Suffer the Little Children

Jerry Franklin, J. Jonah Jameson, and Marla Madison have arrived at St. Timothy’s Hospital and are furious to learn that Mattie Franklin was discharged from their care earlier.[1] They are even more furious when they learn that Mattie was given over to a woman named Madame Web who forged paperwork allowing the minor to be released into her care. Jerry is grateful for the Jamesons for helping him search for his daughter, but Jonah isn’t finished and heads back to the Daily Bugle to see what he can learn about this Madame Web.[2] After Jonah leaves, both Jerry and Marla decide to check Mattie’s room for clues.[3] Unfortunately, they discover that Mattie’s hospital room is being turned over by the staff. However, one of the nurses found a note addressed to Marla. It’s from Mattie and it gives a vague explanation of why she left without telling them, saying that she had something important to do, and says she will be in touch soon.

Meanwhile, Spider-Man is trying to find Mattie after she absorbed all the power from Charlotte Witter, the evil Spider-Woman, and fled. Trailing behind him are Jessica Drew and Detective Phil Rodriguez. Rodriguez wants to know what’s going on but Drew can only say that something nasty. At that moment, Spider-Man finds Mattie who tells him to keep away from her as she doesn’t want to be around other people. When Spider-Man says he is trying to help her, she shows him that part of her hair has gone grey and her eyes have turned completely white as a side effect of absorbing all of Witter’s power and then swats the web-slinger away with her increased strength. When Jessica and Phil arrive on the rooftop Mattie is screaming in agony because of the power inside. When Jessica tries to calm the girl down when massive spider legs suddenly rip out of her back and start flailing out of control, striking Jessica in the process. That’s when Spider-Man re-enters the fray, but the spider legs are too powerful for him. Mattie is unable to control them and when they are about to rip Spider-Man apart, Phil fires a bullet into one of the arms. This causes the spider legs to drop Spider-Man and flee the scene, taking Mattie along with them. Spider-Man tries to chase after her but he quickly loses her among the buildings.

Meanwhile, Jessica Drew and Phil Rodriguez have doubled back to where Charlott Witter has been handcuffed and discover that she too has managed to escape. As they try to figure out how Charlotte managed to break free they are telepathically contacted by Madame Web. She tells them that Charlotte had help getting free but has no other answer to give them because Witter is able to block her mental powers. When Jessica asks what the connection between Madame Web and the evil Spider-Woman. That’s when Web reveals that Charlotte is her granddaughter.

Not far away, Spider-Man continues to search for Mattie Franklin unaware that she is has been taken prisoner by Doctor Octopus and the evil Spider-Woman who has stashed the girl in a delivery truck. There, Doctor Octopus warns Charlotte not to harm the girl as they need to learn how she managed to steal all of Witter’s powers. Mattie explains that she got her power from the Gathering of Five ceremonies. Still, Doctor Octopus figures that the power drain wasn’t fully complete as Charlotte can mentally control the spider-legs that are still jutting out of Mattie’s back. He figures that if Charlotte’s powers could be siphoned then the process could possibly be reversed.

At that moment, Madame Web, Jessica, and Spider-Man are comparing notes and all agree that they can’t give up searching for Mattie. While rechecking the rooftop for more clues they are suddenly ambushed by Doctor Octopus and Mattie — who is under the control of Charlotte Witter.[4] In the ensuing chaos, Spider-Man realizes that Mattie must be under some kind of control. Hearing this, Madame Web uses her own mental powers to trace Mattie’s controller to the source. Sure enough, it is her granddaughter and Web uses her powers to sever the connection and tries to convince Charlotte to accept her help. Meanwhile, Mattie manages to defeat Doctor Octopus in battle. With the danger over, Jessica says that Mattie has earned the right to call herself Spider-Woman, especially since she now has the powers that once belonged to all the past Spider-Women.[5] While Phil and Jessica try to figure out what to do with Doctor Octopus, Spider-Man and Mattie retreat so they can talk in private. Spider-Man can relate with Mattie’s situation, remembering how he felt when he first got his powers and tells her that he will allow her to be Spider-Woman moving forward as she proved that she can handle the responsibility. However, he has one piece of advice for her, to find a better costume than the green monstrosity that Doctor Octopus forced her to wear.

Recurring Characters

Spider-Woman (Franklin), Spider-Woman (Witter), Doctor Octopus, Madame Web, Jessica Drew, J. Jonah Jameson, Spider-Man, Marla Madison, Phil Rodriguez, Jerry Franklin

Continuity Notes

1. Mattie was in the hospital following her battle with the evil Spider-Woman in Amazing Spider-Man (vol. 2) #5-6. She was released into the care of Madame Web and has been hunting the evil Spider-Woman since last issue.

2. Jerry says his daughter has been missing for weeks. Mattie left home to participate in the Gathering of Five ceremonies that her father refused to participate in as seen in Sensational Spider-Man #32-33, Amazing Spider-Man #440, Spider-Man #96, and Spectacular Spider-Man #262. She has remained in New York City ever since.

3. Marla states that Jonah doesn’t use cell phones or a computer. This should be considered a topical reference because this story was written back in a time when you could run a newspaper without having a cell phone or computer, that’s not the case anymore.

4. Doctor Octopus mentions how he once called himself the Master Planner. Octavius once used this name as a means of covering up his involvement in a criminal scheme that ran from Amazing Spider-Man #31-33.

5. Mention is made about Jessica Drew and Julia Carpenter’s careers as Spider-Woman. The facts:

   • Jessica was the first Spider-Woman who held the role from Marvel Spotlight #32 to Avengers #241. She abandoned the identity to be a private eye.

   • Julia was the second Spider-Woman and was active from Marvel Super Heroes Secret Wars #6 to Avengers (vol. 3) #14.