Web of Spider-Man (Vol. 1) #122

Background

Peter Parker's clone - Ben Reilly - has recently reappeared in his life. Ben has been going about his business as The Scarlet Spider, while Peter has been dealing with a virus he was infected with. MJ recently announced to Peter she was pregnant (SSM #220). All the while, a mysterious figure called Kaine has watched over events, having visions of MJ dead. In an encounter with Doctor Octopus, who had saved Peter from the virus, Kaine snapped Ock's neck (ASM #398), killing him instantly. Meanwhile, Aunt May is still seriously ill in hospital.

Story 'The Call'

Ben is swinging through the city as The Scarlet Spider but has a vision of The Jackal and loses his concentration. Peter, meanwhile, has the same vision while he is at his apartment. While he's kissing MJ, he also has a vision of Gwen.

Scarlet has followed the visions to somewhere 'around a 100 miles away'. He finds the Jackal in some mountainous region close to a doorway. Scarlet gets him by the neck and asks what's going on. Then this big guy shows up.

At the Bugle, Peter has told Robbie about MJ's pregnancy but asks him to keep it quiet. Detective Raven leaves Jonah's office and Jonah tells Robbie he doesn't want to know what the meeting with Raven was all about. Peter has another mindflash from The Jackal.

MJ and Anna are at May's bedside in the hospital. May's eyes open but they don't notice. Elsewhere the large guy is battering Ben to protect the doorway. Kaine watches on. Back in New York, Peter is having visions of the Jackal still and feeling the same 'pull' Ben did. He wonders why he's having visions of the clone's birth when he's not the clone but doesn't want to think too far along those lines just in case- He has a feeling that Ben is in trouble and swings off to find him.

General Comments

Not a bad set-up for this three-parter. I like the Peter-Ben connection and the ambiguity over who's who. Let's hope it doesn't get too OTT.

Overall Rating