The Worst Person in the World

Failure hangs heavily on the head of Spider-Man. Otto Octavius vowed to become a superior version of Spider-Man, but he has failed.[1] After being put on probation by the Avengers,[2] Otto decided to enslaved the members of the Sinister Six and form a new team, the Superior Six.[3] This plan backfired spectacularly when he attempted to stop the Masters of Evil tried to steal a quantum energy drive. This led to the Superior Six being freed from his mental control and almost destroyed the city.[4]

Standing in Rockefeller Plaza, Otto knows that his failure was due to his own ego. When the police try to take him into custody for questioning, Spider-Man takes off. Otto has decided to go and surrender himself to the Avengers and reveal the truth to them. However, his spider-sense alerts him of a nearby explosion and he watches the Sub-Mariner fall down onto a rooftop. He then spots members of the Wakandan Hatut Zeraze heading to Namor’s location. The Sub-Mariner can’t see them because they are using cloaking technology, but the wall-crawler can through the special lenses in his mask. He never liked the ruler of Atlantis and at first he is amused to see him get a beating. However, when the Hatut Zeraze prepare to execute the Sub-Mariner for crimes he committed against the nation of Wakanda, Spider-Man decides to intervene.

Despite his injuries the Sub-Mariner insists that he has everything under command. However, Spider-Man still fights off the Wakandan mercinaries and helps Namor get away. After treating Namor’s wound, and the monarch’s temper has simmered he tells Spider-Man about how why he is hunted by the Wakandans. Recently, while empowered by the Phoenix Force, Namor led Atlantis in a war against Wakanda and committed many atrocities in doing so.[5] When Spider-Man asks why Namor won’t go to the Avengers for assistance, he tells the wall-crawler that he is his own man and takes responsibility for his own actions.

When Spider-Man tells the Sub-Mariner of his own problems and how he wants to turn himself in to the Avengers, this makes Namor laugh harder than he has in some time. The Sub-Mariner wishes Spider-Man luck and is about ot leave when the Hatut Zeraze catch up to them and begin opening fire again. While Namor insists that he can handle this on his own, Spider-Man easily takes the Hatut Zeraze down. That’s when they discover that these aren’t the real Hatut Zeraze, but robots that are now primed to self- destruct. Although Namor wants to fetch Reed Richards or Tony Stark, Spider-Man insists that he can deal with this and succeeds in shutting the robots down before they can blow up. The Sub-Mariner is impressed and tells Spider-Man that he should not doubt himself as, based on his display this evening, Spider-Man proved himself to be superior. Just as Namor is about to tell Spider-Man that he has earned his respect, Otto punches him in the face. He accuses the Atlantean monarch for bringing his war to New York and tells the Sub-Mariner to leave his city.

Although they have not parted on great terms, Spider-Man admits that what the Sub-Mariner was right. This city needs a superior Spider-Man and Otto Octavius intends to give it to them.

Recurring Characters

Spider-Man, Sub-Mariner

Continuity Notes

1. Otto Octavius took over Peter Parker’s body in Amazing Spider-Man #698-700.

2. The Avengers were concerned about Spider-Man’s sudden brutality when it came dealing with his foes and put him on probation in Superior Spider-Man #8.

3. Otto kidnapped the various members of the Sinister Six in Avenging Spider-Man #17-22.

4. The Superior Six situation was depicted in Superior Spider-Man Team-Up #5-7.

5. For more on this see Avengers vs. X-Men #0-12.