Spectacular Spider-Man (vol. 2) #20

Jun 17

Jun 17 Spectacular Spider-Man (vol. 2) #20

Changes Part 4

On the rooftop of their apartment building, Randy Robertson and John Anderson watch in awe as Iron Man and a group of military helicopters search the city for something. While on the ground, Detective Neil Garrett is under a great deal of pressure coordinating the NYPD’s efforts to try and locate Spider-Man and the Queen. The heat is on after the Queen has threatened to set off a bomb that will wipe out all human life in a 600-mile radius. While on the west side of the city, Storm and Cyclops of the X-Men are also assisting in the search for the targets but have found no sign of either the web-slinger or their foe. While at the command center, General Ross, Nick Fury and Captain America continue to monitor the situation. The stress is mounting as they only have five more hours left.

Meanwhile, in the Queen’s hive, Spider-Man has been transformed into a massive spider due to the Queen’s alteration of his genetics. At the side of the Queen, she assures Spider-Man that this is for the best as humanity did not have a bright future ahead of them. She then shows Spider-Man that she has the remaining doctors who were responsible for altering her DNA turning her into what she is today, and by that sense, are also responsible for Spider-Man’s current transformation.[1] She introduces Spider-Man to Professor Jaffe whom she has kept as a prisoner since 1954. Jeffers begins telling Spider-Man the truth about his transformation, things that Ana has kept a secret. Despite her efforts to silence him, he tells Spider-Man that his transformation has happened far too fast, and that their mating process has already commenced. In reality, Spider-Man is the one who is carrying their children and sarcastically welcomes the web-slinger to motherhood. While on the surface, Captain America and the others continue their search, Captain America is certain that they are closing in on the Queen even though they have less than an hour left.

Back in the hive, the Queen is preparing the bomb for detonation, when suddenly, Spider-Man — who is thinking about Mary Jane and his Aunt May, who are still somewhere in the city — begins to convulse and vomit up blood. The massive arachnid form suddenly collapses and upon examination, one of the Queen’s drones informs her that Spider-Man is dead. This upsets Ana deeply and she begins to cry. Unleashing a powerful sonic scream in agony, she accuses Jeffers lied to him and orders the bomb detonation to be pushed up. By this point, Cyclops and Nightcrawler report back in as they and the soldiers on their team are suddenly surrounded in a sewer tunnel by the Queen’s drones. As the Queen leaves her command center to oversee the preparation of the bomb. As soon as she is gone, the massive spider carcass begins to quiver with life. Suddenly, the human form of Peter Parker bursts out of the carcass. At first, Peter hears a massive screaming in his head and realizes that his spider-sense has been replaced with something even better. He’s then shocked when he manages to shoot webbing out of his wrists without the need of his mechanical web-shooters. While the Queen and her minions are busy with Cyclops and Nightcrawler, Peter Parker dresses with what’s left of his Spider-Man costume.

Spider-Man leaps in and knocks out the drone that has been ordered to set the countdown on the bomb. When the Queen tries to keep Spider-Man at bay with her scream, he discovers that his newly enhanced spider-sense allows him to connect with every insect a mile around him. This also allows him to piggyback on the connection that the Queen uses to control her drones and uses it to learn how to disarm the bomb. As the Queen tires to stop him she is caught in an explosion.[2] Moments later, Spider-Man emerges from the sewers and tells Nick Fury and Captain America that the threat is over and when they ask about the Queen, he tells them that she is dead. He then tells them that he needs to go home and rest up, and leaves before he can explain the webbing that is dripping from his wrists. Peter soon arrives home where Mary Jane is glad to see that he is all right. She asks him what happened and when he shows her the spinnerettes that he now has on his wrists, Peter tells her that he has gone through some changes.

Recurring Characters

Spider-Man, Queen, Captain America, Nick Fury, Neil Garrett, Mary Jane Watson, Aunt May, Randy Robertson, John Anderson, General Ross, Iron Man, X-Men (Cyclops, Storm, Nightcrawler)

Continuity Notes

As explained in issue #16, the Queen’s was experimented on in 1945-46. Due to the Sliding Timescale, it becomes increasingly impossible for someone who was active during World War II to still be alive. While the Queen’s aging was clearly slowed, it’s a little more difficult to explain how the scientist involved in experimenting on her could still be alive without their lives being prolonged by other means. Marvel has not provided an explanation for this, but I figure that since they were involved in experimental projects it’s not impossible to consider the idea that these scientists found a way to increase their lifespans.
Although the Queen seemingly dies here, she turns up again in Amazing Spider-Man #666. How she survived is detailed in Amazing Spider-Man #670.

Topical References

Randy Robertson complains that it cost $50 to watch Mike Tyson lose a fight. This is a reference to the July 30, 2004 match between Mike Tyson and Danny Williams. A fight that Tyson lost. I shouldn’t have to tell you why a nearly 20-year-old boxing reference should be considered topical.