Amazing Fantasy #18

THE AMAZING SPIDER-MAN

Midtown High School… Peter Parker doesn’t think he’s a super hero. Sitting behind him in class Flash Thompson is telling everyone how it was Spider-Man who nabbed the Mystery Vandal, not The FF or Ant Man and Spidey’s the best super hero out there. Peter thinks back to how he got his powers and how his irresponsibility led to Uncle Ben’s death. A super hero wouldn’t have done that. Sure he caught the burglar, The Undertaker and stopped Joey, but he’s just trying to make up for his mistakes – not trying to be a super hero.

Later… Spider-Man rescues a small boy from a burning building as fire fighters struggle to control the blaze. He brings out the last of the tenants and also saves a trapped fireman. Journalists gathered at the scene want to interview him, take his photo. He tells them to talk to the firemen as they’re the real heroes but they tell him he’s the one who’s news. Spider-Man swings away and watches to make sure everything is under control. He won’t shirk his responsibility this time because he did it once and a life time of making up for it won’t be good enough. He doesn’t think he’s a super hero, just a kid with a little something extra. But not enough extra, or life wouldn’t be so hard for the people he loves.

Parker residence… Peter walks into the kitchen to see Aunt May trying to re-work the household budget because they don’t have enough money since Uncle Ben’s death. May tells him not to worry and that they can manage. Peter goes up to study in his room. May tells him he’s a good boy. Peter thinks a good boy would have stopped her husband from getting killed, would help to put food on the table and money in the bank. The TV in the background is tuned to the show “It’s Amazing”. They’re showing footage of Thor aiding the US Army to test new defence systems. Peter thinks that’s a proper super hero, strong, brave and noble. Super heroes don’t have frail aunts and money troubles. They’re not outcasts in high school and they don’t have physics homework. Peter hears Aunt May singing a cheerful song even though he knows she must be worried sick. He decides he has to help out with money.

Maxie Shiffman’s office… Spidey taps on the window and is greeted by a surprised Maxie who is delighted that Spider-Man’s changed his mind about doing TV appearances. Shiffman makes a call to “It’s Amazing” and lines up a gig. Elsewhere Flash Thompson can’t believe his luck that he’s got tickets to the show. When he first got the tickets the headline was just some astronaut. Later at a TV studio, publisher J. Jonah Jameson is giving a hard time to the producer of “It’s Amazing” for bumping his son off the guest list in favour of some glorified acrobat. The argument is cut short by the arrival of Spider-Man. The show’s staff make a big fuss about Spidey while Jameson angrily watches from the background. Spidey tells them he’s no super hero. Fantastic Four, Thor and in the old days Captain America are super heroes. He’s just a guy with some tricks. The studio staff are impressed at how humble Spidey is while Jameson is mumbling away under his breath. Spider-Man asks his agent who that is and Shiffman says it’s no one he’ll ever have to worry about.

While Spider-Man waits nervously backstage the audience are taking their seats. Among them J.J.J. can’t believe how equably his son is taking this “slap in the face”. John Jameson says the producers are just giving the crowd what they want. He asks the kid sitting in front of him who he’d rather see – Spider-Man or an astronaut. Flash Thompson says there’s no contest and Spidey is much cooler. Finally the show starts and the presenter comes to the stage. He announces they will have a report on a new super hero called Iron Man later in the show. He makes a joke about how Iron Man should form a team with other household appliances when he is pushed aside by a man in a blue and red costume. The presenter tries to tell the man off but is electrocuted and thrown aside.

Backstage… At first Spidey thinks this is part of the show but Maxie didn’t mention anything and the presenter looks like he’s really hurt. The costumed man introduces himself to the audience and TV cameras as Supercharger. He explains his body works as a living battery and can absorb and release unimaginable amounts of power. He asks the audience isn’t it amazing? Isn’t that what the show is about? Imagine how amazing it will be when he kills them all! Spider-Man realises this is why his Spider Sense is buzzing. This guy is a super villain… like that Dr. Doom. Spidey doesn’t know what to do. On stage Supercharger tells the audience he will explain why they all have to die. He tells the camera to keep rolling even though they’re not live on air so someday everyone can see what happened here. Some audience members try to escape but Supercharger tells them he’s sealed the doors shut with his powers so they may as well take a seat. He then goes on to explain how he gained his powers.

Flashback… A boy and his scientist father were fascinated by the sudden appearance of so many super powered beings. The scientist decided to research what implications these beings had on human biology and technology. He wanted to see if super powers could be induced and his son helped him with his research. But something went wrong and the scientist’s generators weren’t able to handle the power of his experiment. There was an explosion, the scientist was killed, and his son ended up proving him right. He ended up with terrible power.

Back in the studio… Supercharger says gaining this power made him realise that super beings are just freaks and monsters that bring death and destruction in their wake. That it’s a tragedy people celebrate these creature and more keep coming. He wants to prove his point by killing everyone in the studio. Spider-Man realises this guy is serious, that he’s a real super villain and what is needed is a real super hero – or better yet four of them. He runs to a room backstage and breaks down one of the sealed doors to find a phone, but Supercharger has cut the lines. Spidey decides he’ll swing to the Baxter Building and get the Fantastic Four himself. He smashes a chair through a window to get outside when he hears a woman scream.

Supercharger has a woman by the throat. He tells her he regrets that he has to kill her but the world must see what kind of monsters super powered beings are. He prepares to deliver the killing blow but Spider-Man swings away with the woman in time. He just couldn’t abandon these people to the madman and prepares to fight his first super villain. Spider-Man swings at Supercharger and lands a solid punch to his head. The demented villain shouts at Spider-Man that he wasn’t supposed to be here but he’s no better then the rest. He asks Spidey how many people have died because of him and blasts him with electric charges. He misses repeatedly as Spider-Man jumps and dodges out of the way. The hero wonders if he’s fate is to continuously keep saving more and more people because he failed to save Uncle Ben. He’s just a kid who made a mistake and is trying to make up for it.

Spider-Man shoots his webbing at the villain’s mouth and shuts him up. While Supercharger is trying to rip the webbing off his face Spider-Man lands another shattering blow. But as the madman falls back he unleashes a tremendous charge and hit Spidey at point blank range. The hero goes down… it was too much to bear but at least he tried. He whispers to himself “I’m sorry Uncle Ben...” A kid from the crowd cheers him on, “C’mon Spidey! You can take it!” Peter Parker doesn't know whether it’s Flash Thompson’s faith in Spider-Man or the reminder that there are still people out there but he pulls himself back from the edge and realises this isn’t about his problem – there are people out there who need help and he can give it to them. As he struggles to get up he spots a stage hand hiding in a corner. Spider-Man says he needs his help. While Supercharger is recharging his body from the power he used up on Spider-Man and reassuring the crowd it’ll be an instant death, Spidey shoots a web line at each of the villain’s arms. The webbings stick and while Supercharger is shocked that Spider-Man is still alive, the hero attaches the other ends to a generator and gives the signal to the stage hand to pull the switch.

Outside the night sky lit up like it was afternoon. Inside the would-be mass killer slumps to the floor, his battery like body unable to handle the overcharge. Peter realises it’s not about making up for past mistakes, but about doing what’s right now. The audience cheer for their hero, yet some of them wonder if it wasn’t for guys like Spider-Man would guys like Supercharger be around? Spider-Man soon breaks all the seals on the doors and the police and paramedics arrive shortly. Supercharger is taken into custody.

Maxie Shiffman tells Spider-Man he’s sorry he booked Supercharger as a client and that he didn’t look into his background but he was desperate for money. Spidey says they need to return the money for this gig as they didn’t fulfil their contract. Maxie is shocked - he really needs the money, but Spider-Man convinces him. The disgruntled J.J.J. is overhearing the conversation when his son John Jameson approaches him. As the two men walk away, Jonah Jameson says Spider-Man is a dangerous vigilante and not a saint like he’s trying to make people believe and vows to teach him a lesson.

New York… The colourful figure of Spider-Man swings through the night sky. Peter reflects that when his Uncle Ben died, he learnt the lesson that with great power comes great responsibility, but he didn’t know what it meant until now. Even if Ben hadn’t died Peter would still have these powers and these responsibilities. He has the ability to help and he should use it, even if he doesn’t feel like a super hero all the time. But who knows what a super hero feels like? Maybe even The FF have problems. But he’ll find a way to solve his problems… because that’s what super heroes do… they find a way.