Amazing Spider-Man #341
With(out) Great Power...
After a near death experience, Spider-Man has come to Doctor Turner whose scanning machine can strip him of his spider-powers.[1] After being exposed to the rays, Spider-Man tells Turner to shut it off because he can't handle the pain anymore. After the machine is shut off, Spider-Man runs some tests to make sure that his spider-powers are gone. Sure enough, his wall-crawling, super-strength, and spider-sense are all gone and thanks Turner before leaving. He is unaware that Doctor Turner has ulterior motives for stripping Spider-Man of his abilities. As the powerless hero goes up to the roof he thinks about his decision to get rid of his powers. After the death of Aunt May's fiancee Nathan Lubenski, he is the only one that May has left.[2] He further justifies this since only his wife Mary Jane knows he is really Spider-Man.[3] Instinctively web-slinging to get home, Spider-Man stops himself when he remembers that he doesn't have his spider-strength or agility anymore. Fearing his safety, Spider-Man climbs back up onto the roof and resigns to the fact that he's going to have to go home by foot.
Back inside Doctor Turner's office, the doctor asks his secretary to get him some grapes. He then begins to muse at the good fortune he had purchasing his scanning device from the Tinkerer. While at the secret hideout of the Tarantula, hidden in an inconspicuous garbage scowl on the Hudson River, the villain gets a call from government agent Gulliver South. South tells the Tarantula that Spider-Man has recently lost his powers and that he can get revenge on the hero for interfering with his mission to eliminate Delvadian refugees living in New York.[4] Wondering how South got this information, Gulliver tells him that he has access to lots of information. However, this call was not made by South, it is actually Doctor Turner in disguise. When his secretary returns with grapes, he slaps her across the face for failing to peel them first. Later, in Soho, Peter and Mary Jane return home to their apartment. Along the way, Peter explains how strange it is to be a normal person again. When they get to their front door they find Flash Thompson and Felicia Hardy waiting for them. They have come to invite the Parkers along with them for a picnic in Central Park. Much to Mary Jane and Felicia's surprise, Peter thinks this is a great idea and invites their couple inside while he makes a few phone calls. Inside, Mary Jane pulls Peter aside and asks why he wants to go on a picnic with Flash and Felicia especially since they know that Felicia is only dating Thompson because she wants to get back at Peter for marrying Mary Jane.[5] However, Peter isn't concerned anymore since he is no longer Spider-Man, pointing out that Felicia was only attracted to Spider-Man.[6]
When Peter calls his Aunt May to invite her along, she turns down the offer as she is still processing Nathan's death. She lets her go when there is a knock at the door. It's the new mailman, Willie Lumpkin who has brought a letter from May's friend Anna Watson in Florida. He tells her that it had insufficient postage, but tells her it's on him this time and bids her a good day. As Lumpkin leaves, Aunt May can't help but notice what a kind "young man" the elderly letter carrier is. At that moment, at a block party being thrown to raise money to provide refuge for Delvadian refugees. The ceremonies are hosted by Padre Enrique Lopez. As he talks to the media, the festivities are interrupted by gunfire. The shots are fired by the Tarantula's men, who distract the authorities so the Tarantula can dispatch them with his poison-tipped foot spikes. The Padre asks the Tarantula what he wants, and the villain explains that he wants revenge against Spider-Man. Meanwhile, in Central Park, Peter and Flash enjoy tossing a frisbee around. After, Flash suggests they get some ice cream, but only he and Felicia are interested. Left alone, Mary Jane points out that Felicia seems less catty this time around. Peter figures that she is having a great time like they are. At the ice cream stand, Flash surprises Felicia with a heart-shaped locket much to her surprise. When they return to Peter and Mary Jane they all overhear a radio report about the Tarantula's challenge to Spider-Man. Peter rushes off to do something about it, even though he doesn't have powers anymore. Flash grabs Felicia and heads that way as well, thinking that Spider-Man might need help. Mary Jane tries to keep calm and collected but can't and resigns to go with the others.
Peter rushes home to get his Spider-Man costume and decides to go into action as he cannot allow Father Lopez die before of him. Clumsily swinging through the window into the building where the priest is being held hostage. Even though he is without his powers, Spider-Man is limber enough to dodge the Tarantula's strikes for the time being. While outside, a SWAT team prepares to storm the building, Flash fears that Spider-Man might get shot and rushes into the building himself. Mary Jane also notices that Felicia managed to slip away while nobody was looking, leaving Mary Jane to wonder how many people she is going to lose this day. Back inside, Spider-Man manages to drop a crate full of streamers which distract him long enough for the wall-crawler to land a blow. Surprisingly, hitting his enemy actually hurts his hand. Elsewhere, Flash Thompson manages to get the drop on one of the Tarantula's minions and gets his weapon. As Spider-Man is busy dodging the Tarantula's strikes, Flash manages to get the Padre and covers his escape with gunfire. While the Tarantula is distracted, Spider-Man flees the scene. However, the danger has not passed as the Tarantula manages to catch up to Flash and strike him with his poisoned tipped boots.
Before he can land the fatal strike, the Tarantula is attacked by Felicia. She knocks out the Tarantula with her powers. When Spider-Man asks why she risked her life for Flash, she lies telling him that she can't break his heart if he is dead. Soon the authorities start forcing their way inside, prompting Spider-Man to leave. Outside, Peter and Mary Jane are reunited, and Felicia goes with Flash to the hospital. On her way out, Felicia tells Peter that she hopes that he was able to take some great photos, saying that Spider-Man wasn't himself, hinting that she knows that he lost his powers. Meanwhile, Doctor Turner has heard that his recent ploy to destroy Spider-Man has failed and goes through his computer records for another agent. He settles on Spider-Man's old foe the Scorpion and decides that he would be perfect for this operation.
Recurring Characters
Spider-Man, Mary Jane Watson, Felicia Hardy, Flash Thompson, Aunt May, Tarantula, Chameleon, Willie Lumpkin, Enrique Lopez
Continuity Notes
This man is actually the Chameleon as revealed in Amazing Spider-Man #344.
Nathan Lubenski died of heart failure in Amazing Spider-Man #336.
Mary Jane revealed that she knows that Peter is Spider-Man in Amazing Spider-Man #257. They are referred to as husband and wife here. However, years later, their marriage is erased from history 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.
Spider-Man foiled the Tarantula's plan in The Spectacular Spider-Man #137.
Peter and Felicia used to date, but broke up in Peter Parker, The Spectacular Spider-Man #100. Peter and Mary Jane later got married in Amazing Spider-Man Annual #21. When Felicia found out, she started Flash out of revenge in Amazing Spider-Man #329.
Peter discovered that Felicia was only attracted to Spider-Man when he revealed to her his secret identity in Peter Parker, The Spectacular Spider-Man #87.
