Web of Spider-Man #108

Feb 19

Feb 19 Web of Spider-Man #108

The Eye of the Storm

Something has gone wrong with Project Sandstorm at Empire State University, causing a great deal of damage to the science building. Thanks to the intervention of Spider-Man, Marla Madison survived the explosion of sand. However, he, the Sandman, and Quicksand have been ambushed by Tony Trainer who has been turned into the powerful Sandstorm. The blasts of sand from Sandstorm make it difficult for Sandman and Quicksand to maintain their forms. Sandstorm, meanwhile, struggles to control his new body, horrified that his powers slew one of his colleagues. Firing web-lines out of the swirling sand, Spider-Man manages to attach one to a building and pull himself and Sandman out of the maelstrom. However, Sandman wants to go back in and try and help Sandstorm get his powers under control.[1] However, their attempts to get back into the sandstorm proves difficult. Inside, Quicksand manages to convince Sandstorm to side with her.

Meanwhile, Marla Madison wakes up on the roof and feel immediately responsible for what is happening below. Soon she is joined by her husband, J. Jonah Jameson, who is relieved to find that his wife is alive and well. Back on the streets below, Sandman and Spider-Man attempt to pull Quicksand away from Sandstorm, but the pair refuse to be separated. Sandman tries to convince Sandstorm that Quicksand is only trying to use him, but these warnings fall on deaf ears. While Spider-Man is knocked into the remains of the lab, Sandman continues to try and convince Sandstorm to let him help, begging him not to let Quicksand turn him into a killer. At that moment, Spider-Man is digging through the rubble trying to find whatever it is that Sandstorm was looking for in the remains of the lab. Under some debris, he finds a large chunk of silica. While on a nearby fire escape trying to figure out how to get to the ground safely. Suddenly, the fire escape begins to break loose. Before the couple can fall, they are pulled to safety by Joe Robertson and Betty Brant. Back at the scene of the battle, Spider-Man rejoins the fight in order to give Sandman a moment to reform himself, but he crumbles into a crack in the sidewalk.[2]

However, Sandman is not down for the count, he pulled himself together and emerges from the ground with a broken water main and uses it to douse Quicksand. That's when Spider-Man strikes Sandstorm with the chunk of irradiated silica, causing a reverse-polarization of Sandstorm's grit-armor, knocking him out. With the immediate battle over, Sandman decides to stick with Sandstorm while the wall-crawler tries to find Quicksand, who escaped in the confusion. As Marla is being taken to the hospital, Jameson thanks Joe for saving him and his wife. He also agrees to rehire Betty Brant, although she stipulates that she gets to write a follow-up story about Project Sandstorm. Jameson agrees, having already decided to shift the blame for everything on Spider-Man once again. Meanwhile, the wall-crawler is unable to find any trace of Quicksand and decides to head home. On the way there, he hopes that Sandstorm will not follow the same path as Quicksand. While back at the apartment Peter Parker shares with wife, Mary Jane checks their voicemails.[3] There are a number of calls from the publicist for Secret Hospital, as well as a call from Nick Katzenberg demanding to talk to Peter. Mary Jane, however, is too concerned about trying to figure out her relationship with Peter. Lighting up a cigarette, Mary Jane thinks about how she needs to quit this dirty habit and decides to quit tomorrow.[4]

Recurring Characters

Spider-Man, Sandman, Marla Madison, Mary Jane Watson, J. Jonah Jameson, Joe Robertson, Betty Brant, Sandstorm, Quicksand, Nick Katzenberg (voice)

Continuity Notes

Spider-Man remarks that working for Silver Sable has been good for the Sandman. The Sandman decided to reform in Marvel Two-In-One #86. He was offered a job by Silver Sable in Amazing Spider-Man #281. He has been a member of her Wild Pack since Silver Sable and the Wild Pack #1.
Sandman states he will not abandon Sandstorm as his own father did him. As explained in Marvel Two-In-One #86, Sandman's father abandoned him and his mother. More details about the Sandman's family life is explored further in Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man Annual #1.
Peter and Mary Jane are referred to as husband and wife here. However, years later, their marriage is erased from existence by Mephisto in Amazing Spider-Man #545. As such they should be considered a common-law couple here.
Mary Jane started smoking in Amazing Spider-Man #361 as a means of dealing with the stress of Peter being Spider-Man.

Tainted, Part 2

While attempting to stop a shipment of tainted anti-cancer drugs, Cardiac is ambushed by the Scorpion who had been hired to guard the shipment. Stunned by his foe, Cardiac summons his Hawk Glider, sending the Scorpion to knock him over. Cardiac then attached his Beta-Staff to the Hawk Glider in order to getaway. As he flies away, Cardiac uses his staff to blast the drugs into smithereens. Injured from his encounter with the Scorpion, Cardiac heads back to his lab so he can conduct repairs.

The following morning, Cardiac attacks Tamco Pharmaceutical's headquarters, leading to another battle with the Scorpion. This time, Cardiac defeats his foe by dropping him down an elevator shaft. He then confronts Greg Coruss, Tamco's CEO. Coruss warns Cardiac that if he dies, hundreds of workers would be put out of work and supply patents would be disrupted. Still, Cardiac kills him anyway. This is because his alter-ego, wealthy doctor Elias Wirtham, had purchased the company, stopping these things from happening.