A Tribute to Spider-Man

PLAYERS AND PAWNS - PART ONE - FALSE TRUTHS!
	WRITER: TOM DEFALCO PENCILS: SAL BUSCEMA INKS: BILL SIENKIEWICZ COLORS: JOHN KALISZ LETTERS: CLEM ROBINS COVER: SAL BUSCEMA AND BILL SIENKIEWICZ EDITOR: MARK POWERS GROUP EDITOR: DANNY FINGEROTH EDITOR-IN-CHIEF: BOB BUDIANSKI PREVIOUSLY: In order to provide some background information about the events leading to this issue of Spectacular Spider-Man, I have summarized information obtained from the article "The Life of Reilly", presented by GrayHaven Magazine, which explains in details the most controversial Spider-Man storyline ever written: the infamous Clone Saga. In Web of Spider-Man #122, both Peter Parker and his clone, Ben Reilly, are getting visions of the Jackal, the alter ego of Professor Miles Warren, who created the clone in the first place. The only difference is that in Ben's vision, the Jackal refers to him as "Peter". The visions lead Ben, as the Scarlet Spider, on a chase deep inside the forest, where he comes face-to-face with a Jackal impersonator who claims that all the answers to his questions can be found behind a secret door guarded by some kind of monster called the Guardian, who bears a striking resemblance to Kaine. Ben battles the Guardian but is knocked unconscious by the latter. Kaine, who had been watching the fight from nearby, waits to make his move.
Back in New York, Peter Parker is in the process of altering his life insurance policy to include the baby, unaware that Detective Raven (seen mostly in the other Spider-Man titles investigating the death of his partner at the hands of Kaine) is meeting with J. Jonah Jameson. He does not notice them because he is too busy dealing with strong memory flashes of him waking up inside a cryogenic chamber. Wanting to make sense of all this, he dons his costume and goes out for a swing. While web-slinging across the City, he tries to understand why he is having those memories, and comes to the realization that the only plausible explanation that seems to make sense is that he is the clone. Yet, he cannot bring himself to accept that. Suddenly, he gets a vision of the Scarlet Spider lying unconscious and realizes that he must try to save him. In Amazing Spider-Man #399, Kaine prepares to make his move when he is confronted by Scrier last seen in Spectacular Spider-Man #217. Kaine is evidently taken aback by his arrival, as it appears that Scrier is in the know regarding Kaine's relationship with Ben Reilly/Scarlet Spider. Scrier tells Kaine that he should not fear him...yet. Peter Parker/Spider-Man reaches Ben, as the latter slowly regains consciousness. As they exchange pleasantries, the Jackal impersonator returns and leads the two of them through the previously guarded passage and into a laboratory. The Guardian is in the lab, though it appears that he is in great pain. As he blames the real Jackal for this, he collapses. The Jackal impersonator takes off his mask and that of the Guardian revealing that they are failed clones of Peter Parker. Just then, a voice calls out to the impersonator, telling him that he should not compare himself to either Spider-Man or the Scarlet Spider because they are his greatest triumphs. Having said that, the real Jackal steps out of a regeneration chamber, more powerful than ever, and reveals that the Jackal that died years ago, in the now classic Amazing Spider-Man #149 was also a clone. The Jackal proceeds to tease them and tells them that degeneration affects all clones sooner or later. Spider-Man asks the Jackal if that means Ben will die soon and the Jackal replies that he was referring to the both of them. Hearing that, Spider-Man loses it. Ben tries to calm him down but Spider-Man turns his anger towards him. Seeking the truth, Spider-Man asks the Jackal to prove it. The Jackal agrees and proceeds to open another cryogenic chamber. As it opens, the Jackal reveals to them that he's made a mistake and accidentally opened the wrong one. The one he opened contains the real Gwen Stacy. In Spider-Man Volume 1 #56, Spider-Man goes off to talk with Gwen Stacy, while Ben Reilly/Scarlet Spider confronts the Jackal, who tells him that he is the real Peter Parker and that he should kill his clone and reclaim his life. While this takes place, Kaine watches from above and Scrier watches above him. The Jackal and his impersonator attack Ben so Spider-Man comes to his aid. While they battle, the Jackal tells Spidey that he is the real Peter Parker and that Ben is the clone and tells them both that he was lying to Ben moments earlier "just for kicks". Spidey accuses him of lying because he read his journal and spoke with the High Evolutionary. The Jackal comments that the High Evolutionary would have absolutely no purpose in telling him the truth and goes on telling him to go to Gwen, as she is his true love. Gwen approaches him (i.e. Spidey) and wraps her arms around him and she tries to convince him that she is real. But, as she does so, she degenerates right in front of him, to the utter laughter of the maniacal Jackal. Spider-Man and the Scarlet Spider prepare to move in on the Jackal but he manages to flee through an escape door, telling them that the entire building is set to explode and that neither of them is the real Peter Parker; the real Peter Parker is in a chamber somewhere in the building. Spidey and the Scarlet Spider safely make their way out of the building before it explodes but Spidey is angry still, because he wants to know the truth. Ben tells Spidey that it is probably easier just to go on living. At issue's end, it is revealed that a lone cryogenic pod rests. But what or who is inside it?
REVIEW: Kaine is rummaging through the wreckage of the Jackal's lab, hoping to find clues and answers to his questions. As he tosses debris aside, he finally finds what he was looking for: the Jackal's computer. Knowing full well that the Jackal would never allow his precious scientific records to be destroyed, Kaine knows that he now has access to the one thing that will prove, scientifically and undeniably, which one is the real Peter Parker and which one is the clone. As he searches the computer files and prepares to copy the pertinent files onto a floppy disk, he accidentally triggers some kind of failsafe, which causes a genetic pod to emerge through the rubble. Kaine believes the pod to contain another genetic freak the Jackal uses as his guardians but when it finally opens, Kaine is completely taken aback when Peter Parker steps out of the pod. Just then, the Jackal appears, accompanied by his little apprentice, Jack, and taunts Kaine. Flustered and wanting to know which one is real, Kaine lunges at the Jackal. The Jackal fends off the attack and continues to torment Kaine. Standing nearby, Jack is thinking about downloading a duplicate of the disk that Kaine took when he catches the glimpse of a figure lurking in the shadows. Frightened, he jumps in the Jackal's arms, interrupting the ongoing battle. While the skulking figure steps out of the shadows, revealing itself to be Scrier (last seen in Spectacular Spider-Man #217), Kaine uses that opportunity to retreat. Making his way out of the lab, he notices that the third Parker has slipped away during the confusion; it makes him wonder where he fits in the Jackal's plan. Back inside the lab, Scrier disappears back into the shadows as quickly as he emerged. The Jackal, talking to himself, explains that he had anticipated that Scrier would eventually check up on him and wonders if it has anything to do with Judas Traveller's recent visit to Ravencroft (as seen in Spectacular Spider-Man #217). He turns to Jack and tells him to pack up the old computers as they are heading for their new home. Ben Reilly is watching Flash Thompson as he coaches basketball to a group of teens. He is impressed with Flash for making something out of his life and starts to think about the possibility that he could be the real Peter Parker and therefore deserve a real life after all. Kaine is going across the city, tormented with the recent revelation that there is a third Peter Parker. He suddenly gets a vision of Mary Jane lying dead on the floor. He realizes that he and MJ have a date with destiny. Mary Jane is visiting her family doctor who informs her that, though she is as healthy as a horse, he's detected a minor anomaly with the baby-to-be and he'd like to schedule some additional tests as soon as possible. As MJ walks out of his office, she cannot help but to wonder what the effect of the radioactive spider that bit Peter years ago will have on the baby. The Jackal and his little apprentice, Jack, enter their new hidden lair where the Jackal intends to craft the most wonderful miracles of genetic engineering. Inside the lair, genetic creatures, programmed specifically with one function and limited lifespan, are working endlessly. The Jackal is unable to take his mind off Ravencroft and considers charging in and taking some hostage to stumble on what Scrier learned. But as he realizes that it is too obvious and that he has some time to kill while the lab sets up, he decides to go out to amuse himself. At the Manhattan offices of the Daily Bugle, Peter is meeting with Robbie Robertson to try and score a photo assignment but Robbie has nothing for him. Robbie tells Peter that he'll try to scrounge something up for him but it might take some time. As Peter makes is way out of Robbie's office, he runs into J. Jonah Jameson, who informs him that a police detective has been around asking some questions about him and a man named Ben Reilly. Several miles away from there, Detective Trevayne meets with the District Attorney to obtain a warrant to arrest an individual for murder. The DA tells the detective that he should have warrants within the hour. The detective tells the DA that the real credit belongs to Detective Raven, who has been hounding the perp for years � all the way from Salt Lake City, which coincidently happens to be where Ben Reilly used to live before he came to New York City. Peter is walking the streets of New York City, wondering why he and his clone are being sought by a police detective. He realizes that he doesn't know a whole lot about Ben, where he's been, what he�s experienced or how he's lived over the years. He comes to the realization that, since Ben showed up in New York, both the Grim Hunter and Doctor Octopus have been murdered, which makes him further realize that Ben could be the killer, for all he knows. As he continues to walk along the street, he is suddenly accosted by Kaine, who hands him the computer files he recently stole from the Jackal's and tells him that the files contain proof that he is the real Peter Parker. Kaine disappears as quickly as he showed up. File in hand, Peter always believed he was real and never really needed proof to prove that. Wondering about what Kaine is up to, Peter gets angry with the idea that another mysterious stranger is screwing with him and vows to find Kaine to get some answers. Ben Reilly is getting ready to leave the gym where he was watching Flash Thompson teaching basketball to a bunch of kids when the Jackal and Jack come crashing through the window. The Jackal throws a handful of genetic goo towards Flash and the kid, which transforms into genetic creatures. Flash tells the kids to run for safety while he distracts the creatures. While this takes place, Jack's thoughts reveal that he wished the Jackal would concentrate on stopping the degeneration factor that is slowly killing him, otherwise, he will be forced to use the copy of the data that Kaine downloaded earlier and give it to Reilly. Just then, Ben returns, dressed as the Scarlet Spider, and confronts the Jackal. Kaine is making his way across the rooftops, wondering why the Jackal waited to announce himself until he � Kaine � already had possessed the information he had sought. As he tries to figure out whether it was poor timing or simply that the Jackal had guessed his plans, Peter, as Spider-Man, confronts him and demands to know what is going on. Meanwhile, upstate, the third Peter Parker hitches a ride on a transport truck and appears to have no recollection about how he is or what he should be doing. To be continued in Web of Spider-Man #123.