Spider-Man #54
Snared
This story continues from Web of Spider-Man #120...
Atop the Daily Bugle building, the Scarlet Spider seeks to find Ken Ellis to give the reporter a piece of his mind after he was dubbed the Scarlet Spider.[1] Entering the Daily Bugle brings up memories of Peter Parker's early career here. He remembers working with Joe Robertson, Ned Leeds, and falling in love with Betty Brant.[2] The Scarlet Spider's reminiscing is interrupted by J. Jonah Jameson, who warns the Spider that he is trespassing on private property. Before the hero can leave, Jonah stops him and remarks on how this new hero is quite the do-gooder. Jameson then informs the Scarlet Spider that he doesn't buy it and considers him just as much as a menace as every other masked hero. The web-slinger tells Jonah that he is upset that his reporters are calling him the Scarlet Spider and warns that he will be back with lawyers before swinging away. As the Scarlet Spider is swinging away, he thinks about how great it is to revisit his past, unaware that he is being watched by the mysterious assassin known as Kaine.[3]
Meanwhile, Vladimir Kravinoff -- now calling himself the Grim Hunter -- prepares his various weapons for another confrontation with the Scarlet Spider. He vows to destroy the hero, promising to his deceased father that his death with be avenged.[4] Ready to resume his hunt, the Grim Hunter leaps out of the window. Watching him go is his assistant and friend Gregor, who fears that he has lost Vladimir forever. The next evening, Ben Reilly is returning to the hotel that he is calling him. There he bumps into his neighbor Gabrielle Greer, who suggests that they do something after he has fully healed up.[5] Inside his room, Ben is delighted that he has a potential date in the near future. As he literally leaps somersaults across the room, Reilly is unaware that Kaine is watching him from the building across the street. At that moment, Mary Jane is at a doctor office for a checkup because she hasn't been feeling very well recently. She has dismissed this as an upset stomach caused by the stress Aunt May's health has had on her marriage.[6] Her thoughts are interrupted by her doctor who returns to tell her that they need to talk.[7]
Later, in a bad part of the city, Kaine walks alone. He attracts the attention of a gang of knife-wielding skinheads who ambush him. However, Kaine is much more powerful and easily slaughters them all. Later that evening, as Spider-Man lays unconscious on a rooftop, Ben Reilly sleeps[8] The pair have the same dream of a Peter Parker clone growing in a cloning tank.[9] While this is happening, Kaine sits on the rooftops trying to fight the pain that wracks his body. Suddenly, Ben Reilly wakes up, certain that something is starting. He puts in a call to his friend, the scientist known as Seward Trainer. He tells Seward that he returned to New York City and fears that the clone degradation is starting to begin in his body.[10] Seward is upset that Ben left before he could complete his tests. He tells Reilly to stay put while he goes up to New York as soon as possible.
That evening, Ben Reilly decides to go out web-slinging as the Scarlet Spider in order to clear his head. He swings past Betty Brant's neighborhood and spots her standing outside. Feeling Peter Parker's old feelings toward her, the Spider decides to go down and talk to her. He explains that he has come to give her more information for her story. Unfortunately, she has taken herself off the story and passed it on to Ken Ellis. He decides to leave, but she stops him, to explain her feelings. She tells him that although she should be afraid of the Scarlet Spider, she can't help but feel like she has known him for a long time and hugs him. Suddenly, the Spider's spider-sense goes off, and he pulls Betty to safety just as the Grim Hunter tries to ambush them with bombs. While at One Police Plaza, Detective Jacob Raven is in from Salt Lake City. He is investigating a cold case and wants to review the NYPD's records. When asked, Jacob explains that he is trying to track down the man who killed his partner.[11]
Back outside Betty Brant's place, the Scarlet Spider tries to convince the Grim Hunter that he is not Spider-Man. However, the master hunter refuses to listen and attacks as the Spider tells Betty to run for cover. Needing to get Betty out of danger, the Scarlet Spider lures the Grim Hunter up onto the rooftops where they continue to fight. Unfortunately, the Grim Hunter can counteract all of the Spider's attacks. It's during this struggle that the Hunter reveals that he is the son of Kraven the Hunter. This comes as a shock to the Spider since he is unaware that Kraven is dead.[12] When the Scarlet Spider tries to explain that he is not the man the Grim Hunter is looking for, the lunatic doesn't believe him at first. However, after a moments examination, he notes that although the Scarlet Spider's scent is the same as Spider-Man's, there is something different between the two men.
With that, the Grim Hunter ends the fight and flees the scene. The Scarlet Spider decides to let him go so he can go back and check on Betty Brant. When he arrives on the scene, he discovers that she is safe and that she called the police. When she tries to get close to him, the Spider turns her away, saying that he is not the man she thinks he is and swings away so he can continue tracking down the Grim Hunter.
... Web of Life continues in Web of Spider-Man #121.
Recurring Characters
Scarlet Spider, J. Jonah Jameson, Mary Jane Watson, Betty Brant, Grim Hunter, Kaine, Jacob Raven, Seward Trainer, Gregor, Gabrielle Greer, Spider-Man
Continuity Notes
Ben Reilly was dubbed the Scarlet Spider by Ken Ellis in Spider-Man #52.
Peter Parker started working at the Daily Bugle in Amazing Spider-Man #2. Peter dated Betty Brant from Amazing Spider-Man #7 to 18.
The Scarlet Spider recounts how he recently met Betty Brant. That was in Web of Spider-Man #120.
Vladimir empowered himself with in order to avenge his father's death. That happened in Spider-Man #50. His father, Kraven the Hunter, committed suicide during his "Last Hunt".
Ben's stomach was slashed open by his fight with Venom in Web of Spider-Man #119.
Peter and Mary Jane are referred to as husband and wife here. However, years later, their marriage is erased from existence by Mephisto in Amazing Spider-Man #545. As such they should be considered a common-law couple here. Mary Jane threw up in The Spectacular Spider-Man #217, hence her hospital visit here. She mentions Aunt May's health here. She suffered a stroke in Amazing Spider-Man #391. However, the woman in the hospital at the time of this story is actually an impostor, who took May's place sometime in Amazing Spider-Man #392. This was revealed in Spider-Man #97.
What the doctor wants to tell Mary Jane that she is pregnant, which she reveals to her husband Peter Parker in The Spectacular Spider-Man #220.
Spider-Man was poisoned by the Vulture and left for dead during the Web of Death story arc.
These visions are an attempt to confuse Ben and Peter into wondering who is the clone and who is the real Spider-Man. These are revealed to be memories implanted into their minds by the Jackal in the Smoke and Mirrors story arc.
Ben Reilly returned to New York City in The Spectacular Spider-Man #215. At the time of this story, Ben is afraid that he will degenerate like other Miles Warren clones. He fears this after his past encounters with Kaine -- as documented in Spider-Man: The Lost Years #1-3 -- however, Ben is identified as one of Miles Warren's few "perfect" clones, as seen in the Smoke and Mirrors story arc (see above).
Jacob Raven's partner, Louise Kennedy was murdered by Kaine in Spider-Man: The Lost Years #3. He has mistakenly believed that Ben Reilly was responsible for her death. Raven's reasons for coming here are to match up fingerprints with the NYPD's files. This should be considered a topical reference per the Sliding Timescale of Earth-616. Since the advent/standardization of Integrated Automated Fingerprint Identification System (AFIS) and Combined DNA Index System (CODIS) has allowed law enforcement across the United States to compare fingerprint and DNA evidence through a central database. That said, Jacob Raven's obsession with catching his partner's killer is reason enough of a reason to go to New York.
Ben Reilly's has implanted memories of Peter Parker's life all the way up to Amazing Spider-Man #149. Per the Sliding Timescale of Earth-616, it has been five years since the clone's first appearance and now. Ben's last memory of Kraven the Hunter would have been Spider-Mans's battle with him circa Amazing Spider-Man #110-111.
