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Astonishing Spider-Man Vol 1 68

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Appearing in "You've Got to Have Friends (of Humanity?)"

Reprint of the 1st story from
Spider-Man #82

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Synopsis for "You've Got to Have Friends (of Humanity?)"

Reprint of the 1st story from
Spider-Man #82

Running late for classes at Empire State University, Peter Parker swings to school and ducks into an unused office to change into his civilian clothes. Just as he finishes, Paul Stacy begins banging on the door to be let in. Robin Vega -- who will be using the office in her capacity as Doctor Lanning's senior assistant -- insists that there isn't a lock on the door. Slipping out the window carefully sneaks out of the office careful not to be spotted by student protestors on the quad and campus security. Going around the corner, Peter offers his aid to help open the door, telling him that they sometimes stick. Using his spider-strength, Peter shoves the door open and quickly scrapes off the webbing he used to seal the door and stuffs it in his pocket. He then asks Paul if he can reschedule their tutoring session as he has some scheduling conflicts. Paul tells Peter that this is his problem as he doesn't have any more free time and if Peter wants to benefit from his tutoring, Parker will need to work out of his schedule. After Stacy storms off, Robin introduces herself to Peter. Hearing that she is going to be heading up the Lanning project instead of Paul Stacy pleases Peter greatly and offers to take her out for coffee to get to know her better.

As they pass through the student demonstration, Robin explains how she decided on working on Lanning's project because it has to do with her field of study, metallurgical properties. She then asks him what life is like on campus and Peter tells her that it is usually quiet. Today there is a rally being held by the Friends of Humanity, and their representative Donovan Zane, who is attempting to take over leadership after the death of their leader, the late Graydon Creed.[Continuity 1] As Donovan takes the stage to address the students, he begins a racist anti-mutant speech. Peter stops to take photos, telling Robin that he is a freelance photographer. However, hearing Donovan Zane's speech about mutants hiding among them stops her dead in her tracks and she abruptly runs away. This concerns Peter, but he is distracted by the arrival of his wife Mary Jane and her friend Jill Stacy.[Continuity 2] As Zane Donovan's speech heats up, Mary Jane suggests they go somewhere else as Peter is getting visibly upset, and reminds him that they have a couple's therapy session coming up. That's when Zane Donovan begins burning an effigy of Spider-Man, and proclaiming to the frenzied crowd that the wall-crawler is a mutant that needs to be driven out.[Continuity 3] That's when Peter spots Paul Stacy on stage, shaking hands with Zane.

Later, at the Friends of Humanity Compound in Westchester, Donovan Zane welcomes Paul Stacy among their ranks. However, Paul isn't certain that he wants to join the Friends of Humanity, and seeing the massive mansion, he wonders what he could possibly offer the organization. Zane begins telling him about the Friend's mandate to protect human purity. To punctuate his ideas, he finds a hybrid plant among his "pure" flower garden and plucks it out. This bigoted speech is interrupted when a young man leaps over the retaining wall and confronts Zane about his racist ideas. He tells Donovan that his sister was a mutant and after constant harassment from people like the Friends of Humanity, she committed suicide. This does little to sway Donovan who has his men beat the young man up and toss him off the property. Zane concludes by telling Paul that they will need the best and brightest minds to help protect humanity against the threat of mutants. Finally being respected for his abilities, Paul begins to smile.

Back at Empire State University, things between protestors and counter-protestors get heated and a fight breaks out. Seeing this, Peter tells Mary Jane to get to safety and slips away to change into Spider-Man. As the wall-crawler tries to stop the riot, he realizes that these people are too consumed by hatred to even hear his usual quips. When some of the Friends of Humanity accuse a woman of being a mutant they attempt to stone her. However, Spider-Man manages to shield the woman with his webbing. Unfortunately, he is doing nothing to quell the angry mob, who accuse him of being a mutant. When campus security arrives on the scene, they tell Spider-Man to get lost as he is only making things worse. Realizing that they are right, the wall-crawler flees. His departure is observed by a bearded man who knew that if he bided his time he would eventually cross paths with Spider-Man again. After the mob is disbursed, Peter and Mary Jane return to the quad. There, Peter thinks he is useless in a situation like this, saying it is easier battling a foe like Doctor Octopus. That's when they spot Paul Stacy having a heated discussion with Robin Vega.

Paul tells her that the Friends of Humanity know who and what she is and they don't want her kind on campus. That's when the Parkers intervene, Paul isn't phased by Peter's attempt to be a hero and tells Peter to stay out of his way in the future. As he leaves, Paul warns Robin to take what he said seriously. When Peter and Mary Jane try to find out what's wrong, Robin is too upset to talk about it and runs off. Deciding to get to the bottom of this, Peter follows Robin up to the roof of the science building. There she reveals to Peter that she is a mutant and has been forced out of towns in the past. Regardless of her attempts to hide who she is, someone always finds out what she really is and she has to start her life all over again. She admits that she has never used her mutant powers before and has spent her entire life trying to suppress them. Having had enough, she reveals her true nature by transforming into a liquid metal form. She has now decided that she is going to take control of her life and go after those that would seek to harm her. Before Peter can talk sense into her, Robin's liquid metal form flows down the side of the building and out of sight. Not wanting things to escalate, Peter decides that there is another way he can approach this.

Later, on the balcony of his penthouse apartment, Paul Stacy realizes that the Friends of Humanity have been manipulating him into doing what they want. It's there that he is confronted by Spider-Man who informs Paul that he knows about his involvement with the Friends and how he has been harassing his classmate, Robin Vega. However, Paul isn't impressed with being questioned by Spider-Man and questions if the wall-crawler will kill him if he doesn't comply. Spider-Man denies he would do such a thing, but Paul brings up the fact that he was involved in the death of his uncle George and his cousin Gwen.[Continuity 4] Paul goes on to say that the reason why the Friends of Humanity are appealing to him is that if superhumans like Spider-Man still existed, George and Gwen would still be alive today. When Spider-Man tries to warn Paul that Robin Vega might be coming after him, the wall-crawler is suddenly struck with another bout of vertigo, a side-effect of being bitten by Morbius the Living Vampire.[Continuity 5] As he struggles for balance, Spider-Man is pushed over the edge of the balcony by Paul Stacy.

Firing a web-line, Spider-Man manages to save himself from a fatal fall, unaware that he is being watched by the same man who saw him at Empire State Univesity. Unable to hold onto the web for much longer, Spider-Man clings to the side of the building. However, the vertigo refuses to go away, leaving Spider-Man to wonder how long he can cling to the side of this wall before he ends up falling to his death.

Appearing in "Vertigo"

Reprint of the 1st story from
Spider-Man #83

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Synopsis for "Vertigo"

Reprint of the 1st story from
Spider-Man #83

At the Empire State University Administrative Building, Mary Jane is in a psychology session with Doctor Reandeau. Mary Jane is telling the doctor about the financial struggles that she and her husband, Peter, are having now that they are going back to school.[Continuity 6] When asking if Peter will be joining them for this session, Mary Jane is forced to admit that Peter is not very punctual, but she insists that this is because he takes responsibility for everything. As she is telling this to their psychologist, Mary Jane is unaware that Peter -- as Spider-Man -- is clinging to the side of a wall for dear life as a wave of vertigo sweeps him.[Continuity 7] With Paul Stacy's life at risk, the wall-crawler struggles to maintain his focus as he crawls up to an open window. Paul has been targeted by his classmate, Robin Vega who was recently harassed by Paul and the Friends of Humanity for being a mutant. Even though the web-slinger does not like Paul, he can't sit back and let him be murdered. As Spider-Man makes his way to safety, the man who has been observing him has crossed the street to the building and blasts his way into the open office so he can wait for the web-slinger to arrive as they have unfinished business to attend to.

Back at Empire State University, Mary Jane explain to Doctor Reandeau how Peter's sense of responsibility comes after the murder of his Uncle Ben while he was still a teenager.[Continuity 8] While she doesn't think this is a bad thing, she feels that Peter's sense of responsibility overshadows his responsibility as a husband, how she wants him to focus more on their future. She admits that they are still young sometimes she thinks that the pair rushed into getting married.[Continuity 9] When Mary Jane struggles to find words to explain her relationship with Peter, her psychologist tells Mary Jane that she can tell her anything in confidence. Unable to reveal that her husband is really Spider-Man, Mary Jane can only look at the time and wonder what is keeping Peter. While at his apartment, Paul Stacy begins to have doubts about involving himself with the Friends of Humanity, however, he makes him feel like he belongs to something. That's when Robin Vega, in her liquid metal form, comes crashing through his window and asks him if he wants to try intimidating her again.

Back on the side of the building, Spider-Man's spider-sense begins going off, alerting him to the fact that someone in the window is watching him. When he asks for help, the man refuses before blasting the window open. This surprise attack has come from the Shocker who wants to get his final revenge against Spider-Man after all the years of defeat. Caught off guard by the blast, Spider-Man almost ends up falling to his death but manages to grab hold onto a ledge. At ESU, Mary Jane tries to explain how her marriage is unconventional, but not boring. This leads to questions about Peter and Mary Jane's friends. When Mary Jane mentions her friends Gwen Stacy and Harry Osborn, she doesn't want to get into the subject of their deaths.[Continuity 10] Through the entire session, Mary Jane is more focused on what is keeping her husband. While at Paul Stacy's apartment, Robin Vega expresses her anger of constantly being on the run every time she has been outted as a mutant. Shaping her body in more and more violent ways, she explains how she had originally come to kill Paul for ruining her life. However, she quickly resumes a relatively human form and tells him that she has decided not to sink to his level. Shockingly, Paul Stacy is unimpressed by this display. While outside, one of the Friends of Humanity has been staked outside and reports to his masters on what to do next.

Still clinging to for his life, Spider-Man is still trying to fight off his vertigo. It's then that he realizes that he should get some medical help for his condition, but has very limited options in that regard.[Continuity 11] That's when the window above him is shattered by the Shocker. The villain enjoys seeing Spider-Man at his mercy but has noticed that there is something wrong with the wall-crawler. Since he has an upcoming job that will put him in the big leagues, the Shocker decides to spare Spider-Man, reminding the hero how easy it would have been for him to kill Spider-Man. The Shocker leaves Spider-Man to his fate, while at that same moment Mary Jane is telling her psychologist how the two have a committed relationship. As Spider-Man loses his grip and begins to fall, his only thoughts are that of his wife, Mary Jane. While at Paul Stacy's apartment, Paul hopes that Robin is finished with her drama. He admits to her that mutants are beneath his notice and his only interest in the Friend of Humanity was due to the possibility that Spider-Man might be a mutant. Since he is trying to learn if Spider-Man was responsible for the death of his uncle George and cousin Gwen.[Continuity 12] That's when they are suddenly ambushed by members of the Friends of Humanity who have come to kill Robin.

As Paul runs for his life, the attack sets fire to the building. No longer afraid of her pursuers, Robin easily subdues the Friends of Humanity and uses her powers to brand the word "mutie" onto their foreheads. Outside, a crowd has formed to watch the blaze. When Paul notices that a child is trapped inside, he rushes back in to save the young girl. He and the young girl are pulled up to the rooftop by Robin who is convinced that Paul is actually a good man, pointing out that he selflessly saved the young girl without a second thought, pointing out that the girl could grow up to be a mutant. By this time, Mary Jane has returned home to Queens where he Aunt Anna tells her that she has not seen any sign of Peter. Mary Jane figures that wherever Peter is, he is fine, unaware that the only trace of Spider-Man is a scrap of his costume that is hanging off the ledge he has fallen from.

Appearing in "Nothing Stops the Juggernaut!"

Reprint of the 1st story from
Spider-Man #84

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Synopsis for "Nothing Stops the Juggernaut!"

Reprint of the 1st story from
Spider-Man #84

As Cain Marko, the man is known as the Juggernaut, walks the street of New York, Spider-Man has narrowly avoided falling to his death thanks to a hastily spun web-net.[Continuity 13] The wall-crawler is embarassed as a group of children has gathered to gawk at him. Fighting off lingering vertigo, Spider-Man pulls himself free from the webbing so he can try and stop Robin Vega from harming Paul Stacy.[Continuity 14] It's then that Spider-Man recognizes one of the children as Devon Lewis, whose mother owns the Daily Grind.[Continuity 15] That's when Cain Marko walks into his webbing and is unimpressed that his trip to New York has led to a run in with one of its many heroes. He had come to recover a sword that he had recently earned that he hopes that he can use to help his friend Black Tom Cassidy.[Continuity 16]

When Spider-Man doesn't recognize Marko, he uses his mystical connection to the Crimson Gem of Cyttorak to transform his street clothes into his Juggernaut costume. As the Juggernaut breaks free from the webbing, Spider-Man tries to convince the villain to talk this out. However, the wall-crawler does nothing but anger the Juggernaut, who thinks Spider-Man is calling him an idiot. As the Juggernaut attacks Spider-Man, all the children flee, except for Devon Lewis who thinks there is something that he can do to help the wall-crawler. At first, Spider-Man is able to dodge the Juggernaut's blows until his vertigo starts coming back. Seeing Spider-Man in danger, Devon leaps onto the Juggernaut's back to try and stop him. This only causes the sword in the Juggernaut's possession to snap free. Not wanting Devon to get hurt, Spider-Man tries to strike the Juggernaut as hard as he can, but it does little to phase the villain. As Devon runs off with the sword, Spider-Man continues to try and stop the Juggernaut, but to no avail. The Juggernaut insists that he doesn't want to hurt anyone, but Spider-Man doesn't believe it due to their past encounter.[Continuity 17] The wall-crawler tries to slow the Juggernaut down by shooting webbing into his mask. As Cain tries to rip away the webbing, he tries to explain how he needs to sell the sword to get the money he needs to save his friend after he was injured during a recent battle.[Continuity 18]

This allows Spider-Man to catch up with Devon, leaving the NYPD to deal with the Juggernaut. Devon tells Spider-Man that he hid the sword somewhere that the Juggernaut can't find it. Still trying to fight off his vertigo, the wall-crawler tells the boy to bring him to the sword. However, the Lewis boy refuses to get the sword, insisting that they can't give it to a bad guy. With the police unable to keep the Juggernaut at bay, Spider-Man insists that giving the villain the sword will prevent more people from getting hurt. Seeing that police officers are risking their lives to try and stop the Juggernaut convinces Devon to recover the sword. Spider-Man distracts the Juggernaut and confirms that Marko is sincere about wanting to help his friend. This delays the rampage long enough for Devon to return with the sword. Once he has his possession back, the Juggernaut mystically sends away his costume and walks off without further incident. To thank Devon for his help, he decides to pay a visit to Devon's friends to prove that the boy knows Spider-Man. When another wave of vertigo strikes, one of the boys mentions how his mother is a doctor and offers to get her to help the web-slinger get better.

When Peter Parker returns home to wife, Mary Jane, he tells her that he was suffering from an inner ear infection.[Continuity 19] Peter admits that the side effect of being bitten by Morbius was bizarre, he is glad that he finally has the medication needed to finally get better. After hearing about Peter's day, Mary Jane reminds Peter how Ben Reilly was a large part of Devon Lewis' life, and that perhaps they owe it to Ben's memory to be a more active part of the boy's life.

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