Web of Spider-Man #89
A Rose by Any Other Name
Having completely embraced his legacy as the Kingpin of Crime, Richard Fisk sends out a call to the other crime bosses in the city.[1] However, only a small number of low ranking members show up as the rival bosses think Richard is a joke. This suits Richard just fine, as he wanted to send a message to the other mobs. Exiting the room, he orders his Praetorian Guard to kill them all and send body parts back to their employers. Hopping into his limo, Fisk is asked by the leader of the Praetorian Guard asks about the hit on Peter Parker. Through his sources at the Daily Bugle, Richard has learned that the damaging photo the appeared in the Bugle was actually taken by Nick Katzenberg and Parker's name ended up the byline due to a printing error. Richard calls off the hit on Parker and orders Katzenberg brought to him.
Meanwhile, Peter and his wife Mary Jane have been hiding out in a hotel.[2] Mary Jane thinks the danger to Peter and their family is over and suggests that they get back to their normal lives. However, Peter is not convinced. When room service arrives with the current edition of the Daily Bugle. Seeing the retraction of Peter's photo credit is enough to satisfy Mary Jane. Unfortunately, Peter still wants to bring Richard Fisk to justice for killing the Rose and goes out as Spider-Man to search for him. Meanwhile, at his Brooklyn hideout, Blood Rose practices his shooting abilities. After shoots all the targets, Blood Rose feels that he is ready to go after Richard Fisk. While on the Upper West Side, Richard presents a wedding ring to his fiancee Rebecca. Their dinner celebrations are cut short when Fisk is called away on business.
At that moment, Spider-Man is following his only lead, the Triad Brothers, who tried to cash in on the hit on Peter Parker. Since they are employed by Deathwatch, the wall-crawler goes to the office building in Greenwich Village that Deathwatch was operated out of. However, he finds the office building in ruins. That's when he is ambushed by the Hobgoblin who explains that Deathwatch and his crew recently ran afoul of the Ghost Rider.[3] However, the villain explains that he hasn't come to fight Spider-Man, but get his help taking down Richard Fisk, as Fisk betrayed him. Spider-Man agrees, since the Hobgoblin knows where to find Fisk, but he will keep a close eye on his foe. By this time, Richard Fisk and his men arrive at the Brooklyn warehouse where the Rose used to operate. A letter, claiming to be from the Rose, is what has brought Fisk here. When his guards ask to go in first, Fisk tells them to wait outside as this is a private matter. Inside, some of Richard's men disobey his orders and are mowed down by Blood Rose. Blood Rose accuses Richard for becoming the very thing that they were trying to stop. However, Richard is unwilling to listen to reason and the pair comes to blows.
While at Nick Katzenberg's apartment, the sleazy photographer is frantically packing his bags in order to get out of town. As he does so, he wonders why it couldn't be Peter Parker instead of him. Back in Brooklyn, Richard Fisk's guards are ambushed by Spider-Man and the Hobgoblin. They make quick work of the guards and go inside where the one-on-one battle between Richard and Blood Rose continues. While Spider-Man is still pre-occupied, Hobgoblin gets ahead and tries throw one of his razor-bats at Richard Fisk. Unfortunately, Spider-Man leaps in and stops him. He then leaps between Blood Rose and Fisk and demands to know what is going on. However, neither men are willing to talk, angring Spider-Man. His spider-sense buzzing, the wall-crawler dodges one of Hobgoblin's weapons. While Spider-Man is busy fighting off the Hobgoblin, Richard Fisk tries to make a run for it. This leaves him open for attack by Blood Rose who shoots him in the back. The shot causes Richard to smash through a window and fall into the waters outside the warehouse. Horrified, Spider-Man leaps into the water to recover Richard's body but finds no trace of him. Returning to the warehouse, both Blood Rose and Hobgoblin have fled. Finding a rose on the ground, Spider-Man picks it up and crushes it in his hand, vowing to one day bring Blood Rose to justice.
Recurring Characters
Spider-Man, Mary Jane Watson, Kingpin, Blood Rose, Hobgoblin, Nick Katzenberg
Continuity Notes
This is not actually Richard Fisk, but his best friend Alfredo Morelli. As revealed in Web of Spider-Man #100, Alfredo underwent plastic surgery to disguise himself as Richard as part of their scheme to bring the Kingpin down. The real Richard Fisk is actually Blood Rose.
Peter and Mary Jane are referred to as husband and wife here. However, years later, their marriage was erased from history by Mephisto in Amazing Spider-Man #545. As such they should be considered a common-law couple.
The battle between Ghost Rider and Deathwatch again in Ghost Rider Vol 3 #24.
