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AMAZING SPIDER-MAN #542

BACK IN BLACK - PART FOUR OF FIVE

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WRITER: J. MICHAEL STRACZYNSKI
PENCILS: RON GARNEY
INKS: BILL REINHOLD
COLORS: MATT MILLA
LETTERS: VC'S CORY PETIT
COVER: RON GARNEY AND BILL REINHOLD
ASSISTANT EDITOR: DANIEL KETCHUM
EDITOR: AXEL ALONSO
EDITOR-IN-CHIEF: JOE QUESADA
PUBLISHER: DAN BUCKLEY

PREVIOUSLY: When high school student Peter Parker was bitten by a radioactive spider, he gained the proportionate strength, agility, and abilities of the arachnid. More importantly, he learned that with great power comes great responsibility.

After he had already revealed his secret identity to the United States Government per the Superhuman Registration Act, Peter found himself at odds with Tony Stark, a.k.a. Iron Man, and his registration agenda. The decision to leave Stark's side made Peter a fugitive, forced into hiding in a sleazy motel with his wife, Mary Jane and his Aunt May.

Returning to the motel one evening, after the conclusion of the super hero civil war, Peter was met by an attempt on his life. He acted quickly enough to save himself and Mary Jane from harm, but the bullet meant for him instead struck Aunt May. Frantic to save May's life, Peter rushed her to the hospital. Not knowing how else to help her, he resolved to do the only thing he could: hunt down the men responsible. Little did he know, though, that the trail leading to the shooter would also lead right to the man who took out the hit.

After giving May a transfusion of his radioactive blood in a last-ditch effort to save her life, Peter headed to Riker's Island to confront the man responsible for her condition: Wilson Fisk, a.k.a. the Kingpin of Crime

REVIEW: Confronted by Spider-Man, the Kingpin of Crime does what he does best in situations like this one – he taunts his adversary – first by calling him a chump and then going on about perpetrating the hit that sent Aunt May to the hospital. Kingpin goes too far however, when he comments that an omelet cannot be made without breaking a few old ladies. Within a matter of seconds, Spidey delivers three punches and one kick at Kingpin, without saying one single word. Unfazed, Kingpin continues his taunting by telling Spider-Man that he's made of mockery of everything he stands for and victimized his loved ones. Again, Spidey delivers a myriad of punches that send Kingpin to the ground. Wiping the blood off his face, Kingpin tells Spidey to say something. Spidey acquiesces and tells Kingpin that he has no idea what the suit stands for and what it means to him, nor will he ever understand. The suit represents a promise he made to himself – that he would never cross the lines that would destroy everything the suit stands for. That is the reason why he – Kingpin – is confused. He – Spidey – is not there to kill him; Peter Parker is. As he says that, he takes off his mask, gloves, and shirt and attacks Kingpin.

The crowd cheers as they fight. Peter however, does not hear them. All he cares about is revenge. Revenge against the man responsible for the bullet that struck his beloved Aunt May. The battle is brutal and one-sided – all in Peter Parker's favor. There is little to no retaliation on Kingpin's part. The fight does slow down momentarily, but just long enough for Peter to tell Kingpin that he is just a fat man with an attitude and no super-powers, a balloon waiting to be pricked with a needle, and he – Peter – is the needle. Summoning some courage, Kingpin launches his thick frame at Peter but to no avail. He is once again rapidly sent crashing to the ground in a fistful of hurt. His mouth bleeding profusely, Kingpin threatens to kill Peter. Peter approaches him and instructs him to get up. Lying in a pool of blood, Kingpin tells Peter to go to hell and prepares to say that he is going to get up when he wants to, but ends up admitting that he does not have the strength to get up. Peter grabs hold of him and stands him on his two feet. He then proceeds to slap Kingpin repeatedly, blood splattering all over the place. When he finally stops, he puts his hand against Kingpin's mouth and tells him that, in three seconds, he is going to pour a stream of webbing deep into his throat, all the way into his lung, hence ultimately killing him. He starts counting. One. Two. Three.

At the sound of the third number, Kingpin flinches and wonders what is happening. Peter grabs hold of him and tosses him across the room, into a wall. Once again lying on the ground, Kingpin tells Peter to kill him already. Peter replies that he will kill him, but he never said he was going to do it that day. Peter has learned something about cruelty and timing from him. In beating him, he has done something far worse than kill him. Every man in the prison has seen the beating he has received, and they will tell their pals, and those guys are going to tell their pals, and so on, and so on. Soon enough, the whole world will know that he – Kingpin – was beaten one-on-one in public. For a man with pride like him, who needs for everyone to believe he cannot be beaten, that is possibly the worst pain he can ever feel. He – Peter – wants him to live with that knowledge, which he knows will tear him apart deep inside, every waking moment of every day. Having said that, Peter explains that he has never killed anyone, because he was always afraid it would affect his family. However, if Aunt May dies, then that will take care of one reason and as far as the other reason goes (Mary Jane), he can make an exception. With that said, Peter bends over to whisper in Kingpin's ear and tells him that the moment Aunt May dies, he will be back for him and they will finish what they started. In the meantime, Kingpin will live with the memory of that moment, the humiliation of that moment, and the message of that moment. Turning to the inmates that had been watching the fight, Peter tells them that the message extends to them as well. If anyone of them comes near him or his family again, they will experience firsthand what happened there that day. "You touch them, you die. Painfully. Slowly. Definitely." Then, preparing to leave, Peter tells Kingpin one last thing. He ordered his Aunt’s death, so it is only appropriate that his life ends where hers does. As such, he recommends that Kingpin pray to God that Aunt May continues to live longer, or else his life will come to an abrupt end. Web-slinging away, Peter tells Kingpin that, in his position, he should probably not rely much on God. The inmates watch as the Kingpin slowly and painfully gets back on his feet and returns to his cell. Kingpin is furious, perhaps even afraid.

A short time later at the hospital, Mary Jane tells Peter that they cannot afford to stay there any longer. They are already halfway through their savings. If they could move her someplace cheaper, the money would last longer. Peter comments that they cannot risk moving her right now. MJ replies that they may not have a choice. The longer they stay there, the more chance someone is going to figure out who she is and deduce the whole thing. Peter tells MJ that he'll worry about that. In the mean time, if money is a problem, then he’ll just get money. MJ asks how he is going to do that. Peter replies that he doesn't know yet, but vows to figure something out. He then asks what is next after that. MJ replies that all they can do now, is wait for the inevitable, which is all any of them can wait for.

To be continued.

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