Spectacular Spider-Man #50
Dilemma!
Spider-Man has bound the Smuggler after exposing his operations. However, low on web-fluid and needing his free hand to subdue his foe, Spider-Man wonders what to do next. The Smuggler warns the wall-crawler that as soon as he gets down he will renew their fight. With time running out, the hero decides to check on the Smuggler's henchmen. As he walks into the next room, those same henchmen are waiting to ambush him. However, thanks to Spider-Man's spider-sense warns him of the impending attack and he puts the Smuggler out ahead of him. As expected, the thugs attack their own leader knocking him out. Spider-Man then uses the Smuggler as a weapon against his own minions, knocking them all out. With all his foes down, Spider-Man can finally change his web-cartridge and webs them all up for the authorities. Before he leaves, the Smugglers comes around, forcing Spider-Man to double up his binds and take him on the subway back into the city to deliver to Lieutenant Kris Keating. On the train, the Smuggler breaks loose of his bonds and knocks Spider-Man off the train. The two start fighting in the tunnel, but the fight ends when Spider-Man knocks the Smuggler onto the electrified third rail, knocking the Smuggler out. When some subway employees tell him that they have called the cops and that they will be there soon. Satisfied with this, Spider-Man takes off so he can go home and get some rest.
When Peter returns home to his apartment, he remembers that he is supposed to meet his Aunt May and her new fiancee the following night for dinner. Wanting to bring a date he calls Debra Whitman. Even though it's late, she is happy to hear from him and agrees to join him. The following morning, Debora meets with him outside the Restwell Nursing Home. There he expresses his fears about Aunt May's current engagement, relating to the time that she was once almost duped into marrying Doctor Octopus. Debra tells Peter that sometimes you have to take risks for love. Inside, Peter is surprised to discover that May's fiancee is wheelchair bound Nathan Lubenski, whom Peter met a few days earlier. The four people head to a bistro. Peter is uptight at first, and when Debra notices and tells Peter to loosen up. As they leave the Restwell Retirement Home, none are aware that someone is watching them from a nearby car. The man orders his minions to be prepared for something called Operation Interception.
Later, at the bistro, Peter and Debora get to know Nathan a bit more, and how he used to have a career in show business. Peter finds himself torn since he wants Aunt May to be happy, but can't stand the way Nathan looks at her because it's the same way that his Uncle Ben used to look at her. This causes Peter to think back to his adolescence growing up in his aunt and uncle's home. Peter once more recounts the radioactive spider-bite that gave him his powers, his becoming Spider-Man to get into show business. Lastly, he remembers the night he let a burglar get away, and how a few nights later this same man fatally shot his Uncle Ben. The guilt of this discovery is something that Peter still lives with to this day. Debra notices Peter's lost in thought and asks him what he is thinking of.
Suddenly, Peter's spider-sense begins going off warning him of danger. Looking around he notices that all the other customers are gone and the wait staff has congregated at the end of the restaurant. Peter confronts them as they approach the table and that's when Peter discovers that they are wearing disguises. Peter rips the mask off of one of the waiters and is shocked to find an alien face behind it. The other waiters pull off their masks, revealing alien faces underneath. Peter recognizes these aliens as the ones that worked with the Tinkerer years ago during his early days as Spider-Man. Peter and Nathan try to defend the women and get the edge when Lubenski turns out the lights allowing Peter to cut loose with his strength. However, this fails when one of the aliens manages to get a gun pointed at the women. Peter is confused when the aliens want to know the location of the secret stash of mobster Dutch Malone. Peter recalls that this is the mobster who hid money in his Aunt May's home years ago and wonders why aliens would be so interested in something as ridiculous as money.
Not wishing the others to get hurt, Peter tells the aliens that only he knows the location of Dutch Malone's lost fortune. The aliens then tie Peter up with a bolo and take him aboard their ship. After it takes off, Peter is brought to the alien's leader. Parker is shocked to discover that it is his old foe Mysterio.
Recurring Characters
Spider-Man, Mysterio, Debra Whitman, Aunt May, Nathan Lubensky, Smuggler
Continuity Notes
Peter recalls meeting Nathan Lubenski a few days prior to this story. That was in Peter Parker, The Spectacular Spider-Man #47.
Nathan Lubenski makes reference to how he performed in a USO show where he and comedian Jerry Colonna played a prank on Bob Hope. This should be considered a topical reference per the Sliding Timescale of Earth-616.
Peter recounts some of the events leading to his becoming Spider-Man, particularly the death of Uncle Ben, as it was told in Amazing Fantasy #15.
These "aliens" that Peter and his Aunt look exactly like the aliens that Spider-Man faced years ago in Amazing Spider-Man #2. Per the Sliding Timescale of Earth-616, the events of that story and this happened roughly five years ago.
The aliens are looking for the fortune owned by Dutch Malone. As revealed in Amazing Spider-Man #200, Dutch Malone used to own the home that Aunt May later lived in with Uncle Ben. It was the reason why the burglar attempted to rob the Parker home on the night Uncle Ben was shot. Peter later learned that the money was destroyed years ago by silverfish in Aunt May's basement.
A Killer Elite!
The White Tiger and his ally Blackbyrd are trying to learn the identity of the men responsible for killing Hector Ayala's family. To this end, they have cornered a petty hood named Lou Gunther for answers. Gunther swears he doesn't know who is responsible, however, he heard that there was some out of town muscle might be responsible. The White Tiger demands to know more, but all Lou can tell him is that these men are holed up in the South Bronx either in an old candy store an empty storefront.
As White Tiger leaps off to follow this lead, leaving Blackbyrd concerned for the White Tiger's safety. He attempts to call the local precinct for help, but he cannot find a payphone that is is in working order. Meanwhile, the White Tiger arrives in the South Bronx and checks the burned out candy store first. Inside, he almost lets his rage get the better of him but stops himself from harming a homeless man whose only crime was finding shelter for the night. The White Tiger then checks the empty storefront. Inside he finds an elderly man sitting at a table. This man turns out to be the terrorist known as Gideon Mace, who has set a trap for the White Tiger. The hero is swarmed by Gideon's minions, Mace explains that he and his men have come to New York to eliminate its population of super-heroes and he is going to make the White Tiger one of his first victims.
Recurring Characters
White Tiger, Blackbyrd, Gideon Mace
Continuity Notes
This story has multiple mentions of the time that White Tiger publicly revealed his secret identity. That happened in Peter Parker, The Spectacular Spider-Man #20.
