Spectacular Spider-Man #199
Falling!
After defeating Professor Power, Spider-Man and the X-Men finds themselves trapped within his flying castle as it falls to the ground. Unwilling to abandon ship with Power's crew still on board, the heroes all agree to try and stop the castle from falling out of the sky. While Spider-Man leads most of the X-Men to the control room while Archangel flies to the ground below to get people out of the landing zone. Back inside, Spider-Man and Beast try to make sense of the controls. With time running out, the rest of the X-Men plead for them to stop gushing over the design of the control panel and do something. Surprisingly, all they needed to do is press the "brake" to make it stop. As they disembark from the floating castle, they notice Professor Power's Centurions trying to escape. The heroes then quickly wrap up the soldiers. Soon, SHIELD has come to take the soldiers and castle away. In the aftermath of the battle, Jean Grey thanks Spider-Man for his help, calling him a good friend. With the danger over, Spider-Man says his goodbyes and makes the long trek back to New York City.
On the train ride back, Spider-Man begins to think about the worst case scenario if he had died in that last battle but quickly puts it out of his mind. Exhausted after the whole ordeal, Spider-Man takes a nap and sleeps most of the ride back. When he wakes up, he can't wait to get home to his wife Mary Jane.[1] However, Peter remembers that he left his parents at lunch to battle Professor Power and they are likely worried sick about him. However, he can hardly believe that his parents are back from the dead, and can't help but worry that this is some sick trick played on him by one of his foes.[2] He hopes it isn't, but he can't help but think that way after the times he was manipulated into thinking that Gwen Stacy was still alive.[3] He doesn't want to be cynical, but he can't help but think of what parents had done to Mary Jane and Harry Osborn.[4]
Later, in Forest Hills, Richard and Mary Parker are still waiting to hear a word from Peter. When Aunt May tries to tell them that Peter has been a capable young man since high school. This upsets Mary who thinks that May is rubbing in the fact that she raised Peter without them. As Richard calms his wife down, Peter finally arrives, much to their relief. However, Richard is furious at Peter for making himself and his wife worry like such. He begins yelling Peter and pointing in his face. This sours Peter's mood, and he tells his father to stop pointing at him, and dictating his life as he has an important job to do and they hardly know each other. With that, Peter storms out of the room, leaving Richard speechless. A moment later, Richard finds Peter and apologizes for his reaction. He admits that he doesn't know Peter very well, but neither does Peter know much about him. He suggests that instead of trying to be father and son right away, they should try and become friends first. Peter agrees to give it a try. Later, Peter is on the subway back home in Soho. The whole ride down he thinks about how much time he missed with his parents and how well his Aunt May and Uncle Ben raised him. As he thinks, a young man gets on the train and begins harassing a woman across the aisle from Peter. When she tells him to leave her alone, the man begins trying to harass Peter. At first, Parker tries to ignore it, but having a finger pointed in his face again gets him angry. Peter then grabs the youth by the wrist but stops himself when he cries in pain.
Getting off the subway, Peter walks the rest of the way home. He discovers that this whole situation has been wearing him down. In fact, he feels the same way he did before he had his recent run-in with the Black Crow.[5] As he enters his building and takes the elevator up, Peter's spider-sense begins going off. He is shocked to discover Harry Osborn and his family in his apartment with Mary Jane. This comes as a shock because Peter thought Harry was still locked away in the Vault.[6] He learns that Harry's lawyers managed to get him released on technicalities. When Peter asks where Liz's step-brother Mark is, Harry said he was given a job in California. As he explains his new found freedom, Harry begins to sweat profusely and then becomes faint. Since Harry has been having fainting spells, Liz suggests that they go back to their apartment downstairs. Before they leave, Harry remarks how much they have been through together, and how said it is. As the elevator closes, his final words are how he is going to see the Parkers very soon.
After the Osborns are gone, Mary Jane asks her husband what they are going to do. Peter quickly grabs his wife by the arm and pulls her into their bedroom. He begins packing a bag for her, telling her that she needs to get out of town until he can deal with Harry. However, Mary Jane refuses to run this time, pointing out that they are partners and they need to work together. When Peter insists on this, Mary Jane storms out of the apartment, slamming the door behind her. Peter is so angry, that he grabs a statue off the wall and tosses it so hard it embeds into the wall. Checking his anger, Peter refuses to allow Harry to affect his life once more. Peter goes downstairs and demands to talk to Harry. However, Liz tells him that Harry isn't home in bed like they thought and that he doesn't have anything to be worried about. Not far, down the street, she thinks over the state of her marriage and how Peter's life as Spider-Man keeps on encroaching in on their normal lives. Mary Jane stops dead in her tracks when she hears someone call out her name. Turning around, Mary Jane is horrified to see the Green Goblin looming over her. Reaching out for Mary Jane, the Goblin tells her that they need to talk.
Recurring Characters
Spider-Man, Mary Jane Watson, Aunt May, Liz Osborn, “Richard and Mary Parker”, Normie Osborn, Green Goblin, X-Men (Cyclops, Jean Grey, Iceman, Beast, Archangel), Professor Power
Continuity Notes
Peter and Mary Jane are referred to as husband and wife here. However, years later, their marriage was erased from existence by Mephisto in Amazing Spider-Man #545. As such they should be considered a common-law couple here.
Peter's thoughts are prophetic, as the people who claim to be his parents are imposters, as revealed in Amazing Spider-Man #388. The real Richard and Mary Parker were killed in action decades earlier as revealed in Amazing Spider-Man Annual #5.
Gwen Stacy was murdered in Amazing Spider-Man #121. Gwen was cloned by Miles Warren as seen in Amazing Spider-Man #144-149.
Mary Jane came from an abusive household as revealed in Amazing Spider-Man #259. Harry's life was run by his abusive and insane father, Norman Osborn, the original Green Goblin until his apparent death in Amazing Spider-Man #122. Harry has been dealing with mental health issues ever since.
The Black Crow took Spider-Man on a vision quest in The Spectacular Spider-Man #191-192.
Harry was arrested after becoming the Green Goblin again in The Spectacular Spider-Man #189.
