Web of Spider-Man Annual #8
The Dark At the End of the Tunnel
This story continues from The Spectacular Spider-Man Annual #12...
While searching for the other New Warriors at a secret Target Technologies lab, Spider-Man and Silhouette are ambushed by the Rhino, Bombshell, and Stiletto. While Spider-Man dodges attacks from both Rhino and Stiletto, Silhouette uses her abilities to meld into shadows to sneak up behind Bombshell and knock her out with one of her crutches. While elsewhere in the facility, Night Thrasher faces off alone against Blacklash and Boomerang. Thrasher manages to deflect an explosive boomerang back at his foe. The blast knocks out Boomerang but leaves Night Thrasher open to attack from Blacklash. As the pair prepare to resume their attack on Night Thrasher, he tosses down a pile of ball bearings and spurs. As the villains trip themselves up, Night Thrasher continues on his search looking for his missing teammate Speedball.[1] Meanwhile, Spider-Man manages to take down Stiletto, but Bombshell manages to set off a flash bomb that eliminates every shadow in the area, leaving Silhouette open to being attacked by the Rhino.
In yet another part of the facility, Nova and Namoritta face off against Discus, Speed Demon, and the Beetle. While Nova tricks Speed Demon into running into a shipping crate, while Namorita turns Beetle into the path of one of Discus' weapons. Discus and Speed Demon flee the scene, leaving Beetle behind. Demanding answers, Beetle doesn't know where Speedball is being kept. The pair leaves him tied up while they continue their search. At that moment, Rhino runs off with Silhouette. Still having to deal with Bombshell, Spider-Man tags his ally with a spider-tracer so he can track her down later. The wall-crawler then uses a web-line to toss a stun bomb back at Bombshell, knocking her out, allowing Spider-Man to follow after the Rhino. While in another part of the facility, Firestar is ambushed by Hydro-Man and the Constrictor. She uses her microwave blasts to evaporate Hydro-Man's body. When Constrictor tries to crush her in his coils, Firestar channels her powers through the villain's coils causing him enough pain to let go. Slipping into the next room, she shuts the door and uses her powers to seal it shut. Looking around, Firestar spots the dissected corpse of Auric of Gamma Flight. Seeing the hero in this state, Firestar begins fears the worst about her teammate Speedball.
Meanwhile, at the boardroom of the secret consortium of businessmen who have put this plan in order, their mysterious leader learns that everything is going according to plan. Back in the facility, Spider-Man manages to find a control room and uses it to find Silhouette faster than tracking his spider-tracer. At that moment, Night Thrasher and Firestar are reunited only to be chased down the hall by Rhino, Speed Demon, Discus, Stiletto, and Bombshell. By this time, Spider-Man can't find any information on his ally and decides to continue following the signal on his spider-tracer. Finding himself at a crossroads, he finds himself having to choose following the signal down one corridor or following the sounds of battle going down another. In another part of the facility, Nova and Namorita find a kinetic dampener and suspect that Target Technologies are developing devices to counter the abilities of super-heroes. Continuing their search, they are ambushed by Hydro-Man and the Constrictor. Creating a massive tidal wave, Hydro-Man washes the pair down the hall to where Night Thrasher and Firestar are in the middle of battle. The addition of more villains to the fight starts working against the New Warriors. However, the tide of battle turns when Spider-Man arrives to lend a hand. By this point, the villains' retreat, sealing a door behind them. After recovering from the attack, Spider-Man and the New Warriors decide to follow after the villains. Smashing through the door, they enter a room where Silver has been suspended in a massive globe. She tells them that her kidnappers have been conducting horrible experiments on her. When they offer to free her, she warns them that her containment unit is rigged with alarms and tells them to move onto the next chamber and free the others first.
As they continue down the hall, Spider-Man begins picking up the spider-tracer he planted on Silhouette. They continue on until they enter a darkened room. From there, Firestar uses her powers to illuminate the room. They are shocked to discover that it is a dead end and that there are a group of men watching over them. Suddenly the door behind them closes, and the floor opens up trapping the heroes into a sphere. Unable to break free, they spot Speedball contained in a cylinder and Silhouette locked into a chair. That's when the mysterious leader of this group reveals himself as the Sphinx. He then shows the heroes the success of their work. Activating a device, it begins siphoning Speedball's kinetic energy that causes Spider-Man and the other New Warriors to begin bouncing around inside their trap. Soon the kinetic force will increase in strength threatening to smash the heroes to a pulp.
This story is continued in New Warriors Annual #2...
Recurring Characters
Spider-Man, New Warriors (Night Thrasher, Firestar, Namorita, Nova, Silhouette, Speedball), Sphinx, Justin Hammer, Carlton Drake, Jonas Hale, Sinister Syndicate (Beetle, Boomerang, Hydro-Man, Rhino, Speed Demon), Blacklash, Constrictor, Bombshell, Stiletto, Discus, Auric, Silver
Continuity Notes
Speedball has been missing since he was captured by Target Technologies back in Amazing Spider-Man Annual #26.
First Kill Part 3
This story continues from The Spectacular Spider-Man Annual #12...
Investigating the murder of his neighbor Ernesto Mendez, Eddie Brock and his symbiote went to the Markham Machine Company. After discovering Ernesto's nephew Pablo, Brock was staggered by a sudden fire. His symbiote fearing the flames tries to pull away. However, Eddie talks the creature into bonding with him again, promising that he will not abandon the creature. Becoming Venom again, Brock slams his fists on the ground so hard, he shatters the concrete floor. Sending himself and Pablo falling down to the level below.
By now, Venom has figured out that Pablo betrayed his uncle, Pablo explains that his uncle will be singing a different tune when he sees the money he got for selling his patent design to the company. That's when Venom informs the boy that his uncle was murdered by the same people he was sold out too. In order to deal with the situation, Venom webs Pablo up to the ceiling and continue searching the facility. Soon, Mister Markham arrives at the facility and demands that the situation be taken under control.
That's when Venom attacks, easily taking out Markham's bodyguards. When Venom accuses him of murdering Ernesto, Markham burns the only copy of Enresto's valve design. With no evidence that he was responsible, Markham boasts that he won't be going to jail. Realizing that this is true, Venom decides to take the law into his own hand. Snaring the crooked businessman in his symbiote's tendrils he throws Markham over the railing and into a vat of molten metal, killing him instantly.
Later, Eddie Brock has brought Pablo to the Blessing Home for Wayward Boys. There, he explains that Pablo has suffered enough because of the murder of his uncle. Brock explains that he has a second chance to live a life of innocence, telling the boy that he can change or continue down his own destructive pass. Taking Eddie's words to heart, Pablo knocks on the door and asks the nun who answers for help.
Back at his apartment, the symbiote asks Eddie if it can permanently bond with him. With nothing less to lose, Brock agrees and he and the symbiote bond. Venom pronounces that with great power comes great responsibility... as well as revenge.
Recurring Characters
Eddie Brock
Security Gauntlet
The Black Cat has answered an invitation from millionaire Lester Cromwell to test out his security system to make sure his valuables are safe. As they enter the mansion, a watery hand emerges from the nearby swimming pool. After seeing the security system installed by Vaughn Securities, Felicia agrees to try and infiltrate the system.
Later that night, the Black Cat uses her grappling hook to get past the front gate and across the lawn to the upper floors of the mansion. As she breaks into the facility, a puddle of water comes out of the pool and slips under the front door.
However, as she takes the dumbwaiter down to the secured room, she is ambushed by Hydro-Man who has come to steal Cromwell's artifacts. Although she is caught off guard, Felicia manages to defeat her foe by tricking him into crashing into a massive piece of cloth. She then traps him inside a display case.
Later, Cromwell is satisfied by the Black Cat's work, telling her that he will put the good word into her to Vaughn Securities so she can get a job as a security consultant.
Recurring Characters
Black Cat, Hydro-Man
Down Memory Lane
While doing some house cleaning, Peter Parker comes across a shoebox of old photographs of a number of his team-ups. The oldest one is a picture of the time that he and the Human Torch battled the Green Goblin.[1] He finds another photo of him working alongside the Punisher, although he doesn't remember who Frank Castle was shooting at in that particular photo. He finds more, a photo of himself with Silver Sable, Captain America, Daredevil, and Doctor Strange.[2]
He then finds a photo of himself kissing the Black Cat from back when they dated and decides to hide it before Mary Jane comes home.[3] He then finds a photo of the time he clashed with Wolverine in Germany.[4] The next photo he finds is of Cloak and Dagger and remembers how they have always been a tight combo since the first day he met them.[5] He then finds a photo of himself as a member of the short-lived "New" Fantastic Four.[6] However, when he thinks about his greatest team-up of all time, it is his marriage to Mary Jane. Looking at their wedding photo, Peter hopes that she returns home soon.[7]
Recurring Characters
Spider-Man
Continuity Notes
Spider-Man and the Torch battled the Green Goblin in Amazing Spider-Man #17
He mentions how the Kingpin was recently messing with Daredevil's head. That was in Daredevil #297-300. The photo in particular depicts Spider-Man and Daredevil's battle in Daredevil #16.
Spider-Man and the Black Cat dated from Peter Parker, The Spectacular Spider-Man #75-100.
This battle happened in Spider-Man Versus Wolverine #1.
Spider-Man first met Cloak and Dagger in Peter Parker, The Spectacular Spider-Man #64. Peter mentions how they went through some changes because since the last time he saw the pair and hopes it was nothing serious. At the time of this story, the last time that Spider-Man worked with Cloak and Dagger was Web of Spider-Man #77-78.
Spider-Man recalls how he tried to join the Fantastic Four early on in his career, as seen in Amazing Spider-Man #1. The "New" Fantastic Four lasted from Fantastic Four #347-349 and Spider-Man / Fantastic Four #2.
After the change in the timeline by Mephisto in Amazing Spider-Man #545 history was altered in which Peter and Mary Jane never got married. However, Amazing Spider-Man #638-639 shows that they remained engaged. As such, in the new timeline, one would can assume that Peter is looking at a regular photo of them as opposed to a wedding photo.
Evil's Light, Part 3: Charge of the Light Brigade
This story continues from The Spectacular Spider-Man Annual #12...
Cloak has tracked down Lightmaster to the facility where he had absconded with Dagger. Lightmaster has increased in size thanks to a special harness that has leeched some of Dagger's light powers. As he blasts Cloak, Dagger laps onto his back from a catwalk and damages the harness.
As he begins to shrink, Lightmaster tries to flee, but is pulled into the Dark Dimension inside Cloak. That's when Genetech's Light Brigade storm the facility and demand that the pair turn over Lightmaster. As it turns out, he made a deal to work with them and allow them to learn how his powers work. Cloak initially refuses and tries to pull them into his cloak. However, Dagger tells him to stop and give them what they want. Cloak obliges, but by this point, all that's left of Lightmaster is a skeleton in a jumpsuit.
They warn the Genetech scientists that they will be keeping an eye on them in the future.
Recurring Characters
Cloak, Dagger, Lightmaster