Cold Hands Warm Art

It seems like a normal day in Times Square when suddenly a freak blizzard strikes. Swinging through the area, Spider-Man is just as surprised as the panicked citizens below. Spotting a sign snapping off the side of a building, Spider-Man stops it from falling on the Avenger's butler, Edwin Jarvis and Captain America's wartime ally Peggy Carter.[1] Spider-Man is assisted by Iceman, and the wall-crawler asks if his allies in X-Factor have figured out what's going on. Unfortunately, Iceman and his teammates have no answer for the sudden freak blizzard. When the crowd spots Iceman, they quickly blame him for the change in weather, prompting the mutant to make a speedy escape with Jarvis and Peggy. That's when the New Warriors arrive on the scene to assist bringing people to safety.[2] With the situation under control, Spider-Man swings off to check on his wife, Mary Jane, to make sure she is okay.[3]

The blizzard is being caused by the members of the Avant Guard. With the cold caused by Bora's mutant powers, the cockroach covered Painter has been altering the scene to the whims of his magical paints. However, he is furious that the focus of his painting, Spider-Man trapped in ice, has not happened. Furious, he lashes out at both Bora and Spark, reminding them how they have tortured artists before he gathered them together to participate in the Painter's mystical ceremonies to grant them absolute power. After tormenting them with his powers, the Painter sends his two minions out to find Spider-Man so he can succumb to the Painter's artistic whims. Meanwhile, Spider-Man cannot get through to the set of "Secret Hospital" to speak to his wife. When he tries to web-sling there, Spider-Man's webbing is blown away in the wind. With no other choice, the masked hero decides to hike it through the blowing snow. At that moment, the cast and crew of "Secret Hospital" are watching the news reports about the freak blizzard. Their worries about being stranded are cut short when Mary Jane arrives with food and tries to take their mind off the current crisis. Elsewhere in the city, the Avengers are trying to clear up the snow as best they can. However, as much as Hercules and She-Hulk shovel the snow more falls from the sky. Upon the rooftops, Thor tries to use his command of the storm to stop the blizzard, but find that it is out of his power. Captain America grimly hopes that the blizzard ends soon as the entire population of New York are at risk.[4]

Not far away, Spider-Man saves Marcy Masterson and her son Kevin, whose car is trapped in the snow. As he gets them to shelter, the wall-crawler's spider-sense begins going off. He just narrowly avoids being attacked by Spark. Although Spark is in his larger electrified form, he is ill-suited to fight in the ice and snow. Spider-Man ultimately defeats him, forcing Spark to revert to normal. However, this leads the wall-crawler is whipped up in Bora's winds. Slammed into a wall, the hero is confronted by Bora who gloats about how she and her teammates are going to kill him for the sake of their art. When Spider-Man squirts webbing into her face, Bora kees him in the chest. Falling to the ground, the web-slinger is knocked into a pile of snow by Spark. Pulling himself out of the snow, Spider-Man tries to defend himself but he suddenly begins to freeze all over. When the Painter and his cockroaches arrive they witness as Spider-Man is completely encased in ice.

Recurring Characters

Spider-Man, Mary Jane Watson, Avant Guard (Painter, Spark, Bora), Edwin Jarvis, Peggy Carter, Iceman, New Warriors (Night Thrasher, Firestar, Marvel Boy, Nova, Namorita, Speedball), Avengers (Captain America, Thor, Hercules, She-Hulk), Kevin Masterson, Marcy Masterson

Continuity Notes

1. How Peggy Carter can be alive in the modern age becomes increasingly difficult as the Sliding Timescale pushes it forward. It could be presumed that she had access to a process that slows her aging given her association with Nick Fury and others who have slowed aging.

2. Spider-Man and Firestar react as though they are meeting for the first time. However, they have met previously, as seen in Spider-Man Family Featuring Amazing Friends #1. However, that story was published years later, hence it's omission here.

3. Peter and Mary Jane are referred to as husband and wife here. However, years later, their marriage was erased from existence by the demon Mephisto in Amazing Spider-Man #545. As such, they should be considered a common-law couple as opposed to husband and wife.

4. Captain America states that the population of Manhattan is 8 million people. This should be considered a topical reference as the population of Manhattan has since grown.