Spectacular Spider-Man #98
True Confessions!
In his apartment, Peter Parker protests to himself about what he has to do. However, there is no avoiding the problem, so he pulls out his Spider-Man costume to get changed. He laments about how long it takes to get changed, after having the alien costume that followed his mental commands. Still, getting rid of it was the right thing, as it was trying to permanently bond to his body. As he leaps across the city, he finds none of the usual joy he gets from web-slinging. Part of him hopes that Felicia Hardy is not home, but unfortunately, her apartment light is on forcing Peter to proceed with what he must do. His arrival startles Felicia, but they both agree to talk. When Spider-Man tries to remove his mask so they can talk face-to-face, Felicia suggests that they go out swinging through the city. Spider-Man agrees but wants to stay focused on the task at hand.
Meanwhile, at the Kingpin's hideout, the crime boss meets with his scientists demanding results in creating a replacement for the Answer who was seemingly destroyed during the fight between Silvermane and Cloak and Dagger. The Kingpin points out how easily they were able to give the Black Cat her powers with the late Harlan Sitwell's machines. That's when scientist Jonathon Ohnn tells the Kingpin that they haven't had time to fully examine the equipment, however, he may have stumbled upon a discovery that will suit the Kingpin's needs. Jonathon shows the Kingpin his device which scanned the powers of Cloak and Dagger. Although Dagger's abilities blew out the scanners, he managed to get a reading on Cloak and may be able to replicate his powers. The Kingpin, preoccupied with his war with Micah Synn, tells Ohnn to proceed.
Jonathon Ohnn gets to work, trying to tap into the dimension that is the source of Cloak's power in his lab. Suddenly, a massive black portal opens before him. As the hole, in reality, begins to shimmer, Jonathon decides to take a once in a lifetime opportunity and walks through the portal. However, once he is on the other side Ohnn begins to scream. By this point, the portal overloads his equipment as it shuts down it causes a blackout across the city. This is noticed by Spider-Man who is briefly distracted by the event before begins his talk with the Black Cat. Meanwhile, outside the Baxter Building, the alien symbiote that briefly posed as Spider-Man's costume lurks in the darkness, seeking its former host, Spider-Man. Elsewhere, Spider-Man decides to postpone their talk. However, he's not interested in romance like the Black Cat, but to help whatever crisis arise during the blackout. As the couple stop a gang of looters, Spider-Man tries to explain to Felicia that he doesn't fight crime for kicks, but due to a sense of great responsibility. He tells her about how he got his powers from a radioactive spider and immediately started using his powers to become famous. However, this all changed the night he let a burglar getaway at the TV studio. The burglar went on to murder his Uncle Ben. Realizing this, he learned that with great power comes great responsibility.
As the pair stop an elderly couple from getting mugged, the Black Cat reminds the wall-crawler that he has already told her this story many times. She questions why he continues to let the baggage from this event continue to bring him down. She reminds him that her father was a top notch cat burglar when he was alive. She tells him about how she was mercillously teased by the nieghborhood kids. However, she proved them otherwise when she fellowed in her father's footsteps and no longer lives with any shame. However, Spider-Man doesn't think that is the right way to think of it, and asks her why she can't see how wrong this is. Those same words are mirrored across town as Betty Leeds is out on a dinner date with Flash Thompson. She feels guilty because she is married, however, Flash points out that they are just two lonely people spending time together due to their relationship problems. Betty relents, saying that she had to properly thank Flash for keeping her safe during the freak blizzard recently. The two agree that they are only good friends and cheers each other.
Back on the roof tops, the Black Cat points out the hypnocracy of Spider-Man keeping secrets. Telling him that she saw him going out alone looking for Cloak and Dagger after he said it was too dangerous to seach for them alone. Spider-Man points out that he was asleep at that moment, under the control of the alien symbiote that he wore as a costume. Meanwhile, Jonathon Ohnn wakes up in a strange white dimension with black portals all around him. He realizes that he was successful in tapping into the dimension that give Cloak his powers. When he reaches out to one of the black portals, he is suddenly pulled through. When he emerges back in the Kingpin's lab, Ohnn's wearing a totally white body suit covered in black spots. Curious as to what happened to him, Jonathon is shocked when he tries to touch one of the spots on his body and his hand goes straight through it. While on a rooftop, the Black Cat is about to tell him about where she got her powers when suddenly the power comes back on in the city. Despite this, she finally reveals that she got her powers from the Kingpin, explaining to the wall-crawler that he did it for him.
Spider-Man is horrified by this revelation, because she made a deal with one of his greatest foes. The Cat tries to explain that she paid her debt to the Kingpin by helping the Answer recover Silvermane's body from the city morgue. Spider-Man scolds her for doing so, pointing out how many people could have been hurt hadn't they stopped Silvermane. Suddenly, the roof under Spider-Man's feet begins to cave in. Quick thinking, Spider-Man tries to swing away by attaching a web to a nearby water tower. However, the wood is rotten and he ends up smashing through it. When the Black Cat comes to see if he is okay, the wall-crawler tells her to keep away. He thinks that her powers are somehow affecting him now, and the Cat admits that she doesn't have any control over them. She tries to tell Spider-Man not to turn away from her, but he tells the Cat that this revelation has given him a lot to think about. He tells her to meet him tomorrow so they can pay a visit to the Kingpin and learn the extent of the powers he had given her. As the lovers part company, the Black Cat worries about the fate of their relationship, while Spider-Man struggles to consider spending the rest of his life with the Black Cat.
While at the Kingpin's private lab, Jonathon Ohnn is amazed at his newfound powers. Deciding that he could be the Kingpin's new assassin, he decides to test out his abilities by eliminating Spider-Man.
Recurring Characters
Spider-Man, Black Cat, Flash Thompson, Betty Brant, Spot
Continuity Notes
Spider-Man obtained his alien costume in Marvel Super Heroes Secret Wars #8. He discovered it was alive and turned it over to the Fantastic Four in Amazing Spider-Man #258.
The Black Cat's reluctance to let Peter take off his mask is because she is attracted to Spider-Man, not Peter Parker. This was revealed in Peter Parker, The Spectacular Spider-Man #87.
The Anwer was seemingly disintegrated in Peter Parker, The Spectacular Spider-Man #96. However, he has survived in a disembodied form as seen in Lethal Foes of Spider-Man #1.
Harlan Sitwell was the brother of Farley Sitwell. Farley helped create the Scorpion and died in Amazing Spider-Man #20. His brother went on to create the Human Fly, but also met his demise in Amazing Spider-Man Annual #10. The Kingpin used Harlan's equipment to give the Black Cat her powers in Peter Parker, The Spectacular Spider-Man #89.
The Kingpin is currently in a conflict with Micah Synn for control of the New York City underworld. These events are chronicled in Daredevil #202-214.
The escape of the symbiote is a rather complicated affair. It escaped in Fantastic Four #274/Amazing Spider-Man #261. However, it was recaptured by Spider-Man and the Fantastic Four in Spider-Man/Fantastic Four #2. It's escape from the Baxter Building goes unnoticed here because the Baxter Building is destroyed shortly thereafter in Fantastic Four #278.
Peter got his powers, and learned the biggest lesson of his life in Amazing Fantasy #15.
The Black Cat's father, Walter Hardy, was sentenced to prison. She later broke him out while he was on his deathbed. These events were chronicled in Amazing Spider-Man #194-195.
Betty has been married to Ned Leeds since Amazing Spider-Man #156. She has been feeling neglected since her husband has been on assignment. Meanwhile, Flash has been having problems with his girlfriend, Sha Shan, since Peter Parker, The Spectacular Spider-Man #91.
The freak blizzard happened due to the fact that the Casket of Ancient Winters was opened, as seen in Thor #349-350 and Avengers #249. Flash kept Betty safe from Asgardian warriors in Peter Parker, The Spectacular Spider-Man #96.
The alien costume was taking Spider-Man out web-slining while he was asleep, as seen in Peter Parker, The Spectacular Spider-Man #95.
The Black Cat wanted to get powers so she could hold her own against Spider-Man's various super-powered foes as she was put in danger ever since she was injured during a battle with the Owl and Doctor Octopus in Peter Parker, The Spectacular Spider-Man #76.
The Black Cat helped the Answer recover Silvermane's body in Peter Parker, The Spectacular Spider-Man #93.
