Spider-Man's Tangled Web #17
Heartbreaker Part 2
John Ohnn is sitting before the parole board pleading his case for release from prison.[1] When the subject regarding his cellmate, the mobster known as Tombstone, Ohnn admits that he was the one who told the guards on his intent to kill the Kangaroo. Ohnn explains that he was motivated to do this because his time in prison taught him the value of his life and he desired to be a hero by saving one.
Later, Sangese — the head guard — tells Tombstone how John Ohnn was paroled while delivering his meal to his cell in solitary confinement. He reveals that Ohnn’s tale about how he ratted on Tombstone was what secured his release. Then, in a show of absolute cruelty, dumps Tombstone’s food on and heart medication on the floor. As he leaves, Sangese says the Kangaroo sends his regard and is looking forward to Tombstone’s return to the general population. At that moment, in the mess hall, the Kangaroo is beating on Rocket Racer, Hypno-Hustler, and Big Ben — members of Tombstone’s crew.[2] Sangese and his men stand back and let the Kangaroo get his jollies. However, one of the other guards, a little person named McKeena thinks they ought to break up the fight, a suggestion that’s ignored.
Sometime later, the lack of medication causes Tombstone’s heart to go into arrest landing him in the infirmary. With his heart surgery not for another 11 days, the head doctor decides to push up the operation in order to save the life of his patient. That’s when Sangese comes barging in to deliver Tombstone’s gang members to the infirmary to be treated as well. Seeing Tombstone on another bed, Sangese asks if the mobster is dead. Later, Tombstone is visited by McKeena, who tells him that everything is going according to his plans and that his surgery has been bumped up to that afternoon. Tombstone orders McKeena to bow out of escort duty and have Sangese ride with him, ignoring the dangers. His last request is for McKeena to deliver some messages. At that same moment, Sangese is meeting with Tombstone and plotting how to get rid of Tombstone. He reminds the Kangaroo that he has to be the one to plug Tombstone, otherwise, Kangaroo will find himself in solitary and Sangese will lose control of the cellblock. Later, McKeever approaches the Kangaroo and tells him that Sangese told him that Tombstone is in lockdown and doped up on anesthesia in preparation for his surgery and is open for attack. He then tells Tombstone’s rival that he can get into the room through a heating vent. After the Kangaroo rushes off to get back at Tombstone, McKeever approaches a gang of gay inmates. Moments later, the Kangaroo tries to climb through the heating vent but gets stuck.
After this, McKeena gets himself excused from the security detail, prompting Sagnese to take over the transport of Tombstone back to the mainland for his surgery. At the same moment, the gay gang finds Kangaroo stuck in the vent and decide to take his exposed ass as an open invitation to rape him. As Tombstone is being loaded into the transport, Sagnese asks why he is smiling, but the mobsters says nothing. Later, when they are on the mainland and driving to the hospital a sudden portal opens in front of the transport. As it passes through the portal, Tombstone uses the disorientation to get free and kill Sagnese. The portal sends Tombstone to Switzerland where he is able to pay for his won surgery. It takes him seven weeks to get back to the United States where he is reunited with the Spot, who used his powers to help Tombstone escape from custody. Although Tombstone’s scheme allowed the Spot to get out of prison, and his returning the favor makes them even, the Spot asks Tombstone to make him an offer. Instead, Tombstone instead snaps the Spot’s neck, telling Ohnn that the thing he learned in prison was killing and Harlem.[3]
Recurring Characters
Tombstone, Kangaroo, The Spot, Rocket Racer, Hypno-Hustler, Big Ben Donovan
Continuity Notes
John states that he has been in prison for two years. However, this does not fit with the Sliding Timescale. Prior to his appearances in the last two issues of Tangled Web he appeared in Fantastic Four (vol. 3) #38, 40, and 44, helping the Gideon Trust infiltrate the Negative Zone in order to mine it for valuable minerals. Those stories were published one year prior to this story. Per the Sliding Timescale, it would only have been — at most — a few months between Fantastic Four (vol. 3) #44 and Tangled Web #17. The measurement of time here should not be taken with any sort of accuracy and I doubt Marvel will ever address this issue. Since Ohnn was sent to prison after an unrecorded clash with Spider-Man that happened between FF3 #44 and this issue, I could assume that he was only nabbed for a minor crime and his prison sentence wasn’t as serious as the other crooks in the Cage.
The Kangaroo is depicted and characterized as though he is Frank Oliver, the original Kangaroo who was actually from Australia. However, this isn’t the case as at the time of this story the Kangaroo was dead at the time after being incinerated by radiation in Amazing Spider-Man #126. This is actually his successor Brian Hibbs. As explained in the Kangaroo entry in the All-New Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe #6 , Hibbs kind of lost his shit in prison and started thinking he was the original Kangaroo.
Although the Spot is seemingly killed here, he pops back up again in Wolverine (vol. 3) #26. According to the Spot profile in Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe A-Z #11 states that the Spot recovered from the broken neck, suggesting that it wasn’t fatal after all. How he survived without being crippled? Who knows. His powers, maybe?
