Spider-Woman #26 — Nick Peron

Feb 13

Feb 13 Spider-Woman #26

The Blades of the Grinder!

The LA Courier newspaper is facing lagging sales, and its owner, the British-born Rupert Dockery has been charged with trying to increase sales. His reporters worry that Dockery will use the sensationalist tabloid style that he used for his papers in the UK for the Courier, and throw all journalistic integrity out the window. However, Dockery fires the dissenters and begins to do just that. Dockery gets his subject when he's saved from a hold-up by Spider-Woman, who happens by as Dockery is getting robbed.

When Spider-Woman makes headlines in the Courier, her associate Scotty McDowell is less than impressed with the media attention because he believes it will have an effect on their ability to combat crime. Dockery meanwhile, hires Brute Bashby to become a costumed villain called the Grinder in order to further sensationalize Spider-Woman, using the Courier to issue the Grinder's challenge towards Spider-Woman. Scotty and Spider-Woman (unaware that this was all orchestrated by Dockery) decide that they need to stop the Grinder from committing any crimes. Meanwhile, in Manhattan, Spider-Man reads the story about Spider-Woman's recent activities. He remembers his recent encounter with the mystery woman and fears that publicity will make things more difficult for her to fight crime. However, he admits that he's a little jealous that the newspapers in Los Angeles are treating her nicer than the papers in New York treat him.

The Grinder attempts to rob expensive jewels in front of a news crew, and his subsequent battle against Spider-Woman ends up getting televised. The Grinder proves to be an easy foe to defeat, and Spider-Woman makes short work of him, turning him over to the police with ease. Witnessing the Grinder's defeat, Dockery begins his next plot to exploit Spider-Woman's heroics for his own deeds.