Spider-Man Unlimited (vol. 3) #13

Jun 22

Jun 22 Spider-Man Unlimited (vol. 3) #13

Dinner at MacArthur’s Cafe

At MacArthur’s Cafe, two police officers pull through the drive-through the owner tells them that they eat for free because they keep the neighborhood safe. After the police leave, Spider-Man comes knocking and asks if he can get free food as well. However, MacArthur doesn’t see the web-slinger in the same light and tells the masked hero that he doesn’t give handouts. He says that the difference between Spider-Man and the police is that his taxes pay for the police.

That’s when the Rhino arrives at the eat-in counter asking for service. In a panic, MacArthur asks Spider-Man what the Rhino could want. Spider-Man figures his foe is looking to clog his arteries and tries to make a joke. MacArthur tells Spider-Man to be quiet and goes to serve the Rhino. The Rhino order a dozen burgers, as well as a large order of fries and a drink. After taking the order, MacArthur rushes back to the drive-through window and tells Spider-Man that he’s afraid that the Rhino won’t pay for his meal. Spider-Man says they can’t know that for sure and suggests that MacArthur give him a bill to see what happens. MacArthur, in a panic, apologizes for dismissing Spider-Man earlier and asks him to come inside and at least stand guard to make sure nothing happens. MacArthur then promises Spider-Man a free sandwich every day for life if he comes inside and helps him cook the Rhino’s meal.

After Spider-Man is set up in the kitchen MacArthur tells the web-slinger to keep sending out burgers and to be ready if there is any trouble. Spider-Man quickly gets the hand of things and begins serving out the food just as the Rhino begins to get impatient. After the meal, MacArthur hands the Rhino the bill. The villain then writes “Free or you’ll be sorry” on the bill and hands it back. That’s when Spider-Man comes out from the kitchen to make the Rhino pay for his meal. When the villain refuses, Spider-Man reveals that he shot webbing into each of the burgers the Rhino ate.

The villain is furious and tries to charge, but Spider-Man slams him into the floor. As the two are about to come to blows, the two officers return and start clapping. This causes them to stop and the two officers tell Spider-Man and the Rhino that they’ll be allowed to leave if they stop fighting now and help clean up the place. As the pair grudgingly clean up the restaurant, MacArthur puts a call in to Damage Control to make repairs.

Recurring Characters

Spider-Man, Rhino

24-Hour Bug

While fighting the Vulture, Spider-Man disgusted when the villain — who is sick with the flu — sneezes in his face, covering Spider-Man’s mask with phlegm. Spider-Man is so busy pulling mucus off his face that the Vulture gets away. At dinner time, Peter Parker tells all this to Mary Jane but admits that it is not the most disgusting thing that has ever happened to him as Spider-Man. Suddenly, Peter doesn’t feel so well. Mary Jane thinks he’s making a joke about her cooking until he rushes to the bathroom to throw up.

Two hours later, Mary Jane returns home after a trip to the pharmacy and catches Peter trying to go out on patrol as Spider-Man. Peter insists that he needs to go out and catch the Vulture, but Mary Jane points out that whenever Peter gets sick and goes out as Spider-Man his powers go wonky or he becomes delirious or both and insists that he stay home.[1] Spider-Man finally relents when he sneezes in his mask. The couple then settle in to watch movies, and after sitting through a romance film, Peter asks if they can watch Loberster-Man next.[2] When Peter sneezes again he ends up with webbing in his face again and decides that organic web-shooters officially suck.[3]

Later that evening, when Mary Jane has gone to sleep, Peter tries to sneak out as Spider-Man again but discovers that the window is jammed shut. The noise wakes up Mary Jane who reveals that she used one of Peter’s old mechanical web-shooters to seal the window shut. The following morning, Peter pleads with Mary Jane for help, as he feels worse than ever.[4] Later, Peter tries to sneak out yet again but gets caught by Aunt May who was called in to help by Mary Jane. May scolds Peter for trying to go out when he is sick and tells him to get back to be. When May finally gets Peter to bed, Mary Jane asks what Peter’s deal is. May explains that Parker men are the most stubborn when they are sick because they hate what they’re missing out on while stuck in bed.

Later that evening, Mary Jane goes to check Peter and tells him that the Human Torch caught the Vulture. Peter feels much better and figures maybe the world can get along without him. Mary Jane then tells him that the Trapster is on the lam and suggest Peter go out and capture him before Johnny Storm can gloat over bagging one of Spider-Man’s foes.[5] Suddenly, Mary Jane feels sick and rushes to the bathroom to throw up, having caught the flu herself.

Recurring Characters

Spider-Man, Vulture, Aunt May, Mary Jane Watson

Continuity Notes

Spider-Man has had a history of his powers acting flaky whenever he gets sick as seen in Amazing Spider-Man Annual #1, Amazing Spider-Man #11-12, and Amazing Spider-Man #87. In the latter example, Peter was delirious and almost compromised his secret identity.
Lobster-Man is a movie that Mary Jance actually starred in, as seen in Amazing Spider-Man (vol. 2) #43-45.
Peter just recently got organic web-shooters as seen in Spectacular Spider-Man (vol. 2) #17-20.
Peter suggests that he has two specific illnesses:
- First, he suggests he has the Legacy Virus. Mary Jane points out that only mutants could get the Legacy Virus and that the illness has also been cured. The Legacy Virus was basically AIDS for mutants, created by the mutant terrorist known as Stryfe in X-Force #18 to punish the mutant race. It was ultimately cured in Uncanny X-Men #390. Also eradicated from the mutant gene pool, samples of the virus still exist as seen in Secret Invasion: X-Men #3.
- Peter then suggests that he’s actually a clone that suffers from clone degeneration. This is a reference to the Clone Saga that ran from Web of Spider-Man #117 until Spider-Man #75. Long story short, many of the clones created by the Jackal suffered from degenerative diseases due to imperfections in the cloning process, the most notable victim of this disease is the first Spider-Clone who now goes by the name Kaine.
Mary Jane and Peter jokingly call the Trapster, Paste-Pot Pete. This was the previous nom de plum of the Trapster when he first appeared on the scene in Strange Tales #104. He later changed his name to the Trapster in Fantastic Four #38, although he doesn’t live down his old name.