Web of Spider-Man #50

1000 WORDS

Tabloid photographer Nick Katzenberg has come to the Daily Bugle to sell photos of Spider-Man appearing to rob a safe at the mansion of Winston Walker. Jameson asks how he got these photos. Katzenberg, who takes photos for the National Examiner, was staking out Walker's residence when he spotted Spider-Man breaking into the mansion. After taking the photos he decided that it would be more worth his while to sell the photos to the Daily Bugle. When Jameson starts talking about payment, and Katzenberg only agrees to give him the photos if he is given a regular job at the Bugle, explaining that he has aspirations. In a delightful mood, Jameson introduces Nick to Kate Cushing and heads out of the office. Passing Glory Grant and her boyfriend Eduardo Lobo, Glory is surprised by Jonah's chipper mood. Returning to his apartment building, Jonah wishes his wife Marla could be home to celebrate instead of being on a sabbatical in Europe. Once he has taken the elevator up to his apartment, he finds there is someone inside waiting for him. This intruder sprays Jonah in the face with knock out gas.  The following morning, the Daily Bugle is published with Katzenberg's photos on the front page. The headline screams "Spider-Man: Thief?". Among those who read this story are the Puma, the Rocket Racer, Will O' the Wisp, the Prowler, and the Sandman. Their reactions range from interest to concern. Also reading the story is Winston Walker, who is furious to discover that he was robbed from the newspaper. After berating his security team, he orders them to look around to see what else may have been stolen. However, Walker worries that his greatest secret may have been what Spider-Man was looking for. While across the street from Winston's mansion, someone is watching and taking photos. While in Forest Hills, Kristy Watson picks up the morning paper. She thinks about how she ran away from home in Indiana to come to New York so her cousin Mary Jane could help her become a model, something that Mary Jane is not aware of. She was disappointed when Mary Jane had her stay at Aunt May's house, but this changed when Peter and Mary Jane were evicted from their apartment and were forced to move in as well.  She then rushes upstairs to tell Peter and Mary Jane to tell them that breakfast is ready. Mary Jane is annoyed, but Peter tries to tell her to ease up on her cousin. However, Mary Jane is concerned about Kristy, as she feels as though there is something off about Kristy and wishes she could get in touch with her parents. Peter is tired because he had a restless night and heads off for his class at Empire State University. When Mary Jane sits down for breakfast she sees the front-page story and wonders why he didn't tell her that story.  While at a federal court in Philadelphia, Joe Robertson is told to stop reading the newspaper by his son Randy. Randy is upset that his father doesn't seem to be doing anything to defend himself in his upcoming trial. His wife Amanda pulls Randy out of the meeting room and tells him that he is acting out of turn, reminding him that his father needs support, not criticism. Randy understands, but he's afraid that if his father ends up in prison, he may not make it out alive. Back in New York City, the Arranger is reading an article about the looming gang war. This does not bode well for the Arranger, as the Lobos have been killing many of the Kingpin's top lieutenants.  He soon arrives on the docks where yet another slaughter was committed by the Lobos. Written on the side of a ship in the blood is the warning "Wolves Take Revenge". On the scene is Detective Frank Farrow and he begins berating the Arranger for even more deaths. It's then that the Arranger is told that there is call for him.   The call is from Carlos Lobo, who warns the Arranger that he and his brother Eduardo are coming for his life. After he hangs up, Carlos and his brother Eduardo begin their next phase of the plan, which involves Eduardo romancing Glory Grant to the point where she will do whatever he asks. While at the Symkarian Embassy, Silver Sable is in the middle of a training session when the phone rings. It is her current employer who asks if she has seen the recent news. She assures the caller that she is doing her job when she receives a message that gives her a lead.  While at Empire State University, Peter has fallen asleep at his desk. After three hours, he is woken up by Dr. Swann and his assistant Anne-Marie Baker. Suddenly, Peter gets a message and rushes off suddenly.  Up on the roof, Peter changes into Spider-Man, when he is suddenly ambushed by the Puma. Spider-Man is surprised that the Puma is attacking him since the mercenary owes him a debt of honor. However, the Puma explains that this debt became null and void the moment that Spider-Man proved himself to be a common thief. During the battle, Spider-Man admits that he did break into Winston Walker's house but doesn't have time to explain himself. As the wall-crawler flees, the Puma discovers that the hero dropped his mobile device and figures he can use the resources of Fireheart Enterprises to analyze the device and get some answers. As Spider-Man swings across the city, he is unaware of a strange ball of light has started following him.  Meanwhile, the Prowler has arrived at Winston's home in order to find evidence that will clear Spider-Man of any wrongdoing. The Rocket Racer has the same idea, and seeing the Prowler there assumes he is a criminal and attacks him.  The Prowler is surprised to hear that the Racer knows Spider-Man, but the youth isn't interested in talking. The fight attracts the attention of the police who rush to the scene of the battle. By this point, the Prowler and Rocket Racer realize that they are on the same side. When they are surrounded by the cops, the pair work together to getaway. As they leave, they spot someone on the opposite rooftop taking photos. The pair ambush the photographer and learn that he is in the employ of Silver Sable and decide to pay her a visit. At that moment, Spider-Man follows the car owned by Winston across the Verrazano-Narrow Bridge. As it turns out, Winston has been under observation by Silver Sable, and Spider-Man's theft was part of the mission. Thanks to a spider-tracer, the wall-crawler is able to follow the car all the way out Staten Island. Eventually, Winston stops on a rural road and digs up a hidden safe. Looking inside, he is relieved to find that the documents he had stashed there are still intact.  That's when Spider-Man reveals himself, he knocks out Winston's guards and takes the cylinder. However, before he can make a getaway, he is attacked by Will O' the Wisp, who also believes that Spider-Man is a thief.  Spider-Man manages to get away when one of the armed guards begins firing at Will O' the Wisp. After dealing with the gunman, the Wisp follows after the wall-crawler, but the hero tricks him into phasing through some powerlines, giving Wisp a powerful electrical jolt. As the wall-crawler flees the scene, Winston offers to pay Will O' the Wisp for stopping Spider-Man. However, the Wisp refuses the money, intent to capture Spider-Man as a matter of pride. Later, Silver Sable takes a boat to Ellis Island where she meets with Spider-Man in the ruins of the old immigration facility. There, Spider-Man turns over the cylinder to Sable. They are interrupted by the Prowler and Rocket Racer, who is convinced that Spider-Man is a thief. However, before they can attack they are ambushed by the Sandman. Spider-Man leaps in and tries to stop the trio from fighting, explaining that both he and Sandman are working for Silver Sable. Watching the battle, Silver Sable decides to take her to leave, as the cylinder is more important and she is certain that the wall-crawler and Sandman can sort out this situation.  However, before she can get off the island, she is confronted by the Puma, who used Spider-Man's mobile device to track Silver Sable down. Puma orders her to stand down, but the female mercenary refuses to surrender and attacks. Seeing that Sable is under attack, Spider-Man intervenes, telling Sable to run for it. As the wall-crawler battles the Puma, the Sandman and the others come crashing out of the walls. Suddenly, Spider-Man is ambushed by Will O' the Wisp. With the battle raging out of control, Spider-Man makes the ceiling of fall on the heads of their attackers. When they pull themselves out of the rubble, Spider-Man hands over the cylinder to the Puma. Looking at the documents inside, the Puma is surprised to see that Winston Walker has been laundering money for the Maggia. Silver Sable explains that the Justice Department hasn't been able to get anything incriminating on Winston, and so Silver Sable International was hired to find the evidence. The staged robbery was intended to trick Walker into revealing the secret location of his documents. With everything straightened out, Silver Sable is impressed by the work the other has done and hands them business cards saying she would like to hire them all on a freelance basis. Soon everyone departs, leaving Spider-Man alone on Ellis Island. When everyone is gone, Spider-Man recovers his camera, intending to sell the photos to the Daily Bugle and clear Spider-Man's name.  However, when Peter shows the photos to J. Jonah Jameson, he is furious that these pictures will exonerate Spider-Man and refuses to buy them. Oddly enough, Jameson sets off Peter's spider-sense. Before leaving, Peter is told to take pictures like Nick Katzenberg. Peter returns home where he crawls into bed with his wife Mary Jane.  He tells Mary Jane what happened, and she tries to console him. They are interrupted by Aunt May who has come with some hot cocoa. Mary Jane asks May to knock next time, and May becomes embarrassed because she realized the couple were being intimate and bashfully leaves them alone. Lastly, the man who appears to be J. Jonah Jameson returns to his apartment. He gloats about how taking the place of the Daily Bugle publisher is just the first phase of his plan to take down the United States government. In the bedroom the real J. Jonah Jameson is tied to the bed and demands to be freed. The impostor assures Jonah that nobody will see through his disguise. When Jameson asks who his kidnapper is, the phony Jameson suddenly shape-shifts into his true form as the Chameleon.