Superior Spider-Man Team-Up #5
Missing Villains Not Missed
The Wrecking Crew has attacked Alchemax in order to steal the QPE, an energy conduit device.[1] Trying to stop them is the new Sun Girl, but she is not faring well against them.[2] The attack prompts “Miguel O’Mara” to slip away and get intel on what’s going on from his virtual assistant, Layla.[3] Before he can change into Spider-Man, the Spider-Man from this era arrives and challenges the Wrecking Crew.
The Wrecking Crew find this a joke, but Spider-Man hasn’t come alone. Soon the Wrecking Crew are ambushed by the the Sandman, Vulture, Chameleon, Elecro, and Mysterion. Under Spider-Man’s control these criminals are operating as his new team, the Superior Six. Knowing that everyone will recognize his allies as the former Sinister Six, Spider-Man has conditioned them to make statements that make it seem like they have reformed. Since Sun Girl is getting in the way of his operation, Spider-Man yanks her away from the battle while the rest of the Superior Six deal with the Wrecking Crew.
However, while everyone else is busy, Thunderball manages to get into the Alchemax Building and steal the QPE device. While back outside, Spider-Man begins having trouble maintaining his focus when Electro is knocked into the Sandman. As it turns out, Spider-Man has been directing the Superior Six mentally. Seeing the wall-crawler’s team faltering, Sun Girl leaps into the fray. Unfortunately, her light powers manage to free the Superior Six from Spider-Man’s mental control. However, before they can attack the wall-crawler, the Wrecker slams his mystical crowbar into the ground, knocking everyone off their feet. This allows Spider-Man to reassert his mental dominance on his minions. Luckily, Sun Girl’s interference made Thunderball drop the QPE device. Although the Wrecking Crew managed to escape, they did so empty handed.
When Liz Allan comes out to thank Spider-Man he informs them that he is keeping the QPE to examine it and determine why the Wrecking Crew wanted it so badly. Before Allan can protest, Spider-Man picks up the knocked out Sun Girl and retreats with his Superior Six. Spider-Man returns the Superior Six to their containment cells at his secret hideout under Battery Park. Spider-Man has been working for months trying to perfect his control over the former members of the Sinister Six, but this only works so long as the device he built is on. Turning it off, the Sinister Six revert to type and begin threatening him. However, Otto Octavius has constructed perfect cells for his former comrades and explains to them that they are being contained because they are his responsibility. Spider-Man then warns them against escaping by showing the remains of a Russian assassin that was hired to capture the Chameleon.[4]
Meanwhile, Sun Girl wakes up at the infirmary at Spider-Island and freaks out. Thinking she is a prisoner she incapacitates the Spiderlings standing guard in her room. Spider-Man quickly arrives and tells her to stand down. He wants to know more about her and the source of her powers.
Meanwhile, the Wrecking Crew return to their employer to report their failure. They explain that they were impeded by Spider-Man and the Superior Six, as well as Sun Girl. Annoyed, their boss assumes his energy form, revealing that he is actually Lightmaster. The villain has decided that it’s time to reform the Masters of Evil to deal with Spider-Man once and for all.
Recurring Characters
Spider-Man, Sun Girl, Superior Six (Electro, Vulture, Sandman, Mysterion, Chameleon), Wrecking Crew (Wrecker, Bulldozer, Thunderball, Piledriver), Lightmaster, Liz Allan, Tiberius Stone, “Miguel O’Mara”, Lyla
Continuity Notes
Otto mentions how he once worked with the Wrecking Crew in the past. Doctor Octopus and the Wrecking Crew were among the villains gathered by the Beyonder to fight Earth’s heroes in Marvel Super Heroes Secret Wars #1-12.
Otto recalls once punching Sun Girl. This was in Superior Spider-Man Team-Up #1.
Miguel O’Hara, aka Spider-Man 2099, found himself stranded on present day Earth in Superior Spider-Man #19. Since then he has taken up the identity of “Miguel O’Mara” and has been working at Alchemax in order to prevent it from becoming the tyrannical mega-corp it was in his own era.
Otto had been spending his time capturing the former members of the Sinister Six. These abductions happened in Avenging Spider-Man #17 (Sandman), 18 (Electro), 20-21 (Chameleon), and 22 (Mysterion)
