Spectacular Spider-Man #71
With This Gun...I Thee Kill!
When two kids try to rob a grocery with illegal guns, Spider-Man is there to try and stop them, however, the shop owner is also armed and shoots one of the thieves dead. Later when turning over pictures to the Bugle, Peter hears J. Jonah Jameson talking about a tip-off of a shipment of illegal weapons.
Peter goes into action as Spider-Man and tries to stop the shipment, however, a police officer is killed in the line of duty in spite of Spider-Man helping stop the operation. When Peter goes to turn in his pictures to the Bugle, he's a little more than disgusted by Lance Bannon's suggestion that Peter should get a Pulitzer, and considers that the widow of the officer killed will only be getting a posthumous medal. It's a bitter victory for stopping gun crime, as Jameson comes in and tells them that even though there was this huge bust, there were still 12 reported shootings in the city that night.
Recurring Characters
Spider-Man, J. Jonah Jameson, Joe Robertson, Lance Bannon
Continuity Notes
Joe Robertson informs Peter about gun violence statistics. The figures are from the year 1980-1981. Obviously, this is a topical reference per the Sliding Timescale of Earth-616.
