Web of Spider-Man #44
Reunion
Swinging across the Las Vegas strip, Spider-Man's spider-sense begisn to go off. He quickly looks around for danger but finds none, and when his spider-sense dies down, he heads on his way. As he swings away, the wall-crawler is observed by a cyborg Delta, who was about to take a shot at the hero. He wonders what Spider-Man is doing in Las Vegas and upset that an outside may interfere with the survival games of the Warzone. Spider-Man continues along his way, thinking about the turns his life has taken recently, specifically his recent book tour, dealing with a weird cult, his adventure with Silver Sable, and settling in to being married. He hopes that Betty Brant is doing okay, and swings to the television studio where he has an interview for his new book.
At a nearby bar, Warzone members Alpha, Charlie, and Bravo are having a drink and catching up after a year apart. When Bravo asks where Delta is, the others figure that he is out staking out the territory, hence why he was winner four years in a row. However, Bravo insists that this year is his year. Although the others disagree and this leads to a tense moment, they all begin to laugh and order another round. Elsewhere still, Marlo Chandler is walking to the Collesum Casino and Hotel, thinking about how great she feels now that she is in a relationship with Mr. Fixit, the casino's hired muscle. However, when she knocks on Mr. Fixit's door, he clams the door in her face. Later, Peter Parker appears on a daytime talk show that is not overly interested in promoting his book. Watching the interview from a casino bar, Marlo Chandler can't help but notice how cute Peter Parker looks. After a commercial break, the interview continues, while at the same time the Warzone prepares to begin their war games. Ironically, the host of the talk show comments on how the sort of super-hero battles that Peter has photographed only happen in New York City. After Marlo turns down a drunk at the bar, she wonders where Peter Parker will be doing a book signing. She then hears that Peter will be doing a book signing at a bookstore.
Later, Peter Parker is taking a limo to the bookstore and his publicist assures him that there will be huge crowds, listing off the names of famous writers who have made public appearances there. Thinking to himself, Peter wonders if this can get any worse. However, when Peter Parker arrives there is nobody there for the signing. However, Peter is not going to be alone as Marlo Chandler is making her way toward the bookstore. Incidentally, the members of Warzone are preparing to start their war games right on this street. Back inside the shop, Peter is fielding questions from a boy who has no idea who he is when suddenly his spider-sense begins to go off. At that moment Delta fires a rocket at Charlie, but she easily dodges the rocket blast. Seeing this, Marlo asks the woman if she is okay and gets struck for her troubles. Marlo recoils from the blow and strikes her head on a nearby lamppost, knocking her unconscious. When Delta fires another rocket, Delta dodges it by jumping through the show window of the bookstore. Pulling the child out of harm's way, Peter slips away so he can change into Spider-Man.
Outside, Charlie begins fighting back against Delta, by the time Spider-Man arrives Charlie tells him that she is being attacked by a maniac. While the wall-crawler is distracted, Delta sneaks around and tries to hit the pair with two rockets. Spider-Man manages to catch them in webbing where they explode harmlessly. That's when Delta lifts up a car and attempt to throw it at the pair. Spider-Man catches the car and tosses it back. Delta responds by blowing the device up. As the shield themselves from the blast, Delta flees. Spider-Man is about to go after him when he sees Marlo Chandler on the ground. He then tags Delta with a spider-tracer so he can get Marlo to a hospital, and tells Charlie to stay put. Charlie complies, but only because she finds Spider-Man to be the perfect decoy. The wall-crawler rushes Marlo to a hospital and drops her off in the care of her roommate Mona who works at the hospital. After getting Marlo to a doctor, Mona calls Mr. Fixit to tell him what happened to Marlo. At first Mr. Fixit brushes it off, but Mona tells him off, angering the Hulk so much that he crushes the phone receiver with his bare hands.
Meanwhile, Spider-Man has gone back to Charlie and swings her across the city looking for Delta. She tells him a phony story about how Delta was her ex-boyfriend and has been stalking her since they broke up. Spider-Man follows the signal from his spider-tracer into the Colosseum Casino. His spider-sense warns him of danger and he and Charlie dodge a spray of bullets. However, the gunman is not Delta, but fellow Warzone member Alpha. Before there can be any more violence, Mr. Fixit comes down and crushes the barrel of Alpha's guns. Suspecting that Charlie was the one responsible for Marlo getting hurt, the Hulk threatens her. When Spider-Man tries to stop him, he gets a good look at Mr. Fixit and is shocked to discover that he is really the Hulk.
This story continues in Incredible Hulk #349...
Recurring Characters
Spider-Man, Hulk, Warzone (Alpa, Bravo, Charlie, Delta), Marlo Chandler, Mona
Continuity Notes
Among the casinos seen in this opening splash page is the New Frontier Casino, and the Stardust Hotel and Casino. This should be considered a topical reference per the Sliding Timescale of Earth-616 as these casinos were closed in 2007 and 2008 respectively.
Spider-Man references Nancy Reagan calling her psychic again. This again, is a topical reference as Nancy Reagan died in 2016.
Peter has been on a book tour for "Webs" a book that was published featuring his photos as Spider-Man as seen in Amazing Spider-Man #304.
He recently dealt with the Students of Love cult in Web of Spider-Man #40-43.
At the time of this story he recently worked with Silver Sable in Amazing Spider-Man #301-303.
Also at this time Peter had just recently married Mary Jane Watson in Amazing Spider-Man Annual #21. However, years later, the demon Mephisto erased their marriage from existence in Amazing Spider-Man #545. As such they should be considered a common-law couple as opposed to husband and life.
The reason why the Hulk slams a door in Marlo's face is because at the time of this story, the Hulk's skin is sensitive to the sun, as revealed in Incredible Hulk #347.
The store in question is identified as Page after Page, a popular comic book shop in Las Vegas at the time. This should be considered a topical reference as well as the store shut down in 1995.
As everyone she lists are real world people this should be considered a topical reference per the Sliding Timesceale of Earth-616, as these references will eventually become dated.
Spider-Man is shocked to see the Hulk because he thought the gamma-spawned monster was dead. This is because, at the time of this story, the Hulk was reportedly killed in Incredible Hulk #345. However, as revealed in the Incredible Hulk #347, the Hulk survived and is laying low in Las Vegas.
