Spider-Woman (vol. 3) #3
Skin and Bones
It is midnight when a woman calling herself Elizabeth Caine arrives outside a bank that boasts a wealthy clientele. Seemingly talking to herself, this woman intends to rob the bank so that she can become normal. Suddenly, the woman strips off the coat she is wearing suddenly she opens her mouth wide enough that her skeleton can emerge from inside. The animated skeleton and the pile of flesh are actually two distinct entities that call themselves Skin and Bones. Whiles Bones waits outside, Skin slips into the building through the ventilation system. Her entry gets the attention of security team who sends one of their men down to investigate the strange thing that appeared on their monitors. The guard finds Skin and is surprised to discover that it is a woman. However, before he can act, Skin wraps herself around the guard and smothers him to death. Fearing that others will come looking for the dead guard, Skin decides to abort their mission.
Meanwhile, Mattie Franklin — having just won the title of Spider-Woman — flies home after defeating the evil Spider-Woman and Doctor Octopus.[1] She is debating on a new costume design when she flies almost too close to a building. She is shocked when the spider-legs hidden in her back emerge and prevent her from slamming into the side of the building. Mattie is surprised by this subconscious reaction and reminds herself that the legs are psychically activated and reacted instinctively. She then wills them back into their hiding place. She reminds herself that she has a lot of other things to worry about presently, like getting herself set up in New York City.
At that same moment, Mattie’s father Jerry is searching for his errant daughter with the aid of J. Jonah Jameson and his wife, Marla Madison. They have been investigating Madame Web, who checked Mattie out of the hospital. While Jonah wonders if Web turned over her business to a younger family member, Jerry secretly wonders if Web was a participant in the Gathering of Five ceremonies, but keeps this to himself.[2] Their continued is investigation is interrupted when they are told that Mattie has arrived. While they are glad that Mattie is safe, the adults all demand that she explain where she went and what she has been up to.
While back at the home of Madame Web, the psychic assures Detective Phil Rodriguez that Charlotte Witter won’t be a danger to anyone. When he demands answers, Web decides to give him all the answers he could want. Web starts by explaining how Norman Osborn set up the Gathering of Five ceremony in an attempt to gain ultimate power. Instead, Osborn was given the gift of madness leading to his ultimate downfall.[3] She then lists off what the other members of the ceremony were given: Madam Web seemingly received death when she died after the ceremony was completed. However, she soon came back to life a much younger woman. She then realized that the gifts that were given were not always as apparent as they were. Morris Maxwell was seemingly driven mad but that was a momentary side effect of gaining all the knowledge in the world. Now he knows anything provided he is asked the right question. For Doctor Greg Herd, he thought he received immortality, but instead, he got the gift of death when he was transformed into the burning creature known as Shadrac. As for Mattie, she was the one who appeared to have gained ultimate power. Phil isn’t sure if giving so much power to a teenager, Madam Web assures the officer that she is more than capable of accepting the responsibility that comes with those powers.
Back at the home of J. Jonah Jameson, Mattie has come clean telling her father and the Jameson’s about everything, including her powers. Her father is furious, but Mattie insists on using her powers for good, just like Spider-Man and refuses to accept their opinions that the web-slinger is nothing more than a lawless vigilante. Still, Mattie points out that as much as her father is against it there’s nothing he can do to stop her from doing what she wants.
By this time, Skin and Bones have arrived at an abandoned warehouse where they meet with Grey Dolman, who had hired them to recover the shard used by Greg Herd during the Gathering of Five.[4] The women explain that they were unable to recover the artifact prompting Dolamn to order Skin to help him contain his growing power. In response, Bones sheds her sister’s fleshy form and leaves Skin and Dolman alone as watching her sister swallow Grey’s form to siphon off his excess energies is a disgusting sight to watch. She tells them that they had better be done by the time she comes back in an hour.
The next morning, J. Jonah Jameson and Marla Madison are still coming to terms with the fact that they have been forced to allow Mattie live with them and pursue her career as a superhero in New York. As they are sitting down to breakfast, Jonah gets a call from his bank and learns about how it was almost robbed the night before. Jameson heads down to get the story, reluctantly allowing Mattie to tag along as well. After watching the security footage, Mattie decides to stake out the bank the following evening after finishing her new Spider-Woman costume. Seeing her reflection in the window of an office window building, Mattie finds her new blue and green costume off-putting and decides to go back to the drawing board when she gets home. After staking out the bank for hours, Spider-Woman begins to grow bored when she suddenly spots the combined form of Skin and Bones heading to the building. When she confronts the female form, Mattie is grossed out when she witnesses Skin and Bones separate. Caught off guard, Spider-Woman is slammed into a wall by Bones allowing Skin to wrap herself around Spider-Woman. After struggling for five minutes, Skin releases Spider-Woman when she thinks she has successfully suffocated the young hero.
Recurring Characters
Spider-Woman, Flesh and Bones, Grey Doleman/Shadrac, Madame Web, Jessica Drew, J. Jonah Jameson, Marla Madison, Jerry Franklin, Julia Carpenter, Phil Rodriguez, Charlott Witter
Continuity Notes
Mattie battle Doctor Octopus and his evil Spider-Woman in Amazing Spider-Man (vol. 2) #5-6 and Spider-Woman (vol. 3) #1-2.
Mattie Franklin and Madame Web were both participants in the Gathering of Five ceremony that gave each participant a different power. The ceremony was organized by Norman Osborn and Jerry Franklin was offered a place in it. He refused, prompting Mattie to run away from home and participate in it herself. As a result of the Gathering, Mattie was given her spider-powers and Madame Web was apparently given immortality and was reduced to a younger age. Check out Sensational Spider-Man #32-33, Amazing Spider-Man #440, Spider-Man #96, and Spectacular Spider-Man #262.
Thinking he had gained ultimate power the Green Goblin was ultimately defeated by Spider-Man during the Final Chapter story arc in Amazing Spider-Man #441, Spider-Man #97-98, Spectacular Spider-Man #263.
Grey Dolman merged with Shadrac in Amazing Spider-Man (vol. 2) #2-3.
