Eye of the Needle

After a night out with Jerry Hunt, Jessica Drew refuses to let him drive her home, opting instead to glide home as Spider-Woman. Jerry, left alone in his thoughts, overhears a scream, and goes to the person's aid. There he comes face to face with a costumed being known as the Needle. Pulling a gun on the Needle, Jerry soon finds himself paralyzed when the Needle makes eye contact and is helpless when the Needle stitches his mouth shut and then flees.

The next day, Jessica is informed by Priscilla Dolly, her landlady, that Jerry is in the hospital. When Jessica rushes there, she learns about what happened. In spite of Jerry's protests, she decides to go out and investigate as Spider-Woman. That night, she goes out on patrol looking for the Needle. However, she doesn't find any sign of him until it's too late, and only finds one of his latest victims.

The next day, Jerry is released from the hospital, and he gives Jessica flack for going out after the Needle alone. Both agree to tackle him together. That night, as the Needle prepares to make his next nightly appearance, he reflects how he was just a mild-mannered elderly tailor until he was beaten senseless by thugs. In the hospital, he developed an ability to stun with his one good eye and upon his release from the hospital, he took on the guise of the Needle to get revenge on the kind of people who made him a victim.

When he strikes again, Jerry and Spider-Woman are there to stop him. When Jerry is stunned, Spider-Woman steps in to stop the Needle. During the fight, she too is stunned by the Needle's gaze. However, Jessica manages to snap out of it before the Needle has a chance to stitch her mouth shut. She then easily defeats the Needle by knocking him out with a powerful venom blast. When the police arrive, Spider-Woman flees the scene. Later, back in her civilian guise, she watches with Jerry as the Needle is taken into police custody.

Recurring Characters

Spider-Woman, Jerry Hunt, Needle, Priscilla Dolly, Jacob Dolly, William Dolly

Continuity Notes

• Jerry mentions the "Pyrotechnics job". He is referring to the events of Spider-Woman #7.