make amends for trying to kill Spider-Man in the past. Spider-Man vaguely remembers fighting Jackson in the past. Weele reminds Spider-Man how their battle ended with his Big-Wheel ending up in the Hudson River.[2] Instead of drowning, he survived because the Big-Wheel was watertight. However, due to his crimes, Jackson’s wife left him and he went to prison. There he discovered a program that turned his life around, Vil-Anon, a twelve-step program for reformed costumed criminals. Jackson concludes by saying step nine is making amends. Spider-Man is flattered and tells Weele that his reformation is enough to make amends for him. Jackson is about to defend his decision and decides against it, figuring he was a failure in this as well and apologizes for getting in Spider-Man’s way. Feeling back for Jackson, Spider-Man tells him that there is something he could use some help with after all.

Spider-Man figures that he can find a simple crime to stop to make Weele feel better and he can go on his way. They find a robbery which is quickly wrapped up. Spider-Man figures everything is cut and dry when suddenly the Shocker comes out of the bank. Spider-Man tells Jackson to get away since the Shocker is way out of his league. When Big-Wheel tries to flee, he ends up endangering people. This prompts Spider-Man to use a web-line like a sling-shot to fire Big-Wheel at the Shocker, knocking him out. Jackson emerges from his vehicle cursing himself for being a failure again and wonders what use he is. When Spider-Man notices some kids cheering the destruction caused by Big-Wheel, giving Spider-Man an a-ha moment.

Jackson Weele soon finds a new calling, using his Big-Wheel at monster truck rallies to great acclaim. Jackson also spends his time promoting Vil-Anon in prisons. During one of his speeches, Stilt-Man can’t believe the Shocker let himself get defeated by Big-Wheel. Shocker tells him to shut up, reminding Stilt-Man that he was defeated by the Power Pack. Although most of the other inmates dismiss Jackson’s presentation, he does get the interest of Hypno-Hustler. Much the chagrin of Spider-Man when Hypno-Hustler is released from prison and gets to the ninth step of his own recovery.

Recurring Characters

Spider-Man, Big Wheel, Stilt-Man, Equinox, Schizoid Man, Man-Bull, Armadillo, Shocker, Hypno-Hustler

Continuity Notes

1. Spider-Man laments over getting defeated by Stilt-Man, thinking it will get him kicked out of the Avengers. Spider-Man became a member of the Avengers in New Avengers #1.

2. Big-Wheel’s ill-fated battle with Spider-Man happened in Amazing Spider-Man #183.

Private Conversation

Peter Parker is doing rollcall in class and is bothered when one of his prize student, Paul Sidorsky is absent, particularly since Paul absolutely loves science. After class, Peter decides to go to the office and find out why Paul wasn’t in class today. That’s when he learns that someone broke into the Sidorsky home and murdered Paul’s parents. In fact, it was poor Paul who found his parents. The shock of the news hits Peter like a ton of bricks and he thinks about how much Paul paid attention in class. Later, back home at Stark Tower, Peter explains what happened to Aunt May and Mary Jane. May can’t help but notice how similar Paul’s tragedy was to what happened to Peter’s Uncle Ben.[1] Peter feels horrible for Paul, knowing exactly what he is going through and wonders if he can tell Paul that he can move beyond this tragedy, but has his doubts as he is only Paul’s teacher. That’s when the Avenger’s butler, Jarvis speaks up and reminds Peter that many of his teammates also share similar tragedies.[2]

Peter remembers one day after class when Paul stayed behind to try and talk to Peter about how Spider-Man’s webbing works. Paul was particularly interested in knowing why Spider-Man’s webbing dissolves after time since a real spider’s web doesn’t dissolve. He also points out that spiders have three spinners, and points out that Spider-Man has two on each wrist and wonders where the third one is. Peter eventually, told Paul that he needed to get home to his wife.[3] Apologizing for taking up Peter’s time, Paul says he was just thinking out loud.

Jarvis’ words give Peter an idea and it takes him a week to put it all together. He then pays a visit to Paul as Spider-Man, who is surprised that the web-slinger has come to visit him. Spider-Man says he has come by to talk, saying he learned about the murder of Paul’s parents from Peter Parker, saying that Parker used to take photos of him back in the day.[4] Spider-Man says he hasn’t caught the person responsible for murdering Paul’s parents but he wanted to show Paul that he can still follow his dreams even after this tragedy. Taking the youth out web-slinging, Spider-Man tells Paul that his own parents died when he was young.[5] He says it wasn’t easy graduating from high school as a result, but he still managed to do it.[6] He then takes Paul to Stark Tower where he is introduced to Captain America, Iron Man, Luke Cage, the Invisible Woman, the Human Torch, Daredevil, the Thing, Shadowcat, and Stature. Spider-Man tells him that each one of them has lost one or both parents.[7]

One by one, each hero tells Paul about each of their personal losses and how they learned to move on. When Spider-Man returns Paul to his apartment, Paul thanks Spider-Man for arranging everything for him. Spider-Man then gives Peter Parker’s phone number to Paul, telling him to call Peter anytime he needs advice or just someone to talk to. Then, before leaving, Spider-Man leaves a sample of his webbing for Paul to examine. As he swings home, Spider-Man thinks he owes Jarvis big time for coming up with this idea.

Recurring Characters

Spider-Man, “Edwin Jarvis”, Mary Jane Watson, Aunt May, New Avengers (Captain America, Iron Man, Luke Cage), Fantastic Four (Invisible Woman, Human Torch, Thing) Shadowcat

Continuity Notes

1. I’m really starting to run out of dickish things to say about Uncle Ben getting ventilated, oh well… Amazing Fantasy #15

2. The man who appears to be Edwin Jarvis is actually a Skrull spy. This spy has been posing as Jarvis since New Avengers #3. His true identity is revealed in Secret Invasion #1.

3. Peter says he has a wife here. However, not long after this story, Peter and Mary Jane’s marriage is erased from existence by Mephisto in Amazing Spider-Man #545. In the altered timeline, Peter would say he has a fiancee to get home to instead of a wife.

4. Peter used to take photos of himself as Spider-Man for the Daily Bugle. He shot photos for the Bugle almost exclusively from Amazing Spider-Man #2 until he took on his teaching job in Amazing Spider-Man (vol. 2) #31.

5. Peter Parker’s parents, Richard and Mary Parker, were government agents who were killed on a mission while Peter was still a toddler as we learned in Amazing Spider-Man Annual #5.

6. Peter graduated from high school in Amazing Spider-Man #28.

7. This is quite the collection of heroes with dead parents. Most of these parents are still dead, some not so much. Let’s get into the nitty-gritty.

• Captain America’s, aka Steve Rogers, parents are Joseph and Sarah Rogers. According to Captain America (vol. 7) #2 Joseph drank himself to death in 1926 during the Great Depression. His mother died in 1935 after working herself to death, as explained in Captain America (vol. 7) #11.

• At the time of this story, Iron Man, aka Tony Stark, thinks his parents were Howard and Maria Stark. The pair seemingly died in a car accident, as explained in Iron Man #28. However, he will learn he was actually adopted in Iron Man (vol. 5) #17. His biological parents are Amanda Armstrong and a man known only as Jude and both are very much alive as Tony will learn in International Iron Man #5-7.

• Luke Cage’s mother, Esther, was killed by members of the same gang his father Carl was a part of, as revealed in Cage #5.

• The Invisible Woman and Human Torch’s parents were Franklin and Mary Storm. As explained in Fantastic Four #32, Mary died in a car accident. Franklin later sacrificed his life to stop the Super-Skrull in that same issue.

• Daredevil’s father, Jack Murdock, was a boxer who was killed for not throwing a fight, as seen in Daredevil #1.

• The Thing’s parents Daniel and Elsie Grimm are also dead. Although their deaths were depicted in Thing #1, their cause of death is not specified.

• Shadowcat’s father, Carmen Pryde was one of the many victims of the Genoshan genocide caused by Cassandra Nova’s Wild Sentinels in New X-Men #115, his death was confirmed in X-Men Unlimited #36.

• Lastly, we have Stature aka Cassie Lang. Her father, Scott Lang, was the second Ant-Man. Scott was seemingly killed by the Scarlet Witch’s rampage in Avengers #500. However, Cassie will later go back in time to rescue her father in Avengers: The Children’s Crusade #5.

Topical References

• In one flashback, Peter suggests that Paul play some Playstation. Since the Sony Playstation (regardless of generation) is a real-world product its use here should be considered topical.

• Spider-Man thinks about getting some Dunkin’ Donuts for Jarvis. This is a topical reference as this is a real-world company.